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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
1. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/05/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments filed on 03/05/2026 regarding claims 1-20 in the remarks are fully considered but moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection.
Response to Amendments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claim(s) 1, 2 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0146103) in view of Liu (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0053434).
As per claim 1:
Cheng teaches a reference signal configuration method, performed by a terminal in an idle or inactive state (see paragraph [0188], UE 115-a may be provided with SSB measurement configurations in message 205 by base stations 105-a, 105-b for which the UE 115-a may perform idle state measurements or inactive state measurements for cell selection or cell reselection), wherein the configuration method comprises:
receiving multiple sets of configuration information of a reference signal (see paragraph [0212], the UE 115-c may receive first message indicating set of SSB measurement configurations and a first set of SSB frequencies);
and determining, according to a preset rule, a reference signal configuration to be used by the terminal from the multiple sets of configuration information (see Figure 8, paragraph [0245], the UE 800 comprise of configuration component 840 for identifying each of that each SSB frequency of the first set or each SSB frequency of the second set correspond to SSB measurement configurations of the set of measurement configurations. The UE may identify that SSB measurement configuration includes one or more of an SMTC, a subcarrier spacing, an SSB index, a radio frequency spectrum band index, a measurement-type, and a cell-quantity configuration and thus a preset rule, please see paragraphs [0190], [0245]);
wherein the determining, according to a preset rule, a reference signal configuration to be used by the terminal from the multiple sets of configuration information (The UE may identify that SSB measurement configuration includes one or more of an SMTC, a subcarrier spacing, an SSB index, a radio frequency spectrum band index, a measurement-type, and a cell-quantity configuration and thus a preset rule, please see paragraphs [0190], [0245]) comprises:
receiving a first indication for indicating configuration information to be used by the terminal (see paragraph [0188], the base stations 105-a, 105-b, transmit SSB measurement configurations in message 205 and message 210 indicating the UE 115-a to perform idle state measurement or inactive state measurements).
Cheng does not clearly teach wherein the first indication is carried in at least one of the following information:
advance indication signal, or downlink control information for a paging message.
Liu teaches wherein the first indication (see paragraph [0085], the terminal device receives configuration change information for the ith reference signal set or the K reference signal sets from the network device. Note: Examiner is reading said configuration change information as said first information) is carried in at least one of the following information:
advance indication signal (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art(s) of record), or downlink control information for a paging message (see paragraph [0085], the paging downlink control information carries said configuration change information).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the transmission of configuration change information in a paging downlink control information (as disclosed in Liu) into Cheng as a way of dynamically indicating the sending status of the reference signal set quickly (please see paragraph [0086] of Liu). Therefore, by performing beam selection based on the reference signal set, power consumption of the terminal is reduced (please see paragraph [0035] of Liu).
As per claim 2:
Cheng in view of Liu teaches the reference signal configuration method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using at least one of the following messages: a system message (see paragraph [0188], message 205 may be SIB), a paging message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art), and radio resource control signaling (see paragraph [0188], message 210 may be an RRC message such as an RRC connection release message).
As per claim 20:
Cheng teaches an electronic device for a terminal in an idle or inactive state (see paragraph [0188], UE 115-a may be provided with SSB measurement configurations in message 205 by base stations 105-a, 105-b for which the UE 115-a may perform idle state measurements or inactive state measurements for cell selection or cell reselection),
comprising a processor (see Figure 9, paragraph [0250], processor 940), a memory (see Figure 9, memory 930), and a program or instructions stored in the memory (see Figure 9, memory 930 include code 935) and capable of running on the processor, wherein when the program or the instructions are executed by the processor, the following steps are implemented (see paragraphs [0257]-[0258], code 935 stored in memory 930 include instructions executable by processor 935):
receiving multiple sets of configuration information of a reference signal (see paragraph [0212], the UE 115-c may receive first message indicating set of SSB measurement configurations and a first set of SSB frequencies);
and determining, according to a preset rule, a reference signal configuration to be used by the terminal from the multiple sets of configuration information (see Figure 8, paragraph [0245], the UE 800 comprise of configuration component 840 for identifying each of that each SSB frequency of the first set or each SSB frequency of the second set correspond to SSB measurement configurations of the set of measurement configurations. The UE may identify that SSB measurement configuration includes one or more of an SMTC, a subcarrier spacing, an SSB index, a radio frequency spectrum band index, a measurement-type, and a cell-quantity configuration and thus a preset rule, please see paragraphs [0190], [0245]);
wherein the determining, according to a preset rule, a reference signal configuration to be used by the terminal from the multiple sets of configuration information (The UE may identify that SSB measurement configuration includes one or more of an SMTC, a subcarrier spacing, an SSB index, a radio frequency spectrum band index, a measurement-type, and a cell-quantity configuration and thus a preset rule, please see paragraphs [0190], [0245]) comprises:
receiving a first indication for indicating configuration information to be used by the terminal (see paragraph [0188], the base stations 105-a, 105-b, transmit SSB measurement configurations in message 205 and message 210 indicating the UE 115-a to perform idle state measurement or inactive state measurements).
Cheng does not clearly teach wherein the first indication is carried in at least one of the following information:
advance indication signal, or downlink control information for a paging message.
Liu teaches wherein the first indication (see paragraph [0085], the terminal device receives configuration change information for the ith reference signal set or the K reference signal sets from the network device. Note: Examiner is reading said configuration change information as said first information) is carried in at least one of the following information:
advance indication signal (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art(s) of record), or downlink control information for a paging message (see paragraph [0085], the paging downlink control information carries said configuration change information).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the transmission of configuration change information in a paging downlink control information (as disclosed in Liu) into Cheng as a way of dynamically indicating the sending status of the reference signal set quickly (please see paragraph [0086] of Liu). Therefore, by performing beam selection based on the reference signal set, power consumption of the terminal is reduced (please see paragraph [0035] of Liu).
5. Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Li (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0417900).
As per claim 3:
Cheng in view of Liu teaches the reference signal configuration method according to claim 2 with the exception of:
wherein the determining, according to a preset rule, a reference signal configuration to be used by the terminal from the multiple sets of configuration information comprises:
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the radio resource control signaling;
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the system message;
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the paging message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the radio resource control signaling;
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the paging message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the paging message;
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the paging message, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the paging message;
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the paging message, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the system message.
Li teaches wherein the determining, according to a preset rule, a reference signal configuration to be used by the terminal from the multiple sets of configuration information (paragraph [0114] disclose a mapping between paging resource of each paging configuration and the CSI-RS configured explicitly by system information or RRC signaling) comprises:
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the radio resource control signaling (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the system message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the paging message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the radio resource control signaling (see paragraph [0113], for each paging configuration, RAN node or network can map to one or more CSI-RS configurations or CSI-RS indexes. The mapping between the paging resource of each paging configuration and the CSI-RS can be configured explicitly by the system information or RRC signaling or implicitly. Paragraph [0114] also discloses both the UE and network can determine the mapping between the paging resources of each paging configuration and the CSI-RS according to the same rule and this rule can be specified in the specification or pre-defined);
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the paging message and the radio resource control signaling, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the paging message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the paging message, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the paging message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
or,
in a case that the multiple sets of configuration information are configured using the system message and the paging message, using, by the terminal, a reference signal configuration configured in the system message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the paging configuration (as disclosed in Li) into both Cheng and Liu as a way of determining a mapping between each paging resource to the CSI-RS of the different cells (please see paragraph [0115] of Li).
6. Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Da Silva (US PG Pub. No. 2020/0068463).
As per claim 12:
Cheng in view of Liu teaches the reference signal configuration method according to claim 2 with the exception of:
wherein the radio resource control signaling comprises at least one of the following: radio resource control release message, radio resource control suspend message, radio resource control configuration message, and radio resource control reconfiguration message.
Da Silva teaches wherein the radio resource control signaling comprises at least one of the following: radio resource control release message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art), radio resource control suspend message (see paragraph [0143], said RRC Connection Reconfiguration message is an RRC control suspend message especially since the wireless device 14 upon receipt of the message assumes that these sets are suspended, i.e., not activated), radio resource control configuration message (see paragraph [0141], the targe network node 12 provides configurations for the sets of CSI-RS for an incoming wireless device as part of RRC configuration), and radio resource control reconfiguration message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the RRC configuration of sets of CSI-RSs (as disclosed in Da Silva) into Cheng and Liu as a way of enabling the wireless device to determine whether multiple sets of CSI-RS configurations are activated or not (please see paragraph [0143] of Da Silva).
7. Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Harada (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0272643).
As per claim 17:
Cheng in view of Liu teaches the reference signal configuration method according to claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the configuration information comprises some or all of configuration parameters of the reference signal;
and/or, wherein the reference signal is a reference signal configured by a network for a terminal in a connected state.
Harada teaches wherein the configuration information comprises some or all of configuration parameters of the reference signal (Note: limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
and/or, wherein the reference signal is a reference signal configured by a network for a terminal in a connected state (see paragraph [0116], the number (N) of SSB sets (SSB groups) may be notified by RRC when the UE 200 is in connected state (RRC_connected)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the configured SSB groups when the UE is in RRC connected state (as disclosed in Harada) into Cheng and Liu as the gNB has different levels of capability (i.e. different numbers of transmitted SSB beams) for transmission of a plurality of SSBs (please see paragraph [0117] of Harada).
8. Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Harada and of Da Silva.
As per claim 18:
Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Harada teaches the reference signal configuration method according to claim 17 with the exception of:
wherein the first indication is further carried in at least one of the following information: system message, physical downlink shared channel for a paging message, radio resource control release message, radio resource control suspend message, radio resource control configuration message, and radio resource control reconfiguration message.
Da Silva teaches wherein the first indication is further carried in at least one of the following information: system message, physical downlink shared channel for a paging message, radio resource control release message, radio resource control suspend message (see paragraph [0143], said RRC Connection Reconfiguration message is an RRC control suspend message especially since the wireless device 14 upon receipt of the message assumes that these sets are suspended, i.e., not activated), radio resource control configuration message (see paragraph [0141], the targe network node 12 provides configurations for the sets of CSI-RS for an incoming wireless device as part of RRC configuration), and radio resource control reconfiguration message (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the RRC configuration of sets of CSI-RSs (as disclosed in Da Silva) into Cheng, Liu and Harada as a way of enabling the wireless device to determine whether multiple sets of CSI-RS configurations are activated or not (please see paragraph [0143] of Da Silva).
9. Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Harada and Babaei (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0413091).
As per claim 19:
Cheng in view of Liu and further in view of Harada teaches the reference signal configuration method according to claim 17 with the exception of:
wherein, in the case that the configuration information comprises some or all of configuration parameters of the reference signal, the method further comprises:
transforming a reference signal configuration currently used by the terminal by using the some or all of the configuration parameters of the reference signal;
and/or,
wherein, in the case that the reference signal is the reference signal configured by the network for the terminal in the connected state, the reference signal comprises at least one of the following: channel state information reference signal, demodulation reference signal, tracking reference signal, positioning reference signal, and second synchronization system information block, the second synchronization system information block being different from a first synchronization system information block received by a terminal in an idle state.
Babaei teaches wherein, in the case that the configuration information comprises some or all of configuration parameters of the reference signal (see paragraph [0181], the UE may receive one or more messages comprising first configurations parameters for CSI-RS measurement for CSI report in an RRC connected state and second configuration parameters for CSI-RS measurement and CSI report in an RRC idle state or an RRC inactive state), the method further comprises:
transforming a reference signal configuration currently used by the terminal by using the some or all of the configuration parameters of the reference signal (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
and/or,
wherein, in the case that the reference signal is the reference signal configured by the network for the terminal in the connected state (see paragraph [0181], the first configurations parameters for CSI-RS measurement and CSI report in an RRC connected state), the reference signal comprises at least one of the following: channel state information reference signal (see paragraph [0172], the first configuration parameters may indicate first CSI-RS based RRM measurement parameters to be used by the UE while the UE is in the RRC connected state), demodulation reference signal (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art), tracking reference signal (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art), positioning reference signal (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art), and second synchronization system information block, the second synchronization system information block being different from a first synchronization system information block received by a terminal in an idle state (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the configuration parameters for CSI-RS reference signals (as disclosed in Babaei) into Cheng, Liu and Harada as a way of helping in the delivering of data associated with the MBS services (please see paragraph [0174] of Babaei).
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claims 4-11 and 13-16 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.
Conclusion
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PRINCE AKWASI. MENSAH
Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/PRINCE A MENSAH/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
/Michael Thier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2474