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 .
The amendment submitted on 04/16/2026 has been received and considered by the Examiner. Claims 1, 7, and 13-14 were amended, and claims 1-20 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
In their remarks, the Applicant distinguishes between the newly amended independent claims and prior art of record Kim et al., writing, “[t]he virtual multi-antenna channels in Kim are constructed from channels between a plurality of base stations working together and a terminal, and not from a terminal at different locations, as required by the independent claims” (Remarks, p. 10).
The Examiner agrees with this analysis; hence, in this office action, Kim has been replaced with a new reference, Kabiri et al., which the Examiner believes to disclose the claimed “virtual antenna array channel”. Thus, the Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 12, and 19 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 prior art does not teach that “the receive side spatial domain base vector is an oversampling discrete Fourier transform (DFT) vector, and an oversampling rate of the receive side spatial domain base vector is related to a quantity of times of sending the downlink reference signal” in combination with the other limitations of dependent claims 6, 12, and 19. As noted in the previous rejection dated 12/30/2025, prior art of record Yu et al. does describe an oversampling rate that is related to the number of times the downlink reference signal is transmitted, but this disclosure in Yu is unrelated to a “receive side spatial domain base vector”, as claimed.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5, 7, 11, 13-14, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown et al. (US 2022/0368386 A1, hereinafter “Brown”) in view of Liu et al. (US 2024/0187059 A1, hereinafter “Liu”) and further in view of Kabiri et al. (US 2020/0059755 A1, hereinafter “Kabiri”).
As to Claims 1, 7, and 14:
Brown describes a method for sending a CSI report including resource blocks and precoding vectors.
Specifically, Brown teaches:
Performing channel measurement on a downlink reference signal from a network device
(“A set of reference signals can be received from the network entity ... the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0009, 0020).
Here, “selected and fed back ... the CSI” maps to “performing channel measurement”, and
“a set of reference signals can be received from the network entity” maps to “a downlink reference signal from a network device”).
Reporting a measurement result to the network device
(“[T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0020).
Here, “the CSI report” maps to “reporting a measurement result”, and
“to the gNB” maps to “to the network device”).
The measurement result indicates T resource elements and a superposition coefficient ... and T is an integer greater than 0
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k ... [T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0014, 0020).
Here, “the CSI report” maps to “the measurement result”,
“as part of” maps to “indicates”,
“4 physical resource blocks” maps to “T resource elements”,
“coefficients” maps to “a superposition coefficient” because these are two ways of describing the coefficients used to linearly combine basis vectors, and
“4” maps to “T is an integer greater than 0”).
And, from the list of:
One of the following types: a time domain base vector, a frequency domain base vector, a receive side spatial domain base vector, or a transmit side spatial domain base vector
Brown at least teaches:
A time domain base vector
(“[T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain” (Brown, 0020).
Here, “precoding vectors” in the “time domain” map to “a time domain base vector”).
A frequency domain base vector
(“[T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain” (Brown, 0020).
Here, “the frequency-domain precoding vectors” map to “a frequency domain base vector”).
Brown does not explicitly disclose:
The T resource elements are determined based on a Kronecker product of at least three of the following base vectors: a time domain base vector, a frequency domain base vector, a receive side spatial domain base vector, or a transmit side spatial domain base vector
The first base vector is one of the at least three base vectors
However, Liu does describe a method for a UE to notify a network device of the spatial configuration it has determined to use.
Specifically, Liu teaches:
The T resource elements are determined based on a Kronecker product of at least three of the following base vectors: a time domain base vector, a frequency domain base vector, a receive side spatial domain base vector, or a transmit side spatial domain base vector
(“[A] beamformed CSI-RS is transmitted by each antenna port, and a total of X port beams are transmitted, where the beam transmitted by the transmitting port is obtained by calculating a Kronecker product of a spatial domain compressed base vector and a frequency domain compressed base vector” (Liu, 0027).
Here, “X port beams” map to “the T resource elements” because both are parameters of a transmit beam, so determining ports renders determining resource elements obvious,
“obtained by calculating a Kronecker product” maps to “determined based on a Kronecker product of at least three of the following base vectors” because a Kronecker product can, by definition, accommodate three vectors as inputs,
“a spatial domain compressed base vector” maps to “a transmit side spatial domain base vector” from the list of “at least two of the following base vectors: a time domain base vector, a frequency domain base vector, a receive side spatial domain base vector, or a transmit side spatial domain base vector”, and
“a frequency domain compressed base vector” maps to “a frequency domain base vector” from the list of “at least two of the following base vectors: a time domain base vector, a frequency domain base vector, a receive side spatial domain base vector, or a transmit side spatial domain base vector”).
The first base vector is one of the at least three base vectors
(“[A] beamformed CSI-RS is transmitted by each antenna port, and a total of X port beams are transmitted, where the beam transmitted by the transmitting port is obtained by calculating a Kronecker product of a spatial domain compressed base vector and a frequency domain compressed base vector” (Liu, 0027).
Here, “a spatial domain compressed base vector” maps to “the first base vector is one”, and
“a spatial domain compressed base vector and a frequency domain compressed base vector” map to “the at least three base vectors” because “duplication of parts”, i.e. adding another basis vector, is an example of an obvious modification given in MPEP 2144 VI B).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to determine the resource elements that Brown describes obtaining from measurements using the Kronecker product, as taught in Liu. The Kronecker product is a common operation used to transform basis vectors into a precoding matrix, so it makes sense to incorporate it into Brown’s method for determining parameters for an uplink beam.
The combination of Brown and Liu also does not explicitly disclose:
A first base vector is selected based on a virtual antenna array channel
The virtual antenna array channel is constructed based on virtual receive antennas of a terminal device, the virtual receive antennas are obtained base don locations of the terminal device
However, Kabiri does describe a method to calculate a device’s direction by creating a vector based on measurements from the device’s antenna at different positions.
Specifically, Kabiri teaches:
A first base vector is selected based on a virtual antenna array channel
Kabiri describes a “virtual array response array” that is “calculated from a single antenna that moves with the device to several device positions” (Kabiri, 0019).
Here, the “array response vector” corresponds to “a first base vector”, and
“generated by response data from multiple stationary antennas” forming a “virtual array response” maps to “selected on a virtual antenn
The virtual antenna array channel is constructed based on virtual receive antennas of a terminal device, the virtual receive antennas are obtained based on locations of the terminal device
Kabiri describes a “virtual array response array” that is “calculated from a single antenna that moves with the device to several device positions” (Kabiri, 0019).
Here, the “virtual array response array” maps to “the virtual antenna array channel”, and
“a single antenna that moves with the device to several device positions” maps to “the virtual receive antennas are obtained based on locations of the terminal device”.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the virtual response array described in Kabiri into Brown’s method for reporting measurement results to a network device. The virtual antenna array contains information indicating, in Kabiri’s words, “a direction of arrival from from the object to the device” (Kabiri, Abstract).
Claim 7 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 1 in the form of an apparatus claim with an additional limitation requiring:
The apparatus comprises: at least one processor, and one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor
“Fig. 5 is an example block diagram of an apparatus 500, such as the UE 110 ... The apparatus 500 can include ... a controller 520 ... a memory 550 coupled to the controller 520 ... At least some operations can also be performed computer executable instructions [sic] executed by at least one computer processor” (Brown, 0084, 0086).
Here, “an apparatus 500” maps to “the apparatus”,
“include” maps to “comprises”,
“a controller 520” maps to “at least one processor”,
“a memory 550” maps to “one or more memories”,
“executed by” maps to “coupled to” because the memory and processor must be coupled for the processor to execute instructions stored on the memory, and
“computer executable instructions” maps to “storing programming instructions for execution”.
Claim 14 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 1 in the form of an apparatus claim from the perspective of the network device with an additional limitation requiring:
The apparatus comprises: at least one processor, and one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor
(“Fig. 5 is an example block diagram of an apparatus 500, such as the UE 110 ... The apparatus 500 can include ... a controller 520 ... a memory 550 coupled to the controller 520 ... At least some operations can also be performed computer executable instructions [sic] executed by at least one computer processor” (Brown, 0084, 0086).
Here, “an apparatus 500” maps to “the apparatus”,
“include” maps to “comprises”,
“a controller 520” maps to “at least one processor”,
“a memory 550” maps to “one or more memories”,
“executed by” maps to “coupled to” because the memory and processor must be coupled for the processor to execute instructions stored on the memory, and
“computer executable instructions” maps to “storing programming instructions for execution”).
As to Claims 5, 11, and 18:
Brown teaches:
The superposition coefficient corresponds to the time domain base vector
(“More specifically, the frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0020).
Here, “the time-domain coefficients” maps to “the superposition coefficient corresponds to the time-domain base vector”).
Claim 11 encompasses the same subject matter as claim 5 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 18 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 5 in the form of an apparatus claim from the perspective of the network device
As to Claims 13 and 20:
From the list of:
The apparatus is a terminal device, a chip, or a chip system
Brown at least teaches:
The apparatus is a terminal device
(“Fig. 5 is an example block diagram of an apparatus 500, such as the UE” (Brown, 0084).
Here, “an apparatus 500” maps to “the apparatus”,
“such as” maps to “is”, and
“the UE” maps to “a terminal device”).
Claim 20 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 13 from the perspective of the network device.
Claim(s) 2-4, 8-10, and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown (US 2022/0368386 A1) in view of Liu (US 2024/0187059 A1) and Kabiri (US 2020/0059755 A1) and further in view of Jiang et al. (US 2024/0291608 A1, hereinafter “Jiang”).
As to Claims 2, 8, and 15:
Brown teaches:
The T resource elements are determined based on the frequency domain base vector, the time domain base vector ... and the ... spatial domain base vector
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k ... [T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0014, 0020).
Here, “4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”,
“feeds back” maps to “determined based on”,
“the frequency domain precoding vectors” maps to “the frequency domain base vector”,
“precoding vectors ... transformed ... to the time domain” maps to “the time domain base vector”, and
“spatial basis vectors” maps to “the ... spatial domain base vector”).
The superposition coefficient is a superposition coefficient corresponding to the T resource elements
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k” (Brown, 0014).
Here, “the weighting coefficient” maps to “the superposition coefficient”,
“corresponding to” maps to “corresponding to”, and
“4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”).
The combination of Brown, Liu and Kabiri does not explicitly disclose:
The receive side spatial domain base vector, and the transmit side spatial domain base vector
However, Jiang does describe a method for determining transmission power based on multiple received downlink reference signals.
Specifically, Jiang teaches:
The receive side spatial domain base vector, and the transmit side spatial domain base vector
(“[T]he K1 first-type beams shown in Fig. 9 correspond respectively to K1 transmitting beamforming vectors ... or the K1 first-type beams shown in Fig. 9 correspond respectively to K1 receiving beamforming vectors formed respectively by K1 spatial receiving parameters” (Jiang, 0306).
Here, “receiving beamforming vector formed by K1 spatial receiving parameters” maps to “the receive side spatial domain base vector”, and
“K1 transmitting beamforming vectors” maps to “the transmit side spatial domain base vector”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to include the unique spatial domain basis vectors unique to transmission and reception disclosed in Jiang in the CSI report Brown discloses sending to the network device. Unique spatial domain vectors for reception and transmission allow the base station to optimize its beamforming, making these useful parameters to include in a CSI report.
Claim 8 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 2 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 15 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 2 in the form of an apparatus claim from the perspective of the network device.
As to Claims 3, 9, and 16:
Brown teaches:
The T resource elements are determined based on the frequency domain base vector ... and the ... spatial domain base vector
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k ... [T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0014, 0020).
Here, “4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”,
“feeds back” maps to “determined based on”,
“the frequency domain precoding vectors” maps to “the frequency domain base vector”, and
“spatial basis vectors” maps to “the ... spatial domain base vector”).
The superposition coefficient is a superposition coefficient corresponding to the T resource elements
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k” (Brown, 0014).
Here, “the weighting coefficient” maps to “the superposition coefficient”,
“corresponding to” maps to “corresponding to”, and
“4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”).
The superposition coefficient is a superposition coefficient corresponding to the T resource elements
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k” (Brown, 0014).
Here, “the weighting coefficient” maps to “the superposition coefficient”,
“corresponding to” maps to “corresponding to”, and
“4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”).
The combination of Brown, Liu, and Kabiri does not explicitly disclose:
The receive side spatial domain base vector, and the transmit side spatial domain base vector
However, Jiang does teach:
The receive side spatial domain base vector, and the transmit side spatial domain base vector
(“[T]he K1 first-type beams shown in Fig. 9 correspond respectively to K1 transmitting beamforming vectors ... or the K1 first-type beams shown in Fig. 9 correspond respectively to K1 receiving beamforming vectors formed respectively by K1 spatial receiving parameters” (Jiang, 0306).
Here, “receiving beamforming vector formed by K1 spatial receiving parameters” maps to “the receive side spatial domain base vector”, and
“K1 transmitting beamforming vectors” maps to “the transmit side spatial domain base vector”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to include the unique spatial domain basis vectors unique to transmission and reception disclosed in Jiang in the CSI report Brown discloses sending to the network device. Unique spatial domain vectors for reception and transmission allow the base station to optimize its beamforming, making these useful parameters to include in a CSI report.
Claim 9 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 3 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 16 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 3 in the form of an apparatus claim from the perspective of the network device.
As to Claims 4, 10, and 17:
Brown teaches:
The T resource elements are determined based on the frequency domain base vector ... and the ... spatial domain base vector
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k ... [T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0014, 0020).
Here, “4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”,
“feeds back” maps to “determined based on”,
“the frequency domain precoding vectors” maps to “the frequency domain base vector”, and
“spatial basis vectors” maps to “the ... spatial domain base vector”).
The measurement result further indicates the time domain base vector
(“[T]he frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0020).
Here, “the CSI report” maps to “the measurement result”,
“as part of” maps to “further indicates”, and
“vectors ... transformed ... to the time domain” maps to “the time domain base vector”).
The superposition coefficient is a superposition coefficient corresponding to the time domain base vector
(“More specifically, the frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0014, 0020).
Here, “the time-domain coefficients” maps to “the superposition coefficient is a superposition coefficient corresponding to the time-domain base vector”).
The superposition coefficient corresponding to the time domain base vector is determined based on a superposition coefficient corresponding to the T resource elements
(“[E]ach PMI subband may consist of 4*12 subcarriers corresponding to 4 physical resource blocks. The UE feeds back one precoding vector for each PMI subband. The precoding vector for PMI subband I is the weighted combination of the set of spatial basis vectors with the weighting coefficient for layer λ, beam l, index I, and polarization k ... More specifically, the frequency-domain precoding vectors are transformed using an inverse DFT to the time domain, and the magnitude and phase values of a subset of the time-domain coefficients are selected and fed back to the gNB as part of the CSI report” (Brown, 0014, 0020).
Here, “the time-domain coefficients” maps to “the superposition coefficient corresponding to the time domain base vector”,
“transformed using” maps to “determined based on”,
“corresponding to” maps to “corresponding to”,
“4 physical resource blocks” maps to “the T resource elements”, and
“precoding vector” maps to “a superposition coefficient corresponding to the T resource elements”).
The combination of Brown, Liu, and Kabiri does not explicitly disclose:
The receive side spatial domain base vector, and the transmit side spatial domain base vector
However, Jiang does teach:
The receive side spatial domain base vector, and the transmit side spatial domain base vector
(“[T]he K1 first-type beams shown in Fig. 9 correspond respectively to K1 transmitting beamforming vectors ... or the K1 first-type beams shown in Fig. 9 correspond respectively to K1 receiving beamforming vectors formed respectively by K1 spatial receiving parameters” (Jiang, 0306).
Here, “receiving beamforming vector formed by K1 spatial receiving parameters” maps to “the receive side spatial domain base vector”, and
“K1 transmitting beamforming vectors” maps to “the transmit side spatial domain base vector”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to include the unique spatial domain basis vectors unique to transmission and reception disclosed in Jiang in the CSI report Brown discloses sending to the network device. Unique spatial domain vectors for reception and transmission allow the base station to optimize its beamforming, making these useful parameters to include in a CSI report.
Claim 10 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 4 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 17 encompasses the same subject matter as Claim 4 in the form of an apparatus claim from the perspective of the network device.
Conclusion
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BENJAMIN PETER WELTE
Examiner
Art Unit 2477
/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
Prosecution Insights