DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/10/2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
3. Claims 1-20 are pending wherein claims 1 and 17 are in independent form.
4. Claims 1 and 17 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant's arguments filed on 12/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons set forth below.
6. On page 6 of the remarks, applicant argues, “Bengtsson does not disclose assigning a unique sensing node identifier to a device. Bengtsson describes using UE1 to transmit a radar signal, but does not describe anywhere in the cited reference that UE1 is assigned a particular sensing node identifier such that the UE is designated as having a sensing node identifier, as recited in claim 1”.
In response, examiner respectfully disagrees because:
Claim recites to obtain a sensing node ID, but the claim does not recite that the sensing node ID is the identifier of the transmitter that transmits the sensing signal. When UE1 (sensing signal transmitting node) receives the identifier of UE2 as the receiver of the sensing signal, UE2 is considered as the sensing node and UE1 obtains the sensing node ID (UE2 identification). When UE1 is designated/configured as the transmitter of the radar pulse (sensing signal), UE1 identifies the node that is configured for transmitting the sensing signal/radar pulse. Therefore, defining a node (UE1) to transmit the radar signal is considered as obtaining the identification/designation of the transmitter node (configuring UE1 as the transmitter) (Par 0041, Par 0051, Par 0058, Par 0060, Par 0118-0120). Moreover, identification of Dir1 is associated with the identifier of radar transmitter UE1 and the identification of Dir2 is associated with the identifier of the radar receiver UE2 (Par 0118).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 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.
8. Claims 1-13 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bengtsson et al (US 20220163651 A1, hereinafter referred to as Bengtsson).
Re claim 1, Bengtsson teaches a method for use in a telecommunication system (Fig. 2) comprising:
(i) receiving configuration information for transmission of a sensing signal during a transmission resource (configuring UE1 as the transmitter and UE2 as the receiver, receiving target object (TO) information, location, Dir1, Dir2 information, resource allocation for transmitting radar pulse, Power parameter for radar pulse) (Fig. 2, Fig. 6-7, Par 0041-0046, Par 0051-0052, Par 0056-0061, Par 0065-0066, Par 0118-0120);
(ii) obtaining, prior to the transmitting the sensing signal, by a sensing agent (prior to transmitting radar pulse by UE1), a sensing node identifier (ID) (identifying UE1 as the radar transmitter, identifying UE2 as a receiver UE, identification of location area such as Dir1, Dir2, cell identity, virtual cell identity) (Fig. 2, Fig. 6-7, Par 0034, Par 0041-0046, Par 0051, Par 0056, Par 0058-0061, Par 0118-0120); wherein the sensing node ID (identifying UE1 as the radar transmitter, identifying UE2 as a receiver UE, identification of location area such as Dir1, Dir2, resource mapping defined with respect to a cell, cell identity, virtual cell identity) is associated with parameters of the sensing signal (transmission of radar pulse) (Fig. 2, Fig. 6-7, Par 0034, Par 0041-0046, Par 0051, Par 0056, Par 0058-0062, Par 0118-0120); and
(iii) receiving, prior to the transmitting the sensing signal by the sensing agent, a request for active sensing (UE1 receives radar probing request prior to transmitting radar pulse) (Fig. 2, Par 0058-0062); and
(iv) transmitting the sensing signal based on the request for active sensing (radar probing request) and the configuration information (configuring UE1 as the transmitter and UE2 as the receiver, receiving target object (TO) information, location, Dir1, Dir2 information, resource allocation for transmitting radar pulse, Power parameter for radar pulse) (Fig. 2, Fig. 6-7, Par 0041-0046, Par 0051-0052, Par 0056-0061, Par 0065-0066, Par 0065-0066, Par 0111-0120).
Claim 17 recites an apparatus performing the steps recited in claim 1 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Re claims 2, 18, Bengtsson teaches that the sensing node ID is determined based on a user equipment’s ID (identifying UE1 as the radar transmitter, identifying UE2 as a receiver UE) (Fig. 2, Fig. 6-7, Par 0041-0046, Par 0051, Par 0056, Par 0058-0061).
Re claims 3, 19, Bengtsson teaches that the sensing node ID is determined based on a network ID assigned to the sensing agent (radar transmitter identity includes cell identity, resource mapping defined with respect to a cell) (Par 0034, Par 0041-0046, Par 0056, Par 0058-0060).
Re claims 4, 20, Bengtsson teaches that the sensing node ID is determined based on a user equipment’s ID and a network ID assigned to the sensing agent (identifying UE1 as the radar transmitter, identifying UE2 as a receiver UE, identification of location area such as Dir1, Dir2, resource mapping defined with respect to a cell, cell identity, virtual cell identity) (Par 0034, Par 0041-0046, Par 0056, Par 0058-0060).
Re claim 5, Bengtsson teaches that the network ID is one of: a cell ID or ID of a transmit receive point (TRP) (cell identity, virtual cell identity) (Par 0034, Par 0056, Par 0058-0060).
Re claim 6, Bengtsson teaches that the sensing signal parameters (transmission resources, time of radar pulse transmission) are mapped to a sensing agent ID (radar transmitter identity) (Par 0034, Par 0041-0046, Par 0056, Par 0058-0060).
Re claim 7, Bengtsson teaches that the obtaining the sensing node ID comprises: receiving the sensing node ID in one or more of: L1 signalling; radio resource control (RRC) signaling; and media access control (MAC) control elements (CEs) (radar transmission resources/blocks are scheduled via layer 1 signaling) (Par 0041-0048, Par 0058-0060).
Re claim 8, Bengtsson teaches that the sensing agent is one of a stand-alone dedicated device, a user equipment (UE) (UE1 as a radar transmitter), or a combination of multiple transmit receive points (TRPs) (Fig. 2, Par 0041-0046, Par 0056, Par 0058-0061).
Re claim 9, Bengtsson teaches to enable active sensing when receiving the request for active sensing (transmitting radar pulse after receiving radar probing request) (Fig. 2, Par 0058-0061).
Re claim 10, Bengtsson teaches that the request is initiated based upon the location of a user equipment (UE) (radar probe request is sent after obtaining the UE position) (Fig. 2, Par 0041-0046, Par 0058-0061, Par 0067, Par 0114).
Re claim 11, Bengtsson teaches that the UE is chosen as a sensing agent based on at least one of transmission and processing power (UE capability including power class) (Fig. 1-2, Par 0066-0070, Par 0074-0076).
Re claim 12, Bengtsson teaches that the UE is chosen as a sensing agent based on mobility of the UE (movement, direction, or position of the UE) (Fig. 1-2, Par 0066-0070, Par 0074-0076).
Re claim 13, Bengtsson teaches that the parameters of a sensing signal comprises at least one of: a beam sweeping pattern (beam sweeping direction for radar operation), resource allocation and sensing reference signal (SeRS) sequence length and indications for sensing quality, and level of knowledge of the environment (location of the target object, transmit power control) (Fig. 2, Par 0041-0046, Par 0058-0061, Par 0065-0068).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
9. 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.
10. Claims 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bengtsson as applied to claims 1 and 17 above and further in view of Ying et al (US 20200333456 A1, hereinafter referred to as Ying).
Re claim 14, Bengtsson does not explicitly disclose to perform passive sensing of the surrounding environment by reception of the reflection of a downlink signal from a transmit receive point (TRP).
Ying teaches to perform passive sensing of the surrounding environment by reception of the reflection of a downlink signal from a transmit receive point (TRP) (receiving echo of the radar probe) (Fig. 1-5, Par 0028, Par 0039-0045, Par 0053-0057, Par 0060-0063, Par 0066-0074, Par 0082).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Bengtsson by including the step to perform passive sensing of the surrounding environment by reception of the reflection of a downlink signal from a transmit receive point (TRP), as taught by Ying for the purpose of mitigating interference between data communication and radar probing with coexisting data communication and radar probing in the same spectrum, as taught by Ying (Par 0004-0005).
Re claim 15, Bengtsson does not explicitly disclose to send sensing information to the TRP for processing.
Ying teaches to send sensing information to the TRP for processing (sending report to the base station) (Fig. 5, Par 0060-0061, Par 0065-0075).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Bengtsson by including the step to send sensing information to the TRP for processing, as taught by Ying for the purpose of mitigating interference between data communication and radar probing with coexisting data communication and radar probing in the same spectrum, as taught by Ying (Par 0004-0005).
Re claim 16, Bengtsson does not explicitly disclose that the sensing information is related to one or more of range, shape, and velocity of targets over a direction in which a downlink signal is transmitted by the TRP.
Ying teaches that the sensing information is related to one or more of range, shape, and velocity of targets over a direction in which a downlink signal is transmitted by the TRP (sending report to the base station) (Fig. 5, Par 0041, Par 0060-0063, Par 0065-0075, Par 0087, Par 0096-0097, Par 0100).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to modify Bengtsson by including the step that the sensing information is related to one or more of range, shape, and velocity of targets over a direction in which a downlink signal is transmitted by the TRP, as taught by Ying for the purpose of mitigating interference between data communication and radar probing with coexisting data communication and radar probing in the same spectrum, as taught by Ying (Par 0004-0005).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARUN UR R CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3895. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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/HARUN CHOWDHURY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2473
