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 .
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.
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.
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.
Claims 1-2, 17, 19-20, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. 2021/0058910 to Yokomakura et al. (hereinafter Yokomakura) in view of US Pub. 2021/0234601 to Awadin et al. (hereinafter Awadin).
In regard amended claim 1, Yokomakura teaches or discloses a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (see Fig. 1), comprising:
receiving, from a network device, a radio resource control message (see paragraphs [0062], [0125], [0126], [0141], [0142], [0144], and [0145], the base station apparatus 3 and the terminal apparatus 1 may transmit and/or receive Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling (also referred to as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or Radio Resource Control (RRC) information) in an RRC layer. Here, the RRC signaling and/or the MAC control element is also referred to as higher layer signaling. For example, the higher layer in a process of the MAC layer may include one or more layers of an RRC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, a NAS layer, and the like) comprising an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals;
receiving, from the network device, a downlink control information message triggering a transmission of one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraph [0145], the terminal apparatus 1 may receive the SRS transmission request (SRS request) from the base station apparatus 3 through the DCI or the MAC CE and the RRC signaling, for the SRS resource for which the time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resources. The SRS transmission request (SRS request) includes one or more trigger states, and one or more trigger states is associated with each SRS resource configuration and/or each SRS resource set configuration for which a time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resource configurations and/or the respective SRS resource set configurations), wherein the downlink control information message comprises a code point on a sounding reference signal resource set (see paragraphs [0187], and [0188], receive a configuration of one or more SRS resource sets. Receive an Activation command based on the downlink DCI or the group-common DCI or the uplink DCI. However, a DCI code point may activate one or more SRS resource sets. The DCI code point may be a value of the CSI request field); and
transmitting, to the network device during an available transmission time interval that is determined based at least in part on the indication of the one or more available transmission time intervals of the radio resource control message and the code point of the downlink control information message, the one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0186], [0187], [0189], [0190], [0227], [0229], and [0267], the terminal apparatus 1 for which one or more SRS resource configurations are configured and the time domain behavior related to the SRS resource configuration (which may be stated as a type of SRS resource configuration, an SRS transmission type, a transmission method, or the like) is set to “aperiodic” may perform operations. The terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic CSI-RS. The terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS. For the aperiodic SRS, at least one state of the DCI field is used to select at least one from the configured SRS resource sets. One of one or more configured uplink BWPs is activated in each serving cell and the SRS transmission in one or more serving cells is triggered, the SRS on the BWP indicated by the activated uplink BWP index may be transmitted).
Yokomakura may not explicitly teach or disclose an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals.
However, Awadin teaches or discloses an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0088], [0095], and [0097], gNB may transmit reference signal, e.g., DMRS, CSI-RS, PSS, SSS, etc., and/or PDCCH to indicate acquiring the channel successfully, the MCOT duration, the available frequency bands, etc. Such signal and/or channel may trigger aperiodic BFRS in the MCOT duration. For time resources, parameters such as BF_ DS_time_offset and BF DS time duration, for example, may be deployed to indicate the beginning of BFRS detection signal from the BFRS and its duration, respectively. The signal may indicate the remaining time duration in the MCOT and also it may indicate the previous portion of the MCOT which the UE missed such that the UE may adjust its counters and averaging).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify a base station and a terminal in the radio communication systems of Yokomakura by including an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals suggested by Awadin. This modification would provide to enhance the detectability of BFRS and avoid misinterpreting their absence as a deeply faded beam, BFRS detection signal may be used read in paragraph [0094].
In regard amended claims 2 and 20, Yokomakura teaches or discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the one or more available transmission time intervals comprises:
an indication of a plurality of available transmission time intervals, each available transmission time interval of the plurality of available transmission time intervals corresponding to a respective code point of a set of code points comprising the code point of the downlink control information message (see paragraphs [0188], and [0206], receive an Activation command based on the downlink DCI or the group-common DCI or the uplink DCI. However, a DCI code point may activate one or more SRS resource sets. The DCI code point may be a value of the CSI request field. “aperiodic” is set as the SRS transmission method, information (aperiodicSRS-ResourceTrigger) indicating which code point the SRS resource set corresponds to, and an offset from the triggered slot to the SRS transmission (where unit may be the number of slots or the number of OFDM symbols) are included in the information indicating “aperiodic”).
In regard amended claim 17, Yokomakura teaches or discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the one or more available transmission time intervals comprises:
an indication of the available transmission time interval and a second available transmission time interval (see paragraph [0039], spatial domain transmission filter) are used to transmit the SS/PBCH block, an order of time within a predetermined period or a configured period may be indicated).
In regard amended claim 19, Yokomakura teaches or discloses a method for wireless communications at a network device, comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control message (see paragraphs [0062], [0125], and [0126], the base station apparatus 3 and the terminal apparatus 1 may transmit and/or receive Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling (also referred to as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or Radio Resource Control (RRC) information) in an RRC layer) comprising an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals;
transmitting, to the UE, a downlink control information message triggering a transmission of one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0006], [0007], and [0009], an SRS transmission in one or more serving cells of the plurality of the serving cells is triggered, the SRS for the BWP indicated by the uplink BWP index activated in the serving cell activated is transmitted. A base station apparatus, the method including transmitting a physical downlink control channel carrying downlink control information including a first information field, and receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS)),
wherein the downlink control information message comprises a code point (see paragraph [0188], receive an Activation command based on the downlink DCI or the group-common DCI or the uplink DCI. However, a DCI code point may activate one or more SRS resource sets. The DCI code point may be a value of the CSI request field);
receiving, from the UE during an available transmission time interval that is determined based at least in part on the indication of the one or more available transmission time intervals of the radio resource control message and the code point of the downlink control information message, the one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0145], [0186], and [0189], the base station apparatus 3 may indicate an SRS transmission request (SRS request) to the terminal apparatus 1 through the DCI or the MAC CE and the RRC signaling, for an SRS resource for which a time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resources. The SRS transmission request (SRS request) includes one or more trigger states, and one or more trigger states is associated with each SRS resource configuration and/or each SRS resource set configuration for which a time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resource configurations and/or the respective SRS resource set configurations. the terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic CSI-RS. The terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS).
Yokomakura may not explicitly teach or disclose an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals.
However, Awadin teaches or discloses an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0088], [0095], and [0097], gNB may transmit reference signal, e.g., DMRS, CSI-RS, PSS, SSS, etc., and/or PDCCH to indicate acquiring the channel successfully, the MCOT duration, the available frequency bands, etc. Such signal and/or channel may trigger aperiodic BFRS in the MCOT duration. For time resources, parameters such as BF_ DS_time_offset and BF DS time duration, for example, may be deployed to indicate the beginning of BFRS detection signal from the BFRS and its duration, respectively. the signal may indicate the remaining time duration in the MCOT and also it may indicate the previous portion of the MCOT which the UE missed such that the UE may adjust its counters and averaging).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify a base station and a terminal in the radio communication systems of Yokomakura by including an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals suggested by Awadin. This modification would provide to enhance the detectability of BFRS and avoid misinterpreting their absence as a deeply faded beam, BFRS detection signal may be used read in paragraph [0094].
In regard amended claim 29, Yokomakura teaches or discloses a user equipment (UE) (see Fig. 9), comprising:
one or more processors (see Fig. 9, elements 101 and 103);
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors (see Fig. 9); and
an instructions stored in the one or more memories and executable by the processor one or more processors to cause the UE to (see Fig. 9):
receive, from a network device, a radio resource control message (see paragraphs [0062], [0125], [0126], [0141], [0142], [0144], and [0145], the base station apparatus 3 and the terminal apparatus 1 may transmit and/or receive Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling (also referred to as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or Radio Resource Control (RRC) information) in an RRC layer. Here, the RRC signaling and/or the MAC control element is also referred to as higher layer signaling. For example, the higher layer in a process of the MAC layer may include one or more layers of an RRC layer, an RLC layer, a PDCP layer, a NAS layer, and the like) comprising an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals;
receive, from the network device, a downlink control information message triggering a transmission of one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraph [0145], the terminal apparatus 1 may receive the SRS transmission request (SRS request) from the base station apparatus 3 through the DCI or the MAC CE and the RRC signaling, for the SRS resource for which the time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resources. The SRS transmission request (SRS request) includes one or more trigger states, and one or more trigger states is associated with each SRS resource configuration and/or each SRS resource set configuration for which a time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resource configurations and/or the respective SRS resource set configurations), wherein the downlink control information message comprises a code point (see paragraphs [0187], and [0188], receive a configuration of one or more SRS resource sets. Receive an Activation command based on the downlink DCI or the group-common DCI or the uplink DCI. However, a DCI code point may activate one or more SRS resource sets. The DCI code point may be a value of the CSI request field); and
transmit, to the network device during an available transmission time interval that is determined based at least in part on the indication of the one or more available transmission time intervals of the radio resource control message and the code point of the downlink control information message, the one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0186], [0187], [0189], [0190], [0227], [0229], and [0267], the terminal apparatus 1 for which one or more SRS resource configurations are configured and the time domain behavior related to the SRS resource configuration (which may be stated as a type of SRS resource configuration, an SRS transmission type, a transmission method, or the like) is set to “aperiodic” may perform operations. The terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic CSI-RS. The terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS. For the aperiodic SRS, at least one state of the DCI field is used to select at least one from the configured SRS resource sets. One of one or more configured uplink BWPs is activated in each serving cell and the SRS transmission in one or more serving cells is triggered, the SRS on the BWP indicated by the activated uplink BWP index may be transmitted).
Yokomakura may not explicitly teach or disclose an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals.
However, Awadin teaches or discloses an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0088], [0095], and [0097], gNB may transmit reference signal, e.g., DMRS, CSI-RS, PSS, SSS, etc., and/or PDCCH to indicate acquiring the channel successfully, the MCOT duration, the available frequency bands, etc. Such signal and/or channel may trigger aperiodic BFRS in the MCOT duration. For time resources, parameters such as BF_ DS_time_offset and BF DS time duration, for example, may be deployed to indicate the beginning of BFRS detection signal from the BFRS and its duration, respectively. the signal may indicate the remaining time duration in the MCOT and also it may indicate the previous portion of the MCOT which the UE missed such that the UE may adjust its counters and averaging).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify a base station and a terminal in the radio communication systems of Yokomakura by including an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals suggested by Awadin. This modification would provide to enhance the detectability of BFRS and avoid misinterpreting their absence as a deeply faded beam, BFRS detection signal may be used read in paragraph [0094].
In regard amended claim 30, Yokomakura teaches or discloses a network device (see Fig. 10), comprising:
one or more processors (see Fig. 10, elements 301 and 303);
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors (see Fig. 10); and
instructions stored in the one or more memories and executable by the one or more processors to cause the network device to (see Fig. 10, paragraph [0271]):
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control message (see paragraph [0062], [0125], and [0126], the base station apparatus 3 and the terminal apparatus 1 may transmit and/or receive Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling (also referred to as a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message or Radio Resource Control (RRC) information) in an RRC layer) comprising an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals;
transmit, to the UE, a downlink control information message triggering a transmission of one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0006], [0007], and [0009], an SRS transmission in one or more serving cells of the plurality of the serving cells is triggered, the SRS for the BWP indicated by the uplink BWP index activated in the serving cell activated is transmitted. A base station apparatus, the method including transmitting a physical downlink control channel carrying downlink control information including a first information field, and receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS)), wherein the downlink control information message comprises a code point (see paragraph [0188], receive an Activation command based on the downlink DCI or the group-common DCI or the uplink DCI. However, a DCI code point may activate one or more SRS resource sets. The DCI code point may be a value of the CSI request field); and
receive, from the UE during an available transmission time interval that is determined based at least in part on the indication of the one or more available transmission time intervals of the radio resource control message and the code point of the downlink control information message, the one or more aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0145], [0186], and [0189], the base station apparatus 3 may indicate an SRS transmission request (SRS request) to the terminal apparatus 1 through the DCI or the MAC CE and the RRC signaling, for an SRS resource for which a time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resources. The SRS transmission request (SRS request) includes one or more trigger states, and one or more trigger states is associated with each SRS resource configuration and/or each SRS resource set configuration for which a time domain behavior is configured to be aperiodic among the respective SRS resource configurations and/or the respective SRS resource set configurations. the terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic CSI-RS. The terminal apparatus 1 transmits the SRS resource (or transmits the SRS by the SRS resource, as another way of expression) using a spatial domain transmission filter the same as the spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of the periodic, semi-persistent, or aperiodic SRS).
Yokomakura may not explicitly teach or disclose an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals.
However, Awadin teaches or discloses an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals (see paragraphs [0088], [0095], and [0097], gNB may transmit reference signal, e.g., DMRS, CSI-RS, PSS, SSS, etc., and/or PDCCH to indicate acquiring the channel successfully, the MCOT duration, the available frequency bands, etc. Such signal and/or channel may trigger aperiodic BFRS in the MCOT duration. For time resources, parameters such as BF_ DS_time_offset and BF DS time duration, for example, may be deployed to indicate the beginning of BFRS detection signal from the BFRS and its duration, respectively. the signal may indicate the remaining time duration in the MCOT and also it may indicate the previous portion of the MCOT which the UE missed such that the UE may adjust its counters and averaging).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify a base station and a terminal in the radio communication systems of Yokomakura by including an indication of one or more available transmission time intervals for transmitting aperiodic sounding reference signals suggested by Awadin. This modification would provide to enhance the detectability of BFRS and avoid misinterpreting their absence as a deeply faded beam, BFRS detection signal may be used read in paragraph [0094].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-16, 18, and 21-28 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive as following:
Applicant's arguments with respect to amended claims 1, 19, 29, and 30 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
To response properly to the amended claims, the references Dinan and Yi have been replaced and substituted with new discovery references, US Pub. 2021/0058910 to Yokomakura et al. and US Pub. 2021/0234601 to Awadin et al. Therefore, new ground of rejection(s) is applied as set forth in the Office Action.
As to amended claims 1, 19, 29, and 30, the combination of references Dinan and Yi fail to teach or suggest all of the features of amended independent claims. The examiner respectfully agrees with the applicants. However, the new discovery references Yokomakura and Awadin teach all of the features of amended claims 1, 19, 29, and 30. See the rejections above.
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 PHIRIN SAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3082. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri, 10:30am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayaz R. Sheikh can be reached at (571) 272 - 3795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Date: 05/21/2026
/PHIRIN SAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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