DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Response to Argument
Applicant's arguments, filed 08/18/26, with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Claims 9, 15 and 20 have been canceled.
Claims 1-8, 10-14, 16-19 and 21 are pending.
Applicant, on pages 11-13 of the remark, argues that Soong, Xiong and Takeda fail to disclose the switching to the signaling waveform being dependent on a rank of transmission, the rank of transmission comprising a beamforming scheme corresponding to one or both of: a number of antennas and an antenna port to be used. However, the Examiner now relies on a new reference, Lunttila et al. (U.S. 20110261774), for teaching the above limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-8, 10-14, 16-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Soong et al. (U.S. 20170264401) in view of Xiong et al. (U.S. 20180063820) and further in view of Moroga et al. (U.S. 20190261284) and further in view of Lunttila et al. (U.S. 20110261774).
For claim 1, Soong et al. disclose a method of operating a user equipment in a radio access network, the method comprising:
transmitting signaling on frequency resources, the signaling having a signaling waveform (SC-FDMA) based on the relative position of the frequency resources in an operating frequency range (at least Fig. 5A, [0044], [0051] and [0059]-[0060]. The base station 110 configures one or more zones of an uplink channel in the uplink subframe using a signaling message (or receives the configuration from the network). One of the zones in the uplink channel is configured as a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for transmission of control information. The PUCCH zones are configured at either edge of the bandwidth. Once the PUCCH zones have been configured, the base station 110 may transmit the PUCCH zone configuration to the user equipment UE. In response to receiving the PUCCH zone configuration, the UE sends uplink control information (UCI) on the PUCCH in these zones using a single carrier modulation, such as SC-FDMA. The UCI and data are received by the base station 110. The base station 110 decodes the UCI on the PUCCH resource in the PUCCH zone using the single carrier modulation.) However, Soong et al. do not disclose the transmitting comprising switching from a configured waveform to the signaling waveform based at least in part on a capability of the user equipment, the capability corresponding to a maximum power reduction, MPR, value of the user equipment, and the switching to the signaling waveform being dependent on a rank of transmission, the rank of transmission comprising a beamforming scheme corresponding to one or both of: a number of antennas and an antenna port to be used.
In the same field of endeavor, Xiong et al. disclose the transmitting comprising switching from a configured waveform to the signaling waveform based at least in part on a capability of the user equipment (at least [0064]-[0065] and [0094]. Benefits can be gained by allowing a UE in a limited-coverage scenario to use the SC-FDMA waveform for uplink transmissions in order to improve the link budget. For UEs in a normal-coverage scenario, however, using the OFDMA waveform for uplink transmissions can provide the benefit of frequency-selective scheduling. In one example, the indication of whether SC-FDMA or OFDMA is to be used can be signaled via UE-specific dedicated RRC signaling. In another example, the indication can be explicitly included in a DCI format for an uplink grant. For instance, a bit value of 1 can be used to indicate that OFDMA is to be used, while a bit value of zero can be used to indicate that SC-FDMA is to be used. However, in some examples, the UE can select the transmission scheme and send an indication of the selection to the cellular base station. The SC-FDMA scheme or the OFDMA scheme can be selected at the UE based on a measurement report for the UE or a UE capability to support a hybrid uplink mode. In another example, whether to apply the SC-FDMA scheme or the OFDMA scheme can be determined based on a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement made at the UE, a path loss measurement made at the UE, a measurement report for the UE, or a UE capability to support a hybrid uplink mode.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Soong et al. as taught by Xiong et al. for purpose of improving the link budget.
In the same field of endeavor, Moroga et al. disclose the capability corresponding to a maximum power reduction, MPR, value of the user equipment (at least [0025] and [0035]-[0036]. It is assumed that the MPR and the A-MPR are defined. Here, in the transmission power control method (Method 1), values of the MPR and values of the A-MPR, which are respectively different from each other between a case where OFDM is used in the UL signal and a case where DFT-s-OFDM is used in the UL signal, are applied. In a case where OFDM is used in the UL signal, the user equipment 20 calculates transmission power in a maximum transmission power range that is determined by the MPR and the A-MPR which are applied in a case where OFDM is used. In addition, in a case where DFT-s-OFDM is used in the UL signal, the user equipment 20 calculates the transmission power in a maximum transmission power range that is determined by the MPR and the A-MPR which are applied in a case where DFT-s-OFDM is used. The access mode in which DFT-s-OFDM is used in a waveform is also be referred to as single carrier-frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA).)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Soong et al. as taught by Moroga et al. for purpose of controlling transmission power in a UL signal and in a case of using OFDM and in a case of using DFT-s-OFDM in the UL signal, and also improving battery lifetime due to a reduction in power consumption.
In the same field of endeavor, Lunttila et al. disclose the switching to the signaling waveform being dependent on a rank of transmission, the rank of transmission comprising a beamforming scheme corresponding to one or both of: a number of antennas and an antenna port to be used (at least [0030]-[0033]. The transmission scheme is typically selected by the base station. The base station may first select the applied multi-antenna transmission scheme: spatial multiplexing through a plurality of spatially parallel transmission streams or beamforming or transmit diversity transmission through a single stream (single-input-multiple-output, SIMO). The selection may be made on the basis of the uplink channel rank, i.e. the number of uncorrelated uplink spatial sub-channels. When the base station selects the spatial multiplexing as a multi-antenna transmission scheme, the base station also selects the number of spatially parallel uplink sub-streams. Then, the selection between the OFDM and SC-FDMA may be made on the basis of the selected multi-antenna transmission scheme: OFDM for spatial multiplexing and SC-FDMA for single-stream beamforming or SIMO. However, embodiments of the invention described below are not limited to this type of selection of the transmission scheme, and SC-FDMA (or OFDM) may be used for all multi-antenna transmission schemes.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Soong et al. as taught by Lunttila et al. for purpose of improving the transmission performance of vital control messages in the uplink transmission.
For claim 2, the claim is an apparatus claim which has features similar to claim 1. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 1.
For claim 3, the claim is an apparatus claim which has features similar to claim 1. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 1.
For claim 4, the claim is an apparatus claim which has features similar to claim 1. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 1.
For claim 5, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein the signaling is associated to a physical channel (at least Fig. 5A, [0044], [0051] and [0059]-[0060]. The base station 110 configures one or more zones of an uplink channel in the uplink subframe using a signaling message (or receives the configuration from the network). One of the zones in the uplink channel is configured as a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for transmission of control information. The PUCCH zones are configured at either edge of the bandwidth. Once the PUCCH zones have been configured, the base station 110 may transmit the PUCCH zone configuration to the user equipment UE. In response to receiving the PUCCH zone configuration, the UE sends uplink control information (UCI) on the PUCCH in these zones using a single carrier modulation, such as SC-FDMA. The UCI and data are received by the base station 110. The base station 110 decodes the UCI on the PUCCH resource in the PUCCH zone using the single carrier modulation.)
For claim 6, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein the frequency resources are scheduled with one of downlink control information and Radio Resource Control layer signaling (at least [0063]. The signaling message is the DCI used indicate where the PUCCH is located. For example, (1) a new DCI format may be used to convey the same information as the described RRC messages. This new DCI could use a format similar to the DCI in the enhanced interference mitigation and traffic adaptation (eIMTA) signaling; or (2) when a UE receives an assignment through an existing DCI (e.g., using any of the formats, such as formats 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2, 2A, etc.), a field may be added to indicate the PUCCH zone(s). In this embodiment, the UE would use the signaled PUCCH zones to send the UCI, if needed. However, in order to limit the DCI overhead, a few pre-configurations may be applied or may be communicated in advance through RRC signaling. For example, each PUCCH zone is allocated an index, and only the index corresponding to the PUCCH zone is signaled in the DCI.)
For claim 7, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein the signaling waveform is a single carrier Frequency Division Multiple Access, SC-FDMA, waveform (at least Fig. 5A, [0044], [0051] and [0059]-[0060]. The base station 110 configures one or more zones of an uplink channel in the uplink subframe using a signaling message (or receives the configuration from the network). One of the zones in the uplink channel is configured as a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for transmission of control information. The PUCCH zones are configured at either edge of the bandwidth. Once the PUCCH zones have been configured, the base station 110 may transmit the PUCCH zone configuration to the user equipment UE. In response to receiving the PUCCH zone configuration, the UE sends uplink control information (UCI) on the PUCCH in these zones using a single carrier modulation, such as SC-FDMA. The UCI and data are received by the base station 110. The base station 110 decodes the UCI on the PUCCH resource in the PUCCH zone using the single carrier modulation.)
For claim 8, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein a configured waveform for a channel associated to the signaling is configured, wherein the signaling waveform is different from the configured waveform (at least [0066]-[0067]. The UE transmits the UCI piggybacked on the PUSCH resource using a multicarrier modulation, such as OFDM. Furthermore, the UE encodes the UCI on the PUCCH resource in the PUCCH zone using the single carrier modulation (when the PUCCH is being transmitted), or encodes the data on the PUSCH resource in the PUSCH zone using multi-carrier modulation.)
For claim 10, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein the signaling waveform is used if the frequency resources correspond to one of an edge allocation and an outer allocation (at least Fig. 5A, [0044], [0051] and [0059]-[0060]. The base station 110 configures one or more zones of an uplink channel in the uplink subframe using a signaling message (or receives the configuration from the network). One of the zones in the uplink channel is configured as a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for transmission of control information. The PUCCH zones are configured at either edge of the bandwidth. Once the PUCCH zones have been configured, the base station 110 may transmit the PUCCH zone configuration to the user equipment UE. In response to receiving the PUCCH zone configuration, the UE sends uplink control information (UCI) on the PUCCH in these zones using a single carrier modulation, such as SC-FDMA. The UCI and data are received by the base station 110. The base station 110 decodes the UCI on the PUCCH resource in the PUCCH zone using the single carrier modulation.)
For claim 11, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein a first signaling waveform is used for transmission if the frequency resources correspond to at least one of an edge allocation and an outer allocation (at least Fig. 5A-B and [0044]. PUCCH is transmitted into these 504 zones using SC-FDMA. It is noted that according to the specification of the application, an outer position may correspond to the frequency resources being within 10% or 15% or 20% or 25% of the width W from one of these boundaries, without being at an edge position (however, in some variants, an edge position may be considered a form of outer position), and a second signaling waveform is used for transmission if the frequency resources correspond to an inner allocation (at least Fig. 5B and [0044]. PUSCH are transmitted in the other zones 502 (illustrated as white rows) using OFDM).
For claim 12, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein a modulation used for the signaling is based on the signaling waveform (at least [0047] and [0061]-[0065]. The UE transmits the UCI on the PUCCH resource using a single carrier modulation).
For claim 13, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Xiong et al. disclose wherein the signaling waveform is dependent on at least one of: a Modulation and Coding Scheme; and a type of allocation of the frequency resources, (at least [0134]. Wherein the circuitry is further configured to receive, via UE-specific dedicated Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling from the cellular base station or in a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format for an uplink grant from the cellular base station, an indication of whether to apply the SC-FDMA scheme or the OFDMA scheme to the uplink transmission.)
For claim 14, the claim has features similar to claim 1. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 1.
For claims 16-19, the claim has features similar to claims 5-8. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claims 5-8.
For claim 21, the combination of Soong et al., Xiong et al., Moroga et al. and Lunttila et al. disclose the method according to claim 1. Song et al. disclose wherein the physical channel is one of a Physical Uplink Shared Channel and a Physical Uplink Control Channel (at least Fig. 5A, [0044], [0051] and [0059]-[0060]. The base station 110 configures one or more zones of an uplink channel in the uplink subframe using a signaling message (or receives the configuration from the network). One of the zones in the uplink channel is configured as a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for transmission of control information. The PUCCH zones are configured at either edge of the bandwidth. Once the PUCCH zones have been configured, the base station 110 may transmit the PUCCH zone configuration to the user equipment UE. In response to receiving the PUCCH zone configuration, the UE sends uplink control information (UCI) on the PUCCH in these zones using a single carrier modulation, such as SC-FDMA. The UCI and data are received by the base station 110. The base station 110 decodes the UCI on the PUCCH resource in the PUCCH zone using the single carrier modulation.)
Conclusion
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/DAI PHUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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