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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/11/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7, 9-12 and 14-21 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 § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 2 and 6-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHANG et al. (US 2019/0165843 A1, hereinafter, “Shang”, provided in the 02/06/2023 IDS) in views of CHAVVA et al. (US 2022/0070026 A1, hereinafter, “Chavva”) and Deenoo et al. (US 2016/0337916 A1, hereinafter, “Deenoo”).
Consider claim 2, Shang teaches a first radio node for a wireless communication network (see figure 1, figure 3, figure 5 , figure 6 and description thereof) , the first radio node configured to: determine one or more reception beams based on measurements on reference signaling (see at least figure 6 (601-603), paras. 50-52, Shang teaches selecting reception beams based on power measurement of reference signals); and perform beam switch to a target reception beam associated to the reception beams based on a beam switch indication received from a second radio node (see at least figure 6 (610, 611) and paras. 48, 58-60, Shang teaches beam switching to select an optimal receive beam based on received beam index (610)).
Shang teaches perform beam switch to a target reception beam associated to the reception beams based on a beam switch indication received from a second radio node (see above), however, did not particularly teach perform beam switch based on a beam switch indication received from a second radio node and measurements performed on second reference signaling. Chavva teaches said limitation (see at least paras. 13-14, 111, figure 4 (415, 440, 445 and 450) and figure 13 (1315, 1340, 1345, 1350), Chavva teaches performing beam switching based on indication (i.e., 445) and measurements performed on second reference signaling (i.e., 435, 440)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application to modify the invention of Shang and teach perform beam switch based on a beam switch indication received from a second radio node and measurements performed on second reference signaling, as taught by Chavva, thereby allowing to select the best beam in the wireless communication.
Shang teaches the second radio node obtains a measurement report and instructs a beam switch (see at least paras. 61, 80 and figure 7), however, did not particularly teach transmitting a measurement report to a second radio node to indicate one or both
of: acknowledgement of the beam switch; and an indication of whether the beam is suitable. Deenoo teaches said limitation (see at least para. 185 and 200, Deenoo teaches a WTRU transmitting a measurement report to a base station reporting/acknowledging beam switch).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application to modify the invention of Shang and teach transmitting a measurement report to a second radio node to indicate one or both of: acknowledgement of the beam switch; and an indication of whether the beam is suitable, as taught by Deenoo, thereby allowing have efficient beam switching mechanism.
Consider claim 1: all of the limitations of method claim 1 are included in the apparatus claim 2, therefore, claim 1 has been subjected to the same rejection applied to claim 2.
Consider claim 12: all of the limitations computer storage medium claim 12 are included in the apparatus claim 2, therefore, claim 12 is subjected to the same rejection applied to claim 2.
Consider claim 6, Shang in views of Chavva and Deenoo teaches wherein the beam switch indication is represented by control signaling (see at least paras. 14 and 47 in Shang).
Consider claim 7, Shang in views of Chavva and Deenoo teaches wherein the beam switch indication comprises and/or is represented by a measurement triggering indication (see at least para. 14 in Shang).
Consider claim 8, Shang in views of Chavva and Deenoo teaches wherein performing beam switch to the target reception beam is based on performing measurements on second reference signaling (see figure 10 (1005, 1006, 1007), and paras, 50-52, Shang teaches beam switching indication (1005) triggers to measure in (n+k)th subframe and switch to an optimal beam).
Consider claim 9, Shang in views of Chavva and Deenoo teaches performing beam switch to the target reception beams comprises one or both of using and/or and applying the target reception beam for one of both of reception and/or and using a transmission beam associated to the target reception beam for transmission (see at least figure 6 (611), paras. 48, and 58-60, Shang teaches beam switching to target beams comprises applying for at least reception beam).
Consider claim 10, Shang in views of Chavva and Deenoo teaches the beam switch indication triggers measurement on second reference signaling (see figure 10 (1005, 1006, 1007), and paras, 50-52, Shang teaches beam switching indication (1005) triggers to measure in (n+k)th subframe and switch to an optimal beam; see figure 4 and description thereof in Chavva).
Consider claim 11, Shang in views of Chavva and Deenoo teaches wherein the beam switch indication is included in a control information message (see at least paras. 14 and 47).
Claim(s) 3-4 and 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHANG et al. (US 2019/0165843 A1, hereinafter, “Shang”, provided in the 02/06/2023) in views of KIM et al. (US 2013/0059619 A1, hereinafter, “Kim”, provided in the 02/06/2023 IDS) and Deenoo et al. (US 2016/0337916 A1, hereinafter, “Deenoo”).
Consider claim 4, Shang teaches a second radio node for a wireless communication network (see figure 1, figure 3, figure 5 , figure 6 and description thereof), the second radio node configured to: determine a target reference signaling beam based on a measurement report received from a first radio node (see at least figure 6 ( 601-603) and description thereof in Shang), the first measurement report pertaining to a set of reference beams (see figure 6 (601)), the target reference beam being one of the set of reference beams (see figure 6 (603, ‘optimal beam’)); transmitting a beam switch indication to the receiving radio node (see figure 6 (604)); and performing beam switch to one or both of a transmission beam and reception beam associated to the target reference beam (see at least figure 6 (611) and paras. 59-60, Shang teaches the based on optimal reference beam (target reference beam) received from the second radio node, switching a reception beam).
Shang teaches determine a target reference beam based on a measurement report received from a first radio node, the [first] measurement report pertaining to a set of reference beams (see above), however, did not particularly teach determine a target reference signaling beam based on a measurement report received from a first radio node, the [first] measurement report pertaining to a set of reference signaling beams. Kim teaches said technique (see at least para. 62 and figure 5 (503), Kim teaches determining preferential beam from a set of reference signaling beams (501)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application to modify the invention of Shang and teach determine a target reference signaling beam based on a measurement report received from a first radio node, the measurement report pertaining to a set of reference signaling beams, as taught by Kim, thereby allowing to select the best beam in the wireless communication.
Shang teaches the second radio node obtains a measurement report and instructs a beam switch (see at least paras. 61, 80 and figure 7), however, did not particularly teach transmitting a measurement report to a second radio node to indicate one or both
of: acknowledgement of the beam switch; and an indication of whether the beam is suitable. Deenoo teaches said limitation (see at least para. 185 and 200, Deenoo teaches a WTRU transmitting a measurement report to a base station reporting/acknowledging beam switch).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application to modify the invention of Shang and teach transmitting a measurement report to a second radio node to indicate one or both of: acknowledgement of the beam switch; and an indication of whether the beam is suitable, as taught by Deenoo, thereby allowing have efficient beam switching mechanism.
Consider claim 3: all of the limitations indicated in method claim 3 are included in the apparatus claim 4, therefore, claim 3 is subjected to the same rejection applied to claim 4.
Consider claims 15, Shang in views of Kim and Deenoo teaches the reference signaling one or both is and/or and comprises synchronisation signaling (see at least paras. 14 and 47 in Shang)
Consider claims 16, Shang views of Kim and Deenoo teaches the beam switch indication comprises and/or is represented by a measurement triggering indication (see at least para. 14 in Shang).
Consider claims 17, Shang in views of Kim and Deenoo teaches the beam switch indication comprises and/or is represented by a measurement triggering indication (see at least para. 58 in Shang).
Consider claims 18, Shang in views of Kim and Deenoo teaches performing beam switch to the target reception beams comprises one or both of using and/or and applying the target reception beam for one of both of reception and/or and using a transmission beam associated to the target reception beam for transmission (see at least figure 6 (611), paras. 48, and 58-60, Shang teaches beam switching to target beams comprises applying for at least reception beam).
Consider claims 19, Shang in views of Kim and Deenoo teaches the beam switch indication triggers measurement on second reference signaling (see figure 10 (1005, 1006, 1007), and paras, 50-52, Shang teaches beam switching indication (1005) triggers to measure in (n+k)th subframe and switch to an optimal beam).
Consider claims 20, Shang in view of Kim teaches wherein the beam switch indication is represented by control signaling (see at least paras. 14 and 47).
Claim(s) 5, 14 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHANG et al. (US 2019/0165843 A1, hereinafter, “Shang”, provided in the 02/06/2023) in views of CHAVVA et al. (US 2022/0070026 A1, hereinafter, “Chavva”), Deenoo et al. (US 2016/0337916 A1, hereinafter, “Deenoo”) and KIM et al. (US 2013/0059619 A1, hereinafter, “Kim”, provided in the 02/06/2023 IDS).
Consider claims 5 and 14, Shang teaches a reference signaling (see rejection of claim 1), however, did not particularly teach wherein the reference signaling one or both is and comprises synchronisation signaling. Kim teaches said technique (see at least para. 51 and figure 5, Kim teaches reference signaling (i.e., 501) comprises synchronization signaling).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application to modify the invention of Shang and teach the reference signaling one or both is and comprises synchronisation signaling, as taught by Kim, thereby allowing to select the best beam in the wireless communication.
Consider claim 21, Shang teaches a reference signaling (see rejection of claim 1), however, did not particularly teach wherein the reference signaling one or both is and comprises synchronisation signaling. Kim teaches said technique (see at least para. 51 and figure 5, Kim teaches reference signaling (i.e., 501) comprises synchronization signaling).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the application to modify the invention of Shang and teach the reference signaling one or both is and comprises synchronisation signaling, as taught by Kim, thereby allowing to select the best beam in the wireless communication.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FITWI Y HAILEGIORGIS whose telephone number is (571)270-1881. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10AM-6PM.
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FITWI Y. HAILEGIORGIS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2632
/FITWI Y HAILEGIORGIS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2632