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 .
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 nonobviousness.
Claims 21-22, 30-32, and 36-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fakoorian et al. (2025/0254690), hereinafter Fakoorian, in view of Gao et al. (2024/0323976) hereinafter Gao.
Re. Claim 21, Fakoorian teaches an apparatus for a user equipment (UE) configured for operation in a New Radio (NR) network, the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry, wherein to configure the UE for a simultaneous transmission across multiple antenna panels (STxMP) in the NR network (¶0003 - a baseband processor is configured to perform operations comprising: receiving an RRC configuration information from a base station, wherein the RRC configuration information comprises an uplink transmission scheme using multiple antenna panels for transmitting multiple PUSCHs simultaneously using the plurality of the UE antenna panels), the processing circuitry is to: decode radio resource control (RRC) signaling received from a base station, the RRC signaling to configure the UE with a multiple panel simultaneous uplink transmission scheme for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (¶0003 - a baseband processor is configured to perform operations comprising: receiving an RRC configuration information from a base station, wherein the RRC configuration information comprises an uplink transmission scheme using multiple antenna panels for transmitting multiple PUSCHs simultaneously using the plurality of the UE antenna panels); and memory coupled to the processing circuitry and configured to store the DCI format (¶0050 - The processor 302 of the communication device 106 may be configured to implement part or all of the features described herein, e.g., by executing program instructions stored on a memory medium (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable memory medium)).
However, Fakoorian does not expressly teach decod[ing] a downlink control information (DCI) format received from the base station, the DCI format including a 2-bit field with a reference signal resource indicator; select a transmission mode for the multiple panel simultaneous uplink transmission scheme based on the reference signal resource indicator; and encode uplink data for transmission via the PUSCH based on the transmission mode.
Yet, Gao explicitly teaches decod[ing] a downlink control information (DCI) format received from the base station, the DCI format including a 2-bit field with a reference signal resource indicator (¶0038 - In some embodiments, the DCI that schedules the PUSCH transmission includes a first and a second sounding reference signal resource indicator, SRI, fields); select[ing] a transmission mode for the multiple panel simultaneous uplink transmission scheme based on the reference signal resource indicator; and encode[ing] uplink data for transmission via the PUSCH based on the transmission mode (¶0038 - the PUSCH transmission by the WD associated with the second SRS resource set comprises transmitting the PUSCH according to a second SRS resource indicator, SRI).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Gao to the teaching of Fakoorian. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency as Gao provides that the DCI received has a reference signal resource indicator and decides the PUSCH uplink data based on the disclosure of the DCI (¶0038, Gao). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 31, Claim 31 is the memory apparatus claim that covers the same method as disclosed in Claim 21. Claim 31 is rejected under the same grounds as disclosed above, as well as in view of Fakoorian ¶0048 (The processor(s) 302 may also be coupled to memory management unit (MMU) 340, which may be configured to receive addresses from the processor(s) 302 and translate those addresses to locations in memory (e.g., memory 306, read only memory (ROM) 350, NAND flash memory 310)).
Re. Claim 36, Claim 36 is the memory apparatus claim that covers the same method as disclosed in Claim 21. Claim 36 is rejected under the same grounds as disclosed above, as well as in view of Fakoorian ¶0046 (The communication device 106 may also include and/or be configured for use with one or more user interface elements).
Re. Claims 22, 32, and 37, Fakoorian and Gao teach Claims 21, 31, 36.
Additionally, Fakoorian further teaches wherein the reference signal resource indicator is a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource set indicator (¶0038 - the PUSCH transmission by the WD associated with the second SRS resource set comprises transmitting the PUSCH according to a second SRS resource indicator, SRI).
Re. Claim 30, Fakoorian and Gao teach Claim 21.
Additionally, Fakoorian further teaches an apparatus further comprising: transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry; and one or more antennas comprising the multiple antenna panels, the one or more antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry (¶0057 - The base station 102 may include at least one antenna 434, and possibly multiple antennas. The at least one antenna 434 may be configured to operate as a wireless transceiver and may be further configured to communicate with UE devices 106 via radio 430).
Claims 23-28, 33-35, and 38-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fakoorian in view of Gao and Chou et al. (2026/0213818), hereinafter Chou.
Re. Claims 23, 33 and 38, Fakoorian and Gao teach Claims 22, 32, and 37.
However, the combination of Fakoorian and Gao does not explicitly teach wherein different values of the SRS resource set indicator are associated with different antenna panels of the multiple antenna panels.
Yet, Chou expressly teaches wherein different values of the SRS resource set indicator are associated with different antenna panels of the multiple antenna panels (¶0065 - Two CSI-RS/SRS #1 and #2 are processed with two separate spatial filters F1 and F2 and transmitted over two antenna panels P1 and P2, respectively, at a same time or at different times).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Chou to the teaching of Fakoorian and Gao. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency as Chou provides that the different values of the SRS are associated with different antenna panels (¶0065, Chou). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claims 24, 34, and 39, Fakoorian, and Gao, teach Claims 21, 31, and 36.
However, Fakoorian and Gaodo not expressly teach wherein the processing circuitry is to: decode multiple channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) transmissions originating from the base station, the multiple CSI-RS transmissions including a first CSI-RS received at a first UE antenna panel of the multiple antenna panels from a first transmission- reception point (TRP) of the base station and a second CSI-RS received at a second UE antenna panel of the multiple antenna panels from a second TRP of the base station; determine a first reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement corresponding to the first CSI-RS and a second RSRP measurement corresponding to the second CSI-RS; encode a channel state information (CSI) report for transmission to the base station, the CSI report including the first RSRP measurement with a panel identification (ID) of the first UE antenna panel, and the second RSRP measurement with a panel ID of the second UE antenna panel; and decode configuration signaling received from the base station, the configuration signaling scheduling the transmission as one of a single-panel uplink (UL) transmission or an STxMP transmission based on the CSI report.
Yet, Chou expressly teaches wherein the processing circuitry is to: decode multiple channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) transmissions originating from the base station, the multiple CSI-RS transmissions including a first CSI-RS received at a first UE antenna panel of the multiple antenna panels from a first transmission- reception point (TRP) of the base station and a second CSI-RS received at a second UE antenna panel of the multiple antenna panels from a second TRP of the base station (¶0065 - Two CSI-RS/SRS #1 and #2 are processed with two separate spatial filters F1 and F2 and transmitted over two antenna panels P1 and P2, respectively, at a same time or at different times); determine a first reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement corresponding to the first CSI-RS and a second RSRP measurement corresponding to the second CSI-RS (¶0065 - Two CSI-RS/SRS #1 and #2 are processed with two separate spatial filters F1 and F2 and transmitted over two antenna panels P1 and P2, respectively, at a same time or at different times. & Example #11 & 12 (¶0187-0194) – Explanation and exemplary embodiments of how power is measured for the CSI-RS report); encode a channel state information (CSI) report for transmission to the base station, the CSI report including the first RSRP measurement with a panel identification (ID) of the first UE antenna panel, and the second RSRP measurement with a panel ID of the second UE antenna panel (¶0067 - a network (e.g., a base station) can configure a CSI report configuration to a device. The device can perform a channel measurement and report measurement results to the network based on the CSI report configuration… The quantities can also include reference-signal received power (RSRP) reflecting a received signal strength); and
decode configuration signaling received from the base station, the configuration signaling scheduling the transmission as one of a single-panel uplink (UL) transmission or an STxMP transmission based on the CSI report (¶0003 - Channel state information (CSI) for the operation of the massive multi-antenna schemes can be obtained by the feedback of the CSI report based on the transmission of reference signals in the downlink or uplink between the network and the mobile device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Chou to the teaching of Fakoorian and Gao. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency as Chou provides that the CSI-RS is used to compare with a received signal power in order to create a CSI report to transmit to a base station to identify the panels to be used for transmission (¶0065-0067, Chou). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claims 25, 35, and 40, Fakoorian, Gao, and Chou teach Claims 24, 34, and 39.
Additionally, Fakoorian further teaches, wherein the processing circuitry is to: decode a second DCI including the configuration signaling, the second DCI received on a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and the configuration signaling including an UL grant scheduling the STxMP transmission (¶0082 - the single DCI is transmitted as part of PDCCH 610. The single DCI contains an uplink resource allocation for resources to be used by UE 602 to transmit multiple PUSCHs across different panels).
Re. Claim 26, Fakoorian, Gao, and Chou teach Claim 25.
However, Fakoorian does not expressly teach wherein the processing circuitry is to: encode UL data for the STxMP transmission to the first TRP via the first UE antenna panel and the second TRP via the second UE antenna panel based on the UL grant.
Yet, Gao explicitly teaches wherein the processing circuitry is to: encode UL data for the STxMP transmission to the first TRP via the first UE antenna panel and the second TRP via the second UE antenna panel based on the UL grant (¶0028 - a PUSCH enhancement is to be introduced in which a PUSCH scheduled by a single DCI can be repeated towards to two TRPs. To support that, two SRS resource sets can be configured, each associated with one of the two TRPs for both codebook based and non-codebook based PUSCH schemes).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Gao to the teaching of Fakoorian. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency as Gao provides that the data for the simultaneous transmission is sent to a pair of TRP’s via panels selected for uplink (¶0028, Gao). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 27, Fakoorian, Gao, and Chou teach Claim 25.
However, Fakoorian does not expressly teach wherein the DCI is received from one of the first TRP or the second TRP.
Yet, Gao explicitly teaches wherein the DCI is received from one of the first TRP (¶0074 - a transmission reception point (TRP) may be either a network node, a radio head, etc. & ¶0092 - the TRPs being selected according to downlink control information (DCI) received from a network node. Additionally, Examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features needs to be mapped because of the presence of “Or”) OR the second TRP.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Gao to the teaching of Fakoorian. The motivation for such would be to improve transmission efficiency as Gao provides that one of the DCI’s is sent from a TRP and received to schedule UL transmission (¶0074, ¶0092, Gao). All of the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements, as claimed by known methods, and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention.
Re. Claim 28, Fakoorian, Gao, and Chou teach Claim 24.
Additionally, Fakoorian further teaches wherein the processing circuitry is to: decode a second DCI received from the first TRP on a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), the second DCI including a first UL grant scheduling a first UL transmission of the STxMP transmission to the first TRP (¶0082 - the single DCI is transmitted as part of PDCCH 610. The single DCI contains an uplink resource allocation for resources to be used by UE 602 to transmit multiple PUSCHs across different panels).
Examiner’s Comments
Re. Claim 29, Fakoorian, Gao, and Chou teach claim 28.
These above cited claims are reliant on an alternate limitation that Examiner did not elect in their original rejection. Claims 28 refer specifically to “a third DCI received from the second TRP on a second PDCCH”, each of which were contingent limitations found in Claim 27. Pursuant to MPEP 2111.04 II (“Contingent Limitations”) which reads in part:
The broadest reasonable interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met. For example, assume a method claim requires step A if a first condition happens and step B if a second condition happens. If the claimed invention may be practiced without either the first or second condition happening, then neither step A or B is required by the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim. If the claimed invention requires the first condition to occur, then the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim requires step A. If the claimed invention requires both the first and second conditions to occur, then the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim requires both steps A and B.
As such, examiner will neither be considering the claims in the present rejection, rejecting the claims outright, nor be performing an election on behalf of the Applicant in view of future prosecution. Should the claims no longer be reliant on contingent limitations as outlined in the above cited language, the claims found herein will be considered in their entirety alongside the rest of the claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Nogami et al. (2023/0180260) - ¶0040-0052;
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NOAH JAMES SUGDEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7406. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 9:00-6:00 ET, Fri 9:00-1:00 ET.
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, Khaled Kassim can be reached at (571) 270-3770. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/N.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/HASHIM S BHATTI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475
