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 .
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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(s) 1-2, 6-9, 13-14 and 18-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU, US 2020/0112353 A1 (Liu hereinafter), in view of Lee et al., US 2020/0091970 A1 (Lee hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 1, Liu discloses a second apparatus configured to communicate with a first apparatus in a wireless local area network (WLAN) (Liu, paragraph [0002], Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of wireless network communication, and more specifically, to the field of beamforming mechanisms in wireless local area network (WLAN) communication systems. Also see paragraph [0046], STAs in a WLAN support may support both beamforming matrix feedback and beambook feedback, each described in greater detail as above), the second apparatus comprising:
a transceiver (Liu, paragraph [0052], The device 800 may be an AP STA, a repeater, a coordinator, or a non-AP STA having a transceiver configured for data communication); and
at least one processor (Liu, paragraph [0053], The device 800 includes a main processor 830, memory 820, a WIFI transceiver 840 coupled to an array of antenna 801-804) configured to:
receive, using the transceiver, a null data packet (NDP) from the first apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0025], The beamformer 250 transmits (i.e., the first apparatus) a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame to the beamformee 200 (i.e., to the second apparatus) which carries out channel sounding by analyzing the received training symbols 201 in the NDP),
generate a channel estimate based on the NDP (Liu, paragraph [0026], The beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) performs channel estimation 210 based on the training symbols and accordingly generates a beamforming feedback matrix 204 and an SNR for each subcarrier or subcarrier group and a SNR 205. The feedback matrix represents channel responses for the training symbols. Also see paragraph [0025], The beamformer 250 transmits a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame to the beamformee 200 which carries out channel sounding by analyzing the received training symbols 201 in the NDP), … wherein the beamforming information comprises at least one from among:
a pair of angle indices which indicate a pair of angle vectors to be used by the first apparatus to beamform the data transmission, and a steering matrix index which indicates a steering matrix to be used by the first apparatus to beamform the data transmission (Liu, paragraph [0041], the beamformer 550 receives and resolve the feedback report to obtain the reported beambook indices 554 and the parameter metrics. At 562, the beamformer 550 uses the indices to search the beambook and restore the predetermined beamforming feedback matrices 552. At 561, the restored matrices 552 and the parameter metrics 553 are used to calculate a steering matrix 551 for use of beamforming in following data transmission, as noted above).
Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses a first apparatus configured to communicate with a second apparatus in a wireless local area network (WLAN) (Liu, paragraph [0002], Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of wireless network communication, and more specifically, to the field of beamforming mechanisms in wireless local area network (WLAN) communication systems. Also see paragraph [0046], STAs in a WLAN support may support both beamforming matrix feedback and beambook feedback, each described in greater detail as above), the first apparatus comprising:
a transceiver (Liu, paragraph [0052], The device 800 may be an AP STA, a repeater, a coordinator, or a non-AP STA having a transceiver configured for data communication); and
at least one processor (Liu, paragraph [0053], The device 800 includes a main processor 830, memory 820, a WIFI transceiver 840 coupled to an array of antenna 801-804) configured to:
transmit, using the transceiver, a null data packet (NDP) to the second apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0025], The beamformer 250 transmits (i.e., the first apparatus) a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame to the beamformee 200 (i.e., to the second apparatus) which carries out channel sounding by analyzing the received training symbols 201 in the NDP),
receive, using the transceiver, beamforming information from the second apparatus (Liu, Fig. 2 and paragraph [0031], According to embodiments of the present disclosure, source coding 214 is performed on the first compressed beamforming feedback 206 (e.g., composed of angles resulting from the Givens rotation) to generate the further compressed beamforming feedback 205 … The compressed results from source coding are specified in a beamforming feedback report field of a CSI frame which is transmitted to the beamformer (i.e., CSI frame/beamforming information is sent from the second apparatus which is received by the first apparatus) 250 at 215), … wherein the beamforming information comprises at least one from among:
a pair of angle indices which indicate a pair of angles used to beamform the data transmission, and a steering matrix index which indicates a steering matrix used to beamform the data transmission (Liu, paragraph [0041], the beamformer 550 receives and resolve the feedback report to obtain the reported beambook indices 554 and the parameter metrics. At 562, the beamformer 550 uses the indices to search the beambook and restore the predetermined beamforming feedback matrices 552. At 561, the restored matrices 552 and the parameter metrics 553 are used to calculate a steering matrix 551 for use of beamforming in following data transmission, as noted above).
Regarding claim 13, Liu discloses a method of controlling a second apparatus configured to communicate with a first apparatus in a wireless local area network (WLAN) (Liu, paragraph [0002], Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of wireless network communication, and more specifically, to the field of beamforming mechanisms in wireless local area network (WLAN) communication systems. Also see paragraph [0046], STAs in a WLAN support may support both beamforming matrix feedback and beambook feedback, each described in greater detail as above), the method comprising:
receiving, using a transceiver of the second apparatus, a null data packet (NDP) from the first apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0025], The beamformer 250 transmits (i.e., the first apparatus) a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame to the beamformee 200 (i.e., to the second apparatus) which carries out channel sounding by analyzing the received training symbols 201 in the NDP);
generating a channel estimate based on the NDP (Liu, paragraph [0026], The beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) performs channel estimation 210 based on the training symbols and accordingly generates a beamforming feedback matrix 204 and an SNR for each subcarrier or subcarrier group and a SNR 205. The feedback matrix represents channel responses for the training symbols. Also see paragraph [0025], The beamformer 250 transmits a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame to the beamformee 200 which carries out channel sounding by analyzing the received training symbols 201 in the NDP); … wherein the beamforming information comprises at least one from among:
a pair of angle indices which indicate a pair of angle vectors to be used by the first apparatus to beamform the data transmission, and a steering matrix index which indicates a steering matrix to be used by the first apparatus to beamform the data transmission (Liu, paragraph [0041], the beamformer 550 receives and resolve the feedback report to obtain the reported beambook indices 554 and the parameter metrics. At 562, the beamformer 550 uses the indices to search the beambook and restore the predetermined beamforming feedback matrices 552. At 561, the restored matrices 552 and the parameter metrics 553 are used to calculate a steering matrix 551 for use of beamforming in following data transmission, as noted above).
Regarding claim 20, Liu discloses a method of controlling a first apparatus configured to communicate with a second apparatus in a wireless local area network (WLAN) (Liu, paragraph [0002], Embodiments of the present disclosure relate generally to the field of wireless network communication, and more specifically, to the field of beamforming mechanisms in wireless local area network (WLAN) communication systems. Also see paragraph [0046], STAs in a WLAN support may support both beamforming matrix feedback and beambook feedback, each described in greater detail as above), the method comprising:
transmitting, using a transceiver of the first apparatus, a null data packet (NDP) to the second apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0025], The beamformer 250 transmits (i.e., the first apparatus) a Null Data Packet (NDP) frame to the beamformee 200 (i.e., to the second apparatus) which carries out channel sounding by analyzing the received training symbols 201 in the NDP);
receiving, using the transceiver, beamforming information from the second apparatus (Liu, Fig. 2 and paragraph [0031], According to embodiments of the present disclosure, source coding 214 is performed on the first compressed beamforming feedback 206 (e.g., composed of angles resulting from the Givens rotation) to generate the further compressed beamforming feedback 205 … The compressed results from source coding are specified in a beamforming feedback report field of a CSI frame which is transmitted to the beamformer (i.e., CSI frame/beamforming information is sent from the second apparatus which is received by the first apparatus) 250 at 215); … wherein the beamforming information comprises at least one from among a pair of angle indices which indicate a pair of angles used to beamform the data transmission, and a steering matrix index which indicates a steering matrix used to beamform the data transmission (Liu, paragraph [0041], the beamformer 550 receives and resolve the feedback report to obtain the reported beambook indices 554 and the parameter metrics. At 562, the beamformer 550 uses the indices to search the beambook and restore the predetermined beamforming feedback matrices 552. At 561, the restored matrices 552 and the parameter metrics 553 are used to calculate a steering matrix 551 for use of beamforming in following data transmission, as noted above).
Liu does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 1, decompose the channel estimate to obtain a feedback matrix, based on the feedback matrix,
obtain beamforming information to be used by the first apparatus to perform beamforming,
transmit, using the transceiver, the beamforming information to the first apparatus, and
receive, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed by the first apparatus based on the beamforming information,
Regarding claim 8, and transmit, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed based on the beamforming information to the second apparatus,
Regarding claim 13, decomposing the channel estimate to obtain a feedback matrix;
based on the feedback matrix, obtaining beamforming information to be used by the first apparatus to perform beamforming;
transmitting, using the transceiver, the beamforming information to the first apparatus; and receiving, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed by the first apparatus based on the beamforming information,
Regarding claim 20, and transmitting, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed based on the beamforming information to the second apparatus,
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Lee discloses a method in a wireless communication system that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 1, decompose the channel estimate to obtain a feedback matrix, based on the feedback matrix (Lee, paragraph [0025], In embodiments of the present disclosure, the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) generates the beamforming feedback vector or matrix by applying a beamforming algorithm to the channel estimation matrix. Various beamforming algorithms are known in the art to generate the beamforming vector or matrix from the channel estimation matrix. In some examples, the beamforming matrix generation system and method may use singular value decomposition (SVD) to generate the beamforming vector/matrix. Also see paragraph [0047], FIG. 4 illustrates in more details the smoothed beamforming matrix computation steps implemented at the beamformee in the method 100 of FIG. 3 in some embodiments. Referring to FIG. 4, a smoothed beamforming matrix computation method 150 receives the channel estimation matrix H as an input. The channel estimation matrix H may or may not have been smoothed by channel smoothing. The method 150 obtains a beamforming matrix or vector using a beamforming algorithm, such as SVD or GMD, and using down-sampled subcarrier feedback indices (152)),
obtain beamforming information to be used by the first apparatus to perform beamforming (Lee, paragraph [0050], in the conventional beamforming methods, the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) may receive an indication from the beamformer to perform channel smoothing or not perform channel smoothing (i.e., obtains beamforming information to be used by the beam former/or the first apparatus) on the receiving data packets and the beamformee acts accordingly),
transmit, using the transceiver, the beamforming information to the first apparatus (Lee, paragraph [0052], The smoothed beamforming matrix computation method is implemented in a beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) to generate the beamforming matrix (i.e., beamforming information) which is fed back to the beamformer (i.e., transmitted to the first apparatus) to enable the beamformer to perform beamforming), and
receive, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed by the first apparatus based on the beamforming information (Lee, paragraph [0067], Even if the beamformer (i.e., the first apparatus) indicates the transmitted packets have been beamformed (i.e., beamforming information indicates data packets that are beamformed), the beamformee may still perform channel smoothing after channel estimation when the conditions evaluated by the metric are met. In this manner, optimal performance can be obtained at the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus)),
Regarding claim 8, and transmit, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed based on the beamforming information to the second apparatus (Lee, paragraph [0067], Even if the beamformer (i.e., the first apparatus) indicates the transmitted packets have been beamformed (i.e., beamforming information indicates data packets that are beamformed), the beamformee may still perform channel smoothing after channel estimation when the conditions evaluated by the metric are met. In this manner, optimal performance can be obtained at the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus)),
Regarding claim 13, decomposing the channel estimate to obtain a feedback matrix (Lee, paragraph [0025], In embodiments of the present disclosure, the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) generates the beamforming feedback vector or matrix by applying a beamforming algorithm to the channel estimation matrix. Various beamforming algorithms are known in the art to generate the beamforming vector or matrix from the channel estimation matrix. In some examples, the beamforming matrix generation system and method may use singular value decomposition (SVD) to generate the beamforming vector/matrix. Also see paragraph [0047], FIG. 4 illustrates in more details the smoothed beamforming matrix computation steps implemented at the beamformee in the method 100 of FIG. 3 in some embodiments. Referring to FIG. 4, a smoothed beamforming matrix computation method 150 receives the channel estimation matrix H as an input. The channel estimation matrix H may or may not have been smoothed by channel smoothing. The method 150 obtains a beamforming matrix or vector using a beamforming algorithm, such as SVD or GMD, and using down-sampled subcarrier feedback indices (152));
based on the feedback matrix, obtaining beamforming information to be used by the first apparatus to perform beamforming (Lee, paragraph [0050], in the conventional beamforming methods, the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) may receive an indication from the beamformer to perform channel smoothing or not perform channel smoothing (i.e., obtains beamforming information to be used by the beam former/or the first apparatus) on the receiving data packets and the beamformee acts accordingly);
transmitting, using the transceiver, the beamforming information to the first apparatus (Lee, paragraph [0052], The smoothed beamforming matrix computation method is implemented in a beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus) to generate the beamforming matrix (i.e., beamforming information) which is fed back to the beamformer (i.e., transmitted to the first apparatus) to enable the beamformer to perform beamforming); and
receiving, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed by the first apparatus based on the beamforming information (Lee, paragraph [0067], Even if the beamformer (i.e., the first apparatus) indicates the transmitted packets have been beamformed (i.e., beamforming information indicates data packets that are beamformed), the beamformee may still perform channel smoothing after channel estimation when the conditions evaluated by the metric are met. In this manner, optimal performance can be obtained at the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus)),
Regarding claim 20, and transmitting, using the transceiver, a data transmission which is beamformed based on the beamforming information to the second apparatus (Lee, paragraph [0067], Even if the beamformer (i.e., the first apparatus) indicates the transmitted packets have been beamformed (i.e., beamforming information indicates data packets that are beamformed), the beamformee may still perform channel smoothing after channel estimation when the conditions evaluated by the metric are met. In this manner, optimal performance can be obtained at the beamformee (i.e., the second apparatus)),
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Liu by using the features, as taught by Lee, in order to support closed-loop schemes for single-user beamforming and multi-user beamforming methods to improve spectral efficiency with a given channel condition in a WLAN system (see Lee, paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 2, Liu discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain the beamforming information from a beamforming codebook stored in the second apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0011], Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a mechanism for reducing the sizes of beamforming feedback information by reporting beambook indices to a beamformer, instead of reporting compressed beamforming feedback matrices. More specifically, the beamforming and beamformee each maintain a beambook containing a plurality of predetermined entries of beamforming vectors, and indices of the entries. The indices may be in the form of codeword).
Regarding claim 6, Liu discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain the steering matrix based on the feedback matrix (Liu, paragraph [0032], The decompressed feedback 253 is further decompressed to reverse the angle compression (referred to as "angle decompression" herein) and thereby recover the beamforming feedback matrices 252. A steering matrix 251 is calculated (i.e., the steering matrix is obtained) at 261 based on the recovered feedback matrices 252).
Regarding claim 7, Liu discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain the steering matrix index based on a comparison between the steering matrix and the beamforming codebook (Liu, paragraph [0055], The beambook 826 is a lookup table storing a set of predetermined beamforming vectors (i.e., a beam forming codebook) for each subcarrier, each vector associated with an index. The beambook lookup module 825 stores instructions and information for a search engine used to search for matching (i.e., and/or comparing) entries in the beambook 826. The feedback matrix calculation module 827 and the steering matrix calculation module 828 are configured to calculate beamforming feedback matrices based on received beamforming training signal and to calculate a steering matrix (i.e., obtain a steering matrix index) based on beamforming feedback matrices, respectively).
Regarding claim 9, Liu discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
beamform the data transmission based on beamforming parameters obtained from a beamforming codebook generated by the first apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0011], Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a mechanism for reducing the sizes of beamforming feedback information by reporting beambook indices to a beamformer, instead of reporting compressed beamforming feedback matrices. More specifically, the beamforming and beamformee each maintain a beambook containing a plurality of predetermined entries of beamforming vectors, and indices of the entries. The indices may be in the form of codeword).
Regarding claim 14, Liu discloses wherein the beamforming information is obtained from a beamforming codebook stored in the second apparatus (Liu, paragraph [0011], Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a mechanism for reducing the sizes of beamforming feedback information by reporting beambook indices to a beamformer, instead of reporting compressed beamforming feedback matrices. More specifically, the beamforming and beamformee each maintain a beambook containing a plurality of predetermined entries of beamforming vectors, and indices of the entries. The indices may be in the form of codeword).
Regarding claim 18, Liu discloses further comprising obtaining the steering matrix based on the feedback matrix (Liu, paragraph [0032], The decompressed feedback 253 is further decompressed to reverse the angle compression (referred to as "angle decompression" herein) and thereby recover the beamforming feedback matrices 252. A steering matrix 251 is calculated (i.e., the steering matrix is obtained) at 261 based on the recovered feedback matrices 252).
Regarding claim 19, Liu discloses wherein the obtaining of the beamforming information comprises obtaining the steering matrix index based on a comparison between the steering matrix and the beamforming codebook (Liu, paragraph [0055], The beambook 826 is a lookup table storing a set of predetermined beamforming vectors (i.e., a beam forming codebook) for each subcarrier, each vector associated with an index. The beambook lookup module 825 stores instructions and information for a search engine used to search for matching (i.e., and/or comparing) entries in the beambook 826. The feedback matrix calculation module 827 and the steering matrix calculation module 828 are configured to calculate beamforming feedback matrices based on received beamforming training signal and to calculate a steering matrix (i.e., obtain a steering matrix index) based on beamforming feedback matrices, respectively).
Regarding claim 21, Liu discloses further comprising:
generating a beamforming codebook (Liu, paragraph [0055], The beambook 826 is a lookup table storing a set of predetermined beamforming vectors for each subcarrier (i.e., a beam forming codebook), each vector associated with an index. The beambook lookup module 825 stores instructions and information for a search engine used to search for matching entries in the beambook 826); and
beamforming the data transmission using the first apparatus based on beamforming parameters obtained from the beamforming codebook (Liu, paragraph [0011], Embodiments of the present disclosure further provide a mechanism for reducing the sizes of beamforming feedback information by reporting beambook indices to a beamformer, instead of reporting compressed beamforming feedback matrices. More specifically, the beamforming and beamformee each maintain a beambook containing a plurality of predetermined entries of beamforming vectors, and indices of the entries. The indices may be in the form of codeword).
Claim(s) 3, 10, 15 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU, US 2020/0112353 A1 (Liu hereinafter), in view of Lee et al., US 2020/0091970 A1 (Lee hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of ZHAN et al., US 2020/0358512 A1 (Zhan hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claims 3, 10, 15 and 22, Liu and Lee disclose the second apparatus of claim 2, the first apparatus of claim 9, the method of claim 14 and the method of claim 21. Liu and Lee do not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 3, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain the beamforming codebook based on codebook update information received from the first apparatus using the transceiver.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate codebook update information based on the beamforming codebook, and transmit the codebook update information to the second apparatus using the transceiver.
Regarding claim 15, wherein the beamforming codebook is obtained based on codebook update information received from the first apparatus using the transceiver.
Regarding claim 22, further comprising:
generating codebook update information based on the beamforming codebook; and transmitting the codebook update information to the second apparatus using the transceiver.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhan discloses a method in a wireless communication system that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 3, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to obtain the beamforming codebook based on codebook update information received from the first apparatus using the transceiver (Zhan, paragraph [0084], At 711, the table update processor 609 receives the reward value and determines an action index (i.e., the codebook update information) on how the look-up table 605 should be updated (e.g., how the beamforming codebooks in the look-up-table should be changed) and outputs the action index and the reward value to the second input 619 of the look-up table 605. The look-up table 605 receives the action index and the reward value and updates the look-up table 605 based on the state ID, the action index, and the reward value).
Regarding claim 10, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
generate codebook update information based on the beamforming codebook, and transmit the codebook update information to the second apparatus using the transceiver (Zhan, paragraph [0084], At 711, the table update processor 609 receives the reward value and determines an action index (i.e., the codebook update information) on how the look-up table 605 should be updated (e.g., how the beamforming codebooks in the look-up-table should be changed) and outputs the action index and the reward value to the second input 619 of the look-up table 605. The look-up table 605 receives the action index and the reward value and updates the look-up table 605 based on the state ID, the action index, and the reward value).
Regarding claim 15, wherein the beamforming codebook is obtained based on codebook update information received from the first apparatus using the transceiver (Zhan, paragraph [0084], At 711, the table update processor 609 receives the reward value and determines an action index (i.e., the codebook update information) on how the look-up table 605 should be updated (e.g., how the beamforming codebooks in the look-up-table should be changed) and outputs the action index and the reward value to the second input 619 of the look-up table 605. The look-up table 605 receives the action index and the reward value and updates the look-up table 605 based on the state ID, the action index, and the reward value).
Regarding claim 22, further comprising:
generating codebook update information based on the beamforming codebook; and transmitting the codebook update information to the second apparatus using the transceiver (Zhan, paragraph [0084], At 711, the table update processor 609 receives the reward value and determines an action index (i.e., the codebook update information) on how the look-up table 605 should be updated (e.g., how the beamforming codebooks in the look-up-table should be changed) and outputs the action index and the reward value to the second input 619 of the look-up table 605. The look-up table 605 receives the action index and the reward value and updates the look-up table 605 based on the state ID, the action index, and the reward value).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Liu and Lee by using the features, as taught by Zhan, in order to improve the coverage and receive signal power in the beam sweeping process using hierarchy structure codebook and dynamic codebook selection scheme (see Zhan, paragraph [0048]).
Claim(s) 4 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU, US 2020/0112353 A1 (Liu hereinafter), in view of Lee et al., US 2020/0091970 A1 (Lee hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of disclosed prior art CIOCHINA et al., US 2022/0200678 A1 (Ciochina hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claims 4 and 16, Liu and Lee disclose the second apparatus of claim 2 and the method of claim 14. Liu and Lee do not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compute the pair of angle vectors based on the feedback matrix.
Regarding claim 16, further comprising computing the pair of angle vectors based on the feedback matrix.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Ciochina discloses a method in a wireless communication system that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 4, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to compute the pair of angle vectors based on the feedback matrix (Ciochina, paragraphs [0190]-[0191], the elements of a digital beamforming feedback matrix computed for the training unit received with best metric, and a set of angles corresponding to a compression with Givens rotation matrices of a digital beamforming matrix computed for the training unit received with the best metric).
Regarding claim 16, further comprising computing the pair of angle vectors based on the feedback matrix (Ciochina, paragraphs [0190]-[0191], the elements of a digital beamforming feedback matrix computed for the training unit received with best metric, and a set of angles corresponding to a compression with Givens rotation matrices of a digital beamforming matrix computed for the training unit received with the best metric).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Liu and Lee by using the features, as taught by Ciochina, in order to enable beamforming corrections by communication devices and methods used in MU MIMO communication in an efficient manner without disrupting the transmission to stable communication devices
of a MU group and without requiring large feedback reports from communication devices of the MU group (see Ciochina, paragraph [0006]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 11-12, 17 and 23-24 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
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/OBAIDUL HUQ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473 Dated: 01/21/2026