DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 20, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1, 4, 21, 41, and 46 are amended.
Claims 1-50 are pending this application.
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 1-50 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bhamri et al (WO 2022/123460 A1) in view of Jeon et al (US 2022/0256519 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Bharmi discloses a method of operating a wireless node, comprising [0086 for using radio (wireless), figure 3]:
receiving a joint communication and sensing (JCS) resource configuration that includes a set of communication slots and a set of radar sensing slots [0079-0081, 0095],
wherein each communication symbol of each communication slot among the set of communication slots is configured for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication [0086, 0091-0093 and Table 1 for multiple communication slots elements 0-13 using different types of OFDM]
and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for based radar sensing [0091-0095 with 0126 Tables 2 and Table 3 for using FMCW for sensing slots];
and performing communication operations and sensing operations in accordance with the JCS resource configuration [0081-0082].
Bharmi fails to explicitly teach and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing.
Jeon has resources are configured, by frame/subframe/slot/symbol, for uplink communication components, downlink communication component (abstract) and teaches and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing [0370 for FMCW and 0412-0415 for joint communication time pattern also 0429 for UE applies spatial or angular separation between radar sensing transmission and DL/UL/SL communication transmission/reception (full-duplex)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the joint communication techniques, as disclosed by Bharmi, further including the waveform calculations as taught by Jeon for the purpose to allow the radar can operate with very good interference robustness, identification, and security (Jeon, 0371).
Regarding Claim 21, Bharmi discloses a method of operating a network component, comprising [0086, figure 3]:
determining a joint communication and sensing (JCS) resource configuration that includes a set of communication slots and a set of radar sensing slots [0079-0081, 0086],
wherein each communication symbol of each communication slot among the set of communication slots is configured for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication [0086, 0091-0093 and Table 1 for multiple communication slots elements 0-13 using different types of OFDM],
and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for radar sensing [0091-0095 with 0126 Tables 2 and Table 3 for using FMCW for sensing slots];
and transmitting an indication of the JCS resource configuration to a wireless node [0081-0082].
Bharmi fails to explicitly teach and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing.
Jeon has resources are configured, by frame/subframe/slot/symbol, for uplink communication components, downlink communication component (abstract) and teaches and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing [0370 for FMCW and 0412-0415 for joint communication time pattern also 0429 for UE applies spatial or angular separation between radar sensing transmission and DL/UL/SL communication transmission/reception (full-duplex)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the joint communication techniques, as disclosed by Bharmi, further including the waveform calculations as taught by Jeon for the purpose to allow the radar can operate with very good interference robustness, identification, and security (Jeon, 0371).
Regarding Claim 41, Bharmi discloses a wireless node, comprising [0086-0092]:
a memory [0087 for UE and 0157];
at least one transceiver [0086-0092 for using UE, and 0146];
and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to [0087 for UE and 0157]:
receive, via the at least one transceiver, a joint communication and sensing (JCS) resource configuration that includes a set of communication slots and a set of radar sensing slots [0079-0081, 0086],
wherein each communication symbol of each communication slot among the set of communication slots is configured for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication [0086, 0091-0093 and Table 1 for multiple communication slots elements 0-13 using different types of OFDM],
and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for radar sensing [0091-0095 with 0126 Tables 2 and Table 3 for using FMCW for sensing slots];
and perform communication operations and sensing operations in accordance with the JCS resource configuration [0081-0082].
Bharmi fails to explicitly teach and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing.
Jeon has resources are configured, by frame/subframe/slot/symbol, for uplink communication components, downlink communication component (abstract) and teaches and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing [0370 for FMCW and 0412-0415 for joint communication time pattern also 0429 for UE applies spatial or angular separation between radar sensing transmission and DL/UL/SL communication transmission/reception (full-duplex)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the joint communication techniques, as disclosed by Bharmi, further including the waveform calculations as taught by Jeon for the purpose to allow the radar can operate with very good interference robustness, identification, and security (Jeon, 0371).
Regarding Claim 46, Bharmi discloses network component, comprising [0086-0092]:
a memory [0087 for UE and 0157];
at least one transceiver [0086-0092 for using UE, and 0146];
and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to [0087 for UE and 0157]:
determine a joint communication and sensing (JCS) resource configuration that includes a set of communication slots and a set of radar sensing slots [0079-0081, 0086],
wherein each communication symbol of each communication slot among the set of communication slots is configured for Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) based communication [0086, 0091-0093 and Table 1 for multiple communication slots elements 0-13 using different types of OFDM],
and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured radar sensing [0091-0095 with 0126 Tables 2 and Table 3 for using FMCW for sensing slots];
and transmit, via the at least one transceiver, an indication of the JCS resource configuration to a wireless node [0081-0082].
Bharmi fails to explicitly teach and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing.
Jeon has resources are configured, by frame/subframe/slot/symbol, for uplink communication components, downlink communication component (abstract) and teaches and wherein at least one symbol of each radar sensing slot among the set of radar sensing slots is configured for a monostatic full duplex Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) based radar sensing [0370 for FMCW and 0412-0415 for joint communication time pattern also 0429 for UE applies spatial or angular separation between radar sensing transmission and DL/UL/SL communication transmission/reception (full-duplex)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the joint communication techniques, as disclosed by Bharmi, further including the waveform calculations as taught by Jeon for the purpose to allow the radar can operate with very good interference robustness, identification, and security (Jeon, 0371).
Regarding Claim 2, 22, 42, and 47, Bharmi discloses the set of radar sensing slots comprises a group of contiguous radar sensing slots [0093 Table 1 for 13 contiguous slots, and figure 4].
Regarding Claim 3, 23, 43, and 48, Bharmi discloses the set of radar sensing slots comprises a group of radar sensing slots that are arranged in a pattern that comprises one or more intervening communication slots [0104-0107].
Regarding Claim 4, 24, 44, and 49, Bharmi discloses the set of radar sensing slots is scheduled periodically, aperiodically, or semi-persistently [0040].
Regarding Claim 5, 25, and 50, Bharmi discloses at least one radar sensing slot of the set of radar sensing slots comprises at least one radar sensing symbol group [0093-0094].
Regarding Claim 6 and 26, Bharmi discloses the radar sensing symbol group further comprises at least one guard period [figure 4].
Regarding Claim 7 and 27, Bharmi discloses a duration of the at least one guard period is based on a sensing-to-communication symbol switching time or a communication-to-sensing symbol switching time or both [0078].
Regarding Claim 8 and 28, Bharmi discloses the radar sensing symbol group comprises one or more radar sensing symbols [0093],
and wherein the radar sensing symbol group comprises a radar sensing symbol group length that is aligned with a communication symbol length [0093-0094 and Table 1].
Regarding Claim 9 and 29, Bharmi discloses the radar sensing symbol group comprises [0093-0095]:
a first radar sensing symbol comprising a radar sensing symbol part only, or a second radar sensing symbol comprising a first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol part, or a third radar sensing symbol comprising the radar sensing symbol part followed by a second guard period, or a fourth radar sensing symbol comprising the first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol part followed by a second guard period, or any combination thereof [figure 4 and 0096].
Regarding Claim 10 and 30, Bharmi discloses a total guard period length per radar sensing symbol group is less than the communication symbol length, and wherein a radar sensing symbol length per radar sensing symbol group that is less than or equal to the total guard period length [0093-0095].
Regarding Claim 11 and 31, Bharmi discloses the communication symbol length is a first multiple of the radar sensing symbol length, and wherein the total guard period length is a second multiple of the radar sensing symbol length [0099-0102].
Regarding Claim 12 and 32, Bharmi discloses the communication symbol length is based on a first cyclic prefix type [0102-0103],
and the one or more radar sensing symbols each comprise an additional guard period part or an additional radar sensing symbol or both that is not factored into the radar sensing symbol length, or wherein the communication symbol length is based on a second cyclic prefix type [0092-0093],
and the one or more radar sensing symbols do not comprise the additional guard period part and do not comprise the additional radar sensing symbol [0095, 0099-0102].
Regarding Claim 13 and 33, Bharmi discloses each radar sensing symbol in the radar sensing symbol group comprises the first guard period, the second guard period, or both, or wherein each radar sensing symbol in the radar sensing symbol group includes the radar sensing symbol part only without the first guard period or the second guard period [0096 and figure 4].
Regarding Claim 14 and 34, Bharmi discloses a guard period length for switching between communication symbols and radar sensing symbols is greater than a radar sensing symbol length per radar sensing symbol [0101-0103],
and wherein the communication symbol length is greater than the radar sensing symbol length per radar sensing symbol [0105-0107].
Regarding Claim 15 and 35, Bharmi discloses the at least one radar sensing slot comprises [0096, figure 4]:
a first radar sensing slot comprising the radar sensing symbol group only without any communication symbols or any guard period outside of the radar sensing symbol group, or a second radar sensing slot comprising a first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol group, or a third radar sensing slot comprising the first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol group followed by a second guard period, or a fourth radar sensing slot comprising a first set of communication symbols followed by the first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol group, or a fifth radar sensing slot comprising the first set of communication symbols followed by the first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol group followed by the second guard period, or a sixth radar sensing slot comprising the radar sensing symbol group followed by the second guard period followed by a second set of communication symbols, or a seventh radar sensing slot comprising the first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol group followed by the second guard period followed by the second set of communication symbols, or an eighth radar sensing slot comprising the first set of communication symbols followed by the first guard period followed by the radar sensing symbol group followed by the second guard period followed by the second set of communication symbols, or any combination thereof [0096, figure 4].
Regarding Claim 16 and 36, Bharmi discloses the at least one radar sensing slot comprises [0093-0096]:
a first radar sensing slot comprising the radar sensing symbol group only without any communication symbols, or a second radar sensing slot comprising a first set of communication symbols followed by the radar sensing symbol group, or a third radar sensing slot comprising the radar sensing symbol group followed by a second set of communication symbols, or a fourth radar sensing slot comprising the first set of communication symbols followed by the radar sensing symbol group followed by the second set of communication symbols, or any combination thereof [0093-0096].
Regarding Claim 17 and 37, Bharmi fails to explicitly teach the radar sensing symbol group comprises a first radar sensing symbol that comprises at least a first radar sensing symbol that exhibits a triangular frequency pattern, or wherein the radar sensing symbol group comprises a second radar sensing symbol that comprises at least a second radar sensing symbol that exhibits a sawtooth frequency pattern, or a combination thereof.
Jeon has resources are configured, by frame/subframe/slot/symbol, for uplink communication components, downlink communication component (abstract) and teaches the radar sensing symbol group comprises a first radar sensing symbol that comprises at least a first radar sensing symbol that exhibits a triangular frequency pattern, or wherein the radar sensing symbol group comprises a second radar sensing symbol that comprises at least a second radar sensing symbol that exhibits a sawtooth frequency pattern, or a combination thereof [0370].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the joint communication techniques, as disclosed by Bharmi, further including the waveform calculations as taught by Jeon for the purpose to allow the radar can operate with very good interference robustness, identification, and security (Jeon, 0371).
Regarding Claim 18 and 38, Bharmi discloses the second radar sensing symbol further comprises a supplemental guard period that is based on a sensing-to-sensing symbol switching time [0078, 0101-0103].
Regarding Claim 19 and 39, Bharmi discloses a total guard period length per radar sensing symbol is less than or equal to a radar sensing symbol length per radar sensing symbol, and wherein the radar sensing symbol length per radar sensing symbol is less than a communication symbol length [0065-0073].
Regarding Claim 20 and 40, Bharmi discloses the wireless node is a user equipment (UE) or a network device [0078].
Regarding Claim 45, Bharmi discloses least one radar sensing slot of the set of radar sensing slots comprises at least one radar sensing symbol group [0093-0094].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a
general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
On page 15, second paragraph of applicant’s arguments the applicant states that the rejection fails to disclose monostatic full duplex FMCW based radar sensing. The examiner respectfully disagrees: Jeon expressly teaches a monostatic full duplex FMCW based radar sensing by teaching two different beams can be generated by the UE at the same time or in overlapping time resources. In yet another example, the UE is equipped with a same antenna panel/array for both communication transmissions and radar sensing transmissions [Jeon 0429].
On page 15, last of applicant’s arguments second paragraph the applicant states that the only half-duplex sensing is taught. The examiner respectfully disagrees: Jeon expressly teaches the UE simultaneously and receiving for both communication and sensing in the same time frequency resources with self-interference cancellations (full duplex) [Jeon 0429-0432].
Conclusion
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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