DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is responsive to the Amendment filed on: 01/29/2026.
Claims 1-10, 12-16, and 18-20 are pending for Examination.
Claims 1-8 were previously withdrawn from consideration.
Claims 1, 9, 10, and 15-16 have been amended.
Claims 11, 17, and 21 have been cancelled to date.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are determined not to be persuasive.
With respect to claims 9 and 16, Applicant asserts that the references applied in the previous Office Action, namely Takeda and Gutierrez Gonzalez, fail to teach/suggest the claim feature of: “determining whether to perform CRS rate matching on the neighbor LTE cell based on a distance between the terminal and the base station…,” which was previously only recited in the alternative. Applicant’s Remarks at p. 9. The Examiner Agrees.
However, in the instant Office Action, a new combination of prior art references is relied upon to reject independent claims 9 and 16 under §103. Specifically, Takeda is relied upon to teach/suggest determining whether to perform CRS rate matching on the neighboring LTE cell the CRS rate matching being based on the CRS rate-matching pattern of the CRS. In this regard, Takeda teaches that its network device can determine whether/when to perform NR PDSCH transmission with LTE rate matching, i.e., as depicted in Fig. 5B, as part of its resource scheduling operations to avoid RE overlap and/or to cancel interference associated inter-RAT signaling (paras. [0241]-[0243], [0245]-[0247], and [0268]-[0271]; and Figs. 5B and 7).
Then, Olesen, as opposed to Takeda and/or Gutierrez Gonzalez, is reasonably relied upon to teach/suggest the additional feature where determining whether to perform rate-matching on a neighboring LTE cell can be based on a distance between the terminal and the serving base station. Specifically, Olesen describes that data rate-matching for a multi-RAT WTRU, i.e., in a NR-LTE system, can be determined based in part on a distance between a serving base station and a WTRU, where the WTRU may be configured to report its geographical location/location change within a cell to the network. Olesen’s serving base station can then effectuate rate-matching at the WTRU for inter-RAT interference mitigation/nulling purposes (paras. [0103], [0112]-[0113], [0126], [0141]-[0142] and [0145]).
Moreover, it would be obvious to modify Takeda and Gutierrez Gonzalez’s neighbor base station CRS rate-matching solution with the UE location considerations for rate-matching, as taught by Olesen, to mitigate inter-cell interference through rate-matching/muting. Further, it is generally well-known that the further a WTRU/UE is from its serving cell, the more susceptible the remote device is to inter-cell interference from a neighboring cell, i.e., from a neighbor LTE cell whose CRS transmissions are always-on. Thus, whether interference is measured by a device, or determined based on device’s distance from a serving cell, a similar result could be achieved by realizing a condition related to intercell interference, and then applying rate-matching/muting, accordingly, to help mitigate the identified signaling interference.
For all of the above reasons, Applicant’s arguments are determined not to be persuasive, or have otherwise been rendered moot, based on the new grounds of rejection, i.e., the addition of Olesen, applied in the present Office Action to reject each of independent claims 9 and 16 under §103.
With respect to the dependent claims, Applicant only argues these claims as being allowable based on their respective dependence from one of the above-indicated independent claims. Applicant’s Remarks at p. 10. As such, Applicant’s arguments with respect to the dependent claims are likewise determined not to be persuasive or have otherwise rendered moot, for the same reasons described above for the respective independent claims.
Claim Interpretation – Alternative Claim Language
The claims of the instant application are given their Broadest Reasonable Interpretation (BRI) using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification, as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. Accordingly, the BRI of an alternative claim limitation or term can be determined to be the least-limiting interpretation, consistent with the specification. In this context, the term “or” by plain meaning can be interpreted to alternatively be: one or the other (i.e., A or B), but not both (i.e., not A and B). The term “and/or” by plain meaning can be interpreted to be: “and” or alternatively “or,” but not both, as this would not make sense. In this context, the forward-slash “/” is equivalent to the alternative “or.” Likewise, the alternative terms “at least one of,” “one or more of,” and the like, followed by multiple alternative claim limitations can be reasonably interpreted to be only “one of” a group of alternative claim limitations.
Prior art disclosing any one of multiple alternative claim limitations discloses matter within the scope of the claimed invention. "When a claim covers several structures or compositions, either generically or as alternatives, the claim is deemed anticipated if any of the structures or compositions within the scope of the claim is known in the prior art." Brown v. 3M, 265 F.3d 1349, 1351, 60 USPQ2d 1375, 1376 (Fed. Cir. 2001) (claim to a system for setting a computer clock to an offset time to address the Year 2000 (Y2K) problem, applicable to records with year date data in "at least one of two-digit, three-digit, or four-digit" representations, was held anticipated by a system that offsets year dates in only two-digit formats). See MPEP 2131.
Claim Objections
Claims 18-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 18 incorrectly depends from cancelled claim 17, and dependent claims 19 and 20 depend in/directly from claim 18. To cure this obvious claim-numbering error, claim 18 should be amended to properly depend from independent claim 16.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 9-10, 12-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US PG Pub. 2022/0322372 A1, Takeda et al. (hereinafter “Takeda”) in view of US PG Pub. 2024/0056828 A1, Gutierrez Gonzalez et al. (hereinafter “Gutierrez Gonzalez”), in further view of US PG Pub 2019/0013881 A1, Olesen et al. (hereinafter “Olesen”).
With Respect to Claim 9, Takeda teaches:
An operating method of a base station configured to support dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) between a new radio (NR) network and a long term evolution (LTE) network (paras. [0203]-[0204], and [0235]; and Fig. 1 —a base station (BS) can provide coverage for multiple cells, i.e., LTE and/or NR networks, and support DSS therebetween), the operating method comprising:
setting a cell-specific reference signal (CRS) rate matching pattern with respect to a neighboring LTE cell (paras. [0236]-[0239] and [0242]-[0243]; and Fig. 5B —a CRS rate-matching pattern can be set/determined for one or more neighboring LTE cell(s), i.e., in terms of LTE CRS pattern 1, LTE CRS pattern 2, etc. of Figs. 5A-B);
determining whether to perform CRS rate matching on the neighboring LTE cell the CRS rate matching being based on the CRS rate-matching pattern of the CRS (paras. [0241]-[0243], [0245]-[0247], and [0268]-[0271]; and Figs. 5B and 7 —the network device can determine when/whether to perform NR PDSCH w/LTE rate matching, i.e., depicted in Fig. 5B, as part of its resource scheduling operations to avoid RE overlap and/or cancel interference for associated multi-RAT signaling);
performing rate matching on an NR physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) based on the CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining to perform the CRS rate matching (paras. [0243]-[0244] and [0269]-[0272]; and Fig. 7 —based on the determination, rate matching of the NR PDSCH for one or more identified LTE CRS patterns, i.e., indicated in a RateMatchPatternLTE-CRS information element (IE), associated with one or more neighboring base station(s), can be performed to avoid collision).
However, Takeda does not explicitly teach:
transmitting the CRS rate matching pattern to a terminal in response to the setting; and
transmitting activation information to the terminal indicating to activate the CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining to perform the CRS rate matching of the CRS;
Gutierrez Gonzalez does teach:
transmitting the CRS rate matching pattern to a terminal in response to setting CRS rate matching patterns for neighboring LTE cells (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]; neighboring LTE cells of Fig. 1, and block 804 of Fig. 8 —a network/BS can set one or more CRS rate matching pattern(s) for neighboring LTE cell(s) and then transmit the patterns and other configuration information to a UE); and
transmitting activation information to the terminal indicating to activate the CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining to perform the CRS rate matching of the CRS. (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]; and block 812 of Fig. 8 —a base station can transmit RM pattern activation information to a UE, based on determining which configured CRS rate matching pattern(s) to employ at the UE after analyzing UE measurement report feedback, etc.);
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda’s neighbor base station CRS rate-matching solutions with the RM pattern configuration and subsequent activation based on UE report feedback, as taught by Gutierrez Gonzalez.
The motivation for doing so would have been to enable a BS to more efficiently determine and quickly de/activate RM patterns at a UE based on real-time measurement reports, as recognized by Gutierrez Gonzalez (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]).
However, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez does not explicitly teach:
the determining whether to perform CRS rate matching on the neighboring LTE cell being based on a distance between the terminal and the serving base station.
Olesen does teach:
the determining whether to perform rate matching on a neighboring LTE cell being based on a distance between the terminal and the serving base station (paras. [0103], [0112]-[0113], [0126], [0141]-[0142] and [0145] —data rate-matching for a multi-RAT WTRU, i.e., in a NR-LTE system, can be determined based in part on a distance between a serving BS and the WTRU, where the WTRU may be configured to report its geographical location/location change within a cell to the network —a serving BS can effectuate the rate-matching at the WTRU for inter-RAT interference mitigation/nulling purposes).
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez’s neighbor base station CRS rate-matching solution with the UE location consideration for rate-matching, as taught by Olesen.
The motivation for doing so would have been to mitigate inter-cell interference through rate-matching/muting, as recognized by Olesen (paras. [0103], [0112]-[0113], [0126], [0141]-[0142] and [0145]).
With respect to claim 10, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches:
The operating method of claim 9, wherein the determining whether to perform CRS rate matching on the neighboring LTE cell comprises determining whether to activate a CRS rate matching pattern according to a magnitude of interference due to a CRS measured by the terminal (Takeda: paras. [0239], [0244], and [0269]-[0270]; and steps, 710, 715 and 720 of Fig. 7, and Figs. 10 and 11 —a BS can evaluate a level of interference, i.e., using RSRP/RSRQ threshold comparisons, etc., from received LTE CRS measurements, and then determine whether to include a LTE CRS pattern within a corresponding rate matching configuration —including the corresponding LTE CRS pattern within a rate-matching configuration effectively activates it for purposes of rate-matching and collision avoidance —likewise, not including the LTE CRS pattern in a rate-matching configuration, would not activate it).
With respect to claim 12, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches:
The operating method of claim 10, further comprising:
determining whether to map NR PDSCH to resource elements (REs) to which CRSs are allocated according to the determining whether to activate the CRS rate matching pattern (Takeda: paras. [0238]-[0239], [0242]-[0244], and [0269]; and Fig. 5B —a determination can be made whether to map NR PDSCH to REs allocated for CRS’ (i.e., by CRS cancellation, etc.), and rate-matching can be selectively performed for LTE CRS according to one or more CRS rate matching pattern(s) for one or more TRPs —a rate-matching pattern can be de/activated per cell as part of the configuration based on corresponding RS measurements).
With respect to claim 13, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches:
The operating method of claim 10, further comprising:
wherein the transmitting the CRS rate matching pattern includes transmitting at least one of:
an LTE bandwidth with respect to the neighboring LTE cell;
a location of a center frequency, a number of antenna ports of the CRS;
a frequency shift parameter value; or
multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) setting information (Takeda: paras. [0238]-[0239], [0244], and [0252]—the configuration information transmitted to a UE concerning CRS rate matching pattern usage can include DMRS shifting information/parameters —the BS can RRC signal various configuration parameters (i.e., via RateMatchPatternLTE-CRS IE) to a UE, including: LTE carrier bandwidth, center frequency location, a number of CRS antenna ports for rate-matching, MBSFN subframe configuration, v-Shift, etc. —the terms “at least one of” and “or” only require a single claim alternative to be examined on-the-merits for the reasons explained above in the Claim Interpretation — Alternative Claim Language section).
With Respect to Claim 14, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches the operating method of claim 13.
However, Takeda does not explicitly teach:
wherein the transmitting activation information is performed using a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), the activation information being applied to a PDSCH after a certain time has elapsed, and the certain time being longer than a slot duration.
Gutierrez Gonzalez does teach:
transmitting information about whether to activate the CRS rate matching pattern to the terminal using a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (paras. [0084] and [0108] —a gNB can be configured to transmit control signaling including de/activation information for a CRS rate-matching pattern(s) to a UE via MAC-CE), the activation information being applied to a PDSCH after a certain time has elapsed, and the certain time being longer than a slot duration (paras. [0080] and [0084]-[0086] —a signaled CRS RM pattern activation (i.e., of a RateMatchPatternLTE IE) can be scheduled to occur at a later time, upon determination that interference may not be mitigated for identified REs and desired SE —at this time, PDSCH rate matching based can performed based on a de/activated RateMatchPatternLTE-CRS of a corresponding control signaling bitmap —a certain time duration is interpreted to be longer than a subframe/slot duration in accordance with the RateMatchPatternLTE IE’s MBSFN subframe config.).
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda’s rate matching pattern activation determination with the real-time, RateMatchPatternLTE IE de/activation signaling (i.e., via MAC CE), taught by Gutierrez Gonzalez.
The motivation for doing so would have been to improve real-time de/activation of rate-matching patterns by the network based on measurement/performance feedback and changing resource availability, as recognized by Gutierrez Gonzalez (paras. [0080], [0084]-[0086], and [0108]).
With respect to claim 15, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches the operating method of claim 13.
However, Takeda does not explicitly teach:
transmitting the information about whether to activate the CRS rate matching pattern to the terminal using downlink control information (DCI), the activation information being applied to a PDSCH after a time corresponding to a slot has elapsed.
Gutierrez Gonzalez does teach:
transmitting the information about whether to activate the CRS rate matching pattern to the terminal using downlink control information (DCI) (paras. [0084] and [0108] —a gNB can be configured to transmit control signaling including de/activation information for a CRS rate-matching pattern(s) to a UE via DCI), the activation information being applied to a PDSCH after a time corresponding to a slot has elapsed (paras. [0080] and [0084]-[0086] —a signaled CRS RM pattern activation (i.e., of a RateMatchPatternLTE IE) can be scheduled to occur at a later time, upon determination that interference may not be mitigated for identified REs and desired SE —at this time, PDSCH rate matching based can performed based on a de/activated RateMatchPatternLTE-CRS of a corresponding control signaling bitmap —the later time is interpreted to be after a time of an elapsed slot in accordance with the RateMatchPatternLTE IE’s MBSFN subframe config.).
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda’s rate matching pattern activation determination with the real-time, RateMatchPatternLTE IE de/activation signaling (i.e., via DCI), taught by Gutierrez Gonzalez.
The motivation for doing so would have been to improve real-time de/activation of rate-matching patterns by the network based on measurement/performance feedback and changing resource availability, as recognized by Gutierrez Gonzalez (paras. [0080], [0084]-[0086], and [0108]).
With respect to claim 16, Takeda teaches:
A base station configured to support dynamic spectrum sharing (DSS) between a new radio (NR) network and a long term evolution (LTE) network (paras. [0203]-[0204], and [0235]; and Fig. 1 —a base station (BS) can provide coverage for multiple cells, i.e., LTE and/or NR networks, and support DSS therebetween), wherein the base station is configured to:
set a first CRS rate matching pattern and determine whether to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern based on a first signal transmitted by a first neighboring LTE cell (paras. [0236]-[0239] and [0242]-[0243]; and Fig. 5B —a first CRS rate-matching pattern and a second CRS rate-matching pattern can be set and activated for one or more neighboring LTE cells, as shown in Fig. 5B as LTE CRS pattern 1 and LTE CRS pattern 2);
determine whether to activate a second CRS rate matching pattern based on, the second CRS rate matching pattern corresponding to a second neighboring LTE cell (paras. [0236]-[0239] and [0242]-[0243]; and Fig. 5B —a first CRS rate-matching pattern and a second CRS rate-matching pattern can be set activated for one or more neighboring LTE cells, as shown in Fig. 5B as LTE CRS pattern 1 and LTE CRS pattern 2),
perform rate matching on resource elements (REs) allocated to a first CRS of the first neighboring LTE cell in response to determining to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern corresponding to the first neighboring LTE cell (paras. [0237], [0241]-[0242], [0245] [0247], and [0269]-[0270]; and Figs. 5B and 7 —the network device can determine to perform NR PDSCH w/LTE rate matching for REs associated with a first CRS of a first neighboring LTE cell, i.e., depicted in Fig. 5B, to refrain from transmitting NR data thereon), and
map a new radio (NR) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) to REs allocated to a second CRS of the second neighboring LTE cell in response to determining not to activate the second CRS rate matching pattern corresponding to the second neighboring LTE cell (paras. [0239], [0241], [0243], [0245] [0247], and [0269]-[0270]; and Figs. 5B and 7 —the network device can determine to map/transmit NR PDSCH data to REs allocated to a second neighboring LTE cell’s CRS as part of its resource scheduling operations).
However, Takeda does not explicitly teach:
transmit a first (cell-specific reference signal) CRS rate matching pattern to a terminal in response to setting a first CRS rate matching pattern, the first CRS rate matching pattern corresponding to a first neighboring LTE cell;
transmit first information to the terminal indicating activation of the first CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern; and
transmit second information to the terminal indicating deactivation of the second CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining not to activate the second CRS rate matching pattern;
Gutierrez Gonzalez does teach:
transmit a first (cell-specific reference signal) CRS rate matching pattern to a terminal in response to setting a first CRS rate matching pattern, the first CRS rate matching pattern corresponding to a first neighboring LTE cell (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]; neighboring LTE cells of Fig. 1, and block 804 of Fig. 8 —a network/BS can set one or more CRS rate matching pattern(s) for neighboring LTE cell(s) and then transmit the patterns and other configuration information to a UE);
transmit first information to the terminal indicating activation of the first CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]; and block 812 of Fig. 8 —a base station can transmit RM pattern activation information to a UE, based on determining which configured CRS rate matching pattern(s) to employ at the UE after analyzing UE measurement report feedback, etc.); and
transmit second information to the terminal indicating deactivation of the second CRS rate matching pattern in response to determining not to activate the second CRS rate matching pattern (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]; and block 812 of Fig. 8 —a base station can transmit RM pattern deactivation information to a UE, based on determining which configured CRS rate matching pattern(s) NOT to employ at the UE after analyzing UE measurement report feedback, etc.);
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda’s neighbor base station CRS rate-matching solutions with the RM pattern configuration and subsequent de/activation based on UE report feedback, as taught by Gutierrez Gonzalez.
The motivation for doing so would have been to enable a BS to more efficiently determine and quickly de/activate RM patterns at a UE based on real-time measurement reports, as recognized by Gutierrez Gonzalez (paras. [0077]-[0080], [0084]-[0085], and [0105]).
However, Takeda and Gutierrez Gonzalez do not explicitly teach:
the determining whether to perform CRS rate matching on the neighboring LTE cell being based on a distance between the terminal and the serving base station.
Olesen does teach:
the determining whether to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern is based on a distance between the terminal and the base station (paras. [0103], [0112]-[0113], [0126], [0141]-[0142] and [0145] —data rate-matching for a multi-RAT WTRU, i.e., in a NR-LTE system, can be determined based in part on a distance between a serving BS and the WTRU, where the WTRU may be configured to report its geographical location/location change within a cell to the network —a serving BS can effectuate the rate-matching at the WTRU for inter-RAT interference mitigation/nulling purposes); and
the determining whether to activate the second CRS rate matching pattern is based on a distance between the terminal and the base station (paras. [0103], [0112]-[0113], [0126], [0141]-[0142] and [0145] —data rate-matching for a multi-RAT WTRU, i.e., in a NR-LTE system, can be determined based in part on a distance between a serving BS and the WTRU, where the WTRU may be configured to report its geographical location/location change within a cell to the network —a serving BS can effectuate the rate-matching at the WTRU for inter-RAT interference mitigation/nulling purposes).
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez’s CRS rate-matching pattern activation solution with the UE location consideration for activating one or more rate-matching patterns, as taught by Olesen.
The motivation for doing so would have been to mitigate inter-cell interference through rate-matching/muting, as recognized by Olesen (paras. [0103], [0112]-[0113], [0126], [0141]-[0142] and [0145]).
With respect to claim 18, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches:
The base station of claim 17, wherein the base station is configured to transmit the second CRS rate matching pattern and information indicating whether to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern and the second CRS rate matching pattern to the terminal, and the first CRS rate matching pattern and the second CRS rate matching pattern comprising at least one of, an LTE bandwidth with respect to each of the first neighboring LTE cell and the second neighboring LTE cell, a location of a center frequency, a number of antenna ports of each of the first CRS and the second CRS, a frequency shift parameter value, or multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) setting information (Takeda: paras. [0238]-[0239], [0244], and [0252]; and Fig. 5B —configuration information transmitted to a UE concerning a first CRS rate matching pattern and a second CRS rate matching pattern usage/activation can include DMRS shifting information and other parameters —the BS can RRC signal these other configuration parameters (i.e., via RateMatchPatternLTE-CRS IE) to a UE, including: LTE carrier bandwidth, center frequency location, a number of CRS antenna ports for rate-matching, MBSFN subframe configuration, v-Shift, etc. —the terms “at least one of” and “or” only require a single claim alternative to be examined on-the-merits for the reasons explained above in the Claim Interpretation — Alternative Claim Language section).
With Respect to Claim 19, this claim recites similar features to those recited in dependent claims 14 and 15. As such, claim 19 is likewise rejected under §103 based on Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen, for the same reasons provided above for claims 14 and 15.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen, in further view of US PG Pub 2022/0224471 A1, Kim et al. (hereinafter “Kim”).
With Respect to Claim 20, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen teaches:
The base station of claim 19, wherein the base station is configured to determine whether to activate the first CRS rate matching pattern and the second CRS rate matching pattern, as explained above in claim 16.
However, Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen does not teach:
activation determinations based on using a code point method in a group unit.
Kim does teach:
activation determinations based on using a code point method in a group unit (paras. [0021]-[0022], [0301]-[0302], and [0384] —a code point of a TCI field in DCI can be mapped to a particular TCI state, i.e., for 2 TCI states, as part of a de/activation determination, where the TCI state is associated with a particular CDM group, i.e., for DMRS type 1).
It would have been prima-facie obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Takeda in view of Gutierrez Gonzalez and Olesen’s rate matching pattern activation determinations for first and second CRS rate matching patterns with activation based on TCI code point mapping information, as taught by Kim.
The motivation for doing so would have been to improve activation of rate-matching patterns by evaluating TCI type mapping for particular CDM groups, as recognized by Kim (paras. [0021]-[0022], [0301]-[0302], and [0384]).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Scott Schlack whose telephone number is (571)272-2332. The Examiner can normally be reached Mon. through Fri., from 11am-6pm EST.
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/Scott A. Schlack/Examiner, Art Unit 2418
/Moo Jeong/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2418