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
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/23/2026 has been entered.
Summary
This action is in reply to Applicant’s Amendments and Remarks filed on 03/23/2026.
Claims 1-7, 9-14 and 16-32 are pending.
Claim 32 is added new.
Claims 8 and 15 are canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments dated 03/23/2026 with respect to claims 1-14 and 16-31 have been considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant presented argument that KURITA and INTEL, taken alone or in any reasonable combination, do not disclose at least "transmit[ting], to a first network node, capability signaling indicating whether the UE supports an uplink rate matching that is based at least in part on a set of resource block (RB)-level uplink resource muting patterns or a set of resource element (RE)-level uplink resource muting patterns, and that the UE is capable of performing uplink resource muting during a transmission of a reference signal from a second network node for an inter-network-node cross-link interference (CLI) measurement," as recited in amended claim 1. (REMARKS, Page 12)
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. The Examiner notes that Applicant recognized KURITA -
[0065]
Second, we discuss challenges regarding gNB-to-gNB CLI
The gNB-to-gNB CU may mean that the UL signal of UE200 served by gNBl00 (victim gNB) is interfered with by a DL signal transmitted by gNBl00 (neighbor gNB) adjacent to the victim gNB.
[0066]
In order for the victim gNB to properly measure the gNB-to-gNB CLI, it is preferable for the victim gNB to mute the UL signal of the UE 200 it serves at specific resource element(s) (RE(s)).
[0070]
the resources that need to be muted for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements are a very small number of RE(s), and gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements do not require UE200 to cancel the entire UL transmission (e.g., rate matching related resources).
[0071]
Specifically, in gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements, the following example operations may be specified as a mechanism for stopping (muting) UL signals.
[0072]
…. The UL muting resource may be read as a rate matching pattern.
[0073]
Specifically, one or more settings for the UL muting resource may be semi-statically configured.
[0074]
The UE 200 is instructed of a UL muting resource for UL transmission as a UL muting resource setting.
The UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel or a UL signal in the UL muting resource …… rate matching of UL channels or signals may be performed only on non-muting resources…..
[0081]
In option 1-2, the UL muting resource configuration may include a location in the frequency domain.
The frequency domain indication may have the following Alt:
[0082]
In Alt.1, the frequency domain indication indicates whether UL transmission should be muted or not at the granularity of the frequency domain RB group.
[0129]
In the operation example 2-2, the dynamic instruction of the UL muting resource described above is a DCI or a MAC CE.
[0141]
In example 1, a case will be described in which the UL channel or UL signal does not include DCI and the UL muting resource is semi-statically configured (operation example 1).
[0148]
The channel type to which the UL muting resource setting applies may be configured by RRC.
For example, the RRC may configure a UL muting resource for one or more channels selected from among type 1/2 CG PUSCH/PUCCH, P-CSI PUCCH, SP-CSI PUCCH, SPS HARQ-ACK PUCCH, P-SRS, and SP-SRS.
[0150]
When the RRC configures a UL muting resource for a UL channel, the UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel that overlaps with the RE configured as the UL muting resource.
The UE 200 performs rate matching of the UL channels (CG PUSCH/SR PUCCH/CSI PUCCH) in resources other than the REs set as the UL muting resources.
UE 200 does not transmit P-SRS/SP-SRS in the RE set as the UL muting resource, but transmits P-SRS/SP-SRS in resources other than the RE set as the UL muting resource.
[0193]
The UE Capabilities shown below may be reported from UE 200 to gNB 100.
[0194]
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UE supports UL muting resource indication/configuration.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource configured by the RRC is supported.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource indicated by the DCI or MAC CE is supported.
From above KURITA [0065, 0066, 0070, 0072-0074, 0081-0082, 0129, 0141, 0148, 0150, 0193, 0194] it can clearly be understood or construed that, for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of a DL signal from a neighbor gNB, UL RBs or UL REs are configured by gNB to be muted for UL transmission of UE which is served by the victim gNB which does CLI measurement based on the DL signal which is a DL reference signal as known in the art as evident from INTEL, and the UL RB-level or RE-level muting is configured based on UE capability information.
Further, from [0150, 0194] it is implicit that UE capability information indicates UE can do RE level muting when configured by at least RRC, based on which gNB to configures the UL RB-level or RE level muting pattern for the UE by RRC, according to the understood protocol between gNB and UE, for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of a DL signal or a DL reference signal as evident from INTEL, presented below.
INTEL teaches (Page 9 Paragraphs 2-3):
During RAN1 #111 and RAN1 #112 meetings, periodic NZP CSI-RS, CD-SSB, and NCD-SSB were agreed as candidate options for CLI-RS.
For a second gNB (victim gNB) to do CLI measurement, the first gNB (aggressor gNB) transmits CLI-RS. NZP CSI-RS would be a rather suitable candidate CLI-RS, and thus, corresponding configurations of NZP CSI-RS may be exchanged between gNBs to facilitate inter-gNB CLI measurements and reporting. Similarly, (N)CD-SSB may be used as well as a CLI-RS.
Therefore, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches “transmit[ting], to a first network node, capability signaling indicating whether the UE supports an uplink rate matching that is based at least in part on a set of resource block (RB)-level uplink resource muting patterns or a set of resource element (RE)-level uplink resource muting patterns, and that the UE is capable of performing uplink resource muting during a transmission of a reference signal from a second network node for an inter-network-node cross-link interference (CLI) measurement," as required by amended claim 1.
Accordingly, claim 1 and similarly claims 11, 16, and 26 are rejected.
Dependent claims 2-7, 9-14 and 17-25 and 27-32, being dependent on claims 1, 11, 16 and 26, are also rejected for the same reason as above.
NOTICE for all US Patent Applications filed on or after March 16, 2013
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 1-5, 7-14, 16-22, 26-29 and 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as anticipated by Kurita et al. (WO 2024166375 A1, of IDS, hereinafter ‘KURITA’) with evidence by Intel Corporation (R1-2304826 “On dynamic/flexible TDD“, of IDS, hereinafter ‘INTEL’).
Regarding claim 1, KURITA teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Fig. 1, Terminals 200/UEs 200 communicating with gNBs 100), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories (
Fig. 8 UE200, [0199] UE200 (the devices) may function as a computer that performs processing of the wireless communication method of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the device. As shown in FIG. 8, the device may be configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a storage 1003), at least one processor of the one or more processors configured to cause the UE to:
transmit, to a first network node, capability signaling indicating that the UE is capable of performing uplink resource muting during a transmission of a reference signal from a second network node for an inter-network-node cross-link interference (CLI) measurement (
[0065] The gNB-to-gNB CU may mean that the UL signal of UE200 served by gNBl00 (victim gNB} is interfered with by a DL signal transmitted by gNBl00 (neighbor gNB} adjacent to the victim gNB.
[0066] In order for the victim gNB to properly measure the gNB-to-gNB CLI, it is preferable for the victim gNB to mute the UL signal of the UE 200 it serves at specific resource element(s) (RE(s)).
(Construed gNB measures CLI by mute the UL signal from UE while measuring the interference due DL signal from the neighbor gNB)
[0071] Specifically, in gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements, the following example operations may be specified as a mechanism for stopping (muting) UL signals.
[0072] (4.1) Operation Example 1 Operation example 1 describes the quasi-static configuration of a specific resource (UL muting resource) that stops a UL signal for measuring gNB-to-gNB CLI. The UL muting resource may be read as a rate matching pattern.
[0074] The UE 200 is instructed of a UL muting resource for UL transmission as a UL muting resource setting.
The UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel or a UL signal in the UL muting resource.
[0150]
When the RRC configures a UL muting resource for a UL channel, the UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel that overlaps with the RE configured as the UL muting resource.
[0193] The UE Capabilities shown below may be reported from UE 200 to gNB 100.
[0194] The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UE supports UL muting resource indication/configuration.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource configured by the RRC is supported.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource indicated by the DCI or MAC CE is supported.
(Construed based on [0074, 0150, 0193, 0194] that UE mutes UL channel as instructed by gNB based on UE reporting capability for UL resource muting to gNB indicating that the UE is capable of performing uplink resource muting at RE level for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements according to which CLI measuring gNB configures RE level muting for UL transmission for UE)), the capability signaling indicating that the UE is capable of muting an uplink resource during a transmission of a reference signal from a second network node for an inter-network-node cross-link interference (CLI) measurement (
[0007] the inventors, after careful consideration, discovered the need to mute UL transmissions of UEs served by an interfered base station (e.g., victim gNB) in resources where the interfered base station measures CLI.
Fig. 6, [0063] SBFD (Sub-Band non-overlapping Full Duplex)
[0064] By adopting SBFD, CLI may occur in which the UL signal of UE200 served by a first cell interferes with the DL signal of UE200 served by a second cell adjacent to the first cell. In such a case, UE200 served by the second cell (UE200 that is subject to interference) measures the CLI and transmits a CLI report.
[0065]
Second, we discuss challenges regarding gNB-to-gNB CLI
The gNB-to-gNB CU may mean that the UL signal of UE200 served by gNBl00 (victim gNB) is interfered with by a DL signal transmitted by gNBl00 (neighbor gNB) adjacent to the victim gNB.
[0066]
In order for the victim gNB to properly measure the gNB-to-gNB CLI, it is preferable for the victim gNB to mute the UL signal of the UE 200 it serves at specific resource element(s) (RE(s)).
[0070]
the resources that need to be muted for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements are a very small number of RE(s), and gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements do not require UE200 to cancel the entire UL transmission (e.g., rate matching related resources).
[0071]
Specifically, in gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements, the following example operations may be specified as a mechanism for stopping (muting) UL signals.
[0072]
…. The UL muting resource may be read as a rate matching pattern.
[0073]
Specifically, one or more settings for the UL muting resource may be semi-statically configured.
[0074]
The UE 200 is instructed of a UL muting resource for UL transmission as a UL muting resource setting.
The UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel or a UL signal in the UL muting resource …… rate matching of UL channels or signals may be performed only on non-muting resources…..
[0081]
In option 1-2, the UL muting resource configuration may include a location in the frequency domain.
The frequency domain indication may have the following Alt:
[0082]
In Alt.1, the frequency domain indication indicates whether UL transmission should be muted or not at the granularity of the frequency domain RB group.
[0129]
In the operation example 2-2, the dynamic instruction of the UL muting resource described above is a DCI or a MAC CE.
[0141]
In example 1, a case will be described in which the UL channel or UL signal does not include DCI and the UL muting resource is semi-statically configured (operation example 1).
[0148]
The channel type to which the UL muting resource setting applies may be configured by RRC.
For example, the RRC may configure a UL muting resource for one or more channels selected from among type 1/2 CG PUSCH/PUCCH, P-CSI PUCCH, SP-CSI PUCCH, SPS HARQ-ACK PUCCH, P-SRS, and SP-SRS.
[0150]
When the RRC configures a UL muting resource for a UL channel, the UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel that overlaps with the RE configured as the UL muting resource.
The UE 200 performs rate matching of the UL channels (CG PUSCH/SR PUCCH/CSI PUCCH) in resources other than the REs set as the UL muting resources.
UE 200 does not transmit P-SRS/SP-SRS in the RE set as the UL muting resource, but transmits P-SRS/SP-SRS in resources other than the RE set as the UL muting resource.
[0193]
The UE Capabilities shown below may be reported from UE 200 to gNB 100.
[0194]
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UE supports UL muting resource indication/configuration.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource configured by the RRC is supported.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource indicated by the DCI or MAC CE is supported.
(It can clearly be understood or construed from above KURITA [0065, 0066, 0070, 0072-0074, 0081-0082, 0129, 0141, 0148, 0150, 0193, 0194] it can clearly be understood or construed that, for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of a DL signal from a neighbor gNB, UL RBs or UL REs are configured by gNB to be muted for UL transmission of UE which is served by the victim gNB which does CLI measurement based on the DL signal which is a DL reference signal as known in the art as evident from INTEL, and the UL RB-level or RE-level muting is configured based on UE capability information.
Further, from [0150, 0194] it is implicit that UE capability information indicates UE can do RE level muting when configured by at least RRC, based on which gNB to configures the UL RB-level or RE level muting pattern for the UE by RRC, according to the understood protocol between gNB and UE, for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of a DL signal or a DL reference signal as evident from INTEL presented below)
INTEL teaches (Page 9 Paragraphs 2-3):
During RAN1 #111 and RAN1 #112 meetings, periodic NZP CSI-RS, CD-SSB, and NCD-SSB were agreed as candidate options for CLI-RS.
For a second gNB (victim gNB) to do CLI measurement, the first gNB (aggressor gNB) transmits CLI-RS. NZP CSI-RS would be a rather suitable candidate CLI-RS, and thus, corresponding configurations of NZP CSI-RS may be exchanged between gNBs to facilitate inter-gNB CLI measurements and reporting. Similarly, (N)CD-SSB may be used as well as a CLI-RS.); and
receive, from the first network node, an indication associated with the uplink resource muting in accordance with the capability signaling (
[0009] The outline of the disclosure is a terminal comprising a transmitting unit that transmits an uplink signal and a control unit that controls the transmission of the uplink signal, wherein the control unit stops the transmission of the uplink signal in a specific resource for measuring cross-link interference between base stations.
[0073] Specifically, one or more settings for the UL muting resource may be semi-statically configured.
[0074]
The UE 200 is instructed of a UL muting resource for UL transmission as a UL muting resource setting.
The UE 200 does not transmit a UL channel or a UL signal in the UL muting resource.
[0095] In example 1, the time domain and frequency domain locations for muting UL transmission (UL muting resource configuration) are configured by RRC as described in operation example 1 above.
[0131]
In example 1, the existing DCI may be a UL grant DCI such as DCI format 0_0/DCI 0_1/0_2 that schedules/does not schedule a PUSCH.
[0132]
For example, DCI format 0_0/0_l/0_2 may include a bit flag indicating whether the DCI indicates a UL muting resource.
For example, when the bit flag is "l" (or "0"), the UE 200 may assume that the DCI does not schedule a PUSCH, and may interpret the DCI as indicating a UL muting resource.
Otherwise, the UE 200 interprets the DCI according to existing rules.
In addition, whether or not the bit flag exists may be set by RRC.).
[0133]
For example, DCI format 0_0/0_1/0_2 may include a field in which the DCI specifies a UL muting resource.
The contents of the field may be the same as in operation example 2-1.)
Regarding claim 2, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the capability signaling indicates whether the UE supports one or more resource block (RB)-level uplink resource muting patterns or one or more resource element (RE)-level uplink resource muting patterns (
[0072] (4.1) Operation Example 1 Operation example 1 describes the quasi-static configuration of a specific resource (UL muting resource) that stops a UL signal for measuring gNB-to-gNB CU. The UL muting resource may be read as a rate matching pattern.
[0081] In option 1-2, the UL muting resource configuration may include a location in the frequency domain.
The frequency domain indication may have the following Alt:
[0082] In Alt.l, the frequency domain indication indicates whether UL transmission should be muted at the granularity of the RB group in the frequency domain.
[0083] In example 1, the frequency domain indication may include the RB group index(es) for which UL transmission should be muted.
[0089]
In Example 4, the frequency domain location (frequency domain indication) indicates the RB group(s) that include the UL muting resource, and indicates the RB(s) in the indicated RB group(s) that have their UL transmission muted.
For RB group(s) that include a UL muting resource, Alt.! may be applied.
The RB(s) for which UL transmission should be muted in the specified RB group(s) may be indicated by the PRB index(es) for which UL transmission should be muted in the specified RB group(s), or may be indicated by a bitmap indicating for each PRB whether UL transmission should be muted in the specified RB group(s).
[0090] In Alt.3, the frequency domain indication indicates whether the UL transmission should be muted or not at the granularity of the RE in the frequency domain.
[0127]
The granularity of the bitmap may be per RE and symbol, or per X REs and Y symbols.
[0193] The UE Capabilities shown below may be reported from UE 200 to gNB 100.
[0194] The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UE supports UL muting resource indication/configuration.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource configured by the RRC is supported.
The UE capability may include information indicating whether or not the UL muting resource indicated by the DCI or MAC CE is supported.
(Construed that UE capability information indicated RB or RE level muting/rate-matching capability based on which network provides indication of RB or RE level resources to be muted)).
Regarding claim 3, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication associated with the uplink resource muting indicates a periodic uplink resource muting pattern (
[0076] In option 1-1, the UL muting resource configuration may include a time domain location.
[0077] For example, the UL muting resource configuration may include a slot (and/or slot) index(es) indicating whether UL transmission should be muted at the slot/symbol at the frequency domain location where UL transmission muting is configured.
[0078] The time domain indication may be applied periodically based on the periodicity of the higher layer parameters (TDD-Config-Common or TDD-Config-Dedicated).
Alternatively, the time domain indication may be applied periodically based on a periodicity that is set separately from the periodicity of the higher layer parameters.).
Regarding claim 4, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the indication of the periodic uplink resource muting pattern indicates one or more of: a time location associated with an uplink resource corresponding to the non-contiguous uplink resource mapping, a frequency location associated with the uplink resource, or a periodicity associated with the uplink resource (
[0072]
The UL muting resource may be read as a rate matching pattern.
[0073]
The UL muting resource may be configured separately for SBFD slots, SBFD symbols….
See also [0076-0078] cited above for Claim 3).
Regarding claim 5, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 3, wherein:
the indication of the periodic uplink resource muting pattern is received in a semi-static manner via radio resource control (RRC) signaling; or
the indication of the periodic uplink resource muting pattern is received in a semi-persistent manner via a medium access control control element (MAC-CE) (
[0073] Specifically, one or more settings for the UL muting resource may be semi-statically configured.
[0095] In example 1, the time domain and frequency domain locations for muting UL transmission (UL muting resource configuration) are configured by RRC as described in operation example 1 above.
[0129] In the operation example 2-2, the dynamic instruction of the UL muting resource described above is a DCI or a MAC CE.
See also [0194]).
Regarding claim 7, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication associated with the uplink resource muting indicates an aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern (
[0100] In Example 2, ….. The time domain location for muting the UL transmission is dictated by dynamic indication.
[0101] In example 2-1, the UE 200 applies a frequency domain position (UL muting resource configuration) in a set of slots/symbols when the UE 200 detects a dynamic indication indicating activation of one or more UL muting resources.
[0102] The contents of the dynamic instruction include information (fields) instructing one or more UL muting resource settings, and information instructing a set of slots/symbols.
[0104] For example, the information indicating the set of slots/symbols may include an offset (number of slots/symbols) between the slot/symbol at which to end muting of UL transmission and the slot/symbol at which to start muting of UL transmission for the set of slots/symbols.
(dynamic instruction instructing one or more UL muting resource settings of a set of slots/symbols with start/stop slot/symbols is construed as an aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern)).
Regarding claim 8, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indication of the aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern indicates one or more of: a time location associated with the uplink resource or a frequency location associated with the uplink resource (
See [0102, 0104]).
Regarding claim 9, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indication of the aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern indicates one or more of: a quantity of slots in which to apply the aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern or a time window during which to apply the aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern (
See [0104]).
Regarding claim 10, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 7, wherein:
the indication of the aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern is received in a dynamic manner via a downlink control information (DCI) (
[0101] In example 2-1, the UE 200 applies a frequency domain position (UL muting resource configuration) in a set of slots/symbols when the UE 200 detects a dynamic indication indicating activation of one or more UL muting resources.
[0129] In the operation example 2-2, the dynamic instruction of the UL muting resource described above is a DCI ….), and the DCI includes one of a dedicated field, a reserved field, or an unused field to indicate the aperiodic uplink resource muting pattern (
[0102] The contents of the dynamic instruction include information (fields) instructing one or more UL muting resource settings, and information instructing a set of slots/symbols.
[0103] For example, field00 may specify UL muting resource (pattern) index #0, and field0l may specify UL muting resource (pattern) index #1.
); and
the DCI is associated with a DCI format that schedules a dynamic uplink transmission;
the DCI is associated with a DCI format that does not schedule data
(
[0130] In option 1, the dynamic indication may be the existing DCI format scrambled with the existing RNTI.
[0131] In example 1, the existing DCI may be a UL grant DCI such as DCI format 0_0/DCI 0_1/0_2 that schedules/does not schedule a PUSCH.
[0133] For example, DCI format 0_0/0_1/0_2 may include a field in which the DCI specifies a UL muting resource.
The contents of the field may be the same as in operation example 2-1.); or
the DCI is a group common DCI (
[0134]
In example 2, the existing DCI may be a group common DCI, such as DCI format 2_ 4, which includes/does not include a UL Cl indication.).
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1, and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 2.
Regarding claim 13, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication associated with the uplink resource muting indicates a predefined uplink resource muting pattern index (
[0076] In option 1-1, the UL muting resource configuration may include a time domain location.
[0077] For example, the UL muting resource configuration may include a slot (and/or slot) index(es) indicating whether UL transmission should be muted at the slot/symbol at the frequency domain location where UL transmission muting is configured.
[0078] The time domain indication may be applied periodically based on the periodicity of the higher layer parameters (TDD-Config-Common or TDD-Config-Dedicated).
Alternatively, the time domain indication may be applied periodically based on a periodicity that is set separately from the periodicity of the higher layer parameters.
[0113] For example, the information indicating the set of slots/symbols may include a period (number of slots/symbols) for the set of slots/symbols.
The information indicating the set of slots/symbols may include information indicating candidate periods.
The candidate time periods may be predefined in the wireless communication system 10 or may be set by the RRC.).
Regarding claim 14, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the predefined uplink resource muting pattern index is associated with one uplink resource muting pattern from a plurality of different uplink resource muting patterns with different time and frequency locations at which uplink resources are muted, and the plurality of different uplink resource muting patterns are predefined in a specification (
[0077] For example, the UL muting resource configuration may include a slot (and/or slot) index(es) indicating whether UL transmission should be muted at the slot/symbol at the frequency domain location where UL transmission muting is configured.
[0113] For example, the information indicating the set of slots/symbols may include a period (number of slots/symbols) for the set of slots/symbols.
The information indicating the set of slots/symbols may include information indicating candidate periods.
The candidate time periods may be predefined in the wireless communication system 10 ….).
Regarding claim 16, KURITA teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a first network node (Fig. 1, Terminals 200/UEs 200 communicating with gNBs 100), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code, and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories (
Fig. 8 gNB 100, [0199] gNB100 …. (the devices) may function as a computer that performs processing of the wireless communication method of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the device. As shown in FIG. 8, the device may be configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a storage 1003).
Further, claim 16 is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1, and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 2.
Regarding claim 18, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 13.
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 14.
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 15.
Regarding claim 21, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 18, wherein the indication that indicates the predefined uplink resource muting pattern index is received via a medium access control control element (MAC-CE) (
[0128] The dynamic instruction …. may specify a bitmap index associated with a bitmap included in the set bitmap group.
[0129] In the operation example 2-2, the dynamic instruction of the UL muting resource described above is …. a MAC CE.
(index associated with the set bitmap group is indicates an index of a predefined uplink resource muting pattern, indicated by MAC-CE)).
Regarding claim 22, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 18, wherein the indication that indicates the predefined uplink resource muting pattern index is received via a downlink control information (DCI) (
[0128] The dynamic instruction …. may specify a bitmap index associated with a bitmap included in the set bitmap group.
[0129] In the operation example 2-2, the dynamic instruction of the UL muting resource described above is a DCI …..).
Regarding claim 26, the claim is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1, and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 16.
Regarding claim 27, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 3.
Regarding claim 28, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 4.
Regarding claim 29, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 5.
Regarding claim 31, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication of an uplink resource muting pattern, corresponding to the non-contiguous uplink resource mapping and applicable to resource blocks or resource elements, is received via radio resource control (RRC) signaling (
[0095]
In example 1, the time domain and frequency domain locations for muting UL transmission (UL muting resource configuration) are configured by RRC.).
Regarding claim 32, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 4.
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 of this title, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 6, 23-25 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kurita et al. (WO 2024166375 A1, of IDS, hereinafter ‘KURITA’) in view of Intel Corporation (R1-2304826 “On dynamic/flexible TDD“, of IDS, hereinafter ‘INTEL’).
Regarding claim 6, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 1.
KURITA does not explicitly disclose wherein the reference signal is a non-zero-power (NZP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal block (SSB).
In an analogous art, INTEL teaches wherein the reference signal is a non-zero-power (NZP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal block (SSB) (
Page 9 Paragraphs 2-3:
During RAN1 #111 and RAN1 #112 meetings, periodic NZP CSI-RS, CD-SSB, and NCD-SSB were agreed as candidate options for CLI-RS.
For a second gNB (victim gNB) to do CLI measurement, the first gNB (aggressor gNB) transmits CLI-RS. NZP CSI-RS would be a rather suitable candidate CLI-RS, and thus, corresponding configurations of NZP CSI-RS may be exchanged between gNBs to facilitate inter-gNB CLI measurements and reporting. Similarly, (N)CD-SSB may be used as well as a CLI-RS.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to take the SSB, NZP/ZP-CSI-RS transmission for gNB-to-gNB co-channel CLI measurement of INTEL to the system of gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of KURITA order to take the advantage of providing a method for gNB-to-gNB CLI mitigation for system performance (INTEL: Pages 7-8, 2 Discussions on Potential Enhancements on Dynamic/Flexible TDD/SBFD).
Regarding claim 23, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 16.
KURITA does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one processor of the one of the one or more processors is configured to:
receive, from the second network node, an indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement, and the indication associated with the uplink resource muting is in accordance with the indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement.
In an analogous art, INTEL teaches wherein at least one processor of the one of the one or more processors is configured to:
receive, from the second network node, an indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement, and the indication associated with the uplink resource muting is in accordance with the indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement (
Page 8 Figure 2 Box 1:
A first gNB shares information on CLI-reference signal (CLI-RS) resources and measurement configuration via backhaul signalling, e.g., Xn interface with one or more neighboring gNBs.
Page 9, Paragraphs 3, 6:
For a second gNB (victim gNB) to do CLI measurement, the first gNB (aggressor gNB) transmits CLI-RS. NZP CSI-RS would be a rather suitable candidate CLI-RS, and thus, corresponding configurations of NZP CSI-RS may be exchanged between gNBs to facilitate inter-gNB CLI measurements and reporting. Similarly, (N)CD-SSB may be used as well as a CLI-RS.
During RAN1 #110bis-e meeting it was agreed to also consider ZP CSI-RS and CSI-IM as candidate measurement resources for gNB-to-gNB CLI measurements. The following three options can be considered to interpret the configured ZP CSI-RS or CSI-IM.
Option 1: The victim gNB can blank certain resources that is configured by the ZP CSI-RS or CSI-IM, i.e., the blanked resource will not be used for UL transmission.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to take the SSB, NZP/ZP-CSI-RS transmission for gNB-to-gNB co-channel CLI measurement of INTEL to the system of gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of KURITA order to take the advantage of providing a method for gNB-to-gNB CLI mitigation for system performance (INTEL: Pages 7-8, 2 Discussions on Potential Enhancements on Dynamic/Flexible TDD/SBFD).
Regarding claim 24, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 16.
KURITA does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one processor of the one of the one or more processors is configured to:
receive, from a central unit, an indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement, and the indication associated with the uplink resource muting is in accordance with the indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement.
INTEL teaches wherein at least one processor of the one of the one or more processors is configured to:
receive, from a central unit, an indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement, and the indication associated with the uplink resource muting is in accordance with the indication of resources associated with the transmission of the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement (
See Page 8 Figure 2 Box 1, and Page 9, Paragraphs 3, 6, presented above for claim 24
(gNB is considered as equivalent to a central node of another cell or network)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to take the SSB, NZP/ZP-CSI-RS transmission for gNB-to-gNB co-channel CLI measurement of INTEL to the system of gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of KURITA order to take the advantage of providing a method for gNB-to-gNB CLI mitigation for system performance (INTEL: Pages 7-8, 2 Discussions on Potential Enhancements on Dynamic/Flexible TDD/SBFD).
Regarding claim 25, KURITA, with evidence by INTEL, teaches the apparatus of claim 16.
KURITA does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one processor of the one of the one or more processors is configured to:
receive, from the second network node, the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement, the reference signal being one of a non-zero-power (NZP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal block (SSB); and
perform the inter-network-node CLI measurement associated with the reference signal during the uplink resource muting.
INTEL teaches wherein at least one processor of the one of the one or more processors is configured to:
receive, from the second network node, the reference signal for the inter-network-node CLI measurement, the reference signal being one of a non-zero-power (NZP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal block (SSB) (
Page 8, Figure 2, Boxes 1-3.
Page 9, Paragraphs 3:
For a second gNB (victim gNB) to do CLI measurement, the first gNB (aggressor gNB) transmits CLI-RS. NZP CSI-RS would be a rather suitable candidate CLI-RS, and thus, corresponding configurations of NZP CSI-RS may be exchanged between gNBs to facilitate inter-gNB CLI measurements and reporting. Similarly, (N)CD-SSB may be used as well as a CLI-RS.); and
perform the inter-network-node CLI measurement associated with the reference signal during the uplink resource muting (
Page 8, Figure 2, Box 3.
Page 9, Paragraphs 3, 6:
For a second gNB (victim gNB) to do CLI measurement ……
Option 1: The victim gNB can blank certain resources that is configured by the ZP CSI-RS or CSI-IM, i.e., the blanked resource will not be used for UL transmission.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to take the SSB, NZP/ZP-CSI-RS transmission for gNB-to-gNB co-channel CLI measurement of INTEL to the system of gNB-to-gNB CLI measurement of KURITA order to take the advantage of providing a method for gNB-to-gNB CLI mitigation for system performance (INTEL: Pages 7-8, 2 Discussions on Potential Enhancements on Dynamic/Flexible TDD/SBFD).
Regarding claim 30, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Jan; Shahid (US 20260006600 A1), describing WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICES AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHODS FOR COORDINATED SCHEDULING OF DYNAMIC/FLEXIBLE TDD AND/OR SBFD OPERATION
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/SHAH M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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