DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-12 and 28 in the reply filed on 12/01/2025 is acknowledged.
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 § 102
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)(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.
Claims 1-3, 7, 10-11 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou et al (US 2021/0,297,959; hereinafter Zhou).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou disclose a method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE) comprising:
detecting a trigger condition for panel specific power reporting is met (detect a trigger condition for panel power state reporting; Fig. 54; paras. [0495]-[0496]), the trigger condition involving at least one metric for at least one of multiple antenna panels of a user equipment (the trigger condition involves a metric, e.g. maximum power exposure (MPE) instance detection for a wireless communication for a wireless device 2910 using multiple antenna panels, wherein transmission power may need to be reduced, for example, if a human is in close proximity of a transmitter/receiver that may otherwise exceed an MPE requirement/limitation, e.g., an antenna panel on a wireless device transmitting a wireless signal via a beam at a level that may exceed an MPE; paras. [0294], [0300], [0302], [0463], [0495]-[0496]); and transmit a report with power-related information specific for at least one of the antenna panels in response to detecting the trigger condition (the wireless device may send/transmit, to a base station, a per beam and/or a per panel power head room (PHR) MAC CE report for facilitating the base station's handling of an MPE related issue; paras. [0296]-[0297], [0528]).
Regarding claim 28, Zhou disclose an apparatus (wireless device 1502) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory (1524) comprising computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors (1518, 1520, 1522) configured to execute the computer-executable instructions (paras. [0222]-[0223]) and cause the apparatus to
detect a trigger condition for panel specific power reporting is met (detect a trigger condition for panel power state reporting; Fig. 54; paras. [0495]-[0496]), the trigger condition involving at least one metric for at least one of multiple antenna panels of a user equipment (the trigger condition involving maximum power exposure (MPE) instance detection for a wireless communication for a wireless device 2910 using multiple antenna panels, wherein transmission power may need to be reduced, for example, if a human is in close proximity of a transmitter/receiver that may otherwise exceed an MPE requirement/limitation, e.g., an antenna panel on a wireless device transmitting a wireless signal via a beam at a level that may exceed an MPE; paras. [0294], [0300], [0302], [0463], [0495]-[0496; Fig. 54]); and transmit a report with power-related information specific for at least one of the antenna panels in response to detecting the trigger condition (the wireless device may send/transmit, to a base station, a per beam and/or a per panel power head room (PHR) MAC CE report for facilitating the base station's handling of an MPE related issue; paras. [0296]-[0297], [0528]).
Regarding claim 2, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein: the at least one metric comprises at least one power backoff metric (MPE, P-MPR); detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a change in the power backoff metric (the wireless device may trigger an uplink coverage recovery signal transmission, for example, based on (e.g., after or in response to) at least one of: detecting a number/quantity of MPE instances within an MPE detection window, an MPE detection timer is running and/or not expired, and/or the number/quantity of detections of MPE instances during the MPE detection window satisfies (e.g., is greater than or equal to) a threshold, the wireless device may detect an MPE instance, for example, based on P-MPR values of one or more panels, duty cycles of the one or more panels, and/or a combined value of P-MPR and RSRP of each of one or more panels, or whether a required power backoff, e.g., due to power management, which may be allowed by P-MPR, for a cell has changed more than the second threshold; paras. [0298], [0455]; change of P-MPR from previous P-MPR, Fig. 54, step 5403B).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou disclose the method of claim 2, wherein the at least one power backoff metric comprises a maximum power management power reduction (P-MPR) among P-MPRs for the multiple antenna panels (a power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) value based on P-MPR values of one or more panels (paras. [0288], [0298], [0567]; Fig. 54, step 5402B, step 5403B).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a panel or beam specific power reference signal received power (RSRP) is less than a threshold value (¶ [0312]; Fig. 54, step 5404B).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a panel or beam specific metric for a first antenna panel exceeds a threshold value (paras. [0294], [0312]; Fig. 54, 1st UL duty cycle/1st P-MPR/change of P-MPR of 1st panel is greater than a threshold; 5401B, 5402B, 5403B).
Regarding claim 11, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises: detecting a panel or beam specific metric for a first one of the antenna panels is less than a first threshold value (a first P-MPR and a first RSRP of the first panel for the cell being less than a threshold; step 5404B; Fig. 54); and detecting the same panel or beam specific metric for a second one of the antenna panels is better than a second threshold value (a second P-MPR and a second RSRP of a second panel for the cell, being greater than the threshold; step 5404B; Fig. 54).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al (US 2021/0,297,959).
Regarding claim 12, Zhou disclose method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises: detecting a panel or beam specific metric for a first one of the antenna panels exceeds the same panel or beam specific metric for a second one of the antenna panels by an offset value (1st PHR via 1st panel is less than a threshold and 2nd PHR via 2nd panel is greater than the threshold, the wireless device may trigger the panel power state report procedure for a cell based on a comparison between a first PHR of the first panel on the cell and a second PHR of the second panel on the cell, the wireless device determines that the first PHR of the first panel is smaller, e.g. in absolute value, than the second PHR of the second panel; Fig. 54; e.g. step 5405B, 5402B, paras. [0514], [0504]). Zhou do not explicitly disclose an offset value. However, the examiner takes official notice that comparing between e.g. the first PHR/P-MPR value of the first panel and the second PHR value of the second panel and determining that the first PHR of the first panel is smaller/greater than the second PHR/P-MPR of the second panel respectively, as taught by Zhou (Fig. 54, step 5405B or step 5402B) would imply determining an offset value between the first PHR/P-MPR value of the first panel and the second PHR/P-MPR value of the second panel. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order for the wireless device to determine or predict that an uplink coverage loss may more likely occur on the first panel than on the second panel (Zhou; par. [0514]).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al (US 2021/0,297,959) in view of Wang et al (US 2021/0,329,570; hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claim 4, Zhou disclose the method of claim 2, wherein Zhou do not the at least one power backoff metric comprises a minimum power management power reduction (P-MPR) among P-MPRs for the multiple antenna panels. In the same field of endeavor, Wang disclose at least one power backoff metric comprises a minimum power management power reduction (P-MPR) among P-MPRs (paras. [0073], [0084], [0092]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide a smallest amount of power reduction, i.e. zero or a minimal value, in the PHR report if the measured power level does not exceed e.g. a maximum permissible exposure limit.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al (US 2021/0,297,959) in view of Yuan et al (WO 2021,168,642).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou disclose the method of claim 2, wherein Zhou do not explicitly disclose the at least one power backoff metric comprises at least one of: a sum of power management power reductions (P-MPRs) for the multiple antenna panels; or an average of P-MPRs for the multiple antenna panels. In the same field of endeavor, Yuan disclose the at least one power backoff metric comprises at least one of: a sum of power management power reductions (P-MPRs) for the multiple antenna panels; or an average of P-MPRs for the multiple antenna panels (para. [0059]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to attain a more accurate representation of an MPR metric to detect maximum permissible exposure.
Claim 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al (US 2021/0,297,959) in view of Huang et al (US 2022/0,225,247).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein Zhou do not disclose detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a panel or beam specific power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) applied to meet a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement exceeds a threshold value. In the same field of endeavor, Huang disclose detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a panel or beam specific power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) applied to meet a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement exceeds a threshold value (paras. [0079], [0089]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide a power headroom report trigger when the MPE overload condition is met.
Regarding claim 9, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein further comprising: calculating a panel or beam specific trigger metric based on a panel or beam specific power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) applied to meet a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement and a panel or beam specific path loss (¶ [0343]); and wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting the beam specific trigger metric exceeds a threshold value (¶ [0294]). Zhou do not explicitly disclose a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement. In the same field of endeavor, Huang disclose the P-MPR meet a maximum permissible exposure (MPE) requirement ([0079], [0089]), and a beam path loss (¶ [0138]-[0140]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide the trigger metric of the P-MPR based on a highest allowed MPE threshold limit for human radiation exposure.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al (US 2021/0,297,959) in view of Nory et al (US 2012/0,236,735; hereinafter Nory).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou disclose the method of claim 1, wherein Zhou disclose a trigger condition to send the a MAC CE panel power state report including a PH value with respect to a PH reference level (paras. [0469], [0473], [0528]). Zhou do not disclose the headroom (PH) value is less than a threshold value. In the same field of endeavor, Nory disclose headroom (PH) value is less than a threshold value (power headroom report comprise PH value below a certain threshold; ¶ [0047]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to send the power headroom report only if the PH value is less than a certain threshold level that is set or known beforehand by both the UE and the eNB or that is signaled via RRC signaling from the eNB (Nory; ¶ [0047]).
Double Patenting
7. Claims 1, 2, 3, 11, 12, 8, and 28 provisionally rejected on the ground of non-statutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 & 4, 6, 9, 11, 11, 9, and 20 & 23 of co-pending Application No. 17/915,979. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they claim similar subject matter.
This is a provisional non-statutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Current Application #: 18/264,557
Co-pending Application #: 17/915,979
1. A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising: detecting a trigger condition for panel specific power reporting is met, the trigger condition involving at least one metric for at least one of multiple antenna panels of the UE; and transmitting a report with power-related information specific for at least one of the antenna panels in response to detecting the trigger condition.
1. A method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising: communicating via a first panel of the UE and a second panel of the UE; populating one or more fields of a report, the one or more fields comprising a first field indicating a first power headroom value for the first panel, a second field indicating a second power headroom value for the second panel, a third field indicating that the first power headroom value for the first panel is included in the report, and a fourth field indicating that the second power headroom value for the second panel is included in the report, the first power headroom value being specific to the first panel and the second power headroom value being specific to the second panel; and transmitting the report comprising the first field indicating the first power headroom value for the first panel, the second field indicating the second power headroom value for the second panel, the third field indicating that the first power headroom value for the first panel is included in the report, and the fourth field indicating that the second power headroom value for the second panel is included in the report.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying one or more power backoff metrics comprising a first power backoff metric associated with the first panel, a second power backoff metric associated with the second panel, or both; and determining that one or more thresholds are satisfied based at least in part on the identified one or more power backoff metrics, wherein transmitting the report is based at least in part on the satisfied one or more thresholds.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the at least one metric comprises at least one power backoff metric; detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a change in the power backoff metric; and the report comprises a power headroom report (PHR).
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the change of the one or more power backoff metrics comprises a change of the first power backoff metric, a change of the second power backoff metric, a change of a sum of the first power backoff metric and the second power backoff metric, or any combination thereof.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one power backoff metric comprises a maximum power management power reduction (P-MPR) among P-MPRs for the multiple antenna panels.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving control signaling indicating a first maximum power parameter associated with the first panel based at least in part on a first power reduction parameter; and calculating the first power headroom value based at least in part on the first maximum power parameter.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises: detecting a panel or beam specific metric for a first one of the antenna panels is less than a first threshold value; and detecting the same panel or beam specific metric for a second one of the antenna panels is better than a second threshold value.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: identifying a second maximum power parameter associated with the second panel based at least in part on a second power reduction parameter different than the first power reduction parameter, wherein the first power reduction parameter corresponds to the first panel and the second power reduction parameter corresponds to the second panel; and calculating the second power headroom value based at least in part on the second maximum power parameter.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises: detecting a panel or beam specific metric for a first one of the antenna panels exceeds the same panel or beam specific metric for a second one of the antenna panels by an offset value.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising: identifying a second maximum power parameter associated with the second panel based at least in part on a second power reduction parameter different than the first power reduction parameter, wherein the first power reduction parameter corresponds to the first panel and the second power reduction parameter corresponds to the second panel; and calculating the second power headroom value based at least in part on the second maximum power parameter.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the trigger condition is met comprises detecting a panel or beam specific power headroom (PH) value is less than a threshold value.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving control signaling indicating a first maximum power parameter associated with the first panel based at least in part on a first power reduction parameter; and calculating the first power headroom value based at least in part on the first maximum power parameter.
28. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: a memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to: detect a trigger condition for panel specific power reporting is met, the trigger condition involving at least one metric for at least one of multiple antenna panels of a user equipment (UE); and transmit a report with power-related information specific for at least one of the antenna panels in response to detecting the trigger condition.
20. An apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising: one or more processors, one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code instructions stored in the one or more memories and executable by the one or more processors to cause the apparatus to: communicate via a first panel of the UE and a second panel of the UE; populate one or more fields of a report, the one or more fields comprising a first field indicating a first power headroom value for the first panel a second field indicating a second power headroom value for the second panel, a third field indicating that the first power headroom value for the first panel is included in the report, and a fourth field indicating that the second power headroom value for the second panel is included in the report, the first power headroom value being specific to the first panel and the second power headroom value being specific to the second panel; and transmit the report comprising the first field indicating the first power headroom value for the first panel, the second field indicating the second power headroom value for the second panel, the third field indicating that the first power headroom value for the first panel is included in the report, and the fourth field indicating that the second power headroom value for the second panel is included in the report.
23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the apparatus to: identify one or more power backoff metrics comprising a first power backoff metric associated with the first panel, a second power backoff metric associated with the second panel, or both; and determine that one or more thresholds are satisfied based at least in part on the identified one or more power backoff metrics, wherein transmitting the report is based at least in part on the satisfied one or more thresholds.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LANA N LE whose telephone number is (571) 272-7891. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim, can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LANA N LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648