DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/30/2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
3. Claims 21-44 are pending wherein claim 21, 26, 33, and 39 are in independent form.
4. Claims 21, 26, 31-33, 38-39, and 44 have been amended. In view of amendments, rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph are withdrawn.
5. Claims 1-20 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant's arguments filed on 06/30/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons set forth below.
7. On page 13 of the remarks, applicant argues, “These paragraphs of Hasegawa generally describe placement of DMRSs and DMRS bundling windows, however, and are silent as to a presence of a PTRS or "whether to maintain phase continuity across physical uplink channels within one or more time domain windows defined by the transmission time interval structure information, wherein maintenance of the phase continuity within the one or more time domain windows is based on whether a phase tracking reference signal is scheduled within the one or more time domain windows." Absence of discussion of a PTRS does not disclose "wherein maintenance of the phase continuity within the one or more time domain windows is based on whether a phase tracking reference signal is scheduled within the one or more time domain windows."
In response, examiner respectfully disagrees because:
Hasegawa discloses to terminate DMRS bundling and stop maintaining phase continuity when PTRS is scheduled in the last symbol associated with the DMRS symbols in the DMRS bundle (Par 0157-0160). Paragraph [0160] states, “In examples, the WTRU may keep DMRS bundling enabled (e.g., maintain phase and power continuity across PUSCH transmissions, uplink data symbols and uplink DMRS symbols) until ….. …until the last symbol that contains PTRS which is associated with the DMRS symbols in the DMRS bundle, or until a completion of a certain number of transmissions. The WTRU may disable DMRS bundling (e.g., use different spatial filters for DMRS symbols and/or different precoding schemes for DMRS symbols) if the specified or configured resource is used, if the preconfigured time expires, if the end of the preconfigured time window expires where the length of the time window may be expressed in terms of symbols, slots, or repetitions (e.g., number of repetitions for Type A repetitions or actual/nominal repetitions for Type B repetitions) and the time window may be configured over continuous/non-continuous uplink slots, if the WTRU receives an indication (e.g., via DCI, MAC-CE signaling, or RRC signaling) from the network (e.g., gNB) to disable DMRS bundling, after the last symbol that contains PTRS which is associated with the DMRS symbols in the DMRS bundle, or if a completion of the certain number of transmissions”.
Hasegawa further discloses to provide RS configuration (control signaling) scheduling PTRS transmission along with uplink transmission. Based on RS configuration scheduling PTRS, the UE inserts PTRS with the plurality of uplink transmission and the receiver/base station estimates phase variation based on the PTRS (Fig. 9-14, Par 0287-0290, Par 0293-0297). Therefore, when the control signaling schedules to insert PTRS with the uplink transmission, the UE does not maintain phase continuity for the plurality of uplink transmission and enables the receiver to determine phase variation/change based on the PTRS inserted within the duration of uplink transmission. In case of phase discontinuity, the UE applies PTRS and DMRS configuration for enabling to track phase continuity/variation (Par 0305-0307). The UE maintains phase continuity for a duration (i.e. DMRS bundling based on primary configuration) and switches to DMRS+PTRS configuration when phase continuity can not be maintained (Exceeding phase continuity capability, Par 0307). Therefore, the UE does not maintain phase continuity when PTRS is scheduled within the uplink transmission duration and the base station/receiver tracks phase variation based on the inserted PTRS (Par 0307-0317, Par 0320-0323). When the control signaling includes PTRS, the UE inserts PTRS within the uplink transmission duration and does not maintain phase continuity for the duration of uplink transmission. When the control signaling does not schedule PTRS, the UE maintains phase continuity for the duration of uplink transmission. Therefore, the control signaling is based on whether PTRS is scheduled within the duration/window of uplink transmission and based on that control signaling (scheduling/not scheduling PTRS), UE maintains/does not maintain phase continuity.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 102
8. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
9. Claims 21-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hasegawa et al (WO 2022031919, hereinafter referred to as Hasegawa).
Re claim 21, Hasegawa teaches a method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE) (WTRU) (Abstract, Fig. 2-5, Fig. 7, Fig. 9-14), comprising:
(i) receiving a control message that indicates transmission time interval structure information (DMRS bundle configuration containing multiple slots) (Fig. 7, Par 0091, Par 0095, Par 0104, Par 0106-0110,Par 0113-0118, Par 0145-0148, Par 0175, Par 0222-0227, Par 0230-0231);
(ii) ) receiving control signaling (DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS bundling/bundling window; DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS and PTRS configuration; RS configuration; receiving indication to apply phase continuity over PUSCH/PUCCH transmissions that contained bundled DMRS, Par 0114, Par 0116-0117, Par 0087-0088, Par 0127, Par 0147-0148) that indicates whether to maintain phase continuity across physical uplink channels (receiving indication to apply phase continuity over PUSCH/PUCCH transmissions that contained bundled DMRS, Par 0114, Par 0116-0117, Par 0087-0088, Par 0127, Par 0147-0148) within one or more time domain windows defined by the transmission time interval structure information (DMRS bundle configuration containing multiple slots), wherein maintenance of the phase continuity within the one or more time domain windows (phase continuity over PUSCH/PUCCH transmissions that contained bundled DMRS) is based on whether a phase tracking reference signal is scheduled within the one or more time domain windows (maintaining/not maintaining phase continuity for the PUCCH transmission within DMRS bundling/bundling window based on control signaling scheduling/not scheduling PTRS) (Fig. 5-7, Fig. 9-14, Par 0087-0088, Par 0105-0108, Par 0113-0117, Par 0125-0128, Par 0145-0148, Par 0157-0160, Par 0162-0163, Par 0210-0216, Par 0222-0227, Par 0230-0231, Par 0260-0265, Par 0287-0290, Par 0293-0297, Par 0305-0317, Par 0320-0323);
(iii) transmitting a plurality of physical uplink channels within a first time domain window of the one or more time windows (PUCCH transmission within DMRS bundling/bundling window based on control signaling scheduling/not scheduling PTRS) in accordance with the control signaling (DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS bundling/bundling window; DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS and PTRS configuration; RS configuration) (Fig. 2-5, Fig. 11-14, Par 0088-0091, Par 0104-0106, Par 0108-0117, Par 0145-0147, Par 0161-0163, Par 0175, Par 0252, Par 0256-0263, Par 0308-0313).
Claim 33 recites a user equipment (UE) performing the steps recited in claim 1 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 21. Hasegawa further teaches that the UE (WTRU) a transceiver (transceiver, Fig. 1B); one or more memories (130, 132) storing codes to be executed by one or more processors (118) (Fig. 1B, Par 0042-0049).
Re claims 22, 27, 34, 40, Hasegawa teaches to transmit, within the first time domain window (DMRS bundling/bundling window), one or more of the plurality of physical uplink channels without phase continuity (not maintaining phase continuity based on DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS and PTRS configuration; RS configuration scheduling PTRS) based at least in part on phase continuity being disabled due to a first phase-tracking reference signal being scheduled within the first time domain window by the control signaling (the UE does not maintain phase continuity when PTRS is scheduled within the uplink transmission duration and the base station/receiver tracks phase variation based on the inserted PTRS (Par 0111, Par 0160, Par 0287-0290, Par 0293-0297, Par 0305-0317, Par 0320-0323).
Re claims 23, 28, 35, 41, Hasegawa teaches to transmit a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with the plurality of physical uplink channels (plurality of DMRS over a plurality of uplink slots/symbols) and the first phase-tracking reference signal (PTRS inserted within the bundling window) in the first time domain window (DMRS bundling/bundling window) (Fig. 9-14, Par 0293-0297, Par 0309-0317).
Re claims 24, 29, 36, 42, Hasegawa teaches to to transmit, within a second time domain window (duration/maximum duration within a bundling window/time window when the phase continuity is maintained for a plurality uplink transmission) corresponding to a transmission time interval structure format (bundling window/time window including a plurality of slots, symbols etc.), two or more of the plurality of physical uplink channels having phase continuity based at least in part on phase continuity being enabled within the second time window (duration/maximum duration within a bundling window/time window when the phase continuity is maintained for a plurality uplink transmission), wherein the phase continuity is enabled within the second time domain window based at least in part on an absence of a respective phase-tracking reference signal in the second time domain window (When the control signaling does not schedule PTRS, the UE maintains phase continuity for the duration of uplink transmission) (Par 0087-0088, Par 0105-0108, Par 0113-0117, Par 0125-0128, Par 0145-0148, Par 0157-0160, Par 0162-0163, Par 0210-0216, Par 0222-0227, Par 0230-0231, Par 0260-0265, Par 0305-0317, Par 0320-0323).
Re claims 25, 30, 37, Hasegawa teaches to transmit a plurality of demodulation reference signals associated with the plurality of physical uplink channels in the second time domain window (transmitting a plurality of DMRS while maintaining phase continuity) (Fig. 2-5, Fig. 13-14, Par 0088-0091, Par 0095-0096, Par 0106-0117, Par 0145-0148, Par 0157-0163, Par 0307-0313).
Re claim 26, Hasegawa teaches a method for wireless communications by a network entity (gNB) (Abstract, Fig. 1, Fig. 2-5), comprising:
(i) transmitting a control message that indicates transmission time interval structure information (DMRS bundle configuration containing multiple slots) (Fig. 7, Par 0091, Par 0095, Par 0104, Par 0106-0110,Par 0113-0118, Par 0145-0148, Par 0175, Par 0222-0227, Par 0230-0231);
(ii) )transmitting control signaling (DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS bundling/bundling window; DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS and PTRS configuration; RS configuration; transmitting indication to apply phase continuity over PUSCH/PUCCH transmissions that contained bundled DMRS, Par 0114, Par 0116-0117, Par 0087-0088, Par 0127, Par 0147-0148) that indicates whether to maintain phase continuity across physical uplink channels (transmitting indication to apply phase continuity over PUSCH/PUCCH transmissions that contained bundled DMRS, Par 0114, Par 0116-0117, Par 0087-0088, Par 0127, Par 0147-0148) within one or more time domain windows defined by the transmission time interval structure information (DMRS bundle configuration containing multiple slots), wherein maintenance of the phase continuity within the one or more time domain windows (phase continuity over PUSCH/PUCCH transmissions that contained bundled DMRS) is based on whether a phase tracking reference signal is scheduled within the one or more time domain windows (maintaining/not maintaining phase continuity for the PUCCH transmission within DMRS bundling/bundling window based on control signaling scheduling/not scheduling PTRS) (Fig. 5-7, Fig. 9-14, Par 0087-0088, Par 0105-0108, Par 0113-0117, Par 0125-0128, Par 0145-0148, Par 0157-0160, Par 0162-0163, Par 0210-0216, Par 0222-0227, Par 0230-0231, Par 0260-0265, Par 0287-0290, Par 0293-0297, Par 0305-0317, Par 0320-0323);
(iii) receiving a plurality of physical uplink channels within a first time domain window of the one or more time windows (PUCCH transmission within DMRS bundling/bundling window based on control signaling scheduling/not scheduling PTRS) in accordance with the control signaling (DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS bundling/bundling window; DCI, MAC CE configuring DMRS and PTRS configuration; RS configuration) (Fig. 2-5, Fig. 11-14, Par 0088-0091, Par 0104-0106, Par 0108-0117, Par 0145-0147, Par 0161-0163, Par 0175, Par 0252, Par 0256-0263, Par 0308-0313).
Claim 39 recites a network entity (gNB/base station) performing the steps recited in claim 26 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 26. Hasegawa further teaches that network entity (gNB/base station) comprises a transceiver (transceiver, Par 0030-0031); one or more memories (ROM/RAM etc.) storing codes (software) to be executed by one or more processors (processor) (Fig. 1A, Par 0030-0031, Par 0335).
Re claims 31, 32, 38, 44, Hasegawa teaches that the transmission time interval structure information indicates a pattern of one or more uplink transmission time intervals (DMRS bundling/bundling window/time window including multiple uplink slots/symbols/frames), one or more downlink transmission time intervals, or any combination thereof, wherein whether to maintain phase continuity across the physical uplink channels is associated with the transmission time interval structure information (configured to maintain same phase/phase continuity for a duration of the bundling window/time window) (Fig. 2-5, Fig. 11-14, Par 0088-0091, Par 0104-0106, Par 0108-0117, Par 0145-0147, Par 0161-0163, Par 0252, Par 0256-0263, Par 0308-0313).
Re claim 43, Hasegawa teaches to receive, from a user equipment (UE) via the transceiver, a plurality of demodulation reference signals over a plurality of different transmission time intervals within the second time domain window (receiving DMRS over multiple slots included in the bundling window) (Fig. 2-5, Fig. 12-14, Par 0088-0091, Par 0095-0096, Par 0106-0117, Par 0145-0148, Par 0157, Par 0175, Par 0183, Par 0210, Par 0307-0313, Par 0318-0323, Par 0325-0330); and demodulate the plurality of physical uplink channels based at least in part on a joint channel estimate (demodulating uplink data based on the joint channel estimation, Par 0183, Fig. 3A, Par 0221, Par 0224), the joint channel estimate being based at least in part on the plurality of demodulation reference signals (performing channel estimation based on the received DMRS) (Abstract, Par 0003, Par 0096, Par 0157, Par 0165, Par 0175, Par 0183, Par 0210, Par 0219-0221, Par 0225, Par 0318).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARUN UR R CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3895. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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/HARUN CHOWDHURY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2473