Detail Action
The office action is in response to the communications filed on 10/15/2025.
Notice of 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 .
Claims Status
Claims 1, 9-10, and 17-18 have been amended.
Claims 1-18 are pending in this application.
Prior Art Made of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wernerssonet al. (Patent No. 10,439,777), The prior art embodiments utilize CSI-RS transmitted in the downlink, whereby the UE then measures the reference signal and provides feedback to the gNB; see column 17 lines 37-39.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 10, and 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.
Examiner Notes
Claims 1-16 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 101 because the claimed invention was directed to non-statutory subject matter because the set of antenna ports of the client device includes software only embodiments. However, Applicant’s remarks, filed on 10/13/2025, with respect to 35 U.S.C. § 101 rejection have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 35 U.S.C. § 101 has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant remarks, filed on 10/13/2025, argues that the cited portion of the prior art, individually or in combination, fails to discloses the features presented by the amended claim 1, specifically those pertaining to the act of:
“determin[ing] downlink measurement information for the set of antenna ports of the client device based on the received power of the set of received downlink reference signals at each of the set of antenna ports”, "transmit[ting] a set of uplink reference signals to the network access node via the set of antenna ports of the client device", and "transmit[ting] the feedback signal to the network access node via the set of antenna ports. Applicant remarks indicate that the prior art only describes that the UE sends RS to the BS, wherein "the RS may be based on channel information calculated based on the DL CSI acquisition related RS" (Park, ¶ 0680.). Examiner respectfully disagrees. The prior art shows, in figure 24 S115 and ¶ 678-680, that the user equipment (UE) receiving the downlink (DL) reference signal (RS) from the base station (BS), wherein based in the DL-RS the UE calculate a DL-CSI [downlink measurement information]. Furthermore, the BS may receive the DL-CSI together with the UL-RS; see ¶ 680. Examiner notes that figure 24 describe two independent steps for transmission of the reference signal, wherein the first step is from the base station to the user equipment, and wherein the second step is from the user equipment to the base station.
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 1-2, 4, 6, 9, 11-12, 14, and 17-18 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. ( Publication No. US 2021/0050889, hereinafter referred to as Park).
Regarding claims 1 and 17, Park discloses receive, at a set of antenna ports, a set of downlink reference signals from a network access node (The base station (BS) [network access node] may transmit, to the corresponding UE [client device], a downlink (DL) reference signal (RS) in order to acquire downlink (DL) channel status information (CSI); see figure 24 S115 & ¶ 678. Furthermore, one or more processors 102 may control one or more transceivers [antenna ports] and/or one or more memories 104 to transmit the DL CSI acquisition related RS and one or more transceivers 106 may transmit the DL CSI acquisition related RS to the UE; see ¶ 679.);
determine downlink measurement information for the set of antenna ports of the client device based on the received power of the set of received downlink reference signals at each of the set of antenna ports (The UE calculate a DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] based on the DL-RS; see ¶ 680. Furthermore, the UE support multiple capabilities, wherein each capability represent a configurations of antenna port(s); see figure 21 & ¶ 674. The channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) is used for time and/or frequency tracking, CSI computation, layer 1 (L1)-reference signal received power (RSRP) computation; see ¶ 313.);
determine a feedback signal indicating the downlink measurement information for the set of antenna ports (The UE may determine an uplink (UL) RS in order to acquire the UL-CSI, wherein the UL-RS may be based on the channel DL-CSI; see ¶ 680.);
transmit a set of uplink reference signals to the network access node via the set of antenna ports of the client device (The BS may receive, from the corresponding UE, UL-RS in order to acquire information on the UL-CSI; see figure 24 S120 & ¶ 680-681. Furthermore, the UE support multiple capabilities, wherein each capability represent a configurations of antenna port(s); see figure 21 & ¶ 674.); and
transmit the feedback signal to the network access node via the set of antenna ports (The BS may receive the DL-CSI together with the RS; see ¶ 680.).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses determining downlink measurement information for each subset of antenna ports in the set of antenna ports of the client device, wherein each subset of antenna ports comprises at least one antenna port (The UE calculate a DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] based on the DL-RS; see ¶ 680. The UE support multiple capabilities, wherein each capability represent a configurations of antenna port(s); see figure 21 capability 1-3 & ¶ 674.).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses determining downlink measurement information for each downlink frequency band carrying the set of downlink reference signals (The UE calculate a DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] based on the DL-RS; see ¶ 680.).
Regarding claim 6, Park discloses that the downlink measurement information indicates a downlink received power at the set of antenna ports of the client device (The UE calculate a DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] based on the DL-RS; see ¶ 680. The Dl-CSI includes a reference signal received power (RSRP); see ¶ 406.).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Park discloses a network access node for a communication system (A base station (BS); see figure 24.),
the network access node being configured to transmit a set of downlink reference signals to a client device (The base station (BS) [network access node] may transmit, to the corresponding UE [client device], a downlink (DL) reference signal (RS) in order to acquire downlink (DL) channel status information (CSI); see figure 24 S115 & ¶ 678.);
receive a set of uplink reference signals from a set of antenna ports of the client device (The BS may receive, from the corresponding UE, UL-RS in order to acquire information on the UL-CSI; see figure 24 S120 & ¶ 680-681. Furthermore, the UE support multiple capabilities, wherein each capability represent a configurations of antenna port(s); see figure 21 & ¶ 674.); and
receive a feedback signal from the set of antenna ports of the client device, wherein the feedback signal indicates downlink measurement information for a set of antenna ports of the client device based on the received power of the set of downlink reference signals at each of the set of antenna ports (The BS may receive the DL-CSI together with the RS; see ¶ 680. Furthermore, the UE support multiple capabilities, wherein each capability represent a configurations of antenna port(s); see figure 21 & ¶ 674. The channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) is used for time and/or frequency tracking, CSI computation, layer 1 (L1)-reference signal received power (RSRP) computation; see ¶ 313.).
Regarding claim 11, Park discloses that the feedback signal indicates downlink measurement information for each subset of antenna ports in the set of antenna ports of the client device, wherein each subset of antenna ports comprises at least one antenna port (The BS may receive the DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] together with the RS; see ¶ 680. The UE support multiple capabilities, wherein each capability represent a configurations of antenna port(s); see figure 21 capability 1-3 & ¶ 674.).
Regarding claim 12, Park discloses that the feedback signal indicates downlink measurement information for each downlink frequency band carrying the set of downlink reference signals (The BS may receive the DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] together with the RS; see ¶ 680.).
Regarding claim 14, Park discloses that the downlink measurement information indicates a downlink received power at the set of antenna ports of the client device (The UE calculate a DL-CSI [downlink measurement information] based on the DL-RS; see ¶ 680. The Dl-CSI includes a reference signal received power (RSRP); see ¶ 406.).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 3 is rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. ( Publication No. US 2021/0050889, hereinafter referred to as Park) in view of Kim et al. ( Patent Publication No. US 2017/0111098, hereinafter referred as Kim).
Regarding claim 3, Park fails to disclose that the set of antenna ports of the client device are grouped into subsets of antenna ports based on at least one of an antenna switching pattern of the set of antenna ports of the client device associated with the transmission of the uplink reference signals; or mismatch properties between different antenna ports in the set of antenna ports. However, in analogous art, Kim discloses that the selecting ports to prevent CQI mismatch; wherein the ports may mean identification numbers of antennas or a logical or physical group of antennas; see ¶ 142. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park communication process with port selection mechanism of Kim in order to avoid the overall performance degradation in the communication system caused by the CQI mismatch; see ¶ 140.
Claims 5 and 13 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. ( Publication No. US 2021/0050889, hereinafter referred to as Park) in view of Nilsson et al. ( Patent Publication No. US 2020/0244335, hereinafter referred as Nilsson).
Regarding claim 5, Park fails to disclose that the downlink measurement information indicates second order statistics of a downlink channel estimation, and wherein the second order statistics of the downlink channel estimation comprises at least one of: a downlink channel correlation matrix, a squared Euclidean norm of the downlink channel estimation, or a squared Euclidean norm of the downlink channel estimation scaled with a scaling factor. However, in analogous art, Nilsson discloses that the first wireless device receives signaling comprising a correlation matrix, wherein the correlation matrix is used, by the first wireless device, to perform measurement on the downlink antenna ports; see ¶ 0042. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park communication process with correlation matrix mechanism of Nilsson in order to determine spatial reciprocal quasi co-location relation between the downlink antenna port and the uplink antenna port; see ¶ 0042.
Regarding claim 13, Park fails to disclose that the downlink measurement information indicates second order statistics of a downlink channel estimation, and wherein the second order statistics of the downlink channel estimation includes at least one of: a downlink channel correlation matrix, a squared Euclidean norm of the downlink channel estimation, or a squared Euclidean norm of the downlink channel estimation scaled with a scaling factor. However, in analogous art, Nilsson discloses that the first wireless device receives signaling comprising a correlation matrix, wherein the correlation matrix is used, by the first wireless device, to perform measurement on the downlink antenna ports; see ¶ 0042. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park communication process with correlation matrix mechanism of Nilsson in order to determine spatial reciprocal quasi co-location relation between the downlink antenna port and the uplink antenna port; see ¶ 0042.
Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. ( Publication No. US 2021/0050889, hereinafter referred to as Park) in view of Wu et al. ( Patent Publication No. US 2018/0278315, hereinafter referred as Wu).
Regarding claim 7, Park fails to disclose that the feedback signal indicates the downlink measurement information as: an incremental change of downlink measurement information compared to previous downlink measurement information; or an incremental change of downlink measurement information for different antenna ports or subsets of antenna ports compared to other antenna ports or other subsets of antenna ports. However, in analogous art, Wu discloses that the differential CSI feedback described herein may include multiple CSI feedback reports, where each CSI feedback report depends in part on a previous CSI feedback; see ¶ 99. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park communication process with differential CSI mechanism of Wu in order to more efficiently acquire full channel information for an accurate approximation of the channel; ¶ 99.
Regarding claim 15, Park fails to disclose that the feedback signal indicates the downlink measurement information as: an incremental change of downlink measurement information compared to previous downlink measurement information; or an incremental change of downlink measurement information for different antenna ports or subsets of antenna ports compared to other antenna ports or other subsets of antenna ports. However, in analogous art, Wu discloses that the differential CSI feedback described herein may include multiple CSI feedback reports, where each CSI feedback report depends in part on previous CSI feedback; see ¶ 99. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park communication process with differential CSI mechanism of Wu in order to more efficiently acquire full channel information for an accurate approximation of the channel; ¶ 99.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/H.R/Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/KEVIN T BATES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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