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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/02/2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive with regards to the 35 USC 101 rejection, therefore the 35 USC 101 rejection is withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 03/02/2026 have been fully considered and moot based on new grounds of rejection.
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 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 17, 19, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (WO 2014112848 A1, hereinafter “Kim”) in view of Qian et al (US 20170257238 A1, hereinafter “Qian”), further in view of 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 #104 Spokane, US, 12th - 16th November 2018 (hereinafter “3GPP-104”, from Applicant’s IDS, therefore a copy is not provided)
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses an information transmission method, performed by a terminal device or a chip in the terminal device,, comprising: receiving, by a terminal device (fig. 10 UE 1005), first information from a network device (see Kim, fig. 10 1040, UE capability request sent from END to UE), wherein the first information comprise a request for capability information of the terminal device (see Kim, fig. 10 1040, UE capability request sent from END to UE); and
in response to receiving the first information (see Kim, ¶130,131), sending, by the terminal device, first capability information to the network device (see Kim, fig. 10 1045), wherein the first capability information comprises capability information of sending a signal by the terminal device based on a first bandwidth (see Kim, fig. 9 & 10, SBWC, UE sends supported bandwidths),
Kim fails to specifically disclose the first bandwidth is greater than a second bandwidth, the first bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send the reference signal and is not used by the terminal device to send communication data, and the second bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send communication data;
In the same field of endeavor, Qian discloses the first bandwidth is greater than a second bandwidth, the first bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send the reference signal and is not used by the terminal device to send communication data, and the second bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send communication data; (see Qian, ¶[0178], “In the configuration of the transmitter, the SRS transmission bandwidth will be greater than the transmission bandwidth allocated to the receiver. For example, the bandwidth allocated to the receiver is 6 PRBs, i.e., 72 sub-carriers in total, while the SRS transmission bandwidth allocated to the same receiver is 36 PRBs, i.e., 540 sub-carriers.”).
Given that Kim and Qian each are related to managing transmission and bandwidth in a wireless network, It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kim by providing greater bandwidth to the reference channel as disclosed by Qian, thereby providing greater assurance of UE connection to the network.
The combination of Kim and Qian fail to disclose sending a switching time to the network device, wherein the switching time is a switching time between sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth and sending a signal based on the second bandwidth by the terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, 3GPP-104 discloses sending, by the terminal device, a switching time to the network device, wherein the switching time is a switching time between sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth and sending a signal based on the second bandwidth by the terminal device (see 3GPP-104, page 4 srs-switchingTimeRequest, page 6, discloses UE sends switching times between bandwidth changes, which provides switching time between first and second bandwidths).
Given that Kim and Qian each follow 3GPP protocols, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include 3GPP protocols as stated in 3GPP-104, thereby conforming to 3GPP standards and creating a more efficient system.
Regarding claim 7, the citations and rational in the rejection of claim 1 addresses the limitations of claim 7. Please note that in Kim, it is a network entity that sends the initial capability request to the UE.
Regarding claim 3, the method according to claim 2, the combination of Kim and Qian fail to disclose wherein the switching time comprises at least one of a first switching time or a second switching time, the first switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth to sending the signal based on the second bandwidth, and the second switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the signal based on the second bandwidth to sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth
3GPP discloses wherein the switching time comprises at least one of a first switching time or a second switching time, the first switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth to sending the signal based on the second bandwidth, and the second switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the signal based on the second bandwidth to sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth (see 3GPP-104, page 4 srs-switchingTimeRequest, page 6, sections 1.2.1.4 , 5.6.1.4 discloses UE sends switching times between bandwidth changes). See motivation to combine in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 4, the method according to claim 1, the combination of Kim and Qian fail to disclose receiving, by the terminal device, second information from a location server, wherein the second information comprises a request for positioning capability information of the terminal device; and sending, by the terminal device, the first capability information and the switching time to the location server and sending the switching time to the location server.
3GPP-104 discloses receiving, by the terminal device, second information from a location server, wherein the second information comprises a request for positioning capability information of the terminal device and sending, by the terminal device, the first capability information and sending the switching time to the location server. (see 3GPP-104, page 6, sections 1.2.1.4 , 5.6.1.4);
Regarding claim 5, the method according to claim 1, Kim fails to disclose receiving, by the terminal device, first reference signal configuration information from the network device, wherein the first reference signal configuration information indicates the terminal device to send the reference signal based on the first bandwidth; and sending, by the terminal device, based on the first reference signal configuration information, the reference signal based on the first bandwidth.
In the same field of endeavor, Qian discloses receiving, by the terminal device, first reference signal configuration information from the network device, wherein the first reference signal configuration information indicates the terminal device to send the reference signal based on the first bandwidth; and sending, by the terminal device, based on the first reference signal configuration information, the reference signal based on the first bandwidth (see Qian, ¶[0178], “In the configuration of the transmitter, the SRS transmission bandwidth will be greater than the transmission bandwidth allocated to the receiver. For example, the bandwidth allocated to the receiver is 6 PRBs, i.e., 72 sub-carriers in total, while the SRS transmission bandwidth allocated to the same receiver is 36 PRBs, i.e., 540 sub-carriers.”). See motivation to combine in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, the method according to claim 1, Kim fails to disclose wherein the first bandwidth is used to transmit a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the first bandwidth is not used to send uplink data or receive downlink data.
Qian discloses wherein the first bandwidth is used to transmit a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the first bandwidth is not used to send uplink data or receive downlink data (see Qian, ¶[0178], “In the configuration of the transmitter, the SRS transmission bandwidth will be greater than the transmission bandwidth allocated to the receiver. For example, the bandwidth allocated to the receiver is 6 PRBs, i.e., 72 sub-carriers in total, while the SRS transmission bandwidth allocated to the same receiver is 36 PRBs, i.e., 540 sub-carriers.”) See motivation to combine in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claims 16 the limitations have been addressed in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claims 9, 17 the limitations have been addressed in the rejection of claim 3.
Regarding claims 10, 19 the limitations have been addressed in the rejection of claim 5.
Regarding claims 11, 20 the limitations have been addressed in the rejection of claim 6.
Claims 12, 14, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gummadi et al (WO US 20220116906, hereinafter “Gummadi”) in view of Qian and 3GPP-104.
Regarding claim 12, Gummadi discloses a position information transmission (see Gummadi, fig. 6) method, comprising: receiving, by a location server, location request information, wherein the location request information comprise a request for location information of a terminal device (see Gummadi, fig. 6 602 “location request” sent from AMF to Location Server 112);
sending, by the location server, second information, wherein the second information comprise a request for positioning capability information of the terminal device (see Gummadi, fig. 6 and ¶[0122] “At 604, the LS 112 may request and obtains the capabilities of the UE 104 via the base station (BS) 102”); and
receiving, by the location server and in response to the second information, first capability information from the terminal device (see Gummadi, fig. 6 and ¶[0122] “At 604, the LS 112 may request and obtains the capabilities of the UE 104 via the base station (BS) 102”, further see ¶[0139]), wherein the first capability information comprises capability information of sending a reference signal by the terminal device based on a first bandwidth (see Gummadi, ¶[0110], “A UE may indicate the number of frequency layers it can support when it sends the network its positioning capabilities, such as during an LTE positioning protocol (LPP) session. For example, a UE may indicate whether it can support one or four positioning frequency layers.”),
Gummadi fails to specifically disclose the first bandwidth is greater than a second bandwidth, the first bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send the reference signal and is not used by the terminal device to send communication data, and the second bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send communication data;
In the same field of endeavor, Qian discloses the first bandwidth is greater than a second bandwidth, the first bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send the reference signal and is not used by the terminal device to send communication data, and the second bandwidth is used by the terminal device to send communication data; (see Qian, ¶[0178], “In the configuration of the transmitter, the SRS transmission bandwidth will be greater than the transmission bandwidth allocated to the receiver. For example, the bandwidth allocated to the receiver is 6 PRBs, i.e., 72 sub-carriers in total, while the SRS transmission bandwidth allocated to the same receiver is 36 PRBs, i.e., 540 sub-carriers.”).
Given that Gummadi and Qian each are related to managing transmission and bandwidth in a wireless network, It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gummadi by providing greater bandwidth to the reference channel as disclosed by Qian, thereby providing greater assurance of UE connection to the network.
The combination of Gummadi and Qian fail to disclose sending a switching time to the network device, wherein the switching time is a switching time between sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth and sending a signal based on the second bandwidth by the terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, 3GPP-104 discloses sending, by the terminal device, a switching time to the network device, wherein the switching time is a switching time between sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth and sending a signal based on the second bandwidth by the terminal device (see 3GPP-104, page 4 srs-switchingTimeRequest, page 6, discloses UE sends switching times between bandwidth changes, which provides switching time between first and second bandwidths).
Given that Gummadi and Qian each follow 3GPP protocols, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include 3GPP protocols as stated in 3GPP-104, thereby conforming to 3GPP standards and creating a more efficient system.
Regarding claim 14, the method according to claim 13, the combination of Gummadi and Qian fail to specifically disclose wherein the switching time comprises at least one of a first switching time or a second switching time, the first switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth to sending the signal based on the second bandwidth, and the second switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the signal based on the second bandwidth to sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth.
In the same field of endeavor, 3GPP-104 discloses wherein the switching time comprises at least one of a first switching time or a second switching time, the first switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth to sending the signal based on the second bandwidth, and the second switching time is a switching time in which the terminal device switches from sending the signal based on the second bandwidth to sending the reference signal based on the first bandwidth. (see 3GPP-104, page 4 srs-switchingTimeRequest, page 6, discloses UE sends switching times between changes from SRS to other bandwidths).
Given that Gummadi and Qian each follow 3GPP protocols, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include 3GPP protocols as stated in 3GPP-104, thereby conforming to 3GPP standards.
Regarding claim 15, the method according to claim 12, Gummadi fails to wherein the first bandwidth is used to transmit a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the first bandwidth is not used to send uplink data or receive downlink data.
Qian discloses wherein the first bandwidth is used to transmit a sounding reference signal (SRS), and the first bandwidth is not used to send uplink data or receive downlink data. (see Qian, ¶0178) See motivation to combine in the rejection of claim 12.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #103-e R1-2008337 e-Meeting, October 26th - November 13th, 2020 (from Applicant IDS, – Pertinent to switching time between bandwidth changes as claimed in independent claims some dependents.
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/VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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