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 . This action is in response to the communication filed on 4/21/2023. Claims 1-15 are pending in this application.
Examiner Note
The examiner is here to serve, to assist, and to help applicant to the very best of his ability. The Primary Patent Examiner position is a position of serving and it is an honor to externally serve the applicant and attorney and to internally serve junior examiners and supervisors. The goal of the examiner is to work with and assist applicant to move cases along as efficiently as possible.
Applicant is encouraged to call examiner to schedule an interview if applicant has any questions about this action, wants to discuss any possible paths forward, has proposed amendments to the claims to run by the examiner, or for any other issues that applicant would like to discuss.
Examiner can normally be reached at (571) 270-3863 or michael.keller@uspto.gov, Monday-Friday, from about 6 AM - 10 PM EST and if your call is missed examiner will try to return call quickly, thank you.
Priority
This application claims priority of 63/094,831, filed 10/21/2020. The assignee of record is Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. The listed inventor(s) is/are: Cheema, Sher Ali; Bhamri, Ankit; Ghanbarinejad, Majid; Ali, Ali Ramadan; Nangia, Vijay.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 4/21/2023 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-8 & 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kaikkonen (WO 2020089388 A1, published 5/7/2020; hereinafter WO388)
For Claim 1, WO388 teaches a User Equipment ("UE") apparatus comprising: a transceiver that receives a measurement-and-reporting configuration from a mobile communication network, wherein the measurement-and-reporting configuration maps a plurality of Channel State Information ("CSI") measurements and reporting periodicities to at least one of: location parameters and measured signal strength threshold values (WO388 ¶ 0083 second bullet, the UE applies alternative measurement configuration based on specific condition, or otherwise a normal configuration. It is further given that the measurement configuration can be seen as the measurement periodicity. This implies that a UE is configured with at least 2 different configurations of periodicity for two different conditions; the condition is further in ¶ 0083 disclosed as signal quality being above threshold or the UE location being within geographical boundaries); and
a processor that: maps the received measurement-and-reporting configuration to at least one of: a current location and a signal measurement value (WO388 ¶ 0083 the mask may be applied by UE as long as signal quality specific thresholds apply for a specific signal (CSI-RS/SSB) or UE location remains within specific geographical boundaries); and
dynamically adjusts a measurement behavior in response to the received measurement-and-reporting configuration, wherein the measurement behavior is adjusted based on at least one of: the current location and the signal measurement value, wherein adjusting the measurement behavior comprises at least one of: adjusting a measurement periodicity and a adjusting a reporting periodicity (WO388 ¶ 0083 the mask may be applied by UE as long as signal quality specific thresholds apply for a specific signal (CSI-RS/SSB) or UE location remains within specific geographical boundaries (e.g. based on positioning measurements or GPS), or configured by network when UE is estimated to be in specific location in a cell based on LI RSRP measurements/SS-RSRP measurements.).
For Claim 2, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement-and-reporting configuration comprises a mapping table that maps a received signal threshold value to at least one of: a CSI measurement periodicity, a CSI reporting periodicity, and a bandwidth part ("BWP") configuration (WO388 ¶ 0083 last bullet, as long as signal specific thresholds apply or UE location remains within specific geographical boundaries, a mask is applied, i.e. a longer period between measurements on CSI-RS. This periodicity is referred to as temporary configuration in par. [0083], page 28, second bullet, to differentiate it from a normal configuration which refers to no modification in the period between the measurements. This is in essence a table with two possibilities associating a threshold in signal or UE location with appropriate periodicity for measurements).
For Claim 3, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measurement-and-reporting configuration comprises a mapping table that maps a location parameter to at least one of: a CSI measurement periodicity, a CSI reporting periodicity, and a bandwidth part ("BWP") configuration (WO388 ¶ 0083).
For Claim 4, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting the measurement behavior comprises adjusting the measurement behavior based on a comparison of a measured signal strength to a received signal threshold value, wherein the processor further performs signal strength measurements on both an active bandwidth part ("BWP") and on at least one inactive BWP (WO388 ¶ 0083).
For Claim 5, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein dynamically adjusting the measurement behavior comprises adjusting the measurement behavior based on the current location, wherein the processor further performs measurement on both an active bandwidth part ("BWP") and also on at least one inactive BWP based on the current location (WO388 ¶ 0083).
For Claim 6, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor further requests the mobile communication network for one of: triggering a CSI measurement-and-reporting procedure, and activating a CSI measurement-and-reporting procedure, said request based on at least one of: a signal measurement value and a current location (WO388 ¶ 0083).
For Claim 7, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor further requests the mobile communication network for configuring a mapping table for CSI measurement periodicities and/or CSI reporting periodicities, said request based on at least one of:a signal measurement value and a current location (WO388 ¶ 0100).
For Claim 8, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein identifying a current location of the UE comprises receiving an explicit indication from the mobile communication network (WO388 ¶ 0004, 0053).
For Claim(s) 14, the claim(s) is/are substantially similar to claim 1 and therefore is/are rejected for the same reasoning set forth above.
For Claim 15, WO388 teaches a method of a mobile communication network, the method comprising:
transmitting a measurement-and-reporting configuration to a User Equipment ("UE"), wherein the measurement-and-reporting configuration maps a plurality of Channel State Information ("CSI") measurements and reporting periodicities to at least one of: location parameters and signal strength threshold values (WO388 ¶ 0083);
transmitting a set of reference signals (WO388 ¶ 0082, 0088-0089); and
receiving a CSI measurement report from the UE according to the measurement- and-reporting configuration (WO388 ¶ 0083).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO388 in view of Wang (WO 2021076466 A1, filed 10/13/2020; hereinafter WO466).
For Claim 9, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, WO388 does not explicitly teach wherein the transceiver further: receives a second configuration that associates each configured bandwidth part ("BWP") with a specific beam; and receives Downlink Control Information ("DCI") containing a BWP index in a BWP indication field, wherein the processor automatically switches to a beam associated with the indicated BWP in response to the BWP index in DCI.
However, WO466 teaches wherein the transceiver further: receives a second configuration that associates each configured bandwidth part ("BWP") with a specific beam (WO466 ¶ 0031); and receives Downlink Control Information ("DCI") containing a BWP index in a BWP indication field, wherein the processor automatically switches to a beam associated with the indicated BWP in response to the BWP index in DCI (WO466 ¶ 0076, 0128, Figs. 6C, 6D, Claims 9-11).
WO466 and WO388 are analogous art because they are both related to managing beam configurations.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the beam specific configurations and techniques of WO466 with the system of WO388 because it allows the UE to directly initiate UL or DL communications with the satellite using the known beam parameters (such as UL BWP, DL BWP, PRACH, and the like) (WO466 ¶ 0032).
For Claim 10, WO388-WO466 teaches the apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second configuration associates a first BWP with a first beam by including a source reference signal ("RS") with a Quasi-Co- Location ("QCL") type-D assumption (WO466 ¶ 0115).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO388-WO466 as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Huang (EP 3565172 A1, published 11/16/2019; hereinafter EP172).
For Claim 11, WO388-WO466 teaches the apparatus of claim 9, WO388-WO466 does not explicitly teach wherein when a BWP is associated with at least one beam, then the UE does not consider a Transmission Configuration Indicator ("TCI") indication field in the received DCI.
However, EP172 teaches wherein when a BWP is associated with at least one beam, then the UE does not consider a Transmission Configuration Indicator ("TCI") indication field in the received DCI (EP172 ¶ 0199, 0201).
EP172 and WO388-WO466 are analogous art because they are both related to managing beam configurations.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the beam specific configurations and techniques of EP172 with the system of WO388-WO466 to allow UE to assume value of TCI field (Ep172 ¶ 0199).
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO388 in view of Ma et al. (US 20220006600 A1, Provisional 63/047,904 filed 7/2/2020, support can be found Pgs 21-22 ¶ 0017, 0019 of provisional, examiner notes there are 2 sets of ¶ 0017, 0019 and refers for support to the second set found on pages 21 and 22, thank you; hereinafter Ma).
For Claim 12, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, WO388 does not explicitly teach wherein the processor further triggers a bandwidth part ("BWP") switch by sending a combined BWP and beam identifier.
However, Ma teaches wherein the processor further triggers a bandwidth part ("BWP") switch by sending a combined BWP and beam identifier (Ma ¶ 0157-0159).
Ma and WO388 are analogous art because they are both related to managing beam configurations.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the beam specific configurations and techniques of Ma with the system of WO388 to signal to a UE as to which beam(s) to use for communications with the network entity (Ma ¶ 0157).
For Claim 13, WO388 teaches the apparatus of claim 1, WO388 does not explicitly teach wherein the processor further triggers a beam switch by sending a combined bandwidth part ("BWP") and beam identifier.
However, Ma teaches wherein the processor further triggers a beam switch by sending a combined bandwidth part ("BWP") and beam identifier (Ma ¶ 0157-0159).
Ma and WO388 are analogous art because they are both related to managing beam configurations.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the beam specific configurations and techniques of Ma with the system of WO388 to signal to a UE as to which beam(s) to use for communications with the network entity (Ma ¶ 0157).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed below, thank you:
i. 3GPP TS 38.214 V15.11.0 (2020-09), 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Physical layer procedures for data (Release 15), 2020
ii. 3GPP TS 38.212 V15.9.0 (2020-06) Technical Specification 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Multiplexing and channel coding (Release 15), 2020
iii. 3GPP TS 38.215 V15.7.0 (2020-06) Technical Specification 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Physical layer measurements (Release 15), 2020
Please see PTO-892 for additional listing of relevant prior art made of record but not relied upon, thank you.
Conclusion
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/MICHAEL A KELLER/
Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446