DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to applicant’s response filed under 37 C.F.R §1.111 in response to a non-final office action. Claim(s) 1, 16, and 31 have been amended; Claims 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 21-22, 24, 26, 28, 30, and 32-33 have been canceled; No Claim(s) have been added. Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16-20, 23, 25, 27, 29, and 31 are subject to examination.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/31/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s Arguments
Applicant argues in substance that QUALCOMM does not disclose the sequence pool comprises a plurality of processed sequences each of which is generated by processing a plurality of complex-valued sequences, especially since QUALCOMM does not disclose complex-valued sequences are obtained by modulating a plurality of binary sequences.
Examiner’s Response
The examiner respectfully disagrees. As noted in the remarks, QUALCOMM discloses non-orthogonal sequences such as pi/2-BPSK or QPSK modulated sequences. By definition pi/2-BPSK or QPSK modulated sequences are complex-valued sequences obtained from digital modulation of binary sequences. Further, SENGUPTA et al. (US 11996967 B2) teaches the sequence pool comprises a plurality of processed sequences each of which is generated by processing a plurality of complex-valued sequences (FIG. 14 item 1406-1408 processed sequences), wherein complex-valued sequences are obtained by modulating a plurality of binary sequences (FIG. 14 item 1402-1404). The examiner recommends further defining “processing”. For the sake of prosecution, the rejection is reformatted below.
Regarding all other arguments presented by the applicant, the arguments are substantially the same as those which have already been addressed above and in the interest of brevity; the examiner directs the applicant to those response above.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 limitation “where in” should be “wherein”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 16-17, and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qualcomm Incorporated, “Potential Coverage Enhancement Techniques for PUCCH,” 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 Meeting #103-eR1-2008627, 13 November, 2020 (see NPL 07/06/2023), hereby referred to as QUALCOMM, in view of SENGUPTA et al. (US 11996967 B2), hereby referred to as SENGUPTA.
Claim 1:
QUALCOMM teaches a method performed by a wireless communication device, the method comprising: determining a number based on uplink control information (UCI) (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Convert info bit stream to integer value l”) wherein k info bits of the UCI payload are converted to a number/integer value); selecting a sequence from a sequence pool based on the number (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Pick l-th sequence (length N) from a sequence pool”) wherein a sequence is selected from a pool based on number l), wherein the sequence pool comprises a plurality of processed sequences each of which is generated (QUALCOMM: section 2.2 pg 2-3 (“…by phase ramping in frequency domain and DFT spreading in time domain, one can build a set of…sequences…”) or section 2.3 pg 6 (“…modulated M-sequences…truncate an m-sequence to fit to the number of resources in a PUCCH…”)wherein sequence pool is built from sequences generated based on modulation and post-modulation), wherein the plurality of complex-valued sequences are obtained by modulating a plurality of binary sequences (QUALCOMM: pg 6 (“
π
/
2
-BPSK or QPSK…”)wherein pi/2 BPSK or QPSK sequences are complex-valued sequences obtained from modulating bit/binary sequences); and transmitting the UCI carried on the sequence to a wireless communication node (QUALCOMM: Fig. 2 item (“PUCCH Tx”) wherein UCI is carried on sequence in PUCCH).
However, QUALCOMM does not explicitly disclose generated by processing a plurality of complex-valued sequences.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches generated by processing a plurality of complex-valued sequences (SENGUPTA: FIG. 14 wherein binary sequences are generated, then modulated into complex-value sequences based on pi/2-BPSK, then further processed (generating a repeated sequence…multiplying the repeated sequence…performing DFT…) to produce the processed sequences).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified QUALCOMM with SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as QUALCOMM-SENGUPTA, for the benefit of reducing peak-to-average power ratio (SENGUPTA: col 2 line 55-60).
Claim 2:
QUALCOMM-SENGUPTA teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining the number comprises: converting information bits of the UCI to a decimal value (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Convert info bit stream to integer value l”) wherein k info bits of the UCI payload are converted to a decimal/integer value), wherein the sequence is selected based on the decimal value (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Pick l-the sequence (length N) from a sequence pool”) wherein a sequence is selected from a pool based on decimal number l).
Claim 3:
QUALCOMM-SENGUPTA teaches the method of claim 1, wherein: each of the plurality of processed sequences has a length N, which is an integer larger than one (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Pick l-th sequence (length N) from a sequence pool”) wherein N includes an integer larger than 1); the method further comprises mapping N elements of the selected sequence respectively to N resource elements in physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Map to N REs in PUCCH resource”) wherein N length/elements is mapped to N resource elements in PUCCH); and the UCI is transmitted on PUCCH based on the mapping (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“PUCCH Tx”) wherein UCI is transmitted based on mapping).
Claim 16:
QUALCOMM teaches a method performed by a wireless communication node, the method comprising: receiving, from a wireless communication device, uplink control information (UCI) carried on a sequence (QUALCOMM: Fig. 2 item (“PUCCH Tx”) wherein UCI is carried on sequence in PUCCH), wherein: the sequence is selected from a sequence pool based on a number corresponding to the UCI (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Pick l-th sequence (length N) from a sequence pool”) wherein a sequence is selected from a pool based on number l), and the sequence pool comprises a plurality of processed sequences each of which is generated (QUALCOMM: section 2.2 pg 2-3 (“…by phase ramping in frequency domain and DFT spreading in time domain, one can build a set of…sequences…”) or section 2.3 pg 6 (“…modulated M-sequences…truncate an m-sequence to fit to the number of resources in a PUCCH…”)wherein sequence pool is built from sequences generated based on modulation and post-modulation), wherein the plurality of complex-valued sequences are obtained by modulating a plurality of binary sequences (QUALCOMM: pg 6 (“
π
/
2
-BPSK or QPSK…”)wherein pi/2 BPSK or QPSK sequences are complex-valued sequences obtained from modulating bit/binary sequences).
However, QUALCOMM does not explicitly disclose generated by processing a plurality of complex-valued sequences.
SENGUPTA, in the same field of endeavor, teaches generated by processing a plurality of complex-valued sequences (SENGUPTA: FIG. 14 wherein binary sequences are generated, then modulated into complex-value sequences based on pi/2-BPSK, then further processed (generating a repeated sequence…multiplying the repeated sequence…performing DFT…) to produce the processed sequences).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to have modified QUALCOMM with SENGUPTA, the combination hereby referred to as QUALCOMM-SENGUPTA, for the benefit of reducing peak-to-average power ratio (SENGUPTA: col 2 line 55-60).
Claim 17:
QUALCOMM-SENGUPTA teaches the method of claim 16, wherein: the number is a decimal value converted from information bits of the UCI (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Convert info bit stream to integer value l”) wherein k info bits of the UCI payload are converted to a decimal/integer value).
Claim 18:
QUALCOMM-SENGUPTA teaches the method of claim 16, wherein: each of the plurality of processed sequences has a length N, which is an integer larger than one (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Pick l-th sequence (length N) from a sequence pool”) wherein N includes an integer larger than 1); there is a mapping between N elements of the selected sequence and N resource elements in physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“Map to N REs in PUCCH resource”) wherein N length/elements is mapped to N resource elements in PUCCH); the UCI is received on PUCCH based on the mapping (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 item (“PUCCH Tx”) wherein UCI is transmitted based on mapping).
Claim 31:
QUALCOMM teaches a wireless communication device comprising: a memory operable to store computer-readable instructions; and a processor circuitry operable to read the computer-readable instructions, the processor circuitry when executing the computer-readable instructions is configured to (QUALCOMM: FIG. 2 wherein the wireless communication device would inherently require processor circuitry to execute the instructions in memory to perform the method):
For further limitations see rejection for claim 1 above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 19 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. Claims 5-6, 8, 10, 12, and 14, depending of claim 4, and Claims 20, 23, 25, 27, and 29, depending on claim 19, are likewise objected.
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 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 ANGELIE T NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-0180. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thur: 8am - 5pm; 2nd Fri: 8am - 3pm.
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, Noel Beharry can be reached at (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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/A.T.N./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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