DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to applicant’s response filed under 37 C.F.R §1.111 in response to a non-final office action. Claim(s) 1, 12, 20, and 26 have been amended; No Claims have been canceled; No Claim(s) have been added. Claim(s) 1-30 are subject to examination.
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 02/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s Arguments:
The applicant argues in substance that ZHU fails to cure the deficiencies of KIM and SUN in regards to the limitation: “wherein the configuration message indicates an application of the MIMO assistance information”. The DCI of ZHU is not associated with SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO and therefore the confirmation of receipt of DCI does not indicate an application of the MIMO assistance information.
Examiner’s Response:
The examiner respectfully disagrees. KIM588 para 8 teaches a DCI configuration message with MIMO assistance information is received by the UE and then the MIMO assistance information is applied upon reception. Under broadest reasonable interpretation, “indicates an application” is interpreted as that it is indicated that DCI was successfully received with the intention of using the MIMO assistance information. ZHU FIG. 5 shows that is known in the art to send back a confirmation when receiving DCI with a configuration intended for use. The examiner recommends clarifying what qualifies as “an application of the MIMO assistance” and how specifically does the confirmation message indicate that application. For the sake of prosecution, the examiner has reformatted the claims below.
Regarding all other arguments presented by the applicant, the arguments are substantially the same as those which have already been addressed above and in the interest of brevity; the examiner directs the applicant to those response above.
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, 3-4, 9-12, 14-15, 20, 22, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN et al. (US 20180124754 A1) (see 892 11/07/2024), hereby referred to as SUN754, in view of KIM (US 20190013855 A1) (see 892 04/24/2025), hereby referred to as KIM855, and in further view of ZHU et al. (US 20240064765 A1) (see 892 11/03/2025), hereby referred to as ZHU.
Claim 1:
SUN754 teaches An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory (SUN754: FIG. 12) and individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to: receive a first indication of multiple-input multiple-out (MIMO) assistance information from a network node, wherein the MIMO assistance information is associated with at least one of a single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) configuration or a multiple-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) configuration (SUN754: para 8 (“The apparatus may be configured to determine to provide MU-MIMO transmission to a plurality of user UEs…The DCI message may include an MU-MIMO assistance information field”) wherein DCI with MU-MIMO assistance field is the first indication which is associated with MU-MIMO configuration); perform at least one of an inter-layer interference cancelation (IC) operation, a channel state information (CSI) reporting operation, or a sounding reference signal (SRS) antenna port switching operation based on the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration (SUN754: para 76 (“…performing interference cancellation based on the MU-MIMO assistance information…The DCI information received may indicate the spatial layer is assigned to the UE and other layers are assigned to other UEs. Accordingly, the UE may perform interference cancellation as appropriate.”) wherein UE performs interference cancellation between the spatial layers of the UEs in MU-MIMO/inter-layer IC operation).
However, SUN754 does not explicitly disclose to transmit a confirmation message confirming reception of the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, wherein the confirmation message indicates an application of the MIMO assistance information; transmit information associated with at least one of the CSI reporting operation or the SRS antenna port switching operation based on at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration.
ZHU, in the same field of endeavor, teaches to transmit a confirmation message confirming reception of the first indication of DCI, wherein the confirmation message indicates an application of the DCI (ZHU: FIG. 5 item 502 (“Receive, at a User Equipment, Downlink Control Information from a Base Station…”) and item 504 (“Transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Codebook to the Base station…comprises a Downlink Control Information Feedback Bit Indicating Whether the User Equipment Successfully received the Downlink Control Information.”) wherein a confirmation can be sent in response to successfully receiving a DCI containing configuration information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the applying the received DCI containing the MIMO assistance information of SUN754 with the confirmation of DCI reception of ZHU, the combination hereby referred to as SUN-ZHU, for the benefit of facilitating communications with correct updated information (ZHU: para 49).
However, SUN-ZHU does not explicitly disclose to transmit information associated with at least one of the CSI reporting operation or the SRS antenna port switching operation based on at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration.
KIM588 teaches to transmit information associated with at least one of the CSI reporting operation or the SRS antenna port switching operation based on at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration (KIM588: para 71 (“Therefore, the CSI report is required in MU-MIMO more exactly than SU-MIMO…”), para 101 (“…MUST CSI, based on interference cancellation between multiple UEs…”), and para 107 (“IF the eNB indicates state…01, the UE reports MUST CIS…state 111, the UE reports MUST CSI…”) wherein CSI reporting is based on MU-MIMO configuration).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified SUN-ZHU with KIM588, the combination hereby referred to as SUN-ZHU-KIM, for the benefit of efficiently reporting channel state information (KIM588: para 15).
Claim 3:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information via downlink control information (DCI) (SUN754: para 8 (“The DCI message may include an MU-MIMO assistance information field.”) wherein MIMO assistance is received via DCI).
Claim 4:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein transmission of the confirmation message is after reception of the first indication of the MIMO assistance information (ZHU: FIG. 5 item 502 (“Receive, at a User Equipment, Downlink Control Information from a Base Station…”) and item 504 (“Transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Codebook to the Base station…comprises a Downlink Control Information Feedback Bit Indicating Whether the User Equipment Successfully received the Downlink Control Information.”)wherein a confirmation can be sent in response to a DCI containing configuration information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified SUN and KIM with ZHU, the combination hereby referred to as SUN-ZHU-KIM, for the benefit of facilitating communications with correct updated information (ZHU: para 49).
Claim 9:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inter-layer IC operation is an inter-UE inter-layer IC operation for the MU-MIMO configuration (SUN754: para 5 (“…base station transmits multiple spatial layers…interfering signals…”), para 76 (“…UE 520…performing interference cancellation based on the MU-MIMO assistance information field…”), and para 76 (“…The DCI information received may indicate the spatial layer is assigned to the UE and other layers are assigned to other UEs. Accordingly, the UE may perform interference cancellation as appropriate.”) wherein the method is directed towards inter-UE inter-layer interference cancellation in MU-MIMO).
Claim 10:
SUN-ZHOU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the CSI reporting operation for the SU-MIMO configuration is different from the CSI reporting operation for the MU-MIMO configuration (KIM855: para 71 (“Therefore, CSI report is required in MU-MIMO more exactly than SU-MIMO…”) wherein MU-MIMO CSI reporting is more exact than SU-MIMO CSI reporting).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified SUN-ZHU with KIM588, the combination hereby referred to as SUN-ZHU-KIM, for the benefit of efficiently reporting channel state information (KIM588: para 15).
Claim 11:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 1. Further limitations are considered optional.
Claim 12:
SUN745 teaches An apparatus for wireless communication at a network node, comprising: memory; and one or more processors coupled to the memory (SUN745: FIG. 10) and individually or collectively configured to cause the network node to :transmit a first indication of multiple-input multiple-out (MIMO) assistance information for a user equipment (UE), wherein the MIMO assistance information is associated with at least one of a single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) configuration or a multiple-user MIMO (MU-MIMO) configuration (SUN754: para 8 (“The apparatus may be configured to determine to provide MU-MIMO transmission to a plurality of user UEs…The DCI message may include an MU-MIMO assistance information field”) wherein DCI with MU-MIMO assistance field is the first indication which is associated with MU-MIMO configuration);
However, SUN754 does not explicitly disclose to obtain a confirmation message confirming reception of the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, wherein the confirmation message indicates an application of the MIMO assistance information; and obtain information associated with at least one of an inter-layer interference cancelation (IC) operation, a channel state information (CSI) reporting operation, or a sounding reference signal (SRS) antenna port switching operation based on the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration.
ZHU, in the same field of endeavor, teaches to obtain a confirmation message confirming reception of the first indication of DCI, wherein the confirmation message indicates an application of the DCI (ZHU: FIG. 5 item 502 (“Receive, at a User Equipment, Downlink Control Information from a Base Station…”) and item 504 (“Transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Codebook to the Base station…comprises a Downlink Control Information Feedback Bit Indicating Whether the User Equipment Successfully received the Downlink Control Information.”) wherein a confirmation can be sent in response to successfully receiving a DCI containing configuration information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the applying the received DCI containing the MIMO assistance information of SUN754 with the confirmation of DCI reception of ZHU, the combination hereby referred to as SUN-ZHU, for the benefit of facilitating communications with correct updated information (ZHU: para 49).
However, SUN-ZHU does not explicitly disclose to obtain information associated with at least one of an inter-layer interference cancelation (IC), a CSI reporting operation or an SRS antenna port switching operation based on at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration.
KIM588 teaches to obtain information associated with at least one of an inter-layer interference cancelation (IC), a CSI reporting operation or a SRS antenna port switching operation based on at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration (KIM588: para 71 (“Therefore, the CSI report is required in MU-MIMO more exactly than SU-MIMO…”), para 101 (“…MUST CSI, based on interference cancellation between multiple UEs…”), and para 107 (“IF the eNB indicates state…01, the UE reports MUST CIS…state 111, the UE reports MUST CSI…”) wherein CSI reporting is based on MU-MIMO configuration).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified SUN-ZHU with KIM588, the combination hereby referred to as SUN-ZHU-KIM, for the benefit of efficiently reporting channel state information (KIM588: para 15).
Claim 14:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 12, wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information via a downlink control information (DCI) (SUN754: para 8 (“The DCI message may include an MU-MIMO assistance information field.”) wherein MIMO assistance is transmitted via DCI).
Claim 15:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the apparatus of claim 12, wherein to obtain the confirmation message, the at least one processor is configured to obtain the confirmation message after transmission of the first indication of the MIMO assistance information (ZHU: FIG. 5 item 502 (“Receive, at a User Equipment, Downlink Control Information from a Base Station…”) and item 504 (“Transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Codebook to the Base station…comprises a Downlink Control Information Feedback Bit Indicating Whether the User Equipment Successfully received the Downlink Control Information.”) wherein a confirmation can be sent in response to successfully receiving a DCI containing configuration information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the applying the received DCI containing the MIMO assistance information of SUN754 and KIM588 with the confirmation of DCI reception of ZHU for the benefit of facilitating communications with correct updated information (ZHU: para 49).
Claim 20:
SUN754 teaches a method of wireless communication at a user equipment. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 1 above.
Claim 22:
SUN-ZHU-KIM teaches the method of claim 20. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 4 above.
Claim 26:
SUN754 teaches a method of wireless communication at a network node. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 12 above.
Claim(s) 2, 13, 21, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN754 in view of ZHU and KIM855, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN, and in further view of CAO et al. (US 20210376888) (see IDS 11/07/2024), hereby referred to as CAO.
Claim 2:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (SUN754: FIG. 12 item 1210 (“Transceiver”) and item 1204 (“Processor”) a transceiver coupled to a processor), but does not explicitly disclose wherein the MIMO assistance information includes at least one of: a maximum layer restriction for the MU-MIMO configuration, a separate maximum rank indicator (RI) for the SU- MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, a number of UEs in a MU-MIMO pair with beam identifier (ID) and a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), an inter-UE spatial correlation, a percentage of overlapped physical resource blocks (PRBs), a demodulation reference signal(DMRS) code division multiplexing (CDM) group usage, or a trigger for the MU-MIMO configuration.
CAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the MIMO assistance information includes at least one of: a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) code division multiplexing (CDM) group usage (CAO: para 248 (“…usage of all or part of codewords in a CDM group in which the target UE is included via for example DCI, and thus indirectly informs the target UE of usage of respective DMRS ports in the MU-MIMO transmission…”) wherein DCI is the MIMO assistance information which includes DMRS CDM group usage).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified DCI containing MU-MIMO assistance information of Modified-SUN with DCI containing DMRS-CDM group usage of CAO for the benefit of reducing interference (CAO: para 75 and 248).
Claim 13:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (SUN754: FIG. 10 item 1010 (“Transceiver”)). For further limitations, see rejection for claim 2 above.
Claim 21:
Modified-SUN teaches the method of claim 20. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 2 above.
Claim 27:
KIM-SUN-ZHU teaches the method of claim 26. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 2 above.
Claim(s) 5, 16, 23, and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN754 in view of ZHU and KIM855, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN, and in further view of SENGUPTA et al. (US 20190386718 A1) (see 892 11/07/2024), hereby referred to as SENGUPTA, and ONODERA et al. (US 20160049997 A1) (see 892 11/07/2024), hereby referred to as ONODERA.
Claim 5:
KIM-SUN-ZHU teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a radio resource control (RRC) configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration; and transmit a second indication of completion of the RRC configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration at the UE, wherein to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on the second indication of the completion of the RRC configuration.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a radio resource control (RRC) configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration (SENGUPTA: para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), para 141 (“…UE may establish a connection with a base station. Such a connection establishment may be completed according to established connection establishment procedures…”), and para 142 (“…the UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…the MIMO capability indication may be an explicit indication that is provided in RRC signaling as part of the connection establishment with the base station…may be provided after connection establishment…”) wherein RRC configuration associated with setting up SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO configuration is required to establish connection between UE and base station); wherein to receive the first indication of MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance based on the completion of the RRC configuration (SENGUPTA: FIG 6 step 605 (“Establish Connection with base station”), para 25 (“…prior to the monitoring, an initial control channel transmission from the base station that provides one or more monitoring parameters for monitoring the first subset of downlink control channel resources…the initial control channel transmission may have a DCI format that may be specific to MIMO…indicates one or more of…MU-MIMO, SU-MIMO…”) wherein connection needs to be established to receive DCI).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the method of Modified-SUN with the indications of SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN-SEN, for the benefit of improved efficiency and reliability in serving a large number of UEs (SENGUPTA: para 4).
While, Modified-SUN-SEN teaches RRC configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration at the UE (SENGUPTA: para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), para 141 (“…UE may establish a connection with a base station. Such a connection establishment may be completed according to established connection establishment procedures…”), and para 142 (“…the UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…the MIMO capability indication may be an explicit indication that is provided in RRC signaling as part of the connection establishment with the base station…may be provided after connection establishment…”) wherein RRC configuration associated with setting up SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO configuration is required to establish connection between UE and base station), Modified-SUN-SEN does not explicitly disclose to obtain a second indication of completion of the RRC configuration.
ONODERA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches to transmit a second indication of completion of the RRC configuration (ONODERA: FIG. 5 item S512 (“RRC Connection Setup Completion”) and para 104 (“The terminal…transmits an RRC connection setup complete indication completion of a connection procedure…”) wherein an RRC connection procedure includes UE sending an indication of completion of RRC configuration).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the first indication received based on the completion of the RRC configuration of Modified-SUN-SEN with the second indication of completion of the RRC configuration of ONODERA for the benefit of establish a connection to implement a method for improving system throughput (ONODERA: para 3).
Claim 16:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 12, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit a radio resource control (RRC) configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration; and obtain a second indication of completion of the RRC configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration at the UE, wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on the second indication of the completion of the RRC configuration.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit a radio resource control (RRC) configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration (SENGUPTA: para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), para 141 (“…UE may establish a connection with a base station. Such a connection establishment may be completed according to established connection establishment procedures…”), and para 142 (“…the UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…the MIMO capability indication may be an explicit indication that is provided in RRC signaling as part of the connection establishment with the base station…may be provided after connection establishment…”) wherein RRC configuration associated with setting up SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO configuration is required to establish connection between UE and base station); wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information based on the completion of the RRC configuration (SENGUPTA: FIG 6 step 605 (“Establish Connection with base station”), para 25 (“…prior to the monitoring, an initial control channel transmission from the base station that provides one or more monitoring parameters for monitoring the first subset of downlink control channel resources…the initial control channel transmission may have a DCI format that may be specific to MIMO…indicates one or more of…MU-MIMO, SU-MIMO…”) wherein connection needs to be established to receive DCI).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the method of Modified-SUN with the indications of SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN-SEN, for the benefit of improved efficiency and reliability in serving a large number of UEs (SENGUPTA: para 4).
While, Modified-SUN-SEN teaches RRC configuration associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration at the UE (SENGUPTA: para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), para 141 (“…UE may establish a connection with a base station. Such a connection establishment may be completed according to established connection establishment procedures…”), and para 142 (“…the UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…the MIMO capability indication may be an explicit indication that is provided in RRC signaling as part of the connection establishment with the base station…may be provided after connection establishment…”) wherein RRC configuration associated with setting up SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO configuration is required to establish connection between UE and base station), KIM-SUN-SEN does not explicitly disclose to obtain a second indication of completion of the RRC configuration.
ONODERA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches to obtain a second indication of completion of the RRC configuration (ONODERA: FIG. 5 item S512 (“RRC Connection Setup Completion”) and para 104 (“The terminal…transmits an RRC connection setup complete indication completion of a connection procedure…”) wherein an RRC connection procedure includes UE sending an indication of completion of RRC configuration).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified the first indication transmitted based on the completion of the RRC configuration of Modified-SUN-SEN with the second indication of completion of the RRC configuration of ONODERA for the benefit of establish a connection to implement a method for improving system throughput (ONODERA: para 3).
Claim 23:
Modified-SUN teaches the method of claim 20. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 5 above.
Claim 28:
Modified-SUN-SEN teaches the method of claim 26. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 16 above.
Claim(s) 6, 8, 17, 19, 24, and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN754 in view of ZHU and KIM855, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN, and in further view of SENGUPTA and YAO et al. (US 20220053477 A1) (see 892 11/07/2024), hereby referred to as YAO.
Claim 6:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a second indication of a UE capability for at least one of: a separate interference cancelation (IC) associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, a separate CSI reporting associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, or a separate SRS transmission associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, whereinto receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on the transmission of the second indication of the UE capability.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches to transmit a second indication of a UE capability (SENGUPTA: para 142 (“…the UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…”) the UE capability being the MIMO capability); and wherein to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on the transmission of the second indication of the UE capability (SENGUPTA: para 142-143 (“…UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…PDCCH…is enabled…based on…a DCI format…”) wherein MIMO assistance is transmitted based on UE capability to participate in MIMO communication).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN with SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN-SEN, for the benefit of improved efficiency and reliability in serving a large number of UEs (SENGUPTA: para 4).
However, Modified-SUN-SEN does not explicitly disclose for at least one of: a separate interference cancelation (IC) associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, a separate CSI reporting associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, or a separate SRS transmission associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, wherein the first indication of MIMO assistance information is received based on the transmission of the third indication of the UE capability.
YAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a second indication of UE capability for at least one of: a separate CSI reporting associated with the SU-MIMO configuration MU-MIMO configuration (YAO: FIG. 6 item 526 (“UE reports CSI processing capability to the base station”) and item 552-558; para 112 (“…UE reports capability information for each codebook type…”) and para 204 (“…Type I CSI reporting…suitable for SU-MIMIO, and Type II CSI reporting…suitable for MU-MIMO”) wherein UE capability indicates different CSI reporting for SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN-SEN with YAO for the benefit of improving the communication throughput with various UEs (YAO: para 5).
Claim 8:
Modified-SUN-SEN teaches the apparatus of claim 7 and the second indication being a connection establishment indication of the MU-MIMO operation (SENGUPTA: FIG 6 step 605 (“Establish Connection with base station”), para 25 (“…prior to the monitoring, an initial control channel transmission from the base station that provides one or more monitoring parameters for monitoring the first subset of downlink control channel resources…the initial control channel transmission may have a DCI format that may be specific to MIMO…indicates one or more of…MU-MIMO, SU-MIMO…”), para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), wherein the second indication is the RRC connection establishment between UE and base station in order to receive first indication).
However, Modified-SUN-SEN does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node based on receiving the second indication of the MU-MIMO operation, wherein to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on transmission of the request for the MIMO assistance information.
YAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node (YAO: FIG. 6 item 526 (“UE reports CSI processing capability to the base station”) and item 552-558; para 112 (“…UE reports capability information for each codebook type…”) and para 204 (“…Type I CSI reporting…suitable for SU-MIMIO, and Type II CSI reporting…suitable for MU-MIMO”) wherein UE capability acts as a request) based on receiving the connection establishment indication of the MU-MIMO operation (YAO: FIG. 6 item 605 (“Establish connection with Base station”) wherein the second indication is part of the establishment of connection), wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is received based on transmitting the request for the MIMO (YAO: FIG. 6 item 615 (“PDCCH via MIMO enabled?”) and para 143 (“…it may be determined whether PDCCH…is enabled. Such a determination may be made based on, for example, a DCI format…”) wherein DCI/MIMO assistance information is received after UE capability is transmitted).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN-SEN with YAO for the benefit of improving the communication throughput with various UEs (YAO: para 5).
Claim 17:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 12, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain a second indication of a UE capability for at least one of: a separate interference cancelation (IC) associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, a separate CSI reporting associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, or a separate SRS transmission associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information based on the obtainment of the second indication of the UE capability.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain a second indication of the UE capability (SENGUPTA: para 142 (“…the UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…”) the UE capability being the MIMO capability); and wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information based on the obtainment of the second indication of the UE capability (SENGUPTA: para 142-143 (“…UE may transmit a MIMO capability indication to the base station…PDCCH…is enabled…based on…a DCI format…”) wherein MIMO assistance is transmitted based on UE capability to participate in MIMO communication).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN with SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN-SEN, for the benefit of improved efficiency and reliability in serving a large number of UEs (SENGUPTA: para 4).
However, Modified-SUN-SEN does not explicitly disclose for at least one of: a separate interference cancelation (IC) associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration, a separate CSI reporting associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration, or a separate SRS transmission associated with the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration.
YAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a second indication of UE capability for at least one of: a separate CSI reporting associated with the SU-MIMO configuration MU-MIMO configuration (YAO: FIG. 6 item 526 (“UE reports CSI processing capability to the base station”) and item 552-558; para 112 (“…UE reports capability information for each codebook type…”) and para 204 (“…Type I CSI reporting…suitable for SU-MIMIO, and Type II CSI reporting…suitable for MU-MIMO”) wherein UE capability indicates different CSI reporting for SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN-SEN with YAO for the benefit of improving the communication throughput with various UEs (YAO: para 5).
Claim 19:
Modified-SUN-SEN teaches the apparatus of claim 18 and the second indication being a connection establishment indication of the MU-MIMO operation (SENGUPTA: FIG 6 step 605 (“Establish Connection with base station”), para 25 (“…prior to the monitoring, an initial control channel transmission from the base station that provides one or more monitoring parameters for monitoring the first subset of downlink control channel resources…the initial control channel transmission may have a DCI format that may be specific to MIMO…indicates one or more of…MU-MIMO, SU-MIMO…”), para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), wherein the second indication is the RRC connection establishment between UE and base station in order to receive first indication).
However, Modified-SUN-SEN does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node based on obtaining the second indication of the MU-MIMO operation, wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on obtaining of the request for the MIMO assistance information.
YAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node (YAO: FIG. 6 item 526 (“UE reports CSI processing capability to the base station”) and item 552-558; para 112 (“…UE reports capability information for each codebook type…”) and para 204 (“…Type I CSI reporting…suitable for SU-MIMIO, and Type II CSI reporting…suitable for MU-MIMO”) wherein UE capability acts as a request) based on receiving the connection establishment indication of the MU-MIMO operation (YAO: FIG. 6 item 605 (“Establish connection with Base station”) wherein the fourth indication is part of the establishment of connection), wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is received based on transmitting the request for the MIMO (YAO: FIG. 6 item 615 (“PDCCH via MIMO enabled?”) and para 143 (“…it may be determined whether PDCCH…is enabled. Such a determination may be made based on, for example, a DCI format…”) wherein DCI/MIMO assistance information is received after UE capability is transmitted).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN-SEN with YAO for the benefit of improving the communication throughput with various UEs (YAO: para 5).
Claim 24:
Modified-SUN teaches the method of claim 20. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 6 above.
Claim 29:
Modified-SUN teaches the method of claim 26. For further limitations, see rejection for claim 17 above.
Claim(s) 7 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN754 in view of ZHU and KIM855, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN, and in view of SENGUPTA.
Claim 7:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation from the network node, wherein to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to receive the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is based on reception of the second indication of the MU-MIMO operation.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to receive a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation from the network node, wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is received based on receiving the second indication of the MU-MIMO operation (SENGUPTA: FIG 6 step 605 (“Establish Connection with base station”), para 25 (“…prior to the monitoring, an initial control channel transmission from the base station that provides one or more monitoring parameters for monitoring the first subset of downlink control channel resources…the initial control channel transmission may have a DCI format that may be specific to MIMO…indicates one or more of…MU-MIMO, SU-MIMO…”), para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), wherein the second indication is the RRC connection establishment between UE and base station in order to receive first indication).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN with SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN-SEN, for the benefit of improved efficiency and reliability in serving a large number of UEs (SENGUPTA: para 4).
Claim 18:
Modified-SUN teaches the apparatus of claim 12, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one processor is configured to transmit a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation to the UE, wherein to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information based on transmission of the second indication of the MU-MIMO operation.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation to the UE, wherein to transmit a first indication of the MIMO assistance information, the at least one processor is configured to transmit the first indication of the MIMO assistance information based on transmission of the second indication of the MU-MIMO operation (SENGUPTA: FIG 6 step 605 (“Establish Connection with base station”), para 25 (“…prior to the monitoring, an initial control channel transmission from the base station that provides one or more monitoring parameters for monitoring the first subset of downlink control channel resources…the initial control channel transmission may have a DCI format that may be specific to MIMO…indicates one or more of…MU-MIMO, SU-MIMO…”), para 111 (“RRC…may provide establishment, configuration, and maintenance of an RRC connection between a UE 115 and a base station 105…”), wherein the second indication is the RRC connection establishment between UE and base station in order to transmit the first indication).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN with SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN-SEN, for the benefit of improved efficiency and reliability in serving a large number of UEs (SENGUPTA: para 4).
Claim(s) 25 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUN754 in view of ZHU and KIM855, the combination hereby referred to as Modified-SUN, and in further view of YAO.
Claim 25:
Modified-SUN teaches the method of claim 20, but does not explicitly disclose further comprising: transmitting a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configurations or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node based on receiving a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation, wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is received based on transmitting the request for the MIMO assistance information.
YAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches further comprising: transmitting a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node (YAO: FIG. 6 item 526 (“UE reports CSI processing capability to the base station”) and item 552-558; para 112 (“…UE reports capability information for each codebook type…”) and para 204 (“…Type I CSI reporting…suitable for SU-MIMIO, and Type II CSI reporting…suitable for MU-MIMO”) wherein UE capability acts as a request) based on receiving a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation (YAO: FIG. 6 item 605 (“Establish connection with Base station”) wherein the second indication is part of the establishment of connection), wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is received based on transmitting the request for the MIMO assistance information (YAO: FIG. 6 item 615 (“PDCCH via MIMO enabled?”) and para 143 (“…it may be determined whether PDCCH…is enabled. Such a determination may be made based on, for example, a DCI format…”) wherein DCI/MIMO assistance information is received after UE capability is transmitted).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN with YAO for the benefit of improving the communication throughput with various UEs (YAO: para 5).
Claim 30:
Modified-SUN teaches the method of claim 26, but does not explicitly disclose obtaining a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node based on obtaining a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation, wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is transmitted based on obtaining the request for the MIMO assistance information.
YAO, in the same field of endeavor, teaches further comprising: obtaining a request for the MIMO assistance information associated with at least one of the SU-MIMO configuration or the MU-MIMO configuration to the network node (YAO: FIG. 6 item 526 (“UE reports CSI processing capability to the base station”) and item 552-558; para 112 (“…UE reports capability information for each codebook type…”) and para 204 (“…Type I CSI reporting…suitable for SU-MIMIO, and Type II CSI reporting…suitable for MU-MIMO”) wherein UE capability acts as a request) based on obtaining a second indication of the MU-MIMO operation (YAO: FIG. 6 item 605 (“Establish connection with Base station”) wherein the second indication is part of the establishment of connection), wherein the first indication of the MIMO assistance information is transmitted based on obtaining the request for the MIMO assistance information (YAO: FIG. 6 item 615 (“PDCCH via MIMO enabled?”) and para 143 (“…it may be determined whether PDCCH…is enabled. Such a determination may be made based on, for example, a DCI format…”) wherein DCI/MIMO assistance information is received after UE capability is transmitted).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified Modified-SUN with YAO for the benefit of improving the communication throughput with various UEs (YAO: para 5).
Conclusion
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.
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/A.T.N./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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