DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to communications filed on August 21, 2026. Claims 10 and 13-15 have been amended. Claims 10, 11, and 13-15 are pending in the application.
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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 August 21, 2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 10, 11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng et al. (US 2022/0239417) in view of Madadi et al. (US 2022/0338189).
Regarding Claim 10, Cheng teaches a terminal (“The node 700 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6” – See [0386]) comprising:
a transmitter that transmits capability information indicating a maximum number of prediction times (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has a transmitter 722 (e.g., transmitting/transmission circuitry)” – See [0387]; “a UE may perform a capability report to indicate the duration or the length of the measurement window and the prediction window. The capability report may include UE radio access capability parameters, which may include a new parameter measurement-length and/or a new parameter prediction-length, indicating the maximum number of supporting duration or length” – See [0209]; The UE (terminal) transmits capability information indicating a maximum number of prediction duration/times);
a receiver that receives a first higher layer signaling indicating a number of the prediction times (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has … a receiver 724 (e.g., receiving/reception circuitry)” – See [0387]; “a UE is configured with higher layer parameter timeRestrictionForChannelMeasurements with a new higher layer parameter Prediction-Window … The new higher layer parameter Prediction-Window may be set to ‘sl1’, ‘sl2’, ‘sl4’, where all values are in a number of slots, or set to ‘ms10’, ‘ms20’, ‘ms40’, where all values are in a number of milliseconds” – See [0197]-[0200]; The UE receives higher layer signaling indicating a configured number of prediction duration/times); and
a processor that determines, based on the first higher layer signaling, one or more prediction times corresponding to a predicted channel state information (CSI) report (“the node 700 may include a … a processor 728” – See [0385]; “UE is Provided with a Prediction Window in Time. CSI Report May be Calculated Specifically for the Indicated Prediction Window” – See [0185]; The UE determines the CSI predictions for a corresponding CSI report based on the configured window).
Cheng does not explicitly teach that the receiver receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset.
However, Madadi teaches that the receiver receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset (“The higher layer CSI reporting configuration sent to the UE using RRC messages, may include the CSI reporting parameters (PMI, RI, CQI, L1, CRI, AI-CFI), CSI configuration type (periodic, semi-persistent PUCCH, semi-persistent PUSCH, aperiodic), report frequency configuration (frequency granularity, i.e., wideband/subband), codebook configuration (Type-1/Type-2 codebook parameters), AI-CFI configuration (size of the AI-CFI), the timing offset for future prediction, etc. In one embodiment, the timing offset can be with regard to a number of slots starting from the slot containing the CSI-RS reference signal or the CSI reporting instant … In yet another embodiment, the timing offset can be in units of time such as milliseconds (ms), denoting the offset (time in future) starting from the instant UE receives CSI reference signal or trigger, such as DCI/MAC CE or from the instant UE was configured to send the CSI report. The AI/ML model is used to predict the channel, i.e., CSI at a future time instant denoted by the above mentioned timing offset parameter” – See [0121]; The UE receives RRC signaling (higher layer signaling) indicating a time offset with reference to a CSI reporting occasion of the predicted CSI, wherein the time offset indicates an amount of time (e.g., milliseconds) or a number of slots starting from the reporting occasion of the CSI report until the one or more CSI prediction times. Accordingly, the UE uses the timing of CSI reporting occasion and the offset value from the CSI reporting occasion to determine the future time instant for the predicted CSI (at least one prediction time)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cheng such that the receiver receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset. Motivation for doing so would be to predict channel conditions for the UE at a future time, when the UE is more likely to be scheduled by the base station (See Madadi, [0119]).
Regarding Claim 11, Cheng in view of Madadi teaches the terminal of Claim 10. Cheng further teaches that the predicted CSI report includes a precoding matrix indicator (PMI) in the one or more prediction times (“If the UE is configured with a CSI-ReportConfig with the higher layer parameter reportQuantity set to a new value ‘cri-RI-PMI-CQI-PCQI’, the UE may report a predicted CQI (PCQI) index for the entire reporting band, or per sub-band, depending on CQI configuration” – See [0211]; The CSI report includes a PMI associated with the prediction window).
Claim 13 is rejected based on reasoning similar to Claim 10.
Regarding Claim 14, Cheng teaches a base station (“The node 700 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6” – See [0386]) comprising:
a receiver that receives, from a terminal, capability information indicating a maximum number of prediction times (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has … a receiver 724 (e.g., receiving/reception circuitry)” – See [0387]; “a UE may perform a capability report to indicate the duration or the length of the measurement window and the prediction window. The capability report may include UE radio access capability parameters, which may include a new parameter measurement-length and/or a new parameter prediction-length, indicating the maximum number of supporting duration or length” – See [0209]; The BS (base station) receives, from the UE (terminal), capability information indicating a maximum number of prediction duration/times);
a transmitter that transmits, to the terminal, a first higher layer signaling indicating a number of the prediction times (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has a transmitter 722 (e.g., transmitting/transmission circuitry)” – See [0387]; “a UE is configured with higher layer parameter timeRestrictionForChannelMeasurements with a new higher layer parameter Prediction-Window … The new higher layer parameter Prediction-Window may be set to ‘sl1’, ‘sl2’, ‘sl4’, where all values are in a number of slots, or set to ‘ms10’, ‘ms20’, ‘ms40’, where all values are in a number of milliseconds” – See [0197]-[0200]; The BS transmits, to the UE, higher layer signaling indicating a configured number of prediction duration/times); and
a processor that controls to receive, from the terminal, a predicted channel state information (CSI) report corresponding to one or more prediction times that are determined by the terminal based on the first higher layer signaling (“the node 700 may include a … a processor 728” – See [0385]; “UE is Provided with a Prediction Window in Time. CSI Report May be Calculated Specifically for the Indicated Prediction Window” – See [0185]; The BS receives, from the UE, a CSI report corresponding to the CSI predictions based on the configured window).
Cheng does not explicitly teach that the transmitter transmits, to the terminal, a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset.
However, Madadi teaches that the transmitter transmits, to the terminal, a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset (“The higher layer CSI reporting configuration sent to the UE using RRC messages, may include the CSI reporting parameters (PMI, RI, CQI, L1, CRI, AI-CFI), CSI configuration type (periodic, semi-persistent PUCCH, semi-persistent PUSCH, aperiodic), report frequency configuration (frequency granularity, i.e., wideband/subband), codebook configuration (Type-1/Type-2 codebook parameters), AI-CFI configuration (size of the AI-CFI), the timing offset for future prediction, etc. In one embodiment, the timing offset can be with regard to a number of slots starting from the slot containing the CSI-RS reference signal or the CSI reporting instant … In yet another embodiment, the timing offset can be in units of time such as milliseconds (ms), denoting the offset (time in future) starting from the instant UE receives CSI reference signal or trigger, such as DCI/MAC CE or from the instant UE was configured to send the CSI report. The AI/ML model is used to predict the channel, i.e., CSI at a future time instant denoted by the above mentioned timing offset parameter” – See [0121]; The base station transmits, to the UE, RRC signaling (higher layer signaling) indicating a time offset with reference to a CSI reporting occasion of the predicted CSI, wherein the time offset indicates an amount of time (e.g., milliseconds) or a number of slots starting from the reporting occasion of the CSI report until the one or more CSI prediction times. Accordingly, the UE uses the timing of CSI reporting occasion and the offset value from the CSI reporting occasion to determine the future time instant for the predicted CSI (at least one prediction time))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cheng such that the transmitter transmits, to the terminal, a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 10.
Regarding Claim 15, Cheng teaches a system comprising a terminal and a base station (“The node 700 may be a UE or a BS that performs various functions disclosed with reference to FIGS. 1 through 6” – See [0386]), wherein the terminal comprises:
a transmitter that transmits capability information indicating a maximum number of prediction times (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has a transmitter 722 (e.g., transmitting/transmission circuitry)” – See [0387]; “a UE may perform a capability report to indicate the duration or the length of the measurement window and the prediction window. The capability report may include UE radio access capability parameters, which may include a new parameter measurement-length and/or a new parameter prediction-length, indicating the maximum number of supporting duration or length” – See [0209]; The UE (terminal) transmits capability information indicating a maximum number of prediction duration/times);
a receiver that receives a first higher layer signaling indicating a number of the prediction times (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has … a receiver 724 (e.g., receiving/reception circuitry)” – See [0387]; “a UE is configured with higher layer parameter timeRestrictionForChannelMeasurements with a new higher layer parameter Prediction-Window … The new higher layer parameter Prediction-Window may be set to ‘sl1’, ‘sl2’, ‘sl4’, where all values are in a number of slots, or set to ‘ms10’, ‘ms20’, ‘ms40’, where all values are in a number of milliseconds” – See [0197]-[0200]; The UE receives higher layer signaling indicating a configured number of prediction duration/times); and
a processor that determines, based on the first higher layer signaling, one or more prediction times corresponding to a predicted channel state information (CSI) report (“the node 700 may include a … a processor 728” – See [0385]; “UE is Provided with a Prediction Window in Time. CSI Report May be Calculated Specifically for the Indicated Prediction Window” – See [0185]; The UE determines the CSI predictions for a corresponding CSI report based on the configured window), and
the base station comprises: a receiver that receives the capability information (“the node 700 may include a transceiver 720” – See [0385]; “The transceiver 720 has … a receiver 724 (e.g., receiving/reception circuitry)” – See [0387]; “the UE may transmit a UE capability message to the BS” – See [0145]; The base station receives the capability report from the UE).
Cheng does not explicitly teach that the receiver of the terminal receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset.
However, Madadi teaches that the receiver of the terminal receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset (“The higher layer CSI reporting configuration sent to the UE using RRC messages, may include the CSI reporting parameters (PMI, RI, CQI, L1, CRI, AI-CFI), CSI configuration type (periodic, semi-persistent PUCCH, semi-persistent PUSCH, aperiodic), report frequency configuration (frequency granularity, i.e., wideband/subband), codebook configuration (Type-1/Type-2 codebook parameters), AI-CFI configuration (size of the AI-CFI), the timing offset for future prediction, etc. In one embodiment, the timing offset can be with regard to a number of slots starting from the slot containing the CSI-RS reference signal or the CSI reporting instant … In yet another embodiment, the timing offset can be in units of time such as milliseconds (ms), denoting the offset (time in future) starting from the instant UE receives CSI reference signal or trigger, such as DCI/MAC CE or from the instant UE was configured to send the CSI report. The AI/ML model is used to predict the channel, i.e., CSI at a future time instant denoted by the above mentioned timing offset parameter” – See [0121]; The UE receives, via its receiver, RRC signaling (higher layer signaling) indicating a time offset with reference to a CSI reporting occasion of the predicted CSI, wherein the time offset indicates an amount of time (e.g., milliseconds) or a number of slots starting from the reporting occasion of the CSI report until the one or more CSI prediction times. Accordingly, the UE uses the timing of CSI reporting occasion and the offset value from the CSI reporting occasion to determine the future time instant for the predicted CSI (at least one prediction time)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cheng such that the receiver of the terminal receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 10.
Response to Arguments
On pages 7-8 of the remarks, Applicant argues in substance that Cheng and Manolakos do not teach “wherein the receiver receives a second higher layer signaling indicating a time offset with reference to a reporting occasion of the predicted CSI report, the time offset being between the reporting occasion and at least one prediction time of the one or more prediction times, and wherein the processor determines the at least one prediction time based on the reporting occasion and the time offset,” as recited in independent claims 10 and 13-15. Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot based on the new grounds of rejection. In response to the amended limitations, the Examiner relies upon the newly-cited Madadi reference.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Scott M Sciacca whose telephone number is (571)270-1919. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. EST.
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/SCOTT M SCIACCA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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