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 with respect to claim(s) 1-30 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. Examiner has added secondary art to strengthen his rejection in view of Applicant’s argument of amended independent claims.
Regarding the amended claims 1, 15 and 20, Examiner has still broadly interpreted limitation “a product of” as “a combination of” or “a result of” or “a function of”. Should Applicant decides to clarify “a product of” as a mathematical multiplication result as recited in his remarks, please revise such limitation to “a mathematical product of” or “a mathematical multiplication result of”.
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, 10-11, 13, 15, 24-25, 27 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 2024/0365251) in view of Lee (US 2023/0115798).
Regarding claims 1, 15 and 29-30, Chen describes a method/apparatus/non-transitory computer-readable medium of wireless communication (fig. 4-7, terminal having method, implementable as a computer program, para. 17), comprising:
[one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors configured to cause the apparatus to:
[means for] mapping a multi-layer uplink transmission to a plurality of phase-tracking reference signal (PT-RS) ports, the mapping comprising distributing layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission among the plurality of PT-RS ports (para. 6, terminal receives indications in associating (mapping) different transmission layers of PUSCH (uplink transmission with different corresponding PTRS ports);
[means for] determining a first transmission power boost for a first PT-RS port of the plurality of PT-RS ports as a function of a quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) ports mapped to the first PT-RS port and a total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission (para. 7, terminal determining power boosting value of each (first) PTRS port based on the number (quantity) of transmission layers of the PUSCH (uplink transmission. As an option, power boosting value of each PTRS port is according to the mapping relationship of table 1, where K = number of al transmission layers of PUSCH and where the number of PTRS ports is 2, 4, 6 and 8, para. 209-210 & table 10-1) ; and
[means for] transmitting a first PT-RS corresponding to the first PT-RS port utilizing the first transmission power boost (para. 6-7, the power boosting is for PUSCH transmission using PTRS ports).
Chen fails to further explicitly describe:
PT-RS power boost based on a product of (1) quantity of layers of the multi-layer up transmission and (2) a total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission.
Lee also describes PT-RS for wireless communication (title), further describing:
PT-RS power boost based on a product of (1) quantity of layers of the multi-layer up transmission and (2) a total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission (para. 12 & 14, power boosting level P1 = X+Y(dB), where X = based on the number of PT-RS ports, Y = based on number of layers for the specify DM-RS port group).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the PT-RS power boost in Chen to be a product (combination/result/function) of number of PT-RS ports & number of layers as in Lee.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this improves the channel estimation performance of the UE (Lee, para. 258).
Regarding claims 10 and 24, Chen describes:
determining a second transmission power boost, different from the first transmission power boost, for a second PT-RS port of the plurality of PT-RS ports; and transmitting a second PT-RSs corresponding to the second PT-RS port, frequency division multiplexed with the first PT-RS, utilizing the second transmission power boost (para. 209-210, determining individual (second) power boosting value for each (second port) PTRS port according to multi-layer mapping relationship in table 10-1 based on coherent configuration (PTRS power boost configuration) for PUSCH (uplink transmission). The uplink transmission of first & second PT-RS ports is via OFDM (frequency division multiplexing)).
Regarding claim 11 and 25, Chen describes:
transmitting a capability information message indicating a capability to utilize a PT-RS power boost configuration (para. 105-107, terminal transmits capability information whether it supports enhanced PTRS power boosting (configuration)).
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 2-4 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Huang (WO 2024208353).
Regarding claims 2 and 16, Chen fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein determining the first transmission power boost comprises: determining the first transmission power boost according to the function: α=10 log.sub.10 (Q.sub.p*L), wherein α is the first transmission power boost, Q.sub.p is the total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission, and L is the quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by PUSCH ports mapped to the first PT-RS port
Huang also describes PTRS power transmission determination (title), further describing:
wherein determining the first transmission power boost comprises: determining the first transmission power boost according to the function: α=10 log.sub.10 (Q.sub.p*L), wherein α is the first transmission power boost, Q.sub.p is the total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission, and L is the quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by PUSCH ports mapped to the first PT-RS port (p. 3 line 20 – p. 4, line 5, determining PTRS transmission power [boost] according to 10log.sub.10(L.sub.x, Q.sub.p)
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the transmission power of Chen to be a function of the above specification as in Huang.
The motivation for combining the teaching is that this improves the current PTRS power boost scheme to be suitable for PUSCH transmission & improves the PTRS transmission performance (Huang, p. 2 lines 1-6).
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Chen fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein determining the first transmission power boost further comprises: determining the first transmission power boost for the first PT-RS port of the plurality of PT-RS ports as the function of the quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by PUSCH ports mapped to the first PT-RS port, the total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission, and a total quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission.
Huang also describes PTRS power transmission determination (title), further describing:
wherein determining the first transmission power boost further comprises: determining the first transmission power boost for the first PT-RS port of the plurality of PT-RS ports as the function of the quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by PUSCH ports mapped to the first PT-RS port, the total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission, and a total quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission (p. 3 line 20 – p. 4, line 5, determining PTRS transmission power [boost] according to min{10log .sub.10 (L .sub.x Q .sub.p ),10log .sub.10 (L)}, where L.sub.x = number of PUSCH layers of PUSCH (uplink) transmission, Q.sub.p = number of PTRS ports associated with multi-layer PUSCH (uplink) transmission, L = [total] quantity of layers of multi-layer uplink transmission).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the transmission power of Chen to be a function of the above specification as in Huang.
The motivation for combining the teaching is that this improves the current PTRS power boost scheme to be suitable for PUSCH transmission & improves the PTRS transmission performance (Huang, p. 2 lines 1-6).
Regarding claims 4 and 18, Chen and Huang combined describe:
wherein determining the first transmission power boost comprises: determining the first transmission power boost according to the function:
α=min{10 log.sub.10Q.sub.p*L.sub.port,10 log.sub.10L.sub.total},
wherein α is the first transmission power boost, min is a minimum function, Q.sub.p is total number of PT-RS ports associated with the multi-layer uplink transmission, and L.sub.port is the quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by PUSCH ports mapped to the first PT-RS port, and L.sub.total is the total quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission (Huang, p. 3 line 20 – p. 4, line 5, determining PTRS transmission power [boost] according to min{10log .sub.10 (L .sub.x Q .sub.p ),10log .sub.10 (L)}, where L.sub.x = number of PUSCH layers of PUSCH (uplink) transmission, Q.sub.p = number of PTRS ports associated with multi-layer PUSCH (uplink) transmission, L = [total] quantity of layers of multi-layer uplink transmission).
Claims 5-7 and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang (US 2019/0140729).
Regarding claims 5 and 19, Chen describes:
wherein determining the first transmission power boost for the first PT-RS port further comprises:
referencing a lookup table to determine the first transmission power boost based on:
the quantity of layers of the multi-layer uplink transmission transmitted by the PUSCH ports mapped to the first PT-RS port; and a PT-RS power boost configuration (para. 209-210, determining power boosting value for each (first port) PTRS port according to multi-layer mapping relationship in table 10-1 based on coherent configuration (PTRS power boost configuration) for PUSCH (uplink transmission)).
Yet Chen fails to further explicitly describe:
referencing a lookup table to determine the first transmission power boost based on: a first precoder configuration for the uplink transmission transmitted by the PUSCH.
Zhang also describes PT-RS power boosting (title), further describing:
referencing a lookup table to determine the first transmission power boost based on: a first precoder configuration for the uplink transmission transmitted by the PUSCH (fig. 10 & para. 107-109, table 1000 defined for uplink PT-RS power boosting is in regards to different precoders [configuration] for uplink communications at the UE side).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention by applicant to specify that referencing a lookup table to determine transmission power boost in Chen should also be based on a first precoder configuration for the uplink transmission as in Zhang.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this enhances operation to address PT-RS port indication and PT-RS power boosting (Zhang, para. 6).
Regarding claims 6 and 20, Chen and Zhang combined describe:
applying an operator to a value found by the lookup table (para. 109-110, table 1000 lookup result for uplink PT-RS power boosting used for reporting a maximum [operator] PUSCH-to_PT-RS EPRE).
Regarding claims 7 and 21, Chen and Zhang combined describe:
wherein the operator is a maximum function returning the value found by the lookup table or a predetermined minimum power boost, whichever is greater (para. 109-110, table 1000 lookup result for uplink PT-RS power boosting used for reporting a maximum [operator] PUSCH-to_PT-RS EPRE).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9, 12, 14, 22-23, 26 and 28 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: ** Lee (EP 3697142) describing PTRS power boosting determined based on the number of layers & also based on number of PTRS ports (para. 16-17). Specifically, the PT-RS power boosting level (A) may satisfy Equation: A = 10 × log.sub.10(N.sub.PTRS) + a(dB), where N.sub.PTRS denotes the number of PT-RS ports configured for a UE, and a denotes a PT-RS power boosting level based on the number of layers in each DM-RS port group (para. 136), Xiong (US 2022/0094496) describing PTRS design with power boosting (para. 42-43), Zhang (Us 2022/0060361) describing PT-RS transmission for OFDM where PT-RS subcarriers are power boosted (para. 24), Lee (US 2021/0258200) describing transceiving PT-RS between terminal & base station where PT-RS power boosting depending on the number of PT-RS ports may also be applied (para. 428), Lee (US 2019/0305908) describing each of the frequency densities of the PT-RSs corresponding to the plurality of PT-RS ports may be determined based on bandwidth scheduled for a corresponding PT-RS port and power boosting level for the corresponding PT-RS port (para. 16-17), Qi (US 2019/0261279) describing PTRS power boosting based on relationship of power to a number of PUSCH layers (abstract).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WARNER WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8197. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am - 3:30pm.
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WARNER WONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/WARNER WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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