CTFR 18/010,957 CTFR 82841 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 Amendment Applicant's amendment filed on 02/23/2026 has been entered. Claims 25-26, 29-30 and 37 have been amended. Claim 38 has been added. Claims 33-36 have been cancelled. Claims 25-32 and 37-38 are still pending in this application, with claims 25, 29, 37 and 38, being independent. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments regarding claims 25-32 and 37-38 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding claims 25-32, Applicant has submitted that Ji does not teach the newly-added claim limitations. However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with the Applicant and asserts that Ji still teaches the newly-added claim limitations. The newly-added and revised claim limitations are fully addressed in the rejections. Please refer to the rejections for details. Regarding claim 37-38, Applicant has submitted arguments that challenges the earliest priority date of the application and has provided details of the argument in pages 17-19 of the Applicant’s Remarks (02/23/2026). However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with the Applicant and assert that the argued parameter when combined in the length of SRS sequence equation/formula is not part of the disclosure of PCT/CN2020/096700 (filed 06/18/2020) and/or not part of the specification of the application (filed 12/16/2022). For ease of convenience the length of SRS sequence equation from different dates/applications is shown below: PCT/CN2020/096700 (06/18/2020) Par. 0038 PNG media_image1.png 201 613 media_image1.png Greyscale Par. 0063 PNG media_image2.png 186 611 media_image2.png Greyscale Par. 0067 PNG media_image3.png 179 610 media_image3.png Greyscale Par. 0071 PNG media_image4.png 392 628 media_image4.png Greyscale Par. 0081 PNG media_image5.png 416 615 media_image5.png Greyscale Par. 0095 PNG media_image6.png 190 603 media_image6.png Greyscale Claims of 18/010957 (11/03/2023) PNG media_image7.png 261 657 media_image7.png Greyscale As can be seen from above, the paragraphs in PCT/CN2020/096700 that cites the equation for the length of the SRS does not show parameter N (or X) in combination with the equation for the length of the SRS. Therefore, the Examiner has still applied an effective filing date of 11/03/2023 for the examination of claims 37-38. With regards to arguments related to the newly-revised claim limitations, the arguments are moot based on new grounds of rejections. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation In the examination of independent claims 37-38 , an effective filing date of 11/03/2023 was assigned to this claim. The claimed subject matter of the claim, in particular to the claim limitation “X” as being a part of the equation, as well as, being defined as “wherein X is an integer with X>2, and X is configured via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling”, was not part of the disclosure of PCT/CN2020/096700 (filed 06/18/2020) and/or not part of the specification of the application (filed 12/16/2022). As for claims 25-32 , which are now allowed, these claims have been afforded with an effective filing date of 06/18/2020 during the examination of these claims. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim(s) 25-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ji et al. (US 2023/023719; hereinafter Ji) . Regarding claim 25, Ji shows a method (Figure 19 shows SRS transmission method performed in part by the UE of Figure 22.), performed by a terminal device, the method comprising: receiving, via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling, information (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0073, 0437, 0439; BS may indicate SRS configuration information to the UE in the form of higher-layer signaling, i.e. RRC signaling.) comprising : a first sounding reference signal (SRS) hopping parameter B SRS ( Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS .); a second SRS hopping parameter C SRS (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS .) ; and a scaling factor (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0073, 0437, 0439; SRS configuration includes Bsrs information which is also a scaling factor.); wherein the first SRS hopping parameter B SRS and the second SRS hopping parameter C SRS indicate an SRS bandwidth configuration (Par. 0436-0437; Tables 34-35; B SRS and C SRS indicate SRS bandwidth configuration as indicated in Table 34.) as shown in the following table: PNG media_image8.png 942 682 media_image8.png Greyscale PNG media_image9.png 567 679 media_image9.png Greyscale (Table 34 of Ji shows the above table) wherein B SRS ϵ {0,1,2,3} and C SRS ϵ {0,1,..., 63}(Table 35; B SRS ϵ {0,1,2,3} and C SRS ϵ {0,1,..., 63}.); determining at least one bandwidth for SRS based on the SRS bandwidth configuration , each of the at least one bandwidth comprising a first number of resource blocks (RBs) (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n 1 =0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1, and UE 2 21-01 and UE 3 21-02 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n 2 =0) and a third SRS subband (n 2 =2) below a second SRS subband of 20 RBs, respectively. Through the processes, a plurality of UEs may simultaneously transmit SRSs through a plurality of SRS subbands within one CC. When RBs capable of transmitting the SRS are transmitted in the frequency domain, the number of RBs may be a multiple of 4 RBs and a maximum of 272 RBs.); and transmitting, to a network device, an SRS sequence on a part of each of the at least one bandwidth, the part of each of the at least one bandwidth comprising a second number of RBs (Figure 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n 1 =0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi) (n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor B SRS .), wherein the second number of RBs is equal to a result of the first number of RBs divided by the scaling factor (Figure 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n 1 =0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi) (n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor B SRS .) wherein the scaling factor is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; B SRS ∈ {0, 1, 2, 3}.). Regarding claim 26, Ji shows transmitting, to the network device, the SRS sequence on the part of each of the at least one bandwidth, in a case where a partial sounding parameter is configured (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n 1 =0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi) (n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor B SRS , wherein B SRS ∈ {0, 1, 2, 3}. B SRS also seen as the partial sounding parameter.). Regarding claim 27, Ji shows wherein the second number of RBs in each of the at least one bandwidth are continuous (Figure 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0435; continuous 20 RBs for each of the parts of the subband.). Regarding claim 28, Ji shows wherein a frequency position of the SRS sequence is determined based on an offset, the offset comprises a half of the first number of RBs (Table 35; frequency domain shift value n shift adjusts the SRS allocation with respect to the reference point grid and is contained in the higher-layer parameter freqDomainShift in the SRS-Config IE.). Regarding claim 29, Ji shows a method(Figure 19 shows SRS transmission method performed in part by the base station of Figure 23.), performed by a network device, comprising: transmitting, via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling, information (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0073, 0437, 0439; BS may indicate SRS configuration information to the UE in the form of higher-layer signaling, i.e. RRC signaling. SRS configuration includes scaling factor B srs information.) comprising : a first sounding reference signal (SRS) hopping parameter B SRS ( Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS .); a second SRS hopping parameter C SRS (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS .) ; and a scaling factor (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0073, 0437, 0439; SRS configuration includes Bsrs information which is also a scaling factor.); wherein the first SRS hopping parameter B SRS and the second SRS hopping parameter C SRS indicate an SRS bandwidth configuration (Par. 0436-0437; Tables 34-35; B SRS and C SRS indicate SRS bandwidth configuration as indicated in Table 34.) as shown in the following table: PNG media_image8.png 942 682 media_image8.png Greyscale PNG media_image9.png 567 679 media_image9.png Greyscale (Table 34 of Ji shows the above table) wherein B SRS ϵ {0,1,2,3} and C SRS ϵ {0,1,..., 63} (Table 35; B SRS ϵ {0,1,2,3} and C SRS ϵ {0,1,..., 63}.); receiving, from a terminal device, an SRS sequence on a part of each of at least one bandwidth determined based on the SRS bandwidth configuration , each of the at least one bandwidth comprising a first number of resource blocks (RBs), and the part of each of the at least one bandwidth comprising a second number of RBs (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n1=0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi)(n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor BSRS.), wherein the second number of RBs is equal to a result of the first number of RBs divided by the scaling factor (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n1=0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi)(n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor BSRS.), wherein the scaling factor is an integer greater than or equal to 2 (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; BSRS ∈ {0, 1, 2, 3}.). Regarding claims 30, 31 and 32, these claims are rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claims 26, 27 and 28, respectively . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 37-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ji et al. (US 2023/023719; hereinafter Ji) in view of Lee et al. (US 2024/0064050; hereinafter Lee) . Regarding claim 37, Ji shows a method (Figure 19 shows SRS transmission method performed in part by the UE of Figure 22.), performed by a terminal device, the method comprising: receiving, via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling information (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0188, 0439; the UE configures group hopping or sequence hopping configured by the BS through a higher-layer signal, i.e. RRC signaling.) comprising: a first sounding reference signal (SRS) hopping parameter B SRS (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS. ); ; and a second SRS hopping parameter C SRS (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS. ) transmitting, to a network device, an SRS sequence (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n1=0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi)(n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor BSRS.), wherein a length of the SRS sequence is given by: M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC (Table 35; M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC ) wherein, M sc,b SRS is the length of the SRS sequence (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; where M sc,b SRS is the length of the sounding reference signal sequence, m SRS,b indicates the bandwidth of the SRS and N sc RB and K TC are two parameters configured for SRS.), m SRS,b is an SRS bandwidth configuration determined based on the first hopping parameter and the second hopping parameter (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; where M sc,b SRS is the length of the sounding reference signal sequence, m SRS,b indicates the bandwidth of the SRS indicated in the Table 34 which is based at least in part on the freqHopping parameters B SRS and C SRS. ), and N sc RB - (Table 35; N sc RB .) K TC- is a comb number (Table 35; K TC is a transmission comb offset.). Ji shows all of the elements as discussed above. Ji does not specifically show M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC N wherein N sc RB is a number of subcarriers per resource block (RB) and N is an integer being 2 or 4 . However, the above-mentioned claim limitations are well-established in the art as evidenced by Lee. Specifically, Lee shows M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC N wherein N sc RB is a number of subcarriers per resource block (RB) and N is an integer being 2 or 4 (Figure 8; Par. 0081, 0305-0306; M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC P F wherein N sc RB is a number of subcarriers per resource block (RB) and P F is an integer being 2 or 4 ). In view of the above, having the system of Ji, then given the well-established teaching of Lee, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Ji as taught by Lee, in order to provide motivation to reduce overhead for configuring the transmission point/panel/beam for each piece of the control information (Par. 0016 of Ji). Regarding claim 38, Ji shows a method, performed by a network device (Figure 19 shows SRS transmission method performed in part by the BS.), the method comprising: transmitting, via a radio resource control (RRC) signaling, information (Figure 19; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0073, 0437, 0439; BS may indicate SRS configuration information to the UE in the form of higher-layer signaling, i.e. RRC signaling. SRS configuration includes scaling factor B srs information.) comprising: a first sounding reference signal (SRS) hopping parameter B SRS (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS .); a second SRS hopping parameter C SRS (Figures 17E-F; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0439; SRS configuration sent by BS includes freqHopping parameters including B SRS and C SRS .) ; and receiving, from a terminal device, an SRS sequence (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; UE 1 21-00 may be allocated to a first SRS subband (n1=0) among 2 SRS subbands, each of which has a bandwidth of 20 RBs at level b=1. Further, when SRS is transmitted on a given SRS resource, the sequence r (pi)(n, l′) for each OFDM symbol l′ and for each of the antenna ports of the SRS resource shall be multiplied with the amplitude scaling factor BSRS.), wherein a length of the SRS sequence is given by: M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC (Table 35; M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC ) wherein, M sc,b SRS is the length of the SRS sequence (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; where M sc,b SRS is the length of the sounding reference signal sequence, m SRS,b indicates the bandwidth of the SRS and N sc RB and K TC are two parameters configured for SRS.), m SRS,b is an SRS bandwidth configuration determined based on the first hopping parameter and the second hopping parameter (Figures 19 and 21; Tables 35 and 37; Par. 0427, 0435; where M sc,b SRS is the length of the sounding reference signal sequence, m SRS,b indicates the bandwidth of the SRS indicated in the Table 34 which is based at least in part on the freqHopping parameters B SRS and C SRS. ), and N sc RB - (Table 35; N sc RB .) K TC- is a comb number (Table 35; K TC is a transmission comb offset.). Ji shows all of the elements as discussed above. Ji does not specifically show M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC N wherein N sc RB is a number of subcarriers per resource block (RB) and N is an integer being 2 or 4. However, the above-mentioned claim limitations are well-established in the art as evidenced by Lee. Specifically, Lee shows M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC N wherein N sc RB is a number of subcarriers per resource block (RB) and N is an integer being 2 or 4 (Figure 8; Par. 0081, 0305-0306; M sc,b SRS = m SRS,b N sc RB / K TC P F wherein N sc RB is a number of subcarriers per resource block (RB) and P F is an integer being 2 or 4). In view of the above, having the system of Ji, then given the well-established teaching of Lee, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Ji as taught by Lee, in order to provide motivation to reduce overhead for configuring the transmission point/panel/beam for each piece of the control information (Par. 0016 of Ji) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20240048309 A1 - Methods and apparatuses for round-trip carrier-phase operation in a wireless communication system. A method of operating a user equipment (UE) includes receiving, from a first transmit receive point (TRP), a first downlink (DL) position reference signal (PRS) and measuring a first carrier phase associated with a center frequency of the first DL PRS. The method further includes including, in a measurement report, (i) a carrier phase measurement based on the measurement of the first carrier phase and (ii) a DL reference signal time difference (RSTD) measurement or a UE receive-transmit time difference measurement and transmitting the measurement report. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) 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 REDENTOR M PASIA whose telephone number is (571)272-9745. The examiner can normally be reached Mondays-Thursdays - 5am-245pm and Fridays 5am-330pm. 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. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Un Cho can be reached at (571)272-7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /REDENTOR PASIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 2 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 3 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 4 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 5 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 6 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 7 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 8 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 9 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 10 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 11 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 12 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 13 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 14 Art Unit: 2413 Application/Control Number: 18/010,957 Page 15 Art Unit: 2413
Prosecution Insights