DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This action is responsive to amendments filed on 01/15/2026. Claims 1 and 11 has amended. Claims 1-20 are pending for examination.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/15/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant’s arguments filed on 01/15/2026 with respect to claims 1 and 11 for limitations “using by the apparatus the received common signal as a pilot signal and a sensing signal, simultaneously” have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection necessitated by applicant’s amendment.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, applicant has amended the claim limitations of claim1 and 11 as “wherein the common signal comprises the pilot signal and the sensing signal using the same time-frequency resources”. Wherein Bayesteh (US 2021/0286045 A1) still teaches the claim limitations. See Bayesteh teaches—use(s) of the sensing signal is determines and signaled {using same physical resources/time-frequency resources—[0180]; [0201]} to UE; wherein the signaling includes A) the sensing signal is used for sensing {S492A & S494A—[0308]}) and B) the sensing signal is reused/for reuse {S492B & S494B—[0309]} as a reference signal(see [0305]-[0307]). Therefore, Bayesteh still teaches sensing signal/common signal comprises both pilot/reference signal and sensing signal using same time-frequency resources.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
5. Claims 1-4, 8, 9, 11-14, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bayesteh (US 2021/0286045 A1) in view of Nammi (US 2014/0079148 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Bayesteh teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, by an apparatus (UE/ED), a common signal (sensing signal—is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247] & [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) from a network node (network device/BS) ( [0319], Fig. 15, at S1502-- sensing signal parameters is determined at a network device, and at S1504—communicated {transmits sensing signal—[0078]} to UE; also see FIG. 4C; S496; [0305]) (Hence UE receives a common signal from BS.);
using, by the apparatus (UE), the common signal (sensing signal—is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247]& [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal ) as a pilot (reference) signal ( [0304] & [0305],Fig. 4C, use(s) of the sensing signal has been determined the corresponding sensing signal parameters is determined and signaled to UE; wherein [0307], the signaling is to indicate: B) the sensing signal is reused/for reuse {S494 A} as a reference signal.) to perform a channel estimation ( [0249], the sensing signal is reused as reference signals for channel measurement purpose, at the UE side.);
using, by the apparatus (UE), the common signal (sensing signal-- is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247]& [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) as a sensing signal( [0304] & [0305],Fig. 4C, use(s) of the sensing signal has been determined the corresponding sensing signal parameters is determined and signaled to UE; wherein [0307], the signaling is to indicate: A) the sensing signal is used and/for {S494 B}sensing.) to perform a sensing ( [0247], the sensing signal is used for a sensing purpose/sensing signal, at the UE side {see [0246]} ) simultaneously, and
sending, to the network (network device/BS), a communication signal (feedback information) in response to the common signal (sensing signal-- is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247] & [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) ([0320], UE performs further operations: the UE provide feedback information to the network device from which the UE received the sensing signal parameters.),
wherein the common signal (sensing signal-- is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ( [0247]& [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) comprises the pilot (reference) signal and the sensing signal ( [0304] & [0305],Fig. 4C, use(s) of the sensing signal has been determined the corresponding sensing signal parameters is determined and signaled to UE; wherein [0307], the signaling is to indicate one or more of the following: A) the sensing signal is used for sensing {S492A & S494A—[0308]}) and B) the sensing signal is reused/for reuse {S492B & S494B—[0309]} as a reference signal.) using the same time-frequency resources ([0180], For in-band sensing, sensing signals are transmitted using the same set of physical resources {in time domain and frequency domain—[0201]}) (Hence the transmitted sensing signal comprises both the reference signal and the sensing signal using the same time-frequency resources.), and
Bayesteh already teaches using, by the apparatus, the received common signal as a pilot signal to perform channel estimation and as a sensing signal to perform sensing.
Bayesteh does not teach using, by the apparatus, the common signal as a pilot signal; using, by the apparatus, the common signal as a sensing signal simultaneously,
However, in an analogous art, Nammi teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, by an apparatus (terminal 520), a common signal (common pilot) from a network node (transmitting node/network node 510—[0057]) ([0070], transmitting node 510 transmits common pilots for use by wireless terminal 520. );
using, by the apparatus (terminal), the common signal (common pilot) as a pilot signal to perform a channel estimation ( [0070], the common pilots transmitted by the 510 for data demodulation{for channel estimation—[0056]} are the same common pilots that the 510 transmits for channel sounding purposes; Wherein the 510 transmits the common pilots for use by the 520 to estimate CSI of channels.) (Hence obvious, the 520 uses the common pilot as a pilot signal to perform channel estimation.);
using, by the apparatus(terminal), the common signal (common pilot) as a sensing signal to perform sensing (sounding) ([0070], the common pilots transmitted by the 510 for data demodulation{for channel estimation—[0056]} are the same common pilots that the 510 transmits for channel sounding purposes, for use by the 520;) simultaneously ([0010], number of data streams that can be simultaneously transmitted from a transmitting node to a receiving node; wherein [0070], the same common pilots is transmitted from the 510, for use by the 520, for channel estimation and for channel sounding {i.e.at a same time}.) ( Based on para [0115], it is obvious skill in the art, the 520 uses the same common pilot for channel estimation (i.e. as pilot signal) and for channel sounding (i.e. as sensing signal), simultaneously.),
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to take the teaching of Nammi and apply them on the teaching of Bayesteh to Improve performance of non-legacy receiving nodes(Nammi; [0114]).
Specifically, for claim 11, Bayesteh teaches an apparatus (UE/ED 110—Fig. 2A) comprising: a receiver (202—Fig. 2A; [0089]) that:
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Bayesteh further teaches wherein the channel estimation comprises at least one of channel state information (CSI) estimation, time or frequency tracking ([0201]; channel estimation comprises at least one of time or frequency domain/ tracking.) and channel estimation for signal demodulation.
Regarding claims 3, 8, 13 and 18, Bayesteh further teaches wherein the sensing comprises at least one of location or velocity estimation of an object ([0035]; sensing comprises location, velocity of a object.), weather condition monitoring and air quality monitoring.
Regarding claims 4 , 9, 14 and 19, Bayesteh further teaches wherein the common signal (sensing signal—is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247] & [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) is carried on a time-frequency resource of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) system ([0188], OFDM is used for sensing signals; wherein [0201], Physical resources for sensing signals includes at least one of time and frequency.).
6. Claims 6, 7, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bayesteh (US 2021/0286045 A1) in view of Sakai (US 2010/0317384 A1).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Bayesteh teaches a method, comprising:
transmitting, by a network node (network device/BS), a common signal (sensing signal—is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247] & [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) to an apparatus (UE/ED) ( [0319], Fig. 15, at S1502-- sensing signal parameters is determined at a network device, and at S1504—communicated {transmits sensing signal—[0078]} to UE. Also Fig. 16; [0320]) (Hence BS transmits a common signal from UE.);
receiving, by the network node (network device/BS), a sensing feedback from the apparatus (UE/ED) in response to the common signal (sensing signal—is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247] & [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) ([0320], Fig. 16, at S1602--UE receives the sensing signal parameters {receives sensing signal—[0078]} and perform sensing according to the received parameters; wherein at S1606--the UE provides feedback information to the network device from which the UE received the sensing signal parameters, based on the performed measurement results. ) (Hence the BS receives a sensing feedback from the UE in response to the received common signal.) ,
wherein the common signal (sensing signal—is used as reference signal and for sensing/sensing signal ([0247] & [0249])—it is implicit sensing signal is a common signal) comprises a sensing signal ([0319], Fig. 15, at S1502-- sensing signal parameters is determined at a network device, and at S1504—communicated {transmits sensing signal—[0078]} to UE; wherein [0247], the sensing signal is reused/used for sensing purpose/sensing signal.) for the sensing feedback ([0320], S1606—the sensing signal is for sensing feedback.) (Hence the common signal comprises a sensing signal for sensing feedback.).
Bayesteh does not teach receiving, by the network node, a communication signal from the apparatus in response to the common signal; and wherein the common signal comprises a pilot signal for the communication signal.
However, in an analogous art, Sakai teaches transmitting, by a network node (base station), a common signal to an apparatus (terminal) ([0010], base station transmits a common pilot signal/common signal to a terminal.);
receiving, by the network node (base station), a communication signal from the apparatus (terminal) in response to the common signal ([0010], in communication system-- base station transmits a common pilot signal/common signal to a terminal. Wherein measuring, by the terminal, reception quality of the signal transmitted from the base station; transmitting, by the terminal, information {i.e. communication signal} about the measured reception quality of the signal to the base station.) (Hence the base station receives a comm signal from the terminal in response to the common signal.);
wherein the common signal comprises a pilot signal ([0010], base station transmits a common pilot signal/common signal {obvious common signal comprises a pilot signal} to a mobile terminal.) for the communication signal ([0010], base station transmits common pilot signal to terminal and the base station then receives information {i.e. communication signal} from the terminal.) (Hence common signal comprises a pilot signal for the communication signal.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to take the teaching of Sakai and apply them on the teaching of Bayesteh to provide a wireless communication system capable of easily and effectively utilizing a frequency band between a wireless base station and a mobile terminal, a method of controlling transmission of a common pilot signal in a wireless communication system (Sakai; [0007]).
Specially, for Claim 16, Bayesteh teaches a network node (network device/BS—Fig. 2B) comprising: a transmitter (252-Fig. 2B; [0092]) that:
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Bayesteh further teaches wherein the pilot(reference) signal can be used for at least one of channel state information (CSI) estimation ([0249]), time or frequency tracking ([0201]; channel estimation comprises at least one of time or frequency domain/ tracking.) and channel estimation for signal demodulation.
7. Claims 5, 10, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bayesteh (US 2021/0286045 A1) in view of Nammi (US 2014/0079148 A1) in view of Hustava (US 2018/0031701 A1).
Regarding claims 5, 10, 15 and 20, Bayesteh- Nammi does not teach wherein the
common signal comprises a chirp signal which is a function of square of time.
However, in an analogous art, Hustava teaches wherein the common signal comprises a chirp signal which is a function of square of time ([0025]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to take the teaching of Hustava and apply them on the teaching of Bayesteh- Nammi to provide an obstacle monitoring system using chirp to determine a motion-compensated distance measurement to the obstacle (Hustava; Abstract).
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MEHEDI S ALEY whose telephone number is (571)270-0439. The examiner can normally be reached Mon, Thus, Fri: 9-5. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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/MEHEDI S ALEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2415
/JEFFREY M RUTKOWSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2415
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