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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed on 4/30/2026 has been entered. Claims 51-52,54, 56, 59-60, 62 and 66-70 have been amended. Claims 53, 58 and 64 have been cancelled. Claims 51-52, 54-57, 59-63 and 65-70 are still pending in this application, with claims 151, 59, 67 and 69 being independent.
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 59 and 69 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 2020/0396684; provided in Applicant’s IDS dated 2/2/2024, hereinafter Lin) in view of Jeong et al. (US 2019/0312676, hereinafter Jeong).
Regarding claim 59, Lin discloses a method performed by a network node [Lin Figure 1 discloses an exemplary system comprising gNBs (i.e. a network node) communicating with UEs (Lin Figure 1, paragraphs 0048-0050)], the method comprising: transmitting to a user equipment (UE) a channel state information (CSI) report configuration, wherein the CSI report configuration comprises a report quantity parameter, wherein the report quantity parameter is set to a value that instructs the UE to include in a CSI report an indicator indicating a maximum supported number of uplink (UL) spatial layers [Lin Figure 23 discloses a UE operation where the UE receives configurations for a set of CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources (Lin Figure 23 operation 2302, paragraph 0259). Lin discloses that when UE is configured with a maximum MIMO layers for DL/BWP, the UE may determine the maximum rank indicator for a CSI report in the DL BWP (Lin paragraph 0104) (i.e. indication of a report quantity parameter). The UE may be provided with maximum rank through RRC , and may assume the maximum MIMO layer for PUSCH in the UL BWP being same as maxRank (Lin paragraph 0134)];
Transmitting a first CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) [Lin Figure 23 discloses a UE operation where the UE receives configurations for a set of CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources (Lin Figure 23 operation 2302, paragraph 0259). In operation 2310, the CSI-RS resources are received (Lin paragraph 0263). It is implicit that a UE communicates with a network node such as a base station as disclosed in Figure 1. Thus, the configurations for CSI-RS resources are transmitted from a network node to a UE]; and
Receiving the CSI report from the UE, wherein the CSI report comprises i) an indicator indicating a maximum supported number of UL spatial layers and ii) a reference signal received power (RSRP) value indicating a received power of the first CSI RS as measured by the UE [Lin discloses that a PUCCH is transmitted with the CSI report using the PUCCH resources (Lin Figure 23, operation 2314; paragraph 0265). Further, the UE may determine the maximum rank indicator for a CSI report (Lin paragraph 0104). Lin discloses that when UE is configured with a maximum MIMO layers for DL/BWP, the UE may determine the maximum rank indicator for a CSI report in the DL BWP (Lin paragraph 0104). Further, the UE may be provided with maximum rank through RRC, and may assume the maximum MIMO layer for PUSCH in the UL BWP being same as maxRank (Lin paragraph 0134). The UE may report maximum MIMO layer for UL data transmission and corresponding UL BWP index (Lin paragraph 0142)].
Although Lin discloses that a UE may report a reference signal received power (RSRP) for a CSI-RS configuration (Lin paragraph 0232); Lin does not expressly disclose the feature of the CSI report comprising a reference signal received power (RSRP) value indicating a received power of the first CSI RS as measured by the UE.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Jeong discloses that a terminal may measure a reference signal transmitted by a base station and may feed the generated UCI to the base station. The UCI elements may include a CSI RSRP, which is the received power for CSI-RS designated or previously agreed (see Jeong paragraphs 0171 and 0176).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lin to have the feature of the CSI report comprising a reference signal received power (RSRP) value indicating a received power of the first CSI RS as measured by the UE; as taught by Jeong. The suggestion/motivation would have been to reduce multiple reporting time dependency on one CSI reporting and to prevent performance degradation (Jeong paragraph 0177).
Regarding claim 69, Lin discloses a network node, the network node comprising: a transmitter for transmitting to: i) a first channel state information (CSI) reference signal (CSI- RS) [Lin Figure 2 discloses an exemplary base station (i.e. a network node) comprising various components such as antennas, RF transceivers, TX/RX circuitry, a processor, a memory, etc. (Lin Figure 2, paragraphs 0055-0063). Lin Figure 23 discloses a UE operation where the UE receives configurations for a set of CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources (Lin Figure 23 operation 2302, paragraph 0259). In operation 2310, the CSI-RS resources are received (Lin paragraph 0263). It is implicit that a UE communicates with a network node such as a base station as disclosed in Figure 1. Thus, the configurations for CSI-RS resources are transmitted from a network node to a UE] and ii) a channel state information (CSI) report configuration, wherein the CSI report configuration comprises a report quantity parameter, wherein the report quantity parameter is set to a value that instructs a user equipment (UE) to include in a CSI report an indicator indicating a maximum supported number of uplink (UL) spatial layers [Lin Figure 23 discloses a UE operation where the UE receives configurations for a set of CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources (Lin Figure 23 operation 2302, paragraph 0259). Lin discloses that when UE is configured with a maximum MIMO layers for DL/BWP, the UE may determine the maximum rank indicator for a CSI report in the DL BWP (Lin paragraph 0104) (i.e. indication of a report quantity parameter). The UE may be provided with maximum rank through RRC , and may assume the maximum MIMO layer for PUSCH in the UL BWP being same as maxRank (Lin paragraph 0134)];
A receiver for receiving the CSI report transmitted from the UE, wherein the CSI report comprises i) an indicator indicating a maximum supported number of UL spatial layers and ii) a reference signal received power (RSRP) value indicating a received power of the first CSI RS as measured by the UE [Lin discloses that a PUCCH is transmitted with the CSI report using the PUCCH resources (Lin Figure 23, operation 2314; paragraph 0265). Further, the UE may determine the maximum rank indicator for a CSI report (Lin paragraph 0104). Lin discloses that when UE is configured with a maximum MIMO layers for DL/BWP, the UE may determine the maximum rank indicator for a CSI report in the DL BWP (Lin paragraph 0104). Further, the UE may be provided with maximum rank through RRC, and may assume the maximum MIMO layer for PUSCH in the UL BWP being same as maxRank (Lin paragraph 0134). The UE may report maximum MIMO layer for UL data transmission and corresponding UL BWP index (Lin paragraph 0142)].
Although Lin discloses that a UE may report a reference signal received power (RSRP) for a CSI-RS configuration (Lin paragraph 0232); Lin does not expressly disclose the feature of the CSI report comprising a reference signal received power (RSRP) value indicating a received power of the first CSI RS as measured by the UE.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Jeong discloses that a terminal may measure a reference signal transmitted by a base station and may feed the generated UCI to the base station. The UCI elements may include a CSI RSRP, which is the received power for CSI-RS designated or previously agreed (see Jeong paragraphs 0171 and 0176).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lin to have the feature of the CSI report comprising a reference signal received power (RSRP) value indicating a received power of the first CSI RS as measured by the UE; as taught by Jeong. The suggestion/motivation would have been to reduce multiple reporting time dependency on one CSI reporting and to prevent performance degradation (Jeong paragraph 0177).
Claim 65 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Jeong, and further in view of Wu et al. (US 2021/0258058, hereinafter Wu).
Regarding claim 65, Lin and Jeong disclose the method of claim 59. Lin and Jeong do not expressly disclose wherein the method further comprises the network node adapting a transmission to the UE based on rank information included in the CSI report.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Wu discloses that the terminal feeds back CSI to the base station, which adjusts a radio signal that needs to be sent to the terminal according to the CSI. The CSI fed back by the terminal may contain a corresponding reported RI (rank information) and a CQI, so that the base station determines a number of codewords, a number of layers and a modulation and coding scheme used by each codeword in the downlink transmission (Wu paragraph 0051).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lin and Jeong to have the feature of wherein the method further comprises the network node adapting a transmission to the UE based on rank information included in the CSI report; as taught by Wu. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide a method for high CSI feedback performance while reducing CSI feedback overhead (Wu paragraph 0025).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 51-52, 54-57 and 67-68 are allowed.
Claims 51, 67 and their dependent thereof would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone, or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the claimed features of determining that the report quantity parameter value is equal to either a first predefined value or a second predefined value; and as a result of determining that the report quantity parameter value is equal to one of the first predefined value or the second predefined value, including in the CSI report an indicator indicating a maximum supported number of uplink (UL) spatial layer; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 60-63, 66 and 70 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.
Claims 60 and 70 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein the method further comprises transmitting a second CSI reference signal, the CSI report further comprises a second indicator associated with the second CSI reference signal, and the second indicator indicates a second maximum supported number of UL spatial layers; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 66 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein the method further comprises the network node using the indicator included in the CSI report to select a spatial filter from a set of spatial filters that includes a first spatial filter and a second spatial filter; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 4/30/2026 with respect to claim rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The rejection has been revised according to the amended claims.
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.
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/SAUMIT SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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