CTFR 17/634,082 CTFR 82084 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection, citing SEGEV, does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Please see rejection below for details. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1,2,4,15,16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0013710 A1 to Xiao, in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0314220 A1 to Segev et al . AS to claim 1, Xiao discloses a radio communication apparatus (Fig. 1, UE 115), comprising: reception circuitry, which, in operation, receives a plurality of radio signals transmitted from a plurality of transmission sources (Fig. 1, UE 115 and paragraphs 28-30, disclosing transmissions from the eNBs105, 106,107 and RN 110, to UE 115, where “UE 115 may be able to combine the transmission from the eNBs to improve its overall performance”); and control circuitry, which, in operation, determines a coordination scheme used by the plurality of transmission sources in downlink coordinated transmission, from among two or more of Coordinated Spatial Reuse (CSR), Coordinated Beamforming (CBF), Joint Transmission (JT), and Dynamic point Blanking (DPB) (paragraphs 24-32, 42-49, Fig. 2, 200: “UE operations 205 may begin with the UE selecting a preferred CoMP processing technique …”, or UE may select two preferred CoMP processing techniques, where “CoMP processing” [teaching the recited “coordination scheme”] techniques may include non-coherent joint transmission NC-JT, “coordinated beamforming [“CBF” or “CB”]”, “mute [may teach “dpb”], “coherent joint transmission C-JT”, thus teaching “from among two or more of Coordinated Spatial Reuse (CSR), Coordinated Beamforming (CBF), Joint Transmission (JT), and Dynamic point Blanking (DPB)”, teaching this limitation), in accordance with reception quality of the plurality of radio signals (paragraphs 24-28, teaching that the UE’s selection of NC-JT, “coordinated beamforming”, “mute” or “C-JT” [i.e., different coordination schemes/CoMP processing techniques] may depend on “power imbalance”, “difference between the received power levels”, the number of ranks of each channel, interference levels, and “timing/phase errors”, all these factors teaching “reception quality of the plurality of radio signals”, e.g., NC-JT “may be best suited for conditions wherein there is a relatively small power imbalance or difference between the received power levels of the signals from multiple cells at the UE …”, thus teaching this limitation) and feedbacks, to one or more of the plurality of transmission sources, feedback information of a type corresponding to the determined coordination scheme from among a plurality of types of feedback information (paragraphs 30-32, disclosing “UE 115 may … provide the channel information to the serving cell [or] all of the cells in the CoMP cooperation set” and “the channel information that UE 115 provides to the serving cell depends on the CoMP processing [“corresponding to the determined coordination scheme”] being or to be used in the communications system”; paragraphs 32-42, disclosing various types of feedback/channel information the UE may feed back, e.g., PMI, cSI, RI, CQI, etc.; Fig. 2, 215, paragraphs 46-48, disclosing, inter alia, “UE may begin to report channel information to the serving cell”, where “the channel information reported by the UE may be based on its preferred CoMP processing technique [“corresponding to the determined coordination scheme”]”, further teaching this limitation). Xiao does not appear to explicitly disclose a plurality of Null Data packets (NDPs) transmitted from a plurality of transmission sources. Segev discloses a plurality of Null Data packets (NDPs) transmitted from a plurality of transmission sources (Fig. 1, disclosing plurality of “user devices 120”; Figs. 3-5A/B, paragraphs 43, 54-61, disclosing a STA 322 [which may be a User device 120] sending NDPs to AP 302, where paragraph 43 discloses that one or more such user device 120 may perform the method as in Fig. 3/5A/B, thus teaching this limitation). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Segev, in conjunction with the teachings of Xiao, to reject the limitations of this claim, by recognizing that the “plurality of radio signals” disclosed in Xiao, may be substituted/embodied/incorporated by/with the plurality of NDPs disclosed in Segev since Segev’s NDPs are also signals transmitted from a plurality of sources, thus rejecting all limitations of the claim featuring NDPs. The cited references are in the field of endeavor relating to the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve methods for managing the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources (Xiao, paragraphs 1-15; Li, paragraphs 1-11; Shimezawa, paragraphs 1-25; Sayana, paragraphs 1-11,96; Segev, paragraphs 1-28). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date. As to claim 2, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 1. Xiao further discloses wherein the control circuitry determines the coordination scheme based on a result of comparison between a threshold and a difference in the reception quality between a first transmission source and a second transmission source, the first transmission source being selected from among the plurality of transmission sources, the second transmission source being a transmission source other than the first transmission source. (paragraphs 24-28, teaching that the UE’s selection of NC-JT, “coordinated beamforming”, “mute” or “C-JT” [i.e., different coordination schemes/CoMP processing techniques] may depend on “power imbalance”, “difference between the received power levels”, the number of ranks of each channel, interference levels, and “timing/phase errors”, all these factors teaching “reception quality of the plurality of radio signals”, e.g., NC-JT “may be best suited for conditions wherein there is a relatively small power imbalance or difference between the received power levels of the signals from multiple cells at the UE …”, where determining whether the size of the power imbalance or difference between the signals received is large or small teaches to the PHOSITA performing a “comparison between a threshold and a difference in the reception quality between a first transmission source and a second transmission source”, thus teaching this limitation) As to claim 4, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 2. Xiao further discloses wherein the first transmission source is a transmission source that has established an association with the radio communication apparatus. (paragraphs 24-28, teaching UE selecting a coordination scheme/CoMP processing technique for processing and receiving signals from eNBs/RNs transmitting to the UE based on signal quality difference(s); Fig. 1, paragraphs 28-30, disclosing eNBs associated with and serving the UE) As to claim 15, see rejection for claim 1. As to claim 16, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 1. Xiao further discloses wherein the control circuitry determines the coordination scheme based on a difference in the reception quality among the plurality of radio signals. (paragraphs 24-28, teaching that the UE’s selection of NC-JT, “coordinated beamforming”, “mute” or “C-JT” [i.e., different coordination schemes/CoMP processing techniques] may depend on “power imbalance”, “difference between the received power levels”, teaching “based on a difference in the reception quality among the plurality of radio signals”, e.g., NC-JT “may be best suited for conditions wherein there is a relatively small power imbalance or difference between the received power levels of the signals from multiple cells at the UE …”, thus teaching this limitation) As to claim 17, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 1. Xiao does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the reception circuitry receives NDP Announcements (NDPAs) from the plurality of transmission sources before receiving the NDPs. Segev discloses wherein the reception circuitry receives NDP Announcements (NDPAs) from the plurality of transmission sources before receiving the NDPs (Fig. 1, disclosing plurality of “user devices 120”; Figs. 3-5A/B, paragraphs 43, 54-61, disclosing a STA 322 [which may be a User device 120] sending NDPA 307 to AP 302, before sending NDP 308, where paragraph 43 discloses that one or more such user device 120 may perform the method as in Fig. 3/5A/B, thus teaching this limitation). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Segev, in conjunction with the teachings of Xiao, to reject the limitations of this claim, by recognizing that the “plurality of radio signals” disclosed in Xiao, may be substituted/embodied/incorporated by/with the plurality of NDPs disclosed in Segev since Segev’s NDPs are also signals transmitted from a plurality of sources, thus rejecting all limitations of the claim featuring NDPs. The cited references are in the field of endeavor relating to the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve methods for managing the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources (Xiao, paragraphs 1-15; Li, paragraphs 1-11; Shimezawa, paragraphs 1-25; Sayana, paragraphs 1-11,96; Segev, paragraphs 1-28). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date. As to claim 18, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 17. Xiao does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein each of the NDPAs includes feedback control information. Segev discloses wherein each of the NDPAs includes feedback control information. (Fig. 1, disclosing plurality of “user devices 120”; Figs. 3-5A/B, paragraphs 43, 54-61, disclosing a STA 322 [which may be a User device 120] sending NDPA 307 to AP 302, before sending NDP 308, where paragraph 43 discloses that one or more such user device 120 may perform the method as in Fig. 3/5A/B; see in particular Fig. 4 and paragraphs 64-69, disclosing the NDPA frame including a “feedback type field 418”, thus teaching this limitation). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Segev, in conjunction with the teachings of Xiao, to reject the limitations of this claim, by recognizing that the “plurality of radio signals” disclosed in Xiao, may be substituted/embodied/incorporated by/with the plurality of NDPs disclosed in Segev since Segev’s NDPs are also signals transmitted from a plurality of sources, thus rejecting all limitations of the claim featuring NDPs. The cited references are in the field of endeavor relating to the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve methods for managing the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources (Xiao, paragraphs 1-15; Li, paragraphs 1-11; Shimezawa, paragraphs 1-25; Sayana, paragraphs 1-11,96; Segev, paragraphs 1-28). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0013710 A1 to Xiao, in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0314220 A1 to Segev et al., further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0017825 A1 to Li . As to claim 3, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 2. Xiao does not appear to explicitly disclose plurality of NDPs. Segev discloses plurality of NDPs (Fig. 1, disclosing plurality of “user devices 120”; Figs. 3-5A/B, paragraphs 43, 54-61, disclosing a STA 322 [which may be a User device 120] sending NDPs to AP 302, where paragraph 43 discloses that one or more such user device 120 may perform the method as in Fig. 3/5A/B, thus teaching this limitation). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Segev, in conjunction with the teachings of Xiao, to reject the limitations of this claim, by recognizing that the “plurality of radio signals” disclosed in Xiao, may be substituted/embodied/incorporated by/with the plurality of NDPs disclosed in Segev since Segev’s NDPs are also signals transmitted from a plurality of sources, thus rejecting all limitations of the claim featuring NDPs. The cited references are in the field of endeavor relating to the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve methods for managing the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources (Xiao, paragraphs 1-15; Li, paragraphs 1-11; Shimezawa, paragraphs 1-25; Sayana, paragraphs 1-11,96; Segev, paragraphs 1-28). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date. Xiao and Segev do not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the first transmission source is a transmission source of at least one of the plurality of radio signals that indicates a best reception quality among the plurality of transmission sources. Li discloses wherein the first transmission source is a transmission source of at least one of the plurality of radio signals that indicates a best reception quality among the plurality of transmission sources. (Figs. 4-5, paragraphs 31-33, where TP1 is disclosed as the base station associated/connected to the UE, also having the best signal quality) Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Li, in conjunction with the teachings of Xiao and Segev, to reject the limitations of this claim, by incorporating Li’s characterization of the first transmission source as having the best signal quality, in the first transmission source disclosed in Xiao, and further recognizing that the plurality of radio signals disclosed in Li may be embodied/incorporated by/with the NDPs disclosed in Segev, to reject the limitations of this claim. The cited references are in the field of endeavor relating to the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve methods for managing the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources (Xiao, paragraphs 1-15; Li, paragraphs 1-11; Shimezawa, paragraphs 1-25; Sayana, paragraphs 1-11,96; Segev, paragraphs 1-28). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0013710 A1 to Xiao, in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0314220 A1 to Segev et al., further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2013/0115985 A1 to DAvydov et al . As to claim 6, Xiao and Segev teach the apparatus as in the parent claim 1. Xiao and Segev do not appear to explicitly disclose wherein, when the coordination scheme is CSR, the feedback information includes information on the reception quality in each of a plurality of blocks resulting from division of a frequency domain. DAvydov discloses wherein, when the coordination scheme is CSR (paragraph 34), the feedback information includes information on the reception quality in each of a plurality of blocks resulting from division of a frequency domain. (paragraphs 32,25-27) . Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the teachings as disclosed in Davydov, in conjunction with the teachings of Xiao and Segev, to reject the limitations of this claim, by incorporating Davydov’s feedback configuration in the feedback configuration taught by Xiao. The cited references are in the field of endeavor relating to the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources. The suggestion/motivation would have been to optimize and improve methods for managing the configuration of feedback parameters for multiple signals received from multiple transmit sources (Li, paragraphs 1-11; Shimezawa, paragraphs 1-25; DAvydov, paragraphs 1-34 and Fig. 1; Sayana, paragraphs 1-11,96; Xiao, paragraphs 1-15; Segev, paragraphs 1-28). Furthermore, please note that the features of the limitations above have been shown to be known or disclosed in the cited references, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date. Conclusion 07-39 AIA THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHI TANG P CHENG whose telephone number is (571)272-9021. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:30AM - 6PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Asad M Nawaz can be reached at (571)272-3988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /CHI TANG P CHENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 2 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 3 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 4 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 5 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 6 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 7 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 8 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 9 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 10 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 11 Art Unit: 2463 Application/Control Number: 17/634,082 Page 12 Art Unit: 2463
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