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
Claims 1, 3-10 are pending.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 3-10 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. A new ground of rejection is made in view of Rahman, US 2016/0174172, based on IDS filed on 04/02/2026.
Also claim amendments from 10/22/2025 introduced new limitation: “performs the uplink transmission power control based on the determined path loss.” This amendment necessitated the new grounds of rejection presented in this Office action.
Response to Amendment
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 7 and 9, 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rahman, US 2016/0174172.
Claim 1, Rahman teaches a terminal, comprising: reception circuitry, which, in operation, (Rahman, Fig. 10, Receiver 1005) receives information on determination of a parameter (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 801, PP82) that is used in open loop control for a first node, from a second node which is different from the first node (Rahman, PP48 teaches open loop and closed loop power control; PP 82 teaches receives from 2nd one of two or more wireless network AP),
the uplink control being uplink transmission power control for the first node (Rahman, Fig. 8 puts the power control parameter in the context of uplink transmission power control); and
control circuitry, which, in operation, executes the open loop control, based on the information (Rahman, Fig. 10, Processor 1002, Calculating Module and Applying Modules; pp 94; see also PP69 for open loop),
wherein, the parameter is a parameter relating to a path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP69 teaches power control parameters such Pmax and Po are transmitted to mobile terminal), and
the control circuitry, in operation: determines the path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP62 and equation 4, note Rahman states that path gain may be formulated as path loss; Also PP61 teaches path gain is the inverse of path loss); and
performs the uplink transmission power control based on the determined path loss (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 802 teaches this).
Claim 7, Rahman teaches the terminal according to claim 1, wherein the first node is a node that transmits no reference signal (there are several potential interpretations for this claim; first interpretation is the first node is receiver only and not capable of transmission; second interpretation is the first node is an access point, but does not transmit a reference signal during the claimed method; Rahman, methods in Fig. 7, 8 and 9 do not involve the terminal receiving a reference signal, therefore it meets the 2nd interpretation of the claim. )
Claim 9, Rahman teaches a communication method, comprising: receiving, by a terminal, information (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 801, PP82) on determination of a parameter that is used in open loop control for a first node, from a second node, which is different from the first node (Rahman, PP48 teaches open loop and closed loop power control; PP 82 teaches receives from 2nd one of two or more wireless network AP),
the open loop control being uplink transmission power control for the first node (Rahman, Fig. 8 puts the power control parameter in the context of uplink transmission power control); and
executing, by the terminal, the open loop control, based on the information (Rahman, Fig. 10, Processor 1002, Calculating Module and Applying Modules; pp 94; see also PP69 for open loop),
wherein, the parameter is a parameter relating to a path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP69 teaches power control parameters such Pmax and Po are transmitted to mobile terminal), and
the executing the open loop control includes: determining the path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP62 and equation 4, note Rahman states that path gain may be formulated as path loss); and
performing the uplink transmission power control based on the determined path loss (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 802 teaches this).
Claim 8, Rahman teaches a terminal, comprising: transmission circuitry, which, in operation (Rahman, Fig. 10, transmitter 1004), transmits a first signal to a first node (Rahman, Fig. 6, teaches dual connectivity, either link 11 or 14); and
control circuitry, which, in operation, (Rahman, Fig. 10, Processor 1002, Calculating Module and Applying Modules; pp 94; see also PP69 for open loop) when receiving a second signal from a second node in response to transmission of the first signal (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 801, PP82), determines a transmission power for a third signal to be transmitted to the first node in response to reception of the second signal (this method is about dual connectivity – Rahman, Fig. 6, PP54-56 explains how this works; Rahman, Fig. 8, step 802 also teaches this), based on configuration information on a transmission power for the first signal (Rahman, Fig. 5, explains P1 and P2 cannot exceed Pmax, PP51 to 53),
wherein, the second node is different from the first node (Rahman, PP 82 teaches receives from 2nd one of two or more wireless network AP), the configuration information is received from the second node and includes information on determination of a parameter relating to a path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP69 teaches power control parameters such Pmax and Po are transmitted to mobile terminal; furthermore, PP69 talks about dual connectivity, that is UE or terminal connected to two access points. The two access points correspond to the two nodes), and
the control circuitry, in operation, (Rahman, Fig. 10, Processor 1002, Calculating Module and Applying Modules; pp 94; see also PP69 for open loop) determines the path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP62 and equation 4, note Rahman states that path gain may be formulated as path loss); and
determines the transmission power for the third signal based on the determined path loss (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 802 teaches this).
Claim 10, Rahman a communication method, comprising: transmitting, by a terminal, (Rahman, Fig. 10, transmitter 1004) a first signal to a first node; (Rahman, Fig. 6, teaches dual connectivity, either link 11 or 14) and
determining, by the terminal, when receiving a second signal from a second node in response to transmission of the first signal, (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 801, PP82) a transmission power for a third signal to be transmitted to the first node in response to reception of the second signal (this method is about dual connectivity – Rahman, Fig. 6, PP54-56 explains how this works; Rahman, Fig. 8, step 802 also teaches this),
based on configuration information on a transmission power for the first signal (Rahman, Fig. 5, explains P1 and P2 cannot exceed Pmax, PP51 to 53),
wherein, the second node is different from the first node (Rahman, PP 82 teaches receives from 2nd one of two or more wireless network AP), the configuration information is received from the second node and includes information on determination of a parameter relating to a path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP69 teaches power control parameters such Pmax and Po are transmitted to mobile terminal; furthermore, PP69 talks about dual connectivity, that is UE or terminal connected to two access points. The two access points correspond to the two nodes), and
the determining the transmission power for the third signal includes: determining the path loss between the terminal and the first node (Rahman, PP62 and equation 4, note Rahman states that path gain may be formulated as path loss);
and determining the transmission power for the third signal based on the determined path loss (Rahman, Fig. 8, step 802 teaches this).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 3 to 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rahman, US 2016/0174172 in view of Wakabayashi, US 2015/0341911.
For claims 3 and 4, Rahman teaches the terminal according to claim 1, and executes the uplink transmission power control, based on the path loss. (Rahman, Fig. 7, step 705, see also abstract:
“The mobile terminal (10) independently calculates a respective unsealed uplink transmission power level for each link, based on a corresponding link-specific value. The mobile terminal (10) calculates a respective scaling factor for each link based on a total-power constraint and on one or more of the following: uplink resource allocation to each link, such that the scaling factor for the first link allocated more resources than the second link is larger than the scaling factor for the second link, link quality for each link, such that the scaling factor for the first link having a better link quality than the second link is larger than the scaling factor for the second link, uplink buffer state for each link, such that the scaling factor for the first link having more uplink data to be sent than the second link is larger than the scaling factor for the second link, and priority for each link, such that the scaling factor for the first link having a higher priority than the second link is larger than the scaling factor for the second link. The mobile terminal (10) further applies the respective scaling factor to each respective unsealed uplink transmission power level, to obtain corresponding scaled power levels. The mobile terminal (10) furthermore transmits over the two or more contemporaneous links at the respective scaled power levels.” )
Rahman does not teach for claim 3: the information includes information on a position of the first node; and the control circuitry calculates the path loss, based on a distance between a position of the terminal and the position of the first node”, and Rahman does not teach for claim 4: the information includes information on an association between a position and received quality (Note: the position or distance of the terminal is reciprocal to the received quality based on the well-known relationship – received power is inverse of distance squared); and the control circuitry calculates, based on the information, the path loss from received quality associated with a position of the terminal.
However, Wakabayashi teaches for claim 3: the information includes information on a position of the first node; and the control circuitry calculates the path loss, based on a distance between a position of the terminal and the position of the first node”, (PP221 teaches determining pathloss and a terminal location) and for claim 4: the information includes information on an association between a position and received quality (PP221 teaches determining pathloss based on RSRP and determining if determine if terminal is in a location); and the control circuitry calculates, based on the information, the path loss from received quality associated with a position of the terminal. (PP221 teaches determining pathloss)
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Rahman to incorporate the teachings of Wakabayashi. Motivation to incorporate the teachings of Wakabayashi includes: introduction of virtual carriers in wireless telecommunications systems may give rise to additional intercell interference considerations that should be addressed to optimize communications in such systems [Wakabayashi, ¶11].
Claims 5 to 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rahman, US 2016/0174172 in view of Park, WO2018/128409.
For claim 5, Rahman teaches the terminal according to claim 1. Rahman teaches the reception circuitry receives control information indicating one of a plurality of candidates for a transmission power control parameter set (Rahman, PP83 teaches a TPC parameter set of lambda, RG.sub.1 and RG.sub.2); and the control circuitry executes closed loop control for the first node (based on PP 179 of the original spec, that states “closed loop control for uplink signal for the first node”; the original spec does not support closed loop control for the first node, because it does not make sense for a terminal to control the transmission power of an access point. Interpreting this limitation as “closed loop control for uplink signal for the first node” based on the specification as filed makes more sense; Rahman, PP69), …
Rahman does not teach … based on a transmission power control parameter set corresponding to the control information.
However, Park teaches closed loop power control based on a transmission power control parameter set corresponding to the control information. (Park, page 52 to 53 teaches “If instructed to reset, the terminal refreshes the TPC value (eg, + X dB, 0 dB, or -Y dB,.Math.) indicated in the particular closed-loop TPC field (transmitted with it). It can be applied as an initial TPC cumulative value on an initialized (reset) PC procedure. For example, the UE calculates an Open Loop Pathloss Control (OLPC) component, and accumulates a new initial TPC value based on the TPC value indicated in the calculated OLPC component. Can be applied as a value (i.e., accumulate the TPC value indicated in the OLPC component)”)
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Rahman to incorporate the teachings of Park. Motivation to incorporate the teachings of Park is: improved transmission power estimation and improved reception (Park, page 10).
For Claim 6, Rahman teaches the terminal according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry executes closed loop control for the first node (based on PP 179 of the original spec, that states “closed loop control for uplink signal for the first node”; the original spec does not support closed loop control for the first node, because it does not make sense for a terminal to control the transmission power of an access point. Interpreting this limitation as “closed loop control for uplink signal for the first node” based on the specification as filed makes more sense; Rahman, PP69).
Rahman does not teach based on a direction of a beam that is applied to a signal for the first node.
However, in the analogous art, Park teaches … based on a direction of a beam that is applied to a signal for the first node. (Note; direction of a beam could mean simply uplink or downlink. (Park, page 53 to 54 teaches “In addition, SRS transmission may be essential for the closed loop PC, and the relationship between the SRS transmission timing and the change / switching command transmission timing needs to be clearly defined. For example, when the UE performs beam change (or switching) from beam 1 to beam 2, it will be common to transmit the SRS for the beam 2 direction after the beam change, but before the change, the SRS for the beam 2 direction. By defining / setting the operation of the terminal to transmit in advance can be supported so that more accurate PC can be performed. To this end, it may be explicitly indicated in which category to transmit during aperiodic SRS triggering (eg, via an L1 message)”)
It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Rahman to incorporate the teachings of Park. Motivation to incorporate the teachings of Park is: improved transmission power estimation and improved reception (Park, page 10).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Charles C Jiang whose telephone number is (571)270-7191. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5 pm Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TC Group director, Deborah Reynolds can be reached at (571) 272-0734. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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