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 arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-34 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-21, 23-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0030823).
Regarding claim 1, Wang et al. discloses a system, comprising:
one or more processors to:
receive an indication of a first non-uniform distribution of two or more frequencies (see first slot SRS distribution (y-axis) in fig. 5a) and a second non-uniform distribution of two or more time slots (see first slot SRS distribution (x-axis) in fig. 5a) (Wang et al. see fig. 5a, SRS resource configurations 500; fig. 6, step 610 for receiving SRS resource configuration; para. 0119, 0121-0123, 0127, 0128; In para. 0119, …SRS resource configurations 500 and 501 that support enhanced SRS resource configurations in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The SRS resource configurations 500 and 501 may be configured by a base station or a UE, which may be examples of a base station and UE as described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The x axis may be time resources (e.g., OFDM symbols) and the y axis may be frequency resources (e.g., subcarriers). In para. 0121, …the UE may be configured with periodic or semi-persistent SRSs over one or more slots, such as three slots.). Thus, the UE receives indication of a first non-uniform distribution of two or more frequencies (y-axis) in first slot and receives indication of a second non-uniform distribution of two or more time slots (x-axis) in the first slot; and
transmit reference signals using a sequence of frequencies and a sequence of time slots, each sequence generated by repeating the respective non-uniform distribution two or more times (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 620 for transmitting SRS signals based on the SRS resource configuration; para. 0122, 0128, 0129 UE 115-b may transmit the one or more SRSs to the base station based on the SRS configuration.). The UE transmits the SRS signals based on the received SRS resource configuration, wherein the second slot of the received SRS configuration may be configured the same as the first slot. Thus, when the second slot is configured same as the first slot then the UE transmits the SRS signals using a sequence of frequencies and a sequence of time slots, each sequence is generated by repeating the respective non-uniform distribution two or more times.
Claims 9, 16, 23, 29 are rejected similarly to claim 1.
Regarding claims 2, 10, 17, 24, 31, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the indication is an index corresponding to a base pattern comprising the first non-uniform distribution and the second non-uniform distribution (Wang et al. see para. 0099; To more effectively utilize SRS resources and increase SRS flexibility, a base station 105 may configure a UE to support more flexible SRS configurations and parameters. As such base station 105-a may transmit an indication of a set of parameters (e.g., one or more bit values, one or more fields including an indication, information associated with an index or value stored at the UE that points to one or more SRS parameters), the set of parameters themselves, or both) to UE 115-a.).
Regarding claims 3, 14, 21, 30, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the first non-uniform distribution and the second non-uniform distribution are to be tiled across a time and frequency resource grid (Wang et al. see fig. 5a, SRS configuration tiled across a time and frequency grid; para. 0121-0123).
Regarding claims 4, 26, 33, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the reference signals are sounding reference signals (Wang et al. see para. 0121-0123).
Regarding claim 5, 32, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the one or more processors are to receive the indication from a wireless radio network base station (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 610; para. 0127).
Regarding claim 6, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the indication is received with a radio resource control signal from a wireless radio network base station (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 610; para. 0127; the indication of the set of SRS parameters may be transmitted via RRC signaling). The UE receives the indication via RRC signaling.
Regarding claim 7, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the one or more processors are to generate reference signals to be transmitted to a wireless radio network base station (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 620; para. 0129; UE 115-b may transmit the one or more SRSs to the base station based on the SRS configuration.).
Regarding claim 11, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the indication indicates a base set of non-uniformly distributed frequencies and time slots that is to be used to identify additional non-uniformly distributed frequencies or time slots of corresponding reference signals to be transmitted (Wang et al. see para. 0099-0100; table 1; To more effectively utilize SRS resources and increase SRS flexibility, a base station 105 may configure a UE to support more flexible SRS configurations and parameters. As such base station 105-a may transmit an indication of a set of parameters (e.g., one or more bit values, one or more fields including an indication, information associated with an index or value stored at the UE that points to one or more SRS parameters), the set of parameters themselves, or both) to UE 115-a. In some examples, the set of parameters may include an indication that UE 115-a may be configured to support SRS frequency hopping and repetitions for a number of symbols, such as greater than 4 symbols, or up to 14 symbols, or both.).
Regarding claim 12, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the reference signals are wireless radio communication signals (Wang et al. see para. 0121-0123). SRS signals are wireless radio communication signals.
Regarding claim 13, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the reference signals are sounding reference signals to be transmitted to a wireless radio network base station (Wang et al. see para. 0121-0123, 0129). The reference signals are SRS signals.
Regarding claim 15, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the circuitry is to process a mobile wireless radio network radio resource control (RRC) signal to identify the indication (Wang et al. see fig. 6, steps 610, 615; para. 0128).
Regarding claim 18, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the indication indicates a set of non-uniformly distributed frequencies and time slots (Wang et al. see fig. 5a, SRS resource configurations 500; fig. 6, step 610 for receiving SRS resource configuration; para. 0119, 0121-0123, 0127, 0128).
Regarding claim 19, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the method further includes processing a radio resource control (RRC) signal to identify the indication (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 610; para. 0127; the indication of the set of SRS parameters may be transmitted via RRC signaling). The UE obtains the indication from the RRC signaling.
Regarding claim 20, Wang et al. discloses the feature wherein the method further includes identifying two or more additional non-uniformly distributed frequencies and time slots based, at least in part, on the indication (Wang et al. see para. 0099-0100; table 1; To more effectively utilize SRS resources and increase SRS flexibility, a base station 105 may configure a UE to support more flexible SRS configurations and parameters. As such base station 105-a may transmit an indication of a set of parameters (e.g., one or more bit values, one or more fields including an indication, information associated with an index or value stored at the UE that points to one or more SRS parameters), the set of parameters themselves, or both) to UE 115-a. In some examples, the set of parameters may include an indication that UE 115-a may be configured to support SRS frequency hopping and repetitions for a number of symbols, such as greater than 4 symbols, or up to 14 symbols, or both.).
Regarding claim 25, Wang et al. discloses the feature to tile the first non-uniform distribution and the second non-uniform distribution across a time and frequency resource grid to generate the reference signals (Wang et al. see fig. 5a, SRS configuration tiled across a time and frequency grid; para. 0121-0123, 0129).
Regarding claim 27, Wang et al. discloses the feature to process a wireless radio communications signal to identify the indication (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 610; para. 0127; the indication of the set of SRS parameters may be transmitted via RRC signaling). The UE obtains the indication from the RRC signaling.
Regarding claim 28, Wang et al. discloses the feature to generate the sounding reference signals based, at least in part, on the first non-uniform distribution and the second non-uniform distribution (Wang et al. see fig. 6, step 620; para. 0128, 0129).
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 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.
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) 8, 22, 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0030823) in view of Bhattad et al. (Pub No.: 2021/0044981).
Regarding claims 8, 22, 34, Wang et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein the reference signals are demodulation reference signals.
Bhattad et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the reference signals are demodulation reference signals (Bhattad et al. see para. 0080; Further, the BS 105 may configure a UE 115 with various UL demodulation reference signal (DMRS) patterns in an UL allocation based on a frequency pattern of the UL allocation and/or a modulation format assigned…).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Wang et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Bhattad et al. wherein the two or more corresponding reference signals are demodulation reference signal.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Examiner's Note
The Applicant is welcome to request a telephonic interview if the Applicant has any questions or requires any additional information that would further or expedite the prosecution of the application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Manolakos et al. (Pub No.: 2020/0389284) discloses methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. Generally, the described techniques provide for signaling a semi-static configuration for demodulation reference signal (DMRS) bundling across non-uniform bundles of transmission time intervals (TTIs). A base station may transmit control signaling to a user equipment (UE) that schedules resources for DMRSs and associated data channels across the TTIs. For example, the base station may transmit a bundling configuration to the UE that may configure a bundling sequence defining an order for the bundles and a number of TTIs for each bundle. Based on the control signaling, the UE may determine a reference signal bundling pattern for receiving the DMRSs and the associated data channels, where the reference signal bundling pattern may indicate the bundling sequence. The UE may accordingly receive the DMRSs and the associated data channels and perform channel estimation on the data channels.
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/KAN YUEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464