Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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, 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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 11, 14, 15, 23-30, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG (U.S. Pub No. 2022/0159767 A1) in view of Xu et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0344621 A1)
1, ZHANG teaches a user equipment (UE) configured for wireless communications, comprising: a receiver; a transmitter; and a processor [par 0596, the terminal device includes a transceiver unit 1910 and a processing unit 1920. The transceiver unit 1910 may also be referred to as a transceiver, a transceiver machine, a transceiver apparatus, or the like. The processing unit 1920 may also be referred to as a processor, a processing board, a processing module, a processing apparatus. The transceiver unit may also be sometimes referred to as a transceiver machine, a transceiver, a transceiver circuit, or the like. The receiving unit may also be sometimes referred to as a receiver machine, a receiver, a receiver circuit, or the like. The sending unit may also be sometimes referred to as a transmitter machine, a transmitter, a transmitter circuit, or the like],
wherein: the receiver is configured to receive a reference signal group on each serving cell respectively in a first cell group [par 0215, 0292, To recover a beam failure, the network device may further indicate, to the terminal device, a candidate reference signal resource set (a candidate beam RS list, a candidate beam RS identification resource, a beam failure candidate beam resource, a candidate beam identification RS, or a candidate beam list) (which may also be referred to as a candidate reference signal resource set or a link failure recovery reference signal resource set) used to recover a link between the terminal device and the network device. For example, if the network device configures a total of X (that is, a maximum of X) serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed],
wherein the first cell group comprises a first serving cell, a second serving cell, and at least one other serving cell [par 0126, 0132 A plurality of serving cells in the master node may form a master cell group (master cell group, MCG), including one primary cell (primary cell, PCell) and one or more optional secondary cells (secondary cell, SCell). A plurality of secondary cells in the secondary node may form a secondary cell group (secondary cell group, SCG), including one primary secondary cell (primary secondary cell, PSCell) and one or more optional SCells. The serving cell is a cell that is configured by a network for the terminal device to perform uplink and downlink transmission],
wherein the reference signal group is used for beam failure detection [par 0214, 0215, When the network device does not explicitly configure a beam failure detection reference signal resource set, the terminal device may detect a beam failure based on the reference signal indicated in the foregoing implicit manner. To recover a beam failure, the network device may further indicate, to the terminal device, a candidate reference signal resource set (a candidate beam RS list];
and the processor is configured to perform a measurement on a target cell of the first cell group, wherein the target cell is any serving cell in the first cell group; the processor is further configured to determine, based on the measurement,
that a link failure occurs on the target cell [par 0237, 0238, 0246, 0251, A terminal device measures a beam failure detection reference signal set (beam failure detection RS set), to determine that a link between the terminal device and a network device fails. when the terminal device determines that a link failure occurs in only one or a few cells in configured cells, and the link failure recovery request information needs to be sent, a resource waste is caused. A terminal device determines that the link in the at least one cell fails. In other words, the terminal device determines that links in one or more cells fail, or the terminal device detects that a link failure occurs in one or more cells];
wherein at least the target radio resource group and the target signal is used to indicate that the target cell is one of three possibilities of the first serving cell, the second serving cell and the other serving cell [par 0032, 0036, 0333, 0352, that the first indication information is determined based on a situation of the link failure cell includes: a format of the first indication information is determined based on the situation of the link failure cell; and/or a resource for carrying the first indication information is determined based on the situation of the link failure cell. the format of the first indication information is the first format, and the first indication information in the first format includes one or more of the following information: a serving cell identifier field, a first field, or a second field, where the serving cell identifier field indicates an identifier of the link failure cell by using a state value, the first field indicates whether the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field has a corresponding second field, and the second field indicates reference signal information used to recover a link in the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field. The terminal device reports the BFRQ information by using a MAC-CE. A MAC-CE indicating the link failure recovery request information may indicate cell information of a plurality of link failure cells. The serving cell ID field may indicate an ID of a link failure cell by using a bitmap. Each bit in the bitmap may correspond to one Ci field. It is assumed that, if a value of the Ci field is 1, it indicates that a link failure occurs in a cell corresponding to the Ci field. In this case, if the serving cell ID field indicates IDs of T2 link failure cells],
ZHANG fail to show and the transmitter is configured to transmit a target signal in a target radio resource group, wherein the target signal is triggered in response to
the link failure on the target cell, wherein the target signal indicates which of the cells in the first cell group is the target cell based on whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource group or the second radio resource group, and wherein the target signal is an indication for a beam failure recovery request
In an analogous art XU show the transmitter is configured to transmit a target signal in a target radio resource group [par 0023, 0024, because a target resource or a target signal corresponds one-to-one to a beam, the communications device may indicate, by using the target resource or the target signal, that the beam corresponding to the target resource or the target signal is the target candidate beam. Correspondingly, the network device can determine the target candidate signal based on a resource on which the received uplink signal is located or based on the received signal, , the target resource is a random access resource, and the uplink signal is a random access preamble; or the target resource is a physical uplink control channel PUCCH resource, and the uplink signal is a PUCCH signal; or the target signal is a random access preamble]
wherein the target signal is triggered in response to the link failure on the target cell, wherein the target signal indicates which of the cells in the first cell group is the target cell based on whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource group or the second radio resource group[par 0019, where one target resource corresponds to a candidate signal (or referred to as a target candidate signal or a target candidate beam) of one cell in which a beam failure occurs, where one target signal corresponds to a candidate signal of one cell in which a beam failure occurs, and the target signal is used by the network device to determine the cell in which the beam failure occurs and a candidate signal of the cell in which the beam failure occurs], and wherein the target signal is an indication for a beam failure recovery request [par 0023, According to the beam failure recovery request method in this embodiment of this application, because a target resource or a target signal corresponds one-to-one to a beam, the communications device may indicate, by using the target resource or the target signal, that the beam corresponding to the target resource or the target signal is the target candidate beam].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
4, ZHANG and XU illustrate the UE of claim 1, wherein a measurement performed on at least one reference signal resource in the reference signal group on the second serving cell is used to determine whether a link failure occurs on the first serving cell [ZHANG, par 0237, 0259, A terminal device measures a beam failure detection reference signal set (beam failure detection RS set), to determine that a link between the terminal device and a network device fails; The information about the link failure cell may include: identification information of the link failure cell, and/or reference signal information, where the reference signal information is used to recover the link in the link failure cell].
5. ZHANG provide the UE of claim 1, wherein the reference signal group on the first serving cell comprises a first reference signal subgroup and a second reference signal subgroup, and any reference signal in the first reference signal subgroup and a reference signal on the first serving cell are quasi-colocated (QCL); the second reference signal subgroup comprises a reference signal that is QCL with a reference signal on the second serving cell, or the second reference signal subgroup is used to indicate a QCL parameter of a first-type channel on the first serving cell; or, the reference signal group on the first serving cell comprises a first reference signal subgroup and a second reference signal subgroup, and any reference signal in the first reference signal subgroup and a reference signal on the first serving cell are QCL; the second reference signal subgroup comprises a reference signal that is QCL with a reference signal on the second serving cell, or the second reference signal subgroup is used to indicate a QCL parameter of a first-type channel on the first serving cell; when the target cell is the first serving cell, the target radio resource group belongs to a first radio resource set, the first radio resource set comprises a first resource subset and a second resource subset, the first reference signal subgroup corresponds to the first resource subset, and the second reference signal subgroup corresponds to the second resource subset; whether a link failure is corresponding to the first reference signal subgroup or the second reference signal subgroup is used to determine whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first resource subset or the second resource subset [par 0201, 0216, The reference signal may be, for example, a CSI-RS, an SSB, a DMRS, a phase tracking signal (phase tracking reference signal, PTRS), or a TRS. The information associated with the reference signal resource may be an identifier of the reference signal resource, QCL information (for example, QCL Type D), or the like. the network device may further indicate, to the terminal device, a candidate reference signal resource set (a candidate beam RS list, a candidate beam RS identification resource, a beam failure candidate beam resource, a candidate beam identification RS, or a candidate beam list) (which may also be referred to as a candidate reference signal resource set or a link failure recovery reference signal resource set). The paragraphs shows the a reference signal set containing a reference signal resource identifier of the reference signal resource, QCL information]
11, Zhang demonstrates a method for use by a user equipment (UE) configured for wireless communications, the method comprising: receiving a reference signal group respectively on each serving cell in a first cell group[par 0215, 0292, To recover a beam failure, the network device may further indicate, to the terminal device, a candidate reference signal resource set (a candidate beam RS list, a candidate beam RS identification resource, a beam failure candidate beam resource, a candidate beam identification RS, or a candidate beam list) (which may also be referred to as a candidate reference signal resource set or a link failure recovery reference signal resource set) used to recover a link between the terminal device and the network device. For example, if the network device configures a total of X (that is, a maximum of X) serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed],
wherein the first cell group comprises a first serving cell, a second serving cell,
and at least one other serving cell [par 0126, 0132 A plurality of serving cells in the master node may form a master cell group (master cell group, MCG), including one primary cell (primary cell, PCell) and one or more optional secondary cells (secondary cell, SCell). A plurality of secondary cells in the secondary node may form a secondary cell group (secondary cell group, SCG), including one primary secondary cell (primary secondary cell, PSCell) and one or more optional SCells. The serving cell is a cell that is configured by a network for the terminal device to perform uplink and downlink transmission],
wherein the reference signal group is used for beam failure detection; performing a measurement on a target cell of the first cell group[par 0214, 0215, When the network device does not explicitly configure a beam failure detection reference signal resource set, the terminal device may detect a beam failure based on the reference signal indicated in the foregoing implicit manner. To recover a beam failure, the network device may further indicate, to the terminal device, a candidate reference signal resource set (a candidate beam RS list],
wherein the target cell is any serving cell in the first cell group; determining, based on the measurement, that a link failure occurs on the target cell[par 0237, 0238, 0246, 0251, A terminal device measures a beam failure detection reference signal set (beam failure detection RS set), to determine that a link between the terminal device and a network device fails. when the terminal device determines that a link failure occurs in only one or a few cells in configured cells, and the link failure recovery request information needs to be sent, a resource waste is caused. A terminal device determines that the link in the at least one cell fails. In other words, the terminal device determines that links in one or more cells fail, or the terminal device detects that a link failure occurs in one or more cells];
wherein at least the target radio resource group and the target signal is used to indicate that the target cell is one of three possibilities of the first serving cell, the second serving cell and the other serving cell [par 0032, 0036, 0333, 0352, that the first indication information is determined based on a situation of the link failure cell includes: a format of the first indication information is determined based on the situation of the link failure cell; and/or a resource for carrying the first indication information is determined based on the situation of the link failure cell. the format of the first indication information is the first format, and the first indication information in the first format includes one or more of the following information: a serving cell identifier field, a first field, or a second field, where the serving cell identifier field indicates an identifier of the link failure cell by using a state value, the first field indicates whether the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field has a corresponding second field, and the second field indicates reference signal information used to recover a link in the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field. The terminal device reports the BFRQ information by using a MAC-CE. A MAC-CE indicating the link failure recovery request information may indicate cell information of a plurality of link failure cells. The serving cell ID field may indicate an ID of a link failure cell by using a bitmap. Each bit in the bitmap may correspond to one Ci field. It is assumed that, if a value of the Ci field is 1, it indicates that a link failure occurs in a cell corresponding to the Ci field. In this case, if the serving cell ID field indicates IDs of T2 link failure cells],
ZHANG fail to show transmitting a target signal in a target radio resource group, wherein the target signal is triggered in response to the link failure on the target cell, wherein the target signal indicates which of the cells in the first cell group is the target cell based on whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource group or the second radio resource group, and wherein the target signal is an indication for a beam failure recovery request
In an analogous art XU show transmitting a target signal in a target radio resource group [par 0023, 0024, because a target resource or a target signal corresponds one-to-one to a beam, the communications device may indicate, by using the target resource or the target signal, that the beam corresponding to the target resource or the target signal is the target candidate beam. Correspondingly, the network device can determine the target candidate signal based on a resource on which the received uplink signal is located or based on the received signal, , the target resource is a random access resource, and the uplink signal is a random access preamble; or the target resource is a physical uplink control channel PUCCH resource, and the uplink signal is a PUCCH signal; or the target signal is a random access preamble]
wherein the target signal is triggered in response to the link failure on the target cell, wherein the target signal indicates which of the cells in the first cell group is the target cell based on whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource group or the second radio resource group[par 0019, where one target resource corresponds to a candidate signal (or referred to as a target candidate signal or a target candidate beam) of one cell in which a beam failure occurs, where one target signal corresponds to a candidate signal of one cell in which a beam failure occurs, and the target signal is used by the network device to determine the cell in which the beam failure occurs and a candidate signal of the cell in which the beam failure occurs],
and wherein the target signal is an indication for a beam failure recovery request [par 0023, According to the beam failure recovery request method in this embodiment of this application, because a target resource or a target signal corresponds one-to-one to a beam, the communications device may indicate, by using the target resource or the target signal, that the beam corresponding to the target resource or the target signal is the target candidate beam].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
14, ZHANG and XU illustrate the method of claim 11, wherein a measurement performed on at least one reference signal resource in the reference signal group on the second serving cell is used to determine whether a link failure occurs on the first serving cell[ZHANG, par 0237, 0259, A terminal device measures a beam failure detection reference signal set (beam failure detection RS set), to determine that a link between the terminal device and a network device fails; The information about the link failure cell may include: identification information of the link failure cell, and/or reference signal information, where the reference signal information is used to recover the link in the link failure cell].
15. ZHANG and Xu provide the method according to of claim 11, wherein the reference signal group on the first serving cell comprises a first reference signal subgroup and a second reference signal subgroup, and any reference signal in the first reference signal subgroup and a reference signal on the first serving cell are QCL; the second reference signal subgroup comprises a reference signal that is QCL with a reference signal on the second serving cell, or the second reference signal subgroup is used to indicate a QCL parameter of a first-type channel on the first serving cell; or, the reference signal group on the first serving cell comprises a first reference signal subgroup and a second reference signal subgroup, and any reference signal in the first reference signal subgroup and a reference signal on the first serving cell are QCL; the second reference signal subgroup comprises a reference signal that is QCL with a reference signal on the second serving cell, or the second reference signal subgroup is used to indicate a QCL parameter of a first-type channel on the first serving cell; when the target cell is the first serving cell, the target radio resource group belongs to a first radio resource set, the first radio resource set comprises a first resource subset and a second resource subset, the first reference signal subgroup corresponds to the first resource subset, and the second reference signal subgroup corresponds to the second resource subset; whether a link failure is corresponding to the first reference signal subgroup or the second reference signal subgroup is used to determine whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first resource subset or the second resource subset [ZHANG par 0201, 0216, The reference signal may be, for example, a CSI-RS, an SSB, a DMRS, a phase tracking signal (phase tracking reference signal, PTRS), or a TRS. The information associated with the reference signal resource may be an identifier of the reference signal resource, QCL information (for example, QCL Type D), or the like. the network device may further indicate, to the terminal device, a candidate reference signal resource set (a candidate beam RS list, a candidate beam RS identification resource, a beam failure candidate beam resource, a candidate beam identification RS, or a candidate beam list) (which may also be referred to as a candidate reference signal resource set or a link failure recovery reference signal resource set) The paragraphs shows the a reference signal set containing a reference signal resource identifier of the reference signal resource, QCL information]
23. ZHANG and Xu discloses the UE of claim 1, ZHANG fail to show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set, a second radio resource set and a third radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set,; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the third radio resource set,.
In an analogous art Xu show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set, a second radio resource set and a third radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set [par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8],
when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set and when the target radio resource group belongs to the third radio resource set [par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
ZHANG shows the target cell is the first serving cell; the target cell is the second serving cell; the target cell is the other serving cell [par 0356, For example, the network device configures a total of X serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed].
24. Zhang and Xu discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the target cell is the first serving cell [ZHANG, par 0356, For example, the network device configures a total of X serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed],
target signal is used to indicate that the target cell is the second serving cell or the other serving cell [par 0037, that the serving cell identifier field indicates a link failure cell may be: the serving cell identifier field indicates one, but not limited to one herein, or more link failure cells].
ZHNAG fail to show the target radio resource group belongs to a first radio resource set or a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set.
In an analogous art Xu show the target radio resource group belongs to a first radio resource set or a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set[par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
25. ZHANG and Xu provides the UE of claim 1, the target signal is used to indicate that the target cell is the first serving cell or the second serving cell [par 0036, the format of the first indication information is the first format, and the first indication information in the first format includes one or more of the following information: a serving cell identifier field, a first field, or a second field, where the serving cell identifier field indicates an identifier of the link failure cell by using a state value, the first field indicates whether the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field has a corresponding second field, and the second field indicates reference signal information used to recover a link in the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field];
the target cell is the other serving cell [par 0356, For example, the network device configures a total of X serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed]
ZHANG fail to show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set and a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set, and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set, the target cell is the other serving cell.
In an analogous art XU show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set and a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set, and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set [par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
26, ZHANG and Xu provide the method of claim 11, ZHANG fail to show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure does not occur on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the second serving cell.
In an analogous art Xu show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure does not occur on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the second serving cell [par 0138, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8. If cells in which a beam failure occurs are the cell A and the cell B, and target candidate beams determined by the terminal device are the beam 2 and the beam 5, the terminal device may separately send an uplink signal to the network device on the target resource #2 and the target resource #5. If the network device receives the uplink signal on the target resource #2, the network device may determine that a beam failure occurs in the cell A, and a target candidate beam of the cell A is the beam 2. Similarly, if the network device receives the uplink signal on the target resource #5, the network device may determine that a beam failure occurs in the cell B, and a target candidate beam of the cell B is the beam 5. Further, the network device may use the beam 2 as a current transmit beam of the cell A, and use the beam 5 as a current transmit beam of the cell B]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
27, Zhang and Xu illustrate the method of claim 11, ZHANG fail to show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure occurs on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the first serving cell, or the target signal is used to determine whether the reference radio resource group belongs to the first serving cell or the second serving cell.
In an analogous art Xu show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure occurs on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the first serving cell, or the target signal is used to determine whether the reference radio resource group belongs to the first serving cell or the second serving cell[par 0019, sending, by the communications device, a target signal to the network device, where one target signal corresponds to a candidate signal of one cell in which a beam failure occurs, and the target signal is used by the network device to determine the cell in which the beam failure occurs and a candidate signal of the cell in which the beam failure occurs]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, Li, and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
28, ZHANG and XU demonstrate the method of claim 11, wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set, a second radio resource set and a third radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set, the target cell is the first serving cell; when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set, the target cell is the second serving cell; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the third radio resource set, the target cell is the other serving cell.
ZHANG fail to show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set, a second radio resource set and a third radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set,; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the third radio resource set,.
In an analogous art Xu show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set, a second radio resource set and a third radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set [par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8],
when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set and when the target radio resource group belongs to the third radio resource set [par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
ZHANG shows the target cell is the first serving cell; the target cell is the second serving cell; the target cell is the other serving cell [par 0356, For example, the network device configures a total of X serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed].
29, ZHANG and Xu convey the method of claim 11, the target cell is the first serving cell ZHANG, par 0356, For example, the network device configures a total of X serving cells for a terminal device, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells that require link failure detection, or the network device configures, for a terminal device, a total of X serving cells in which link failure recovery can be performed],;
the target signal is used to indicate that the target cell is the second serving cell or the other serving cell[par 0037, that the serving cell identifier field indicates a link failure cell may be: the serving cell identifier field indicates one, but not limited to one herein, or more link failure cells].
ZHNAG fail to show the target radio resource group belongs to a first radio resource set or a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set.
In an analogous art Xu show the target radio resource group belongs to a first radio resource set or a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set[par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
30, ZHANG and Xu disclose the method of claim 11, the target signal is used to indicate that the target cell is the first serving cell or the second serving cell par 0036, the format of the first indication information is the first format, and the first indication information in the first format includes one or more of the following information: a serving cell identifier field, a first field, or a second field, where the serving cell identifier field indicates an identifier of the link failure cell by using a state value, the first field indicates whether the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field has a corresponding second field, and the second field indicates reference signal information used to recover a link in the link failure cell indicated by the serving cell identifier field];
ZHANG fail to show wherein the target radio resource group belongs to one of a first radio resource set and a second radio resource set; when the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource set; and when the target radio resource group belongs to the second radio resource set, the target cell is the other serving cell par 0138, For example, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
4. Claim(s) 2, 3, 12, 13, 21, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHANG (U.S. Pub No. 2022/0159767 A1) in view of Xu et al. (U.S. Pub No. 2020/0344621 A1) in further view of LI et al. (U.S. Pub NO. 2019/0335496 A1)
2, ZHANG and Xu discloses the node of claim 1, wherein the first receiver is further configured to monitor a response to the target signal in a reference radio resource group [ZHANG, par 0230, 0231, The terminal device sends reference signals to the network device by using different transmit beams, and the network device receives, by using a same receive beam, the reference signals that are sent by the terminal device by using the different transmit beams, and determines an optimal transmit beam of the terminal device based on the received signals. Then, the optimal transmit beam of the terminal device is fed back to the terminal device, to facilitate update of the transmit beam by the terminal device. The process of sending the reference signals by using the different transmit beams may be referred to as beam sweeping, and the process of determining the optimal transmit beam based on the received signals may be referred to as beam matching. The terminal device receives, by using different receive beams, the reference signals sent by the network device. Then, the terminal device determines the optimal receive beam of the terminal device based on the received signals [Monitoring], to update the receive beam of the terminal device]
ZHANG and Xu fail to show wherein the reference radio resource group belongs to a first time window in time domain, and the target radio resource group is used to determine the first time window.
In an analogous art Li show wherein the reference radio resource group belongs to a first time window in time domain[par 0142, 0151, the terminal adjusts the contention window size based on a receiving state of at least one HARQ process in each of the first uplink reference resource and the second uplink reference resource, to determine a best contention window size. In one embodiment, the terminal determines an uplink time-domain resource included in a most recent first uplink burst before the first moment, and uses the uplink time-domain resource as the first uplink reference resource. The uplink time-domain resource may be an initial uplink subframe, an initial TTI, or an initial first uplink data channel in the first uplink burst],
and the target radio resource group is used to determine the first time window [par 0026, determining, by the terminal, the contention window size based on the target reference resource]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, XU, and Li because to further reduce a transmission latency in the LTE system and improve user experience [Li par 0097].
3, Zhang, Xu, and Li disclose the UE of claim 2, ZHANG and Li fail to show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises at least the radio resources on the second serving cell in radio resources on the second serving cell and radio resources on the first serving cell, or whether the link failure occurs on the second serving cell is used to determine the reference radio resource group
In an analogous art Xu show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises at least the radio resources on the second serving cell in radio resources on the second serving cell and radio resources on the first serving cell, or whether the link failure occurs on the second serving cell is used to determine the reference radio resource group [par 0023, beam failure recovery request method in this embodiment of this application, because a target resource or a target signal corresponds one-to-one to a beam, the communications device may indicate, by using the target resource or the target signal, that the beam corresponding to the target resource or the target signal is the target candidate beam. Correspondingly, the network device can determine the target candidate signal based on a resource on which the received uplink signal is located or based on the received signal, and can determine the cell in which the beam failure occurs].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, Li, and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
12. ZHANG and Xu discloses the method according to of claim 11, further comprising: monitoring a response to the target signal in a reference radio resource group [Zhang par 0230, 0231, The terminal device sends reference signals to the network device by using different transmit beams, and the network device receives, by using a same receive beam, the reference signals that are sent by the terminal device by using the different transmit beams, and determines an optimal transmit beam of the terminal device based on the received signals. Then, the optimal transmit beam of the terminal device is fed back to the terminal device, to facilitate update of the transmit beam by the terminal device. The process of sending the reference signals by using the different transmit beams may be referred to as beam sweeping, and the process of determining the optimal transmit beam based on the received signals may be referred to as beam matching. The terminal device receives, by using different receive beams, the reference signals sent by the network device. Then, the terminal device determines the optimal receive beam of the terminal device based on the received signals, to update the receive beam of the terminal device]
ZHANG and Xu fail to show wherein the reference radio resource group belongs to a first time window in time domain, and the target radio resource group is used to determine the first time window.
In an analogous art Li show wherein the reference radio resource group belongs to a first time window in time domain[par 0142, 0151, the first uplink reference resource or the second uplink reference resource as a target reference resource, and then adjust the contention window size based on a receiving state of at least one HARQ process in the target reference resource, to determine a best contention window size; the terminal determines the first uplink reference resource based on the first UL grant may be implemented in the following possible manner: In one embodiment, the terminal determines an uplink time-domain resource included in a most recent first uplink burst before the first moment, and uses the uplink time-domain resource as the first uplink reference resource],
and the target radio resource group is used to determine the first time window[par 0026, determining, by the terminal, the contention window size based on the target reference resource]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, Xu, and Li because to further reduce a transmission latency in the LTE system and improve user experience [Li par 0097].
13. ZHANG and Li provide the method according to of claim 12, ZHANG, Xu, and Li wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises at least the radio resources on the second serving cell in radio resources on the second serving cell and radio resources on the first serving cell, or whether the link failure occurs on the second serving cell is used to determine the reference radio resource group;
In an analogous art Xu show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises at least the radio resources on the second serving cell in radio resources on the second serving cell and radio resources on the first serving cell, or whether the link failure occurs on the second serving cell is used to determine the reference radio resource group[par 0023, beam failure recovery request method in this embodiment of this application, because a target resource or a target signal corresponds one-to-one to a beam, the communications device may indicate, by using the target resource or the target signal, that the beam corresponding to the target resource or the target signal is the target candidate beam. Correspondingly, the network device can determine the target candidate signal based on a resource on which the received uplink signal is located or based on the received signal, and can determine the cell in which the beam failure occurs].
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, Li, and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
21, ZHANG, Xu, and Li the UE of claim 2, ZHANG and Xu fail to show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure does not occur on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the second serving cell.
In an analogous art Xu show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure does not occur on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the second serving cell [par 0138, the beams 1 to 3 of the cell A correspond one-to-one to target resources #1 to #3, the beams 4 to 6 of the cell B correspond one-to-one to target resources #4 to #6, and the beams 7 and 8 of the cell C correspond one-to-one to target resources #7 and #8. If cells in which a beam failure occurs are the cell A and the cell B, and target candidate beams determined by the terminal device are the beam 2 and the beam 5, the terminal device may separately send an uplink signal to the network device on the target resource #2 and the target resource #5. If the network device receives the uplink signal on the target resource #2, the network device may determine that a beam failure occurs in the cell A, and a target candidate beam of the cell A is the beam 2. Similarly, if the network device receives the uplink signal on the target resource #5, the network device may determine that a beam failure occurs in the cell B, and a target candidate beam of the cell B is the beam 5. Further, the network device may use the beam 2 as a current transmit beam of the cell A, and use the beam 5 as a current transmit beam of the cell B]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, Li, and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
22. ZHANG, Li, and Xu disclose the UE of claim 2, ZHANG and LI fail to show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure occurs on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the first serving cell, or the target signal is used to determine whether the reference radio resource group belongs to the first serving cell or the second serving cell.
In an analogous art Xu show wherein when the target cell is the first serving cell and the link failure occurs on the second serving cell, the reference radio resource group comprises radio resources on the first serving cell, or the target signal is used to determine whether the reference radio resource group belongs to the first serving cell or the second serving cell [par 0019, sending, by the communications device, a target signal to the network device, where one target signal corresponds to a candidate signal of one cell in which a beam failure occurs, and the target signal is used by the network device to determine the cell in which the beam failure occurs and a candidate signal of the cell in which the beam failure occurs]
Before the effective filing date it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of ZHANG, Li, and Xu because the communications device notifies the network device of the cell in which the beam failure occurs, to help the network device adjust a transmit beam in time, thereby avoiding communication interruption between the network device and the communications device as much as possible, and improving user experience. [Xu par 0015]
Response to Arguments
Further there is no disclosure in ZHANG of a target signal indicating which of the cells in the first cell group (e.g., first serving cell, second serving cell, other serving cell) is the target cell based on whether the target radio resource group belongs to the first radio resource group or the second radio resource group. Therefore, amended independent claim 1 is allowable over ZHANG. Amended independent claim 11 recites similar, although not identical, elements as amended independent claim 1 and amended independent claim 11 is allowable for at least the same reasons provided above. Claims 4-5 and 14-15 are dependent upon claims 1 and 11 respectively, and the Applicant believes these claims are allowable over the cited references of record for the at least same reasons provided above. Based on the arguments presented above, withdrawal of the 35 U.S.C. § 102 rejection of claims 1, 4, 5, 11, 14, and 15 is respectfully requested.
The applicant arguments are moot in view of newly rejected claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JASON A HARLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/MARCUS SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468