Response to Amendment
This office action in response to an amendment received on December 26, 2025.
Claims 1, 6, 11, and 16 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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
The objection to the specification has been withdrawn based on applicant’s amendments and arguments (see remarks Pg. 14).
The 35 U.S.C §102 rejection of claims 1-20 has been withdrawn in light of applicant’s amendments and arguments (see remarks Pg. 14-17). However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection has been made.
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 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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1-20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU et al., US 20210068117 A1, (hereinafter WU) in view of LIU et al., US 20230111152 A1, (hereinafter LIU).
Regarding claim 1, and 11, WU teaches a first node for wireless communications, comprising:
a first receiver, receiving a second signaling; and receiving a first signaling, the first signaling being used for indicating a first time-frequency resource block (see Fig. 4, e.g., element 450, Transmitter - Receiver 452, 454; Fig. 5, e.g., element U2. First Node, S5203. receiving second signaling, S522. receiving first signaling; ¶ [0243], e.g., The second communication device 450 at least: receives the first information in the present disclosure; and receives the first signaling in the present disclosure; herein, the first information is used for determining K resource blocks, K being a positive integer greater than 1; the K resource blocks respectively correspond to K reference-signal resource groups, and any of the K reference-signal resource groups comprises a positive integer number of reference-signal resource(s)); and
a first transceiver, operating a first reference signal resource set (see Fig. 5 e.g., element U2 First Node, N1. Second node, transmitting, receiving first radio signal in first resource block); and
a first transmitter, transmitting a first signal in the first time-frequency resource block when a first condition is satisfied; (see Fig. 5, e.g., element U2. First Node, S5204. Transmitting first radio signal in first resource block, first radio signal; ¶ [0388], e.g., the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal comprises that the first node in the present disclosure uses a same spatial-domain filter for receiving a first reference signal and transmitting the first radio signal; and the first reference-signal resource is reserved for the first reference signal.);
wherein the first signaling is used for indicating a first index group, the first index group comprising at least one index, of which each index is a non-negative integer; the first index group is used to determine a first reference signal resource from the first reference signal resource set, the first reference signal resource belonging to the first reference signal resource set, and the first reference signal resource being identified by an index in the first index group; the first reference signal resource is used to determine a precoder of the first signal (see ¶ [0259], e.g., any of the K reference-signal resource groups comprises a positive integer number of reference-signal resource(s); any reference-signal resource in the K reference-signal resource groups corresponds to one of M first-type indexes, M being a positive integer greater than 1; the first signaling is used by the second node N1 for activating a first index in the M first-type indexes; a first resource block is any of the K resource blocks, a first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block, and the first reference-signal resource is one reference-signal resource corresponding to the first index in a first reference-signal resource group; the first reference-signal resource group is one of the K reference-signal resource groups corresponding to the first resource block; the first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal; and the second information indicates the M. (Note that, implicitly implied from “a precoder in wireless communication is a form of a spatial-domain filter, specifically one used at the transmitter to shape the signal for better reception.”);
the second signaling is used for indicating a first target reference signal resource (see Fig. 13, e.g., element Second Signaling, activating, First reference signal resource);
the first condition comprises: the first target reference signal resource being used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a most recent transmission of the first reference signal resource (see ¶ [0259], e.g., a first resource block is any of the K resource blocks, a first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block, and the first reference-signal resource is one reference-signal resource corresponding to the first index in a first reference-signal resource group; ¶ [0388], e.g., the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal comprises that the first node in the present disclosure uses a same spatial-domain filter for receiving a first reference signal and transmitting the first radio signal; and the first reference-signal resource is reserved for the first reference signal.);
the operating is transmitting, or, the operating is receiving (Fig. 5 e.g., N1. Second node, U2 First Node, transmitting/receiving),
however, it does not explicitly teach, and dropping transmitting the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block when the first condition is unsatisfied; wherein whether the first condition is satisfied is used to determine whether the first signal is to be transmitted.
LIU teaches, and dropping transmitting the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block when the first condition is unsatisfied; wherein whether the first condition is satisfied is used to determine whether the first signal is to be transmitted (Fig. 1, e.g., Step 103; ¶ [0073], e.g., sends a first signal in a first time-frequency resource block or abstains from sending of the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block in Step 103. The first information block is used to indicate a first time-frequency resource block. The first access detection includes more than one time of first type monitoring. The first signal is sent in the first time-frequency resource block when a quantity of times of the first type monitoring, in the first access detection, with monitoring results indicating that a channel is idle is not less than Q1. Sending of the first signal is abstained from in the first time-frequency resource block when a quantity of times of the first type monitoring, in the first access detection, with monitoring results indicating that a channel is idle is less than Q1.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified transmitting of a first signal in the first time-frequency resource block of WU to incorporate the teachings of LIU to include dropping transmitting the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block when a condition is unsatisfied; and whether a condition is satisfied is used to determine whether the first signal is to be transmitted. Doing so would facilitate in achieving improved network efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, and 12, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11.
WU further teaches, the first node characterized in that
time-domain resources occupied by the second signaling are used to determine a first time; the first time- frequency resource block is no earlier than the first time in time domain; the first target reference signal resource is used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a transmission of any reference signal resource in the first reference signal resource set that is no earlier than the first time in time domain (see Fig. 10, e.g., element, Second radio signal, First Time; ¶ [0262], e.g., from a first time, the first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block; the first time is later than a time unit where the second radio signal is located, and a time interval between the first time and the time unit where the second radio signal is located is a first time interval.);
or, time-domain resources occupied by the second signaling are used to determine a first time; the first time- frequency resource block is no earlier than the first time in time domain; the first target reference signal resource is used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a transmission of any reference signal resource in the first reference signal resource set that is no earlier than the first time in time domain; a spatial-domain relation of a transmission of any reference signal resource in the first reference signal resource set that is earlier than the first time in time domain is unrelated to the first target reference signal resource.
Regarding claim 3, and 13, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11.
WU further teaches, the first node, characterized in that time-domain resources occupied by the second signaling are used to determine a first time; the first time-frequency resource block is no earlier than the first time in time domain; whether the most recent transmission of the first reference signal resource is earlier or later than the first time is used to determine whether the first condition is satisfied (see Fig. 10, e.g., element, Second radio signal, First Time; ¶ [0262], e.g., from a first time, the first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block; the first time is later than a time unit where the second radio signal is located, and a time interval between the first time and the time unit where the second radio signal is located is a first time interval. ¶ [0375], e.g., In one embodiment, a start time of time resources occupied by the second signaling is after the first time in the present disclosure. ¶ [0376], e.g., In one embodiment, after receiving the second signaling, the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block in the present disclosure.).
Regarding claim 4, and 14, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11.
WU further teaches, the first node, characterized in that the first reference signal resource comprises multiple transmissions, and the most recent transmission of the first reference signal resource is a transmission no later than and closest to a second time in time domain among the multiple transmissions of the first reference signal resource; the first time-frequency resource block is used to determine the second time, or, time-domain resources occupied by the first signaling are used to determine the second time (see ¶ [0376], e.g., after receiving the second signaling, the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block in the present disclosure; ¶ [0377], e.g., the first node in the present disclosure transmits a fourth radio signal, the fourth radio signal being used for determining that a PDSCH carrying the second signaling is correctly received; ¶ [0378], e.g., In one sub-embodiment of the above embodiment, from the second time, the first reference-signal resource is used for determining the spatial relation of the first resource block in the present disclosure; the second time is later than the time unit where the fourth radio signal is located, and a time interval between the second time and the time unit where the fourth radio signal is located in a second time interval.).
Regarding claim 5, and 15, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 1 and 11.
WU further teaches, the first node, characterized in that
the first reference signal resource set comprises M reference signal resources, M being a positive integer greater than 1; the M reference signal resources are respectively identified by M indexes; the first index group comprises M1 indexes, M1 being a positive integer greater than 1; M1 reference signal resources are reference signal resources in the first reference signal resource set respectively identified by the M1 indexes, and the Ml reference signal resources are used together for determining the precoder of the first signal; the first reference signal resource is identified by a first index, the first index being one of the Ml indexes, and the first reference signal resource being one of the Ml reference signal resources (see ¶ [0009], e.g., herein, the first information is used for determining K resource blocks, K being a positive integer greater than 1; the K resource blocks respectively correspond to K reference-signal resource groups, and any of the K reference signal resource groups comprises a positive integer number of reference-signal resource(s); any reference-signal resource in the K reference-signal resource groups corresponds to one of M first-type indexes, M being a positive integer greater than 1 ; the first signaling is used for activating a first index in the M first-type indexes; a first resource block is any of the K resource blocks, a first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block, and the first reference-signal resource is one reference-signal resource corresponding to the first index in a first reference-signal resource group; the first reference signal resource group is one of the K reference-signal resource groups corresponding to the first resource block.);
or, the first reference signal resource set comprises M reference signal resources, M being a positive integer greater than 1; the M reference signal resources are respectively identified by M indexes; the first index group comprises Ml indexes, Ml being a positive integer greater than 1; Ml reference signal resources are reference signal resources in the first reference signal resource set respectively identified by the M1 indexes, and the M1 reference signal resources are used together for determining the precoder of the first signal; the first reference signal resource is identified by a first index, the first index being one of the M1 indexes, and the first reference signal resource being one of the M1 reference signal resources; the first condition also comprises: the first target reference signal resource being used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a most recent transmission of each reference signal resource other than the first reference signal resource among the M1 reference signal resources.
Regarding claim 6, and 16, WU teaches a second node for wireless communications, comprising:
a second transmitter, transmitting a second signaling; and transmitting a first signaling, the first signaling being used for indicating a first time-frequency resource block (see Fig. 4, e.g., element 420, Transmitter - Receiver 420, 418; Fig. 5, e.g., element N1. Second Node, S5103. transmitting second signaling, S512. transmitting first signaling; ¶ [0243], e.g., The second communication device 450 at least: receives the first information in the present disclosure; and receives the first signaling in the present disclosure; herein, the first information is used for determining K resource blocks, K being a positive integer greater than 1; the K resource blocks respectively correspond to K reference-signal resource groups, and any of the K reference-signal resource groups comprises a positive integer number of reference-signal resource(s)); and
a second transmitter, executing a first reference signal resource set (see Fig. 5 e.g., U2 First Node, N1. Second node, transmitting, receiving, first radio signal in first resource block); and
a second receiver, monitoring a first signal in the first time-frequency resource block (see Fig. 5, e.g., element N1. Second Node, S5204. first radio signal, receiving first radio signal in first resource block; ¶ [0388], e.g., the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal comprises that the first node in the present disclosure uses a same spatial-domain filter for receiving a first reference signal and transmitting the first radio signal; and the first reference-signal resource is reserved for the first reference signal.);
wherein the first signaling is used for indicating a first index group, the first index group comprising at least one index, of which each index is a non-negative integer; the first index group is used to determine a first reference signal resource from the first reference signal resource set, the first reference signal resource belonging to the first reference signal resource set, and the first reference signal resource being identified by an index in the first index group; the first reference signal resource is used to determine a precoder of the first signal (see ¶ [0259], e.g., any of the K reference-signal resource groups comprises a positive integer number of reference-signal resource(s); any reference-signal resource in the K reference-signal resource groups corresponds to one of M first-type indexes, M being a positive integer greater than 1; the first signaling is used by the second node N1 for activating a first index in the M first-type indexes; a first resource block is any of the K resource blocks, a first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block, and the first reference-signal resource is one reference-signal resource corresponding to the first index in a first reference-signal resource group; the first reference-signal resource group is one of the K reference-signal resource groups corresponding to the first resource block; the first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal; and the second information indicates the M. (Note that, implicitly implied from “a precoder in wireless communication is a form of a spatial-domain filter, specifically one used at the transmitter to shape the signal for better reception.”);
the second signaling is used for indicating a first target reference signal resource (see Fig. 13, e.g., Second Signaling, activating, First reference signal resource);
when a first condition is satisfied, [[a]] the target receiver of the first signaling transmits a first signal in the first time-frequency resource block (see Fig. 5, e.g., element U2. First Node, S5204. Transmitting first radio signal in first resource block, first radio signal; ¶ [0388], e.g., the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal comprises that the first node in the present disclosure uses a same spatial-domain filter for receiving a first reference signal and transmitting the first radio signal; and the first reference-signal resource is reserved for the first reference signal.);
the first condition comprises: the first target reference signal resource being used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a most recent transmission of the first reference signal resource (see ¶ [0259], e.g., a first resource block is any of the K resource blocks, a first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block, and the first reference-signal resource is one reference-signal resource corresponding to the first index in a first reference-signal resource group; ¶ [0388], e.g., the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial-domain filter of the first radio signal comprises that the first node in the present disclosure uses a same spatial-domain filter for receiving a first reference signal and transmitting the first radio signal; and the first reference-signal resource is reserved for the first reference signal.);
the operating is transmitting, or, the operating is receiving (Fig. 5 e.g., N1. Second node, U2 First Node, transmitting/receiving),
however, it does not explicitly teach, wherein whether the first condition is satisfied is used to determine whether the first signal is transmitted by a target receiver of the first signaling, and when the first condition is unsatisfied, the target receiver of the first signaling drops transmitting the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block.
LIU teaches, wherein whether the first condition is satisfied is used to determine whether the first signal is transmitted by a target receiver of the first signaling, and when the first condition is unsatisfied, the target receiver of the first signaling drops transmitting the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block (see Fig. 1, e.g., Step 103; ¶ [0073], e.g., sends a first signal in a first time-frequency resource block or abstains from sending of the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block in Step 103. The first information block is used to indicate a first time-frequency resource block. The first access detection includes more than one time of first type monitoring. The first signal is sent in the first time-frequency resource block when a quantity of times of the first type monitoring, in the first access detection, with monitoring results indicating that a channel is idle is not less than Q1. Sending of the first signal is abstained from in the first time-frequency resource block when a quantity of times of the first type monitoring, in the first access detection, with monitoring results indicating that a channel is idle is less than Q1.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified transmitting of a first signal in the first time-frequency resource block of WU to incorporate the teachings of LIU to include dropping transmitting the first signal in the first time-frequency resource block when a condition is unsatisfied; and whether a condition is satisfied is used to determine whether the first signal is to be transmitted. Doing so would facilitate in achieving improved network efficiency.
Regarding claim 7, and 17, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 6 and 16.
WU further teaches, the second node characterized in that
time-domain resources occupied by the second signaling are used to determine a first time; the first time- frequency resource block is no earlier than the first time in time domain; the first target reference signal resource is used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a transmission of any reference signal resource in the first reference signal resource set that is no earlier than the first time in time domain (see Fig. 10, e.g., element, Second radio signal, First Time; ¶ [0262], e.g., from a first time, the first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block; the first time is later than a time unit where the second radio signal is located, and a time interval between the first time and the time unit where the second radio signal is located is a first time interval.);
or, time-domain resources occupied by the second signaling are used to determine a first time; the first time- frequency resource block is no earlier than the first time in time domain; the first target reference signal resource is used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a transmission of any reference signal resource in the first reference signal resource set that is no earlier than the first time in time domain; a spatial-domain relation of a transmission of any reference signal resource in the first reference signal resource set that is earlier than the first time in time domain is unrelated to the first target reference signal resource.
Regarding claim 8, and 18, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 6 and 16.
WU further teaches, the second node, characterized in that time-domain resources occupied by the second signaling are used to determine a first time; the first time-frequency resource block is no earlier than the first time in time domain; whether the most recent transmission of the first reference signal resource is earlier or later than the first time is used to determine whether the first condition is satisfied (see Fig. 10, e.g., element, Second radio signal, First Time; ¶ [0262], e.g., from a first time, the first reference-signal resource is used by the first node U2 for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block; the first time is later than a time unit where the second radio signal is located, and a time interval between the first time and the time unit where the second radio signal is located is a first time interval. ¶ [0375], e.g., In one embodiment, a start time of time resources occupied by the second signaling is after the first time in the present disclosure. ¶ [0376], e.g., In one embodiment, after receiving the second signaling, the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block in the present disclosure.).
Regarding claim 9, and 19, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 6 and 16.
WU further teaches, the second node, characterized in that the first reference signal resource comprises multiple transmissions, and the most recent transmission of the first reference signal resource is a transmission no later than and closest to a second time in time domain among the multiple transmissions of the first reference signal resource; the first time-frequency resource block is used to determine the second time, or, time-domain resources occupied by the first signaling are used to determine the second time (see ¶ [0376], e.g., after receiving the second signaling, the first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block in the present disclosure; ¶ [0377], e.g., the first node in the present disclosure transmits a fourth radio signal, the fourth radio signal being used for determining that a PDSCH carrying the second signaling is correctly received; ¶ [0378], e.g., In one sub-embodiment of the above embodiment, from the second time, the first reference-signal resource is used for determining the spatial relation of the first resource block in the present disclosure; the second time is later than the time unit where the fourth radio signal is located, and a time interval between the second time and the time unit where the fourth radio signal is located in a second time interval.).
Regarding claim 10, and 20, WU as combined with LIU teaches the limitations of Claim 6 and 16.
WU further teaches, the second node, characterized in that
the first reference signal resource set comprises M reference signal resources, M being a positive integer greater than 1; the M reference signal resources are respectively identified by M indexes; the first index group comprises M1 indexes, M1 being a positive integer greater than 1; M1 reference signal resources are reference signal resources in the first reference signal resource set respectively identified by the M1 indexes, and the Ml reference signal resources are used together for determining the precoder of the first signal; the first reference signal resource is identified by a first index, the first index being one of the Ml indexes, and the first reference signal resource being one of the Ml reference signal resources (see ¶ [0009], e.g., herein, the first information is used for determining K resource blocks, K being a positive integer greater than 1; the K resource blocks respectively correspond to K reference-signal resource groups, and any of the K reference signal resource groups comprises a positive integer number of reference-signal resource(s); any reference-signal resource in the K reference-signal resource groups corresponds to one of M first-type indexes, M being a positive integer greater than 1 ; the first signaling is used for activating a first index in the M first-type indexes; a first resource block is any of the K resource blocks, a first reference-signal resource is used for determining a spatial relation of the first resource block, and the first reference-signal resource is one reference-signal resource corresponding to the first index in a first reference-signal resource group; the first reference signal resource group is one of the K reference-signal resource groups corresponding to the first resource block.);
or, the first reference signal resource set comprises M reference signal resources, M being a positive integer greater than 1; the M reference signal resources are respectively identified by M indexes; the first index group comprises Ml indexes, Ml being a positive integer greater than 1; Ml reference signal resources are reference signal resources in the first reference signal resource set respectively identified by the M1 indexes, and the M1 reference signal resources are used together for determining the precoder of the first signal; the first reference signal resource is identified by a first index, the first index being one of the M1 indexes, and the first reference signal resource being one of the M1 reference signal resources; the first condition also comprises: the first target reference signal resource being used to determine a spatial-domain relation of a most recent transmission of each reference signal resource other than the first reference signal resource among the M1 reference signal resources.
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 POONAM SHARMA whose telephone number is (571)272-6579. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru 8:30-5:30 pm, ET.
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/POONAM SHARMA/Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/KEVIN T BATES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472