DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted was filed after the mailing date. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected for reciting “OFDM” without first defining the acronym. Though OFDM in this case is a known term, Applicant should first define the acronym for clarity before referring to it by “OFDM.” Claim 16, 21 objected for the same reason.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 14, 20-24 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim pertains to a signal per se. Claim 14 recites “a computer-readable medium having computer instruction stored thereon” which may be interpreted as being a transitory signal. The specification [0112]-[0115] discloses several physical embodiment as examples of “computer-readable medium” but does not exclude the use of transitory signals. Transitory signals fall under non-statutory subject matter. Applicant must recite in claim 14 that the computer-readable medium is “non-transitory.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2-5, 15-18, 20-23 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 2, Applicant recites “TS pilot frequency” without first defining the acronym “TS.” The dependent claims further recite the acronym “TS” and it is not clear if these claims are referring to the same meaning of “TS.” Thus, Applicant must first define this term before referring to it by its acronym.
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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 6, 13-14 , 19, 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ren et al. (“Ren”) (CN 101848183 A, as cited/provided by Applicant) in view of Yang et al. (“Yang”) (US 20070291635 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ren teaches:
A method for generating a pilot frequency sequence, comprising:
generating a data pilot frequency by a data pilot frequency generator of a transmitting end [¶0039 “the system transmits the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block data” corresponding to generating data pilot frequency],
and generating a multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence by a multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence mapper of the transmitting end [¶0039 “ the system transmits the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block data transmitting antenna is with the corresponding Walsh code assigned to each transmitting antenna (Walsh) orthogonal code to code, the data of the pilot sub-carrier continuous pilot frequency block in and non-pilot data block in data sub-carrier upper bit stream sent by separate each antenna is accomplished through constellation mapping” each antenna sending the stream corresponding to multi-stream];
generating an orthogonal code by an orthogonal code generator of the transmitting end [¶0039-40, generate Walsh code], and generating an extracted orthogonal code word [¶0040 “the Nt sending antenna is the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block (wherein the pilot block length of N system. the data of each pilot sub-carrier is all " 1 ") and the respective transmitting antenna orthogonal to the assigned Walsh code (code length is N. ) is multiplied (i.e., coding),” thus code word is generated] obtaining, by the transmitting end, a data pilot frequency sending value by multiplying the multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence of each symbol by the corresponding orthogonal code word [¶0040 “the Nt sending antenna is the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block (wherein the pilot block length of N system. the data of each pilot sub-carrier is all " 1 ") and the respective transmitting antenna orthogonal to the assigned Walsh code (code length is N. ) is multiplied (i.e., coding),”]; and sending, by the transmitting end, the data pilot frequency sending value to a receiving end [¶041 “Step 120: system for each transmitting antenna is the frequency-domain OFDM signal Nfft points after IFFT conversion, parallel-to-serial conversion (p) and appending a cyclic prefix (CP) to generate the time domain OFDM signal through wireless MIMO channel transmission to receiving antenna;”].
Ren teaches determining the code word but does not teach a column loop extractor.
Yang teaches by a column loop extractor of the transmitting end [¶0021, Walsh code extracted from a column of a matrix corresponding to a column loop extractor].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify extracting the code from a column as in Yang who teaches this allows for Walsh codes as part of a standard spreading process in order to provide channel estimation aid in subsequent demodulation and demultiplexing of the transmitted signal ¶0021.
Regarding claim 6, Ren-Yang teaches:
The method for generating the pilot frequency sequence according to claim 1.
Ren teaches communication system but not Wi-Fi however Yang teaches wherein, the method for generating the pilot frequency sequence is applied to a Wi-Fi communication system [¶0020 teaches pilot tones for spreading in OFDM, wherein OFDM used in 802.11 as in ¶0002-3 known to be Wi-Fi].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify in Ren that the communication system in 802.11 i.e. Wi-Fi. Ren teaches a communication system employing pilot tones and it would have been a simple substitution of parts to replace the unspecified system of Ren with Wi-Fi as Yang teaches OFDM techniques are widely used in IEEE802.11 networks ¶0002.
Regarding claim 13, Ren teaches:
An electronic device, comprising a memory, a processor and a computer program stored on the memory and executable on the processor, wherein, the processor is configured [Figure 2 shows various processors, ¶0037 indicates memory] to:
generate a data pilot frequency by a data pilot frequency generator of a transmitting end [¶0039 “the system transmits the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block data” corresponding to generating data pilot frequency],
and generate a multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence by a multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence mapper of the transmitting end [¶0039 “ the system transmits the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block data transmitting antenna is with the corresponding Walsh code assigned to each transmitting antenna (Walsh) orthogonal code to code, the data of the pilot sub-carrier continuous pilot frequency block in and non-pilot data block in data sub-carrier upper bit stream sent by separate each antenna is accomplished through constellation mapping” each antenna sending the stream corresponding to multi-stream];
generate an orthogonal code by an orthogonal code generator of the transmitting end [¶0039-40, generate Walsh code], and generate an extracted orthogonal code word [¶0040 “the Nt sending antenna is the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block (wherein the pilot block length of N system. the data of each pilot sub-carrier is all " 1 ") and the respective transmitting antenna orthogonal to the assigned Walsh code (code length is N. ) is multiplied (i.e., coding),” thus code word is generated] obtain a data pilot frequency sending value by multiplying the multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence of each symbol by the corresponding orthogonal code word [¶0040 “the Nt sending antenna is the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block (wherein the pilot block length of N system. the data of each pilot sub-carrier is all " 1 ") and the respective transmitting antenna orthogonal to the assigned Walsh code (code length is N. ) is multiplied (i.e., coding),”]; and send the data pilot frequency sending value to a receiving end [¶041 “Step 120: system for each transmitting antenna is the frequency-domain OFDM signal Nfft points after IFFT conversion, parallel-to-serial conversion (p) and appending a cyclic prefix (CP) to generate the time domain OFDM signal through wireless MIMO channel transmission to receiving antenna;”].
Ren teaches determining the code word but does not teach a column loop extractor.
Yang teaches by a column loop extractor [¶0021, Walsh code extracted from a column of a matrix corresponding to a column loop extractor].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify extracting the code from a column as in Yang who teaches this allows for Walsh codes as part of a standard spreading process in order to provide channel estimation aid in subsequent demodulation and demultiplexing of the transmitted signal ¶0021.
Regarding claim 14, Ren teaches:
A computer-readable medium having a computer instruction stored thereon, wherein, the computer instruction, when executed by a processor, implements: [Figure 2 shows various processors, ¶0037 indicates memory] to:
generate a data pilot frequency by a data pilot frequency generator of a transmitting end [¶0039 “the system transmits the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block data” corresponding to generating data pilot frequency],
and generating a multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence by a multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence mapper of the transmitting end [¶0039 “ the system transmits the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block data transmitting antenna is with the corresponding Walsh code assigned to each transmitting antenna (Walsh) orthogonal code to code, the data of the pilot sub-carrier continuous pilot frequency block in and non-pilot data block in data sub-carrier upper bit stream sent by separate each antenna is accomplished through constellation mapping” each antenna sending the stream corresponding to multi-stream];
generating an orthogonal code by an orthogonal code generator of the transmitting end [¶0039-40, generate Walsh code], and generating an extracted orthogonal code word [¶0040 “the Nt sending antenna is the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block (wherein the pilot block length of N system. the data of each pilot sub-carrier is all " 1 ") and the respective transmitting antenna orthogonal to the assigned Walsh code (code length is N. ) is multiplied (i.e., coding),” thus code word is generated] obtaining a data pilot frequency sending value by multiplying the multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence of each symbol by the corresponding orthogonal code word [¶0040 “the Nt sending antenna is the continuous pilot frequency sub-carrier block (wherein the pilot block length of N system. the data of each pilot sub-carrier is all " 1 ") and the respective transmitting antenna orthogonal to the assigned Walsh code (code length is N. ) is multiplied (i.e., coding),”]; and sending the data pilot frequency sending value to a receiving end [¶041 “Step 120: system for each transmitting antenna is the frequency-domain OFDM signal Nfft points after IFFT conversion, parallel-to-serial conversion (p) and appending a cyclic prefix (CP) to generate the time domain OFDM signal through wireless MIMO channel transmission to receiving antenna;”].
Ren teaches determining the code word but does not teach a column loop extractor.
Yang teaches by a column loop extractor [¶0021, Walsh code extracted from a column of a matrix corresponding to a column loop extractor].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify extracting the code from a column as in Yang who teaches this allows for Walsh codes as part of a standard spreading process in order to provide channel estimation aid in subsequent demodulation and demultiplexing of the transmitted signal ¶0021.
Claim 19, 24, see similar rejection for claim 6.
Claim(s) 2-3, 15-16, 20-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ren et al. (“Ren”) (CN 101848183 A) in view of Yang et al. (“Yang”) (US 20070291635 A1) and Mody et al. (“Mody” ) (US 20060239370 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Ren-Yang teaches:
The method for generating the pilot frequency sequence according to claim 1.
Ren teaches pilot symbols but not training sequence.
Mody teaches wherein, the method further comprises:
obtaining a TS pilot frequency sending value by generating a TS pilot frequency by a TS pilot frequency generator of the transmitting end [Figure 1, shows multi-stream transmitter, ¶0037 generate training symbols to be placed in frame at specific sub-carrier frequencies on respective transmitting antennas see ¶0029, and ¶0042 training symbols being TS pilot frequency sending value placed along with data symbols in frequency domain corresponding to TS pilot frequency generator obtaining a TS pilot frequency sending value] and generating a multi- stream TS pilot frequency sequence by a multi-stream TS pilot frequency sequence mapper of the transmitting end [¶0041 “a training sequence may be generated by modulating each of the symbols on the TDBs with a known sequence of symbols in the frequency domain and passing the symbols through the IDFT stage 38. Generally, such a known sequence of symbols is obtained from an alphabet which has its constituents on the unit circle in the complex domain and such that the resultant sequence in the time domain has a suitable Peak to Average Power Ratio (PAPR).” And see ¶0028 TDB refers to different transmit branches]; and sending the TS pilot frequency sending value to the receiving end [¶0037-39, ¶0043-49 shows transmission of signal with training sequence].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify TS symbols included in the transmission. Ren teaches pilot symbols and it would have been obvious to specify training symbols among pilot symbols as in Mody who teaches the training sequence are for periodic calibration (synchronization and channel parameter estimation) ¶0039.
Regarding claim 3, Ren-Yang-Mody teaches:
The method for generating the pilot frequency sequence according to claim 2.
Ren teaches pilot symbols but not TS symbols interspersed with data symbols.
Mody teaches wherein, the method further comprises: generating a multi-stream TS OFDM symbol and a multi-stream data OFDM symbol by an OFDM symbol generator of the transmitting end [Mody Figure 1 shows multi-stream, again in Figure 4, ¶0042 “add the training symbols and pilot symbols to the frame. Other embodiments may be used in place of the adders 34 for combining the training symbols and pilot symbols with the data symbols in the frame” which is then fed to OFDM modulator ¶0043-44 to create the OFDM TS symbols, pilot symbols, data symbols see Figure 3], inserting the multi-stream TS pilot frequency sequence between the multi-stream TS OFDM symbols [¶0062 “Transmission of the training sequence of length N.sub.I corresponds to exciting every Ith sub-channel of an OFDM signal having a block size N.” and ¶0063 “ the training sequence of length N.sub.I may be generated by first modulating every Ith sub-channel of the OFDM block by a known sequence of symbols” wherein the Ith subcarriers carrying the sequence corresponding to being between the other subcarriers carrying the TS OFDM symbols generated by training symbol inserter 32 in Figure 2], and inserting the multi-stream data pilot frequency sequence between the multi-stream data OFDM symbols [Mody, Figure 2, pilot symbol inserter added between data symbols, see inserter 32 adding the symbols between data channel symbols, and see ¶0042].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify TS symbols included in the transmission. Ren teaches pilot symbols and it would have been obvious to specify training symbols among pilot symbols as in Mody who teaches the training sequence are for periodic calibration (synchronization and channel parameter estimation) ¶0039.
Claim 15-16, 20-21, see similar rejection for claims 2-3 teaching the same set of steps.
Claim(s) 4, 17, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ren et al. (“Ren”) (CN 101848183 A) in view of Yang et al. (“Yang”) (US 20070291635 A1) and Mody et al. (“Mody” ) (US 20060239370 A1), Maltsev et al. (“Maltsev”) (WO 2004086709 A1), Oprea (US 20040192218 A1) (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Ren et al.”).
Regarding claim 4, Ren-Yang-Mody teaches:
The method for generating the pilot frequency sequence according to claim 2, wherein, the TS pilot frequency sending value and the data pilot frequency sending value are configured to enable the receiving end to: obtain channel estimation of a TS pilot frequency [Mody ¶0064 training sequence structure to aid in channel estimation, see rationale for combination as in claim 2].
Ren in view of Mody teaches TS symbols for channel estimation but does not teach phase estimation.
Maltsev teaches obtain TS phase estimation [Page 9-12, “ Recursive filter 208 may also include multiplication element 226 to multiply residual observation vector 224 by gain matrix result 228 to generate residual gain vector 230. Addition element 232 may add residual gain vector 230 to linear prediction vector 234 to generate estimate vector 236. Estimate vector 236 may be a multi-dimensional vector comprised of a frequency offset estimate and phase compensation estimate 212”]; compensate the TS phase estimation [page 9-12, “a phase compensation estimate may be used by phase compensator 159 after performing an FFT.”], and perform phase offset compensation by estimating a phase offset according to the channel estimation and current pilot frequency and updating the phase offset [[page 9-12, Figure 3, 307 and 308 use channel estimates to generate phase offset compensation, channel estimate based on pilot subcarriers and training symbols, update phase offset following phase compensation to “generate a predicted […] phase for a next data symbol”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the TS symbols allow for phase estimation and compensation as in Maltsev in order to enable “for phase tracking data symbols during processing of the OFDM packet” as in page 8-9 considered conventional in the prior art.
Ren in view of Maltsev teaches phase compensation but does not teach the claimed channel estimation technique.
Oprea teaches obtain estimation of a TS pilot frequency point by removing an orthogonal matrix on a TS non pilot frequency position and performing channel estimation, and performing interpolation [Figure 2, determine frequency response matrix, corresponding to channel estimation, see ¶0068, and ¶0115 training symbols multiplied with stored training symbols to remove the modulation corresponding to removing the orthogonal matrix applied to the transmission, and interpolation performed to determine channel estimation].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the channel estimation technique of Oprea. Ren in view of Maltsev teaches generating phase compensation using a channel estimate and it would have been obvious to specify the channe estimation technique of Oprea to generate the frequency response ¶0115 and overcome the problem of computationally intensive channel matrix generation ¶0008.
Claim 17, 22, see similar rejection for claims 4 teaching the same set of steps.
Claim(s) 5, 18, 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ren et al. in view of Seo et al. (“Seo”) (US 20040141457 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Ren et al. teaches:
The method for generating the pilot frequency sequence according to claim 4.
Ren et al. teaches channel and phase estimation but does not teach phase rotation and TS multiplication.
Seo teaches wherein, the TS pilot frequency sending value and the data pilot frequency sending value are configured to enable the receiving end to obtain the TS phase estimation and compensate the TS phase estimation comprising: the TS pilot frequency sending value and the data pilot frequency sending value are configured to enable the receiving end to estimate TS phase rotation by conjugating and multiplying TS adjacent symbols to obtain a product of sum square and phase rotation; and compensate the TS phase rotation [¶0047, multiplying first and second training symbols corresponding to adjacent, conjugation, and obtaining product / phase rotation, ¶0063 phase rotation is used for computation by rotating].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the phase compensation technique as in Seo in order that the offset can be corrected as in ¶0063.
Claim 18, 23 see similar rejection for claims 5 teaching the same set of steps.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO 2020192910 A1
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/JAY L VOGEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478