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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office Action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/20/2025 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 2/3/2026 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
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 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)(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 18, 20, 31, 33, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xiong et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0146107 A1) (hereinafter Xiong).
Regarding claim 18, Xiong discloses a method of configuring tracking reference signals in a cellular communications system for use while a user equipment (UE) is in idle mode, the method performed by a base station (Figure 13 and paragraph 0109 and 0112 disclose the paging occasions may be known to both the UE and gNB. Before each paging occasion, a TRS occasion may be defined as well. The paging occasion may thus occur after the TRS occasion. Paragraph 0028 discloses the UE may use the TRS to perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Paragraph 0085 discloses based on the TRS, the UE 103 may perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110 and 0111 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit) and comprising:
defining at least one tracking reference signal configuration comprising periodic transmission occasions for tracking reference signals (Paragraphs 0049 and 0053 disclose the first TRS 117 may be transmitted periodically after receiving the PRACH from the UE. The PRACH may trigger periodic transmissions of the first TRS 117 by the gNB 101);
defining a tracking reference signal window in relation to at least one paging occasion, the tracking reference signal window specifying a time interval during which tracking reference signals are to be transmitted for assisting loop convergence of the UE, and wherein the base station only transmits tracking reference signals in transmission occasions falling within the tracking reference signal window (Figure 13 and paragraph 0109 and 0112 disclose the paging occasions may be known to both the UE and gNB. Before each paging occasion, a TRS occasion may be defined as well. The paging occasion may thus occur after the TRS occasion. Paragraph 0028 discloses the UE may use the TRS to perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Paragraph 0085 discloses based on the TRS, the UE 103 may perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110 and 0111 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit);
transmitting an indication of active transmission occasions within the tracking reference signal window in which the base station will transmit the tracking reference signals, the indication comprising a bitmap in which each bit corresponds to a tracking reference signal occasion or a group of tracking reference signal occasions associated with the defined tracking reference signal configuration (Figure 13 and paragraph 0113 disclose the TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5,10,20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded. Alternatively, it can be signaled by a bitmap which indicates the downlink slots with a configured TRS occasion); and
transmitting the tracking reference signals in the active transmission occasions indicated by the bitmap (Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110, 0111, and 0114 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit. The TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5,10,20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded. Alternatively, it can be signaled by a bitmap which indicates the downlink slots with a configured TRS occasion).
Regarding claim 20, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong further discloses wherein the periodic transmission occasions have a period of 10 ms, 20 ms, 40 ms, or 80 ms (Paragraph 0114 discloses the TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5, 10, 20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded).
Regarding claim 31, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong further discloses transmitting an indication of a tracking reference signal configuration of the defined at least one tracking reference signal configuration that is enabled for a UE to which the indication is transmitted (Figure 14 and paragraph 0119 disclose a TRS can be transmitted in a periodic manner after it has been triggered to start the transmission. More specifically, the slots for the transmission of TRS may be defined as the downlink slots or special slots in TDD system. Configuration index can be predefined or configured by higher layers via MIB, SIB or dedicated RRC signaling. Table 1 discloses periodicity and slot offset configuration for TRS showing a periodicity of the TRS and a slot offset of the TRS with reference to a configuration index of the TRS).
Regarding claim 33, Xiong discloses a base station, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed, cause the base station to (Paragraph 0032 discloses Some embodiments may include a computer-readable medium comprising instructions to cause a gNB, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors, to transmit, by PSS/SSS, coarse time and frequency synchronization information to a UE. The gNB may be further caused to transmit a first system information and a second system information to the UE, and receive a PRACH from the UE to trigger a transmission of a TRS to the UE. In addition, the gNB may be further caused to transmit the TRS to the UE) perform:
defining at least one tracking reference signal configuration comprising periodic transmission occasions for tracking reference signals (Paragraphs 0049 and 0053 disclose the first TRS 117 may be transmitted periodically after receiving the PRACH from the UE. The PRACH may trigger periodic transmissions of the first TRS 117 by the gNB 101);
defining a tracking reference signal window in relation to at least one paging occasion, the tracking reference signal window specifying a time interval during which tracking reference signals are to be transmitted for assisting loop convergence of the UE, and wherein the base station only transmits tracking reference signals in transmission occasions falling within the tracking reference signal window (Figure 13 and paragraph 0109 and 0112 disclose the paging occasions may be known to both the UE and gNB. Before each paging occasion, a TRS occasion may be defined as well. The paging occasion may thus occur after the TRS occasion. Paragraph 0028 discloses the UE may use the TRS to perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Paragraph 0085 discloses based on the TRS, the UE 103 may perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110 and 0111 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit);
transmitting an indication of active transmission occasions within the tracking reference signal window in which the base station will transmit the tracking reference signals, the indication comprising a bitmap in which each bit corresponds to a tracking reference signal occasion or a group of tracking reference signal occasions associated with the defined tracking reference signal configuration (Figure 13 and paragraph 0113 disclose the TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5,10,20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded. Alternatively, it can be signaled by a bitmap which indicates the downlink slots with a configured TRS occasion); and
transmitting the tracking reference signals in the active transmission occasions indicated by the bitmap (Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110, 0111, and 0114 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit. The TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5,10,20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded. Alternatively, it can be signaled by a bitmap which indicates the downlink slots with a configured TRS occasion).
Regarding claim 34, Xiong discloses a cellular communications system comprising a base station and at least one user equipment (UE), wherein the base station is configured to (Figure 1 and paragraph 0045 disclose a wireless network 100 that includes multiple UEs, e.g., a UE 103 that may be a smartphone, a UE 105 that may be an onboard vehicle system, a UE 107 that may be a sensor, and a gNB, e.g., a gNB 101, where the UE 103 may cause a transmission of a PRACH to trigger a transmission of a TRS, e.g., a first TRS 117 by the gNB 101, in accordance with various embodiments) perform:
defining at least one tracking reference signal configuration comprising periodic transmission occasions for tracking reference signals (Paragraphs 0049 and 0053 disclose the first TRS 117 may be transmitted periodically after receiving the PRACH from the UE. The PRACH may trigger periodic transmissions of the first TRS 117 by the gNB 101);
defining a tracking reference signal window in relation to at least one paging occasion, the tracking reference signal window specifying a time interval during which tracking reference signals are to be transmitted for assisting loop convergence of the UE, and wherein the base station only transmits tracking reference signals in transmission occasions falling within the tracking reference signal window (Figure 13 and paragraph 0109 and 0112 disclose the paging occasions may be known to both the UE and gNB. Before each paging occasion, a TRS occasion may be defined as well. The paging occasion may thus occur after the TRS occasion. Paragraph 0028 discloses the UE may use the TRS to perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Paragraph 0085 discloses based on the TRS, the UE 103 may perform fine time and frequency synchronization. Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110 and 0111 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit);
transmitting an indication of active transmission occasions within the tracking reference signal window in which the base station will transmit the tracking reference signals, the indication comprising a bitmap in which each bit corresponds to a tracking reference signal occasion or a group of tracking reference signal occasions associated with the defined tracking reference signal configuration (Figure 13 and paragraph 0113 disclose the TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5,10,20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded. Alternatively, it can be signaled by a bitmap which indicates the downlink slots with a configured TRS occasion); and
transmitting the tracking reference signals in the active transmission occasions indicated by the bitmap (Figure 13 and paragraphs 0110, 0111, and 0114 disclose the gNB may transmit the TRS during the TRS occasion if there is a paging message to transmit. The TRS occasions are known to the UE either by specification, e.g., for initial attach, or by configuration, e.g., RRC connection setup and SCell addition. A TRS measurement timing configuration (TMTC) contains at least a periodicity and a measurement bandwidth. The periodicity may be signaled by a value, e.g., {5,10,20} ms, albeit other values are not precluded. Alternatively, it can be signaled by a bitmap which indicates the downlink slots with a configured TRS occasion).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiong in view of Guan et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0135821 A1) (hereinafter Guan).
Regarding claim 19, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong discloses the claimed invention except explicitly disclosing wherein bits of the bitmap correspond to respective transmission occasions within the tracking reference signal window and indicate whether each transmission occasion is active.
In analogous art, Guan discloses wherein bits of the bitmap correspond to respective transmission occasions within the tracking reference signal window and indicate whether each transmission occasion is active (Paragraph 0181 discloses the indication information may be shown as a bitmap. It is assumed that a total of M TRSs are configured for the terminal device. In this case, an M-bit bitmap may be used to indicate a specific TRS that is activated, where 1 indicates that a TRS is activated, and 0 indicates that a TRS is not activated).
It 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 to incorporate a bitmap indicating activated TRSs, as described in Guan, with transmitting TRSs, as described in Xiong, because doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Combining a bitmap indicating activated TRSs of Guan with transmitting TRSs of Xiong was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Guan.
Therefore, it 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 to combine the teachings of Xiong and Guan to obtain the invention as specified in claim 19.
Claims 22-25 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiong in view of Chen et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0153162 A1) (hereinafter Chen).
Regarding claim 22, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong discloses the claimed invention except explicitly disclosing wherein the at least one tracking reference signal configuration is specific for use while UEs are in idle mode.
In analogous art, Chen discloses wherein the at least one tracking reference signal configuration is specific for use while UEs are in idle mode (Figure 26 and paragraph 0147 and 0151 disclose at S2610, paging related configurations are transmitted from the BS 120 to the UE 110. Timing/frequency tracking RSs related configurations can be transmitted. PO window related configurations may be transmitted, such as DRX configurations for determining timings of PO windows. The UE 110 may operate in RRC idle mode, and wake up to monitor paging transmissions according to the DRX configurations).
It 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 to incorporate a UE operating in RRC idle mode and waking up to monitor paging transmissions according to PO window configurations, as described in Chen, with transmitting TRSs prior to PO windows, as described in Xiong, because doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Combining a UE operating in RRC idle mode and waking up to monitor paging transmissions according to PO window configurations of Chen with transmitting TRSs prior to PO windows of Xiong was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Chen.
Therefore, it 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 to combine the teachings of Xiong and Chen to obtain the invention as specified in claim 22.
Regarding claim 23, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong discloses the claimed invention except explicitly disclosing wherein the tracking reference signal configuration is transmitted in RRC signaling.
In analogous art, Chen discloses wherein the tracking reference signal configuration is transmitted in RRC signaling (Paragraph 0083 discloses the explicit configuration is UE specific or UE-group specific, and configured by a UE specific RRC signaling (e.g., an RRC message). Paragraph 0117 discloses TRS related configuration is broadcasted in SIB or configured by UE specific RRC signaling).
It 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 to incorporate transmitting a TRS configuration in RRC signaling, as described in Chen, with transmitting TRSs, as described in Xiong, because doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Combining transmitting a TRS configuration in RRC signaling of Chen with transmitting TRSs of Xiong was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Chen.
Therefore, it 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 to combine the teachings of Xiong and Chen to obtain the invention as specified in claim 23.
Regarding claim 24, as applied to claim 23 above, Xiong, as modified by Chen, further discloses wherein the tracking reference signal configuration is transmitted in a system information block transmission (Figure 14 and paragraph 0119 disclose a TRS can be transmitted in a periodic manner after it has been triggered to start the transmission. More specifically, the slots for the transmission of TRS may be defined as the downlink slots or special slots in TDD system. Configuration index can be predefined or configured by higher layers via MIB, SIB or dedicated RRC signaling. Table 1 discloses periodicity and slot offset configuration for TRS showing a periodicity of the TRS and a slot offset of the TRS with reference to a configuration index of the TRS).
Regarding claim 25, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong discloses the claimed invention except explicitly disclosing wherein the tracking reference signal configuration is cell-specific or paging-occasion-specific.
In analogous art, Chen discloses wherein the tracking reference signal configuration is cell-specific or paging-occasion-specific (Paragraph 0117 discloses TRSs are used as CSI-RSs which are UE-specific or cell-specific configured).
It 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 to incorporate UE-specific or cell-specific configured TRSs, as described in Chen, with transmitting TRSs, as described in Xiong, because doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Combining UE-specific or cell-specific configured TRSs of Chen with transmitting TRSs of Xiong was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Chen.
Therefore, it 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 to combine the teachings of Xiong and Chen to obtain the invention as specified in claim 25.
Regarding claim 27, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong discloses the claimed invention except explicitly disclosing wherein the active transmission occasions apply to a group of UEs that are active for a particular paging occasion.
In analogous art, Chen discloses wherein the active transmission occasions apply to a group of UEs that are active for a particular paging occasion (Paragraph 0083 discloses the explicit configuration is UE specific or UE-group specific, and configured by a UE specific RRC signaling (e.g., an RRC message)).
It 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 to incorporate UE specific or UE-group specific configured TRSs, as described in Chen, with transmitting TRSs, as described in Xiong, because doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Combining UE specific or UE-group specific configured TRSs of Chen with transmitting TRSs of Xiong was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Chen.
Therefore, it 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 to combine the teachings of Xiong and Chen to obtain the invention as specified in claim 27.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiong in view of Selvaganapathy et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0158793 A1) (hereinafter Selvaganapathy).
Regarding claim 26, as applied to claim 18 above, Xiong discloses the claimed invention except explicitly disclosing wherein the active transmission occasions include at least one transmission occasion prior to a paging indication.
In analogous art, Selvaganapathy discloses wherein the active transmission occasions include at least one transmission occasion prior to a paging indication (Paragraph 0146 discloses after TRS reception, UE may optionally check for presence of short downlink-control signal to know the paging indication).
It 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 to incorporate a paging indication after a TRS reception, as described in Selvaganapathy, with transmitting TRSs, as described in Xiong, because doing so is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results. Combining a paging indication after a TRS reception of Selvaganapathy with transmitting TRSs of Xiong was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Selvaganapathy.
Therefore, it 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 to combine the teachings of Xiong and Selvaganapathy to obtain the invention as specified in claim 26.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21, 28-30, and 32 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Considering claim 21, the best prior art found during the prosecution of the present application, Xiong, fails to disclose, teach, or suggest the limitations of wherein the tracking reference signal window spans at least the period between a paging indication and the paging occasion in combination with and in the context of all of the other limitations in claim 21.
Considering claim 28, the best prior art found during the prosecution of the present application, Xiong, fails to disclose, teach, or suggest the limitations of wherein the indication of active transmission occasions comprises a sequence transmitted as a paging indication in combination with and in the context of all of the other limitations in claim 28.
Considering claim 30, the best prior art found during the prosecution of the present application, Xiong, fails to disclose, teach, or suggest the limitations of wherein the indication of active transmission occasions comprises timing of a paging indication relative to the paging occasion in combination with and in the context of all of the other limitations in claim 30.
Considering claim 32, the best prior art found during the prosecution of the present application, Xiong, fails to disclose, teach, or suggest the limitations of wherein the indication is transmitted as a bitmap in which each bit corresponds to a tracking reference signal configuration in combination with and in the context of all of the other limitations in claim 32.
Claim 29 also includes allowable subject matter by virtue of its dependency on claim 28.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to MARK G. PANNELL whose telephone number is (303) 297-4245. The Examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 3:00 pm (Mountain Time).
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If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Rafael Perez-Gutierrez can be reached on (571) 272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/Mark G. Pannell/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642