DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to applicant's response filed under 37 C.F.R. §1.111, dated January 29, 2026 in response to a non-final office action. Claims 1-3, 17, 21, and 22 have been amended. Claims 1-3, 17, 21, and 22 are subject to examination and have been examined.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 21, the claim recites the limitation, “… wherein the CSI feedback is generated in at least one time instant in a second window …” (Emphasis added). It is unclear if this “second window” is intended to be a different second window than that previously recited in independent claim 17. For purposes of examination, the Examiner has interpreted the limitation to read, “… wherein the CSI feedback is generated in at least one time instant in the second window …” (Emphasis added).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-3, 17, 21, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “MediaTek Inc., CSI enhancement for high/medium UE velocities and coherent JT, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #110, R1-2206992”, hereinafter, “NPL-1”, Also in Applicant’s IDS) in view of Soldati et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20240314638, hereinafter, “Soldati”), further in view of Grossmann et.al. (European Patent Application Publication, EP3780410A1, hereinafter, “Grossmann”).
Regarding claim 1, NPL-1 teaches:
A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, the method comprising (NPL-1: [Introduction] … specify CSI reporting enhancement for high/medium UE velocities …):
receiving, from a base station, a channel state information – reference signal (CSI-RS) in a first window (NPL-1: Figure 3 shows a CSI measurement window (i.e., first window) and a CSI reporting window (i.e., second window) … [Sect. 2.1, Proposal 3, Page 4] … For UE-based prediction, introduce a new CSI reference resource in time domain for CSI reporting ... Now we discuss the necessity of CSI measurement window for periodic/semi-persistent CSI-RS. For UE-based prediction, UE can determine by its implementation how many CSI-RS transmission occasions are used ...);
predicting a CSI in a second window … (NPL-1: [Sect. 2.1, Page 2] … Next, for Alt1.B, Alt2.B, and Alt3.B, UE needs to perform CSI prediction and then report the predicted CSI to gNB … [Sect. 2.1, Proposal 3, Page 4] … For UE-based prediction, UE can determine by its implementation how many CSI-RS transmission occasions are used ... Therefore, as CSI-RS periodicity can already be configured in NR, the CSI measurement window does not need to be specified for periodic/semi-persistent CSI-RS … [Fig. 3 and Sect. 2.2, Page 6] Figure 3 shows a CSI measurement window and a CSI reporting window (i.e., second window). Extrapolation/prediction events occur in the CSI reporting window.).
NPL-1 does not explicitly teach:
predicting a precoder … based on a beam index, a subband index, a time instant index, a number of subbands, a number of samples and frequency components associated with the CSI-RS;
wherein the number of samples indicates a number of resource regions in the second window for the precoder prediction;
generating a CSI feedback based on the predicted precoder; and transmitting, to the base station, the CSI feedback.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Soldati teaches:
predicting a precoder … based on a beam index, a subband index, a time instant index, a number of subbands, a number of samples and frequency components associated with the CSI-RS;
wherein the number of samples indicates a number of resource regions in the second window for the precoder prediction (Soldati: [0077] In one embodiment of the invention, the link adaptation state update message received from the user device may comprising one or more link adaptation state information elements … [0085] According to some embodiments, the one or more link adaptation state information elements may comprise a Channel State Information Prediction (CSI-P) report, comprising, for instance, predictions of channel quality indicator (CQI), rank, and precoding matrix indicator (PMI), associated with different spatial areas of the radio cell, and/or with the following: [0086] One or more SSB beam coverage area; [0087] One or more CSI-RS coverage area … [0088] The CSI-P report may be configured to provide predictions or estimates of Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), rank, and precoding matrix indicator (PMI) ... Therefore, the user device may determine any such measurement from different SSB beams or different CSI-RS beams of a radio cell. The CSI predictions/estimates reported per different cell area may additionally be configured to be reported with different time and frequency granularity, such as the following: [0089] Wideband (i.e., one indicator value representing the channel fading in the entire frequency band measured by the user device); [0090] Per sub-band ((i.e., one indicator value representing the channel fading in a fraction of the frequency band measured by the user device). For instance, a sub-band may be comprised by an individual physical resource block (PRB or PRB pair), or groups of PRBs; [0091] Per transmission time window (i.e., the reported information is associated with a certain time interval), which could be expressed, for instance, in seconds or fractions thereof, in terms of TTIs or groups thereof, in terms radio frames or groups thereof, etc.; [0092] A combination of at least one time and at least one frequency reporting granularity …).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-1 to include the features as taught by Soldati above in order to optimize link adaptation for a communication session with a user device. (Soldati, ¶ [0011]).
NPL-1-Soldati does not explicitly teach:
generating a CSI feedback based on the predicted precoder; and transmitting, to the base station, the CSI feedback.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Grossmann teaches:
generating a CSI feedback based on the predicted precoder; and transmitting, to the base station, the CSI feedback (Grossmann: [0081] In response to the report configuration, the UE performs, at step 252, measurements on CSI-RS over a number of time resources, constructs, at step 254, the channel information matrix or channel information tensor; selects, at step 256, the precoder matrix for each layer (PMI selection) with respect to a specific performance metric, and/or calculates, at step 258, a CQI value, a predicted CQI value, or predicted differential CQI values (if configured) for a future time instant or for a set of future time instants using the selected precoder matrix for future time instants, and, optionally, selects a RI value (if configured) using the selected precoder matrix and the MIMO channel information, and sends, at step 260, the CSI report to the gNB.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-1-Soldati to include the features as taught by Grossmann above in order to reduce or avoid a feedback overhead. (Grossmann, ¶ [0052]).
Regarding claim 17, NPL-1 teaches:
A user equipment (UE) in a wireless network, the UE comprising: a processor; memory; and a channel state information (CSI) controller, coupled with the processor and the memory, configured to (NPL-1: [Introduction] … specify CSI reporting enhancement for high/medium UE velocities …):
receive, from a base station, a CSI - reference signal (RS) in a first window (NPL-1: Figure 3 shows a CSI measurement window (i.e., first window) and a CSI reporting window (i.e., second window) … [Sect. 2.1, Proposal 3, Page 4] … For UE-based prediction, introduce a new CSI reference resource in time domain for CSI reporting ... Now we discuss the necessity of CSI measurement window for periodic/semi-persistent CSI-RS. For UE-based prediction, UE can determine by its implementation how many CSI-RS transmission occasions are used ...);
predict a CSI in a second window … (NPL-1: [Sect. 2.1, Page 2] … Next, for Alt1.B, Alt2.B, and Alt3.B, UE needs to perform CSI prediction and then report the predicted CSI to gNB … [Sect. 2.1, Proposal 3, Page 4] … For UE-based prediction, UE can determine by its implementation how many CSI-RS transmission occasions are used ... Therefore, as CSI-RS periodicity can already be configured in NR, the CSI measurement window does not need to be specified for periodic/semi-persistent CSI-RS … [Fig. 3 and Sect. 2.2, Page 6] Figure 3 shows a CSI measurement window and a CSI reporting window (i.e., second window). Extrapolation/prediction events occur in the CSI reporting window.).
NPL-1 does not explicitly teach:
predict a precoder … based on a beam index, a subband index, a time instant index, a number of subbands, a number of samples and frequency components associated with the CSI-RS;
wherein the number of samples indicates a number of resource regions in the second window for the precoder prediction;
generate a CSI feedback based on the predicted precoder; and transmit, to the base station, the CSI feedback.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Soldati teaches:
predict a precoder … based on a beam index, a subband index, a time instant index, a number of subbands, a number of samples and frequency components associated with the CSI-RS;
wherein the number of samples indicates a number of resource regions in the second window for the precoder prediction (Soldati: [0077] In one embodiment of the invention, the link adaptation state update message received from the user device may comprising one or more link adaptation state information elements … [0085] According to some embodiments, the one or more link adaptation state information elements may comprise a Channel State Information Prediction (CSI-P) report, comprising, for instance, predictions of channel quality indicator (CQI), rank, and precoding matrix indicator (PMI), associated with different spatial areas of the radio cell, and/or with the following: [0086] One or more SSB beam coverage area; [0087] One or more CSI-RS coverage area … [0088] The CSI-P report may be configured to provide predictions or estimates of Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), rank, and precoding matrix indicator (PMI) ... Therefore, the user device may determine any such measurement from different SSB beams or different CSI-RS beams of a radio cell. The CSI predictions/estimates reported per different cell area may additionally be configured to be reported with different time and frequency granularity, such as the following: [0089] Wideband (i.e., one indicator value representing the channel fading in the entire frequency band measured by the user device); [0090] Per sub-band ((i.e., one indicator value representing the channel fading in a fraction of the frequency band measured by the user device). For instance, a sub-band may be comprised by an individual physical resource block (PRB or PRB pair), or groups of PRBs; [0091] Per transmission time window (i.e., the reported information is associated with a certain time interval), which could be expressed, for instance, in seconds or fractions thereof, in terms of TTIs or groups thereof, in terms radio frames or groups thereof, etc.; [0092] A combination of at least one time and at least one frequency reporting granularity …).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-1 to include the features as taught by Soldati above in order to optimize link adaptation for a communication session with a user device. (Soldati, ¶ [0011]).
NPL-1-Soldati does not explicitly teach:
generate a CSI feedback based on the predicted precoder; and transmit, to the base station, the CSI feedback.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Grossmann teaches:
generate a CSI feedback based on the predicted precoder; and transmit, to the base station, the CSI feedback (Grossmann: [0081] In response to the report configuration, the UE performs, at step 252, measurements on CSI-RS over a number of time resources, constructs, at step 254, the channel information matrix or channel information tensor; selects, at step 256, the precoder matrix for each layer (PMI selection) with respect to a specific performance metric, and/or calculates, at step 258, a CQI value, a predicted CQI value, or predicted differential CQI values (if configured) for a future time instant or for a set of future time instants using the selected precoder matrix for future time instants, and, optionally, selects a RI value (if configured) using the selected precoder matrix and the MIMO channel information, and sends, at step 260, the CSI report to the gNB.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-1-Soldati to include the features as taught by Grossmann above in order to reduce or avoid a feedback overhead. (Grossmann, ¶ [0052]).
Regarding claims 2 and 21, NPL-1-Soldati-Grossmann discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 17 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
wherein the CSI feedback is generated in at least one time instant in the second window for at least one sub-band of the UE (NPL-1: [Sect. 2.1, Page 2] … Next, for Alt1.B, Alt2.B, and Alt3.B, UE needs to perform CSI prediction and then report the predicted CSI to gNB … [Sect. 2.1, Proposal 3, Page 4] … For UE-based prediction, introduce a new CSI reference resource in time domain for CSI reporting ... Now we discuss the necessity of CSI measurement window for periodic/semi-persistent CSI-RS. For UE-based prediction, UE can determine by its implementation how many CSI-RS transmission occasions are used ... Therefore, as CSI-RS periodicity can already be configured in NR, the CSI measurement window does not need to be specified for periodic/semi-persistent CSI-RS … [Fig. 3 and Sect. 2.2, Page 6] Figure 3 shows a CSI measurement window and a CSI reporting window (i.e., second window). Extrapolation/prediction events occur in the CSI reporting window.).
Regarding claims 3 and 22, NPL-1-Soldati-Grossmann discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 17 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
wherein the first window for receiving the CSI-RS is an observation window and the second window is a prediction window (NPL-1: Figure 3 shows a CSI measurement window (i.e., observation window) and a CSI reporting window (i.e., second window). Extrapolation/prediction events occur in the CSI reporting window. Fig. 3 and ¶ [Sect. 2.2, Page 6]).
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIEM H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (408) 918-7636. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM PT.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached on (571) 270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LIEM H. NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416