DETAILED ACTION
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 amendment, filed March 13, 2025, with respect to the rejections of claims have been fully considered. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds of rejection presented below by introducing the new reference of Sun et al (US 2021/0022006).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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 1 – 4, 7 – 8, 10, 14 – 19 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai et al (US 2019/0363919) in view of Hellfajer et al (US 2021/0099329) and further in view of Sun et al (US 2021/0022006).
Re claim 1, Bai teaches of a method of operating a transmitting radio arrangement in a wireless communication network (Figures 1 – 4), the transmitting radio arrangement utilizing a first beam pair (#755, target beam (beam pair), Paragraphs 0070 – 0071 and Fig.7B) and a second beam pair (#703, serving beam (beam pair), Paragraphs 0067 – 0069 and Fig.7A) for communicating with a radio node (#115, Figures 7A, 7B and 9), the method comprising transmitting first signaling on the first beam pair (target beam, Fig.18, #1220, Fig.12 and Fig.11) and second signaling on the second beam pair (serving beam, Fig.18, #1212, Fig.12 and Fig.11) (Paragraphs 0076 and 0120 – 0122), the first signaling and/or second signaling comprising an extend guard interval (extended guard period, #1810, Fig.18 and Paragraph 0122), determining a propagation delay (channel delay, Paragraph 0103), and configuring the extended guard interval of the first signaling on the first beam pair based on the propagation delay (based on the sum of the length of the channel delay and the beam switch delay time, Paragraph 0103), wherein the extended guard interval is longer than N times a cyclic prefix associated to the second beam pair and/or the first beam pair (The extended guard period (#1355, Fig.13) is longer than the CP period (#1212, Fig.12) (Paragraph 0109) associated to the second beam pair (The extended guard period 1355 is longer than the CP period 1212 or the CP period 1222 of FIG. 12, Paragraph 0109) and wherein the extended guard interval covers one or more symbols (the extended guard interval (#1810, Fig.18) covers one or more symbols (#1804, Fig.18). Bai further teaches of wherein the extended guard interval comprises one or more trailing empty symbols (muted transmission, Paragraph 0122, #1902, Fig.19) that start at a front end of the extended guard interval (Figures 18 – 19). However, Bai does not specifically teach of wherein the extended guard interval also comprises one or more trailing empty symbols that end at a back end of the extended guard interval. Bai does not specifically teach of determining a propagation delay of the second signaling on the second beam pair, and configuring the extended guard interval based on the propagation delay and to be longer than N times a cyclic prefix associated to the second beam pair, wherein the N is an integer larger than 1. Bai further teaches of determining a propagation delay (channel delay, Paragraph 0103) and a beam switching delay (Paragraph 0103) when performing the beam switching from the second beam (serving or current beam) to the first beam (target or new beam). One skilled in the art would have understood that the channel delay would refer to the second signaling before beam switching so as to be able to configure a length of the extended cyclic prefix of the first signaling to be greater than the sum of the length of the channel delay and the beam switch delay time to avoid ISI and to perform smooth beam transition.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have determined propagation delay of the second signaling on the second beam pair so as to accurately configure the length of the extended guard interval.
Hellfajer teaches of determining a propagation delay of a first signal (propagation delay, Paragraph 0130), and configuring the extended guard interval based on the propagation delay (Paragraphs 0130 and 0507) and to be longer than N times a cyclic prefix, and wherein the N is an integer larger than 1 (extended guard interval of Figures 6B – 6C being longer than 2 times a cyclic prefix of Fig.6A, Paragraphs 0099 – 0104 and Figures 6A – 6C), wherein the extended guard interval covers one or more symbols (Figures 6B – 6C, Abstract and Paragraph 0105).
Sun teaches of an extended guard interval (#310-b, Fig.3A) that covers one or more symbols (#320, Fig.3A) and comprises one or more trailing empty symbols that end at a back end of the extended guard interval (#330, Fig.3A and Paragraph 0018).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have determined a propagation delay to configure the extended guard interval and have N be an integer larger than 1 to ensure efficient transmissions for large propagation delays. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively used an extended guard interval that comprises one or more trailing empty symbols that end at a back end of the extended guard interval to combat ISI and to avoid exceeding a maximum channel vacancy time duration.
Re claim 2, Bai teaches of transmitting radio arrangement (#105, Figures 1 and 8) for a wireless communication network (Fig.1), the transmitting radio arrangement being adapted for utilizing a first beam pair (#755, target beam (beam pair), Paragraphs 0070 – 0071 and Fig.7B) and a second beam pair (#703, serving beam (beam pair), Paragraphs 0067 – 0069 and Fig.7A) for communicating with a radio node (#115, Figures 1 and 9), the transmitting radio arrangement adapted for transmitting first signaling on the first beam pair and second signaling on the second beam pair (Figures 7A – 7B and 18), the first signaling and/or second signaling comprising an extended guard interval (extended guard period, #1810, Fig.18 and Paragraph 0122), determining a propagation delay (channel delay, Paragraph 0103), and configuring the extended guard interval of the first signaling on the first beam pair based on the propagation delay (based on the sum of the length of the channel delay and the beam switch delay time, Paragraph 0103),
wherein the extended guard interval is longer than N times a cyclic prefix associated to the second beam pair and/or the first beam pair (The extended guard period (#1355) is longer than the CP period (#1332), Fig.13, Paragraph 0109) and wherein the N is an integer (for N=1, the N times a cyclic prefix is only the cyclic prefix) wherein the extended guard interval covers one or more symbols (the extended guard interval (#1810, Fig.18) covers one or more symbols (#1804, Fig.18). Bai further teaches of wherein the extended guard interval comprises one or more trailing empty symbols (muted transmission, Paragraph 0122, #1902, Fig.19) that start at a front end of the extended guard interval (Figures 18 – 19). However, Bai does not specifically teach of wherein the extended guard interval also comprises one or more trailing empty symbols that end at a back end of the extended guard interval. Bai does not specifically teach of determining a propagation delay of the second signaling on the second beam pair, and configuring the extended guard interval based on the propagation delay and to be longer than N times a cyclic prefix associated to the second beam pair, wherein the N is an integer larger than 1. Bai does not specifically teach of determining the propagation delay of the second signaling on the second beam pair. Bai teaches of determining a propagation delay (channel delay, Paragraph 0103) and a beam switching delay (Paragraph 0103) when performing the beam switching from the second beam (serving or current beam) to the first beam (target or new beam). One skilled in the art would have understood that the channel delay would refer to the second signaling before beam switching so as to be able to configure a length of the extended cyclic prefix of the first signaling to be greater than the sum of the length of the channel delay and the beam switch delay time to avoid ISI and to perform smooth beam transition.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have determined propagation delay of the second signaling on the second beam pair so as to accurately configure the length of the extended guard interval.
Hellfajer teaches of determining a propagation delay of a first signal (propagation delay, Paragraph 0130), and configuring the extended guard interval based on the propagation delay (Paragraphs 0130 and 0507) and to be longer than N times a cyclic prefix, and wherein the N is an integer larger than 1 (extended guard interval of Figures 6B – 6C being longer than 2 times a cyclic prefix of Fig.6A, Paragraphs 0099 – 0104 and Figures 6A – 6C), wherein the extended guard interval covers one or more symbols (Figures 6B – 6C, Abstract and Paragraph 0105).
Sun teaches of an extended guard interval (#310-b, Fig.3A) that covers one or more symbols (#320, Fig.3A) and comprises one or more trailing empty symbols that end at a back end of the extended guard interval (#330, Fig.3A and Paragraph 0018).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have determined a propagation delay to configure the extended guard interval and have N be an integer larger than 1 to ensure efficient transmissions for large propagation delays. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have alternatively used an extended guard interval that comprises one or more trailing empty symbols that end at a back end of the extended guard interval to combat ISI and to avoid exceeding a maximum channel vacancy time duration.
Re claims 3 and 14, Bai teaches of wherein the extended guard interval (#1810, Fig.18) is based on a beam pair switch from the second beam pair to the first beam pair (Paragraphs 0122 and 0128 – 0129).
Re claims 4 and 15, Bai teaches of wherein the extended guard interval is based on a timing shift between the first beam pair and the second beam pair (time between t2 and t3, beam switch time, Paragraph 0124 and Fig.19).
Re claims 7 and 17, Bai teaches of wherein further the radio node is instructed to switch from utilizing the second beam pair to utilizing the first beam pair (beam switching, Figures 18 – 19 and Paragraphs 0128 – 0129).
Re claims 8 and 18, Bai teaches of wherein the first signaling is transmitted after the second signaling and/or after a beam pair switch performed by the radio node (after a beam pair switch is complete, Figures 18 – 19).
Re claims 10 and 19, Bai teaches of wherein the first signaling and/or the second signaling covers one or more symbols (symbols, Figures 12 – 19).
Re claim 23, Bai and Hellfajer teach all the limitations of claim 1 as well as Hellfajer teaches of wherein the extended guard interval includes a repetition of a modulation symbol or modulation symbol content (Abstract and Paragraph 0105).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the extended guard interval include a repetition of a modulation symbol or modulation symbol content as an inherent redundancy in the OFDM signal structure used to suppress adverse effects of symbol time offset.
Claims 6, 16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai and Hellfajer in view of R4-1902979 (On UE timing requirement under beam switching for FR2, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG4 Meeting #90bis, Intel Corporation, China, 8th– 12th April, 2019).
Re claims 6 and 16, Bai and Hellfajer teach all the limitations of claims 1 and 2 except of wherein a timing shift between the first beam pair and the second beam pair corresponds to a time interval larger than a cyclic shift associated to the first beam pair and/or second beam pair.
R4-1902979 discloses of a timing shift between the first beam pair and the second beam pair corresponds to a time interval larger than a cyclic shift associated to the first beam pair and/or second beam pair (the delay spread, which will cause inter-symbol interference if it is larger the CP length, Page 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have known of the condition of a time interval being larger than a cyclic shift would result to interference.
Re claim 21, Bai and Hellfajer teach all the limitations of claim 1 as well as Bai teaches of adding a cyclic prefix helps to reduce inter-symbol interference (ISI). It is beneficial to have a longer guard period to protect the payload from the possibility of ISI (Paragraphs 0057, 0103 and 0118). However, Bai and Hellfajer do not specifically teach of further comprising: determining channel timing information comprising a timing shift between the first beam pair and the second beam pair by measuring the first signaling and the second signaling, and wherein the configuring of the extended guard interval of the first signaling is further based on the determined channel timing information.
R4-1902979 discloses of determining channel timing information (ΔT, Fig.1) comprising a timing shift between the first beam pair (Beam 1, Fig.1) and the second beam pair (Beam 2, Fig.1) by measuring the first signaling and the second signaling (as shown in Fig.1), and wherein the cyclic prefix of the first signaling could be larger than a total time that includes the determined channel timing information (ΔT, Fig.1, Pages 1 – 2) and the delay spread (Page 2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the configuring of the extended guard interval of the first signaling and/or the second signaling to be further based on a total time that includes the determined channel timing information so as to avoid ISI.
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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/ARISTOCRATIS FOTAKIS/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2633