DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-7, 9, 21-22, 27, 29-34, 36-37, and 43 are pending.
Claim 1 has been amended.
Claims 8, 10-20, 23-26, 28, 35, 38-42, and 44-54 have been cancelled.
Response to Amendment
In response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 11/21/2025, the objection of the title has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 11/21/2025have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, (pages 10-12), Qin does not involve selecting a candidate beam based on a correspondence relationship between candidate resources and candidate beams.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner submits that Qin discloses selecting a candidate beam based on a correspondence relationship between candidate resources and candidate beams.
Qin discloses selecting a candidate beam based on a correspondence relationship between candidate resources and candidate beams ([0143-0144], [0157-0160], and [0281-0285]).
It is disclosed in paragraphs ([0143-0144], [0157-0160], and [0281-0285]) in Qin as follows:
[0143] 102. After receiving the first indication, the terminal device sends one or more signals to the base station by using one or more resources in the at least one resource according to the first indication information.
[0144] In some embodiments, the terminal device may send the signal by using the at least one beam and the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam.
[0157] In some embodiments, the first indication information may include beam indication information and resource configuration information, the beam indication information is used to indicate the at least one beam, and the resource configuration information is used to indicate the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam.
[0158] In this way, after receiving the first indication information, the terminal device may perform uplink transmission by using the plurality of beams and the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the plurality of beams.
[0159] Optionally, before step 101, the method 100 may further include:
[0160] sending, by the base station, beam indication information and resource configuration information to the terminal device, where the beam indication information is used to indicate the at least one beam, and the resource configuration information is used to indicate the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam.
[0281] The receiving unit 810 is configured to receive first indication information sent by a base station, the first indication information is used to instruct the terminal device to perform uplink transmission by using at least one configured resource, and the at least one resource includes a resource that is different from a resource currently used by the terminal device.
[0282] The sending unit 820 is configured to send one or more signals to the base station by using one or more resources in the at least one resource according to the first indication information received by the receiving unit 810.
[0283] The terminal device in this embodiment of this application sends the one or more signals to the base station by using the one or more uplink resources as indicated by the base station, so that the base station can redetermine, based on the one or more signals, a target resource used for uplink transmission, to avoid a case in which the terminal device cannot perform uplink transmission because a signal on the currently used resource is interrupted, thereby avoiding interruption of communication between the base station and the terminal device.
[0284] Optionally, the at least one resource includes at least one beam, and the target resource includes a target beam.
[0285] Optionally, the at least one resource further includes a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, and/or a code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam, and the target resource further includes a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, and/or a code domain resource corresponding to the target beam.
For the above reasons, Qin discloses selecting a candidate beam based on a correspondence relationship between candidate resources and candidate beams.
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 1-7, 9, 21-22, 27, 29, 34, and 37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Qin et al. (Pub. No.: US 20190223044 A1), hereinafter Qin.
With respect to claim 1, Qin teaches A signal transmission method, performed by a base station, comprising:
sending configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises candidate resources (fig. 1, [0136-0137], base station sends configuration information, wherein the configuration information comprises candidate resources);
receiving a signal on a target resource among the candidate resources (fig. 1, [0143-0146], base station receives a signal on a target resource among the candidate resources); and
sending a feedback signal on a target beam corresponding to the target resource (fig. 1, [0147-0149, 0171-0172], base station sends a feedback signal on a target beam corresponding to the target resource);
wherein a target beam is selected from candidate beams based on a configuration of candidate resources (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], a target beam is selected from candidate beams base on resource configuration information; the resource configuration information is used to indicate candidate resources), a configuration of candidate beams (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], a target beam is selected from candidate beams base configuration of candidate beams) and a configuration of a correspondence relationship between the candidate resources and the candidate beams (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], also see [0143-0144], the first indication information includes beam indication information and resource configuration information, the beam indication information is used to indicate the at least one beam, and the resource configuration information is used to indicate the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam; the terminal device selects a candidate beam to perform uplink transmission by using the plurality of beams and the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the plurality of beams),
the target resource is resource corresponding to the target beam selected from the candidate resources (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], also see [0143-0144] the first indication information includes beam indication information and resource configuration information, the beam indication information is used to indicate the at least one beam, and the resource configuration information is used to indicate the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam; the target resource is resource corresponding to the target beam selected from the candidate resources (i.e. the resource configuration information is used to indicate the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam)).
With respect to claim 2, Qin teaches wherein the configuration information further comprises at least one of: candidate beams ([0106, 0163]).
With respect to claim 3, Qin teaches wherein configuring the correspondence table between the candidate resources and the candidate beams comprises at least one of: configuring the correspondence table between the candidate resources and the candidate beams using a preset corresponding method according to the candidate resources, the candidate beams and the corresponding method ([0165, 0166]).
With respect to claim 4, Qin teaches wherein the configuration information further comprises at least one of: a type of the candidate resources ([0163]).
With respect to claim 5, Qin teaches wherein the type of the candidate resources comprises at least one of: a control channel ([0185]).
With respect to claim 6, Qin teaches wherein the resource configuration information comprises at least one of: a frequency domain resource location ([0185]).
With respect to claim 7, Qin teaches wherein the configuration information further comprises: identifications of the candidate beams ([0163]).
With respect to claim 9, Qin teaches wherein the correspondence table between the candidate resources and the candidate beams comprises: a correspondence table between indexes of the candidate resources and indexes of the candidate beams ([0165, 0166]).
With respect to claim 21, Qin teaches A signal transmission method, performed by a user terminal, comprising:
selecting a target beam from candidate beams based on a configuration of candidate resources (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], the terminal device selects a target beam from candidate beams base on resource configuration information; the resource configuration information is used to indicate candidate resources), a configuration of candidate beams (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], the terminal device selects a target beam from candidate beams base configuration of candidate beams) and a configuration of a correspondence relationship between the candidate resources and the candidate beams (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], also see [0143-0144], the first indication information includes beam indication information and resource configuration information, the beam indication information is used to indicate the at least one beam, and the resource configuration information is used to indicate the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the at least one beam; the terminal device selects a candidate beam to perform uplink transmission by using the plurality of beams and the time domain resource, the frequency domain resource, and/or the code domain resource corresponding to the plurality of beams);
determining a candidate resource corresponding to the target beam as a target resource according to the correspondence relationship (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], also see [0143-0144], the terminal device determines a candidate resource corresponding to the target beam as a target resource according to the correspondence relationship); and
sending a signal on the target resource (figure 1, [0157-0160 and 0281-0285], terminal device sends a signal on the target resource; also see [0143-0144]).
With respect to claim 22, Qin teaches wherein configuring the correspondence relationship between the candidate resources and the candidate beams comprises at least one of: receiving the configuration of the candidate resources, and a correspondence table between the candidate beams and the candidate beams; and configuring the correspondence relationship between the candidate resources and the candidate beams according to the received configuration of the candidate resources, a preset configuration of the candidate beams, and the received correspondence table between the candidate beams and the candidate beams ([0165, 0166]).
With respect to claim 27, Qin teaches wherein after sending the signal on the target resource, the signal transmission method further comprises: receiving a feedback signal on the target beam corresponding to the target resource ([0147-0149, 171-172]).
With respect to claim 29, Qin teaches wherein the configuration of the candidate resources comprises user terminal states corresponding to the candidate resources; wherein selecting the target beam from the candidate beams comprises: determining a candidate beam in the candidate beams as the target beam, wherein the candidate beam has a measurement value equal to or greater than a preset measurement threshold value, and a user terminal state corresponding to a candidate resource that corresponds to the candidate beam is consistent with a current state of the user terminal ([0146-0149]).
With respect to claim 34, Qin teaches wherein the configuration of the correspondence relationship between the candidate resources and the candidate beams comprises: a configuration of a correspondence relationship between indexes of the candidate resources and indexes of the candidate beams ([0165-0166]).
With respect to claim 37, Qin teaches wherein different candidate resources in the resource allocation cycle differ in terms of at least one of a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource and a demodulation signal; wherein configuring the indexes of the candidate resources comprises: performing at least one of time domain numbering, frequency domain numbering and demodulation signal numbering on the candidate resources ([0164-0165]).
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 of this title, 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.
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.
Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin, in view of Zhang et al. (Pub. No.: US 20190334682 A1), hereinafter Zhang.
With respect to claim 30, Qin teaches wherein sending the signal on the target resource comprises as set forth above.
Qin does not explicitly teach obtaining a location of the target resource; and sending the signal on the target resource according to the location of the target resource.
However, Zhang teaches obtaining a location of the target resource ([0109, 0111]); and sending the signal on the target resource according to the location of the target resource ([0109, 0111]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Zhang, obtaining a location of the target resource; and sending the signal on the target resource according to the location of the target resource, into the teachings of Qin, in order for configuring a resource of a downlink measurement reference signal (Zhang, [0002]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 31-33, 36, and 43 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIET TANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7193. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, IAN MOORE can be reached on (571) 272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIET TANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469