DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/5/26 has been entered.
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 .
Response to Arguments
With the response filed 1/5/26, Applicant has amended claims 1 and 10, and claims 15, 16, 18 and 20 have been canceled. Applicant's arguments filed 1/5/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. With the amendment, Applicant has amended claim 1 to recite “and the (M+1)*N bits contains N number of groups each comprising (M+1) bits corresponding to one transmission symbol of the N transmission symbols s1, s2,,…, sN.” Applicant argues that “Kanthimathi describes only one group of n (e.g., n=4) bits” (emphasis in Remarks). Applicant further argues that “N is an integer greater than 1” (although it is noted that the claim actually recites “N is an integer greater than or equal to 1”). However, in response to Applicant’s argument that Kanthimathi only teaches one group of n=4 bits, it is respectfully noted that Kanthimathi teaches the transmission of a plurality of “DAPSK Symbols” (see pp. 292-3, section A. “Bit Mapping to DAPSK Symbols), where each symbol includes M+1 (i.e. 4) bits, where M=3. That is, Kanthimathi, teaches that a plurality of consecutive symbols are transmitted, where the symbol stream may be considered to be a grouping of symbols. Accordingly, the newly added limitation stating that N number of groups (i.e. N symbols) each comprise (M+1) bits corresponding to one transmission symbol of N transmission symbols, does not distinguish from the prior art of Kanthimathi where a plurality of symbols in a symbol stream are transmitted. Accordingly, the rejection of the claims is maintained, and restated below.
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.
Claims 10 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
In the end of claim 10, the symbol stream is denoted as “s1, s2,…,” which is an open-ended infinite stream, and thus indefinite. It is suggested that the symbol “sN” be the last symbol, similar to as indicated in claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3-10 and 24-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanthimathi et al. in view of Chen U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2020/0028727.
Regarding claim 1, Kanthimathi discloses a method for symbol transmission, comprising: determining N+1 transmission symbols of s0, s1, s2,…, sN according to a reference symbol (0000) and (M+1)*N bits (see p. 293, Section II. A. Bit Mapping to DAPSK Symbols), which comprises: determining a phase of the transmission symbol indexed n according to the phase of the transmission symbol indexed n-1, and M bits (i.e. for 8 phases, log2(8) = 3 bits); determining an amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n according to the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n-1 and one bit (i.e. for 2 amplitudes, log2(2) = 1 bit); and determining the transmission symbol indexed n according to the phase and the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n (see p. 293, Section II. A. Bit Mapping to DAPSK Symbols); wherein 0, 1, 2,…, N denote indices of the transmission symbols; a transmission symbol indexed n is determined according to an amplitude and a phase of a previous transmission symbol indexed n-1 (p. 293, left hand col.), and M+1 bits (i.e. 4 bits), where Kanthimathi discloses that a plurality of symbols are transmitted (pp. 292-3, section II, also see subsection A. “Bit Mapping to DAPSK Symbols”), each symbol containing M+1=4 bits, and thus Kanthimathi discloses (M+1)*N bits corresponding to N symbols of M+1 bits each; and transmitting the transmission symbols (see Fig. 1). Kanthimathi does not expressly disclose that the reference symbol is transmitted as the first transmission symbol.
Chen discloses that a first symbol in a differential encoding scheme is a reference (i.e. pilot) symbol (i.e. a transmission symbol indexed 0, s0); transmitted with the data bearing transmission symbols (see ¶ [0094]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to transmit a first reference symbol as suggested by Chen, in the method of Kanthimathi, so all the service data can obtain differential gains during demodulation, improving immunity to phase nose (see ¶ [0094]).
Regarding claim 3, in the proposed combination, Kanthimathi discloses that determining the phase of the transmission symbol indexed n according to the phase of the transmission symbol indexed n-1, and the M bits, comprises, generating a corresponding real number according to the M bits, and adding the real number to the phase of the transmission symbol indexed n-1 to acquire the phase of the transmission symbol indexed n [see eqs. (4), (6)].
Regarding claim 4, in the proposed combination, Kanthimathi discloses that the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n satisfies, the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n [a(k)] is identical to the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n-1 [a(k-1)], in response to the one bit for determining the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n (
C
n
3
) having a first preset value (i.e. when
C
n
3
=0, then r(k) = 1 and a(k) = a(k-1)); and the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n is different from the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n-1, in response to the one bit for determining the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n having a second preset value [i.e. when
C
n
3
=1 and a(k-1) = B, then r(k) = B-1 = a(k)/a(k-1) = a(k)/B, implies a(k) = 1 when a(k-1) = B; and when
C
n
3
=1 and a(k-1) = 1, then r(k) = B = a(k)/a(k-1) = a(k)/1, implies a(k) = B when a(k-1) = 1; eqs. (3), (7)].
Regarding claim 5, in the proposed combination, Kanthimathi further discloses, determining a mapping relationship between a sequence of M bits and 2M real numbers, and the mapping relation satisfies a principle that only one bit of nearest two groups of bit sequences of M bits corresponding to two real numbers changes as shown in Table 1, as Gray mapping is employed (see p. 293).
Regarding claim 6, in the proposed combination, Chen discloses that the first symbol (i.e. reference symbol) may be a known pilot symbol (¶ [0094]), and as Kanthimathi discloses that two amplitudes are employed based on
C
n
3
(i.e. 1 or B), then it would have been obvious to try, to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, selecting the reference symbol to be the highest amplitude, as it is a selection from a finite number of possibilities for the reference symbol, with a reasonable expectation of success (see MPEP § 2143.I.E), and alternatively as a matter of design consideration.
Regarding claim 7, in the proposed combination, one skilled in the art would recognize that when a plurality of sets of transmission symbols are to be transmitted, as is typical in a data communication system, reference symbols in a set may be identical or different from each other as those would include all of the possible alternatives.
Regarding claim 8, one skilled in the art would recognize that a first set of M bits for determination of the phase of the transmission symbols indexed odd numbers and a second set of M bits for determination of the phase of the transmission symbols indexed even numbers would satisfy a first and second mapping relationship with a first corresponding real number and a second corresponding real number, respectively, as such relationships inherently exist (see Table 1), and the first relationship is not mutually exclusive from the second relationship.
Regarding claim 9, in the proposed combination, Chen discloses that a first symbol (i.e. reference symbol) may be a known pilot (¶ [0094]), having a preset amplitude and phase.
Regarding claim 10, Kanthimathi discloses a method for symbol reception, comprising: receiving N+1 transmission symbols of s0, s1, s2,…, sN, wherein 0, 1, 2,…, N denote indices of the transmission symbols; a transmission symbol indexed n is determined according to an amplitude and a phase of a transmission symbol indexed n-1 (i.e. previous symbol – p. 293, left hand col.) and M+1 bits (i.e. 4 bits), determining M bits according to a phase of the transmission symbol indexed n and the phase of the transmission symbol indexed n-1 (see Section III. A. Step 1: Differential Phase Detection, p. 294); and determining the one bit according to an amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n and the amplitude of the transmission symbol indexed n-1 (see Step 2: Differential Amplitude Detection, p. 294), to acquire (M+1)*N bits; and where Kanthimathi discloses that a plurality of symbols are transmitted (pp. 292-3, section II, also see subsection A. “Bit Mapping to DAPSK Symbols”), each symbol containing M+1=4 bits, and thus Kanthimathi discloses (M+1)*N bits corresponding to N symbols of M+1 bits each. While Kanthimathi discloses a reference symbol as 0000, Kanthimathi does not expressly disclose that the reference symbol is transmitted as part of the transmission symbols.
Chen discloses that a first symbol in a differential encoding scheme is a reference (i.e. pilot) symbol transmitted with the data bearing transmission symbols (see ¶ [0094]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to transmit a first reference symbol as suggested by Chen, in the method of Kanthimathi, so all the service data can obtain differential gains during demodulation, improving immunity to phase nose (see ¶ [0094]).
Regarding claim 24, in the proposed combination, Chen teaches a transmitter comprising a processor and a memory storing a computer program to carry out the method (¶ [0028]), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a processor and memory storing a program to implement the method of the proposed combination as it is well understood that a transmitter requires those elements.
Regarding claim 25, in the proposed combination, Chen discloses a receiver comprising a processor and a memory storing a computer program to carry out the method (¶ [0028]), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a processor and memory storing a program to implement the method of the proposed combination as it is well understood that a receiver requires those elements.
Regarding claim 26, in the proposed combination, Chen discloses that a transmitter comprises a computer-readable storage medium (i.e. memory) storing a computer program executed by a processor to carry out the method (¶ [0028]), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use a processor and memory storing a program to implement the method of the proposed combination as it is well understood that a transmitter requires those elements.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David B. Lugo whose telephone number is 571-272-3043. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-6.
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/DAVID B LUGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 1/10/2026
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