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 Status
This office action is in response to the communication(s) filed on 03/11/2024.
Claim(s) 1, 3-13, and 15-22 is/are currently presenting for examination.
Claim(s) 1 is/are independent claim(s).
Claim(s) 1, 3-13, and 15-22 is/are rejected.
This action has been made NON-FINAL.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities: the semicolon “;” at the end of the claim should be changed to a period “.”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-10, and 18-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US_20210251040_A1_Tang.
Regarding claim 1, Tang discloses a method of wireless communication, comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, one or more signaling that indicate one or more of a reference signal (RS) (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving a third MAC CE on the PCell for activating a semi-persistent (SP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource set of the second SCell…”), a transmission configuration information (TCI state) (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving on the PCell a second MAC CE for indicating a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state for receiving one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PD SCH) of the second SCell…”), or a cell information (Tang paragraph 80, “The MAC CE 341 may specify an SCell index corresponding to the SCell 120a…”); and configuring the wireless device to operate according to the one or more signaling (Tang paragraph 6, “…performing a time-frequency tracking process on the second SCell based on an SSB indicated in the first TCI state...”, and “…performing a channel state information (CSI) reporting process based on the SP CSI-RS resource set activated by the third MAC CE on the second SCell”).
Regarding claim 3, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the reference signal, the TCI state and the cell information are related using at least one of: the RS is associated with the TCI state; the RS is associated with the cell; the TCI state is associated with the cell (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving on the PCell a second MAC CE for indicating a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state for receiving one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PD SCH) of the second SCell…”, the TCI state is associated with the second SCell); the TCI state is associated with the RS; the cell is associated with the RS; the cell is associated with the TCI state.
Regarding claim 4, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein, the one or more signaling includes a signaling indicating whether the RS is transmitted or triggered, and the signaling further includes one or more of: a field for the TCI (Tang paragraph 81, “…The MAC CE 342-3 can indicate a TCI state for receiving SP CSI-RS over respective SP CSI-RS resource”); or a field for the cell information.
Regarding claim 5, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signaling includes a signaling indicating the TCI state, and the signaling further includes one or more of: a field that triggers or indicates whether one or more RS can be transmitted; a field that triggers or indicates whether one or more RS can be transmitted and one or more RS transmission positions; or a field that identifies the cell information (Tang paragraph 80, “The MAC CE 341 may specify an SCell index corresponding to the SCell 120a…”).
Regarding claim 6, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signaling includes a signaling includes one or more of: a field that triggers or indicates whether one or more RS can be transmitted; a field that triggers or indicates whether one or more RS can be transmitted and RS transmission position; a field that indicates the TCI; or a field that identifies the cell information (Tang paragraph 80, “The MAC CE 341 may specify an SCell index corresponding to the SCell 120a…”).
Regarding claim 7, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signaling includes a signaling that includes a field that indicates whether the RS is transmitted or triggered (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving a third MAC CE on the PCell for activating a semi-persistent (SP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource set of the second SCell…”), and wherein the field further indicates one or more of the TCI state or the cell information (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving on the PCell a second MAC CE for indicating a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state for receiving one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PD SCH) of the second SCell…”).
Regarding claim 8, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signaling includes a signaling that includes a field that indicates the TCI state (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving on the PCell a second MAC CE for indicating a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state for receiving one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PD SCH) of the second SCell…”), and wherein the field further indicates one or more of whether the RS is allowed to be transmitted or triggered (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving a third MAC CE on the PCell for activating a semi-persistent (SP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource set of the second SCell…”) or the cell information (Tang paragraph 80, “The MAC CE 341 may specify an SCell index corresponding to the SCell 120a…”).
Regarding claim 9, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein, the signaling includes a field that represents one or more of: does not indicate triggering or transmitting the RS; does not indicate the TCI state; does not indicate the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving a third MAC CE on the PCell for activating a semi-persistent (SP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource set of the second SCell…”); indicates the TCI state (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving on the PCell a second MAC CE for indicating a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state for receiving one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PD SCH) of the second SCell…”); indicates [[the]] a cell identification (Tang paragraph 80, “The MAC CE 341 may specify an SCell index corresponding to the SCell 120a…”); does not indicate the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates the TCI state; indicates the triggering and/or transmitting the RS and does not indicate the TCI state; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and the TCI state; does not indicate the triggering or transmitting the RS and does not indicate the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and does not indicate the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates the cell information; does not indicate TCI state and indicating a cell; indicates the TCI state and does not indicate the cell information; indicates the TCI state and indicates the cell information; does not indicate the triggering or transmitting the RS and does not indicate the TCI state and no indicating a cell; does not indicate the triggering or transmitting the RS and does not indicate the TCI state and indicates the cell information; does not indicate the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates the TCI state and does not indicate the cell identification; does not indicate triggering or transmitting RS and indicating TCI state and indicating a cell; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and does not indicate TCI state and does not indicate the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and does not indicate TCI state and indicates the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates the TCI state and does not indicate the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates the TCI state and indicates the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates a pattern of RS transmission or resource or resource set or transmission burst; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and indicates a pattern of RS transmission or resource or resource set or transmission burst and does not indicate the TCI state; indicates the triggering or transmitting the RS and a pattern of RS transmission or resource or resource set or transmission burst and indicating TCI state; indicates the triggering or transmitting RS and indicates a pattern of RS transmission or resource or resource set or transmission burst and does not indicate the cell information; indicates the triggering or transmitting RS and indicates a pattern of RS transmission or resource or resource set or transmission burst and indicating the cell information.
Regarding claim 10, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more are organized as follows: a first signaling that indicates whether to trigger or transmit the RS transmissions (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving a third MAC CE on the PCell for activating a semi-persistent (SP) channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource set of the second SCell…”); a second signaling that indicates the TCI state (Tang paragraph 6, “…receiving on the PCell a second MAC CE for indicating a first transmission configuration indication (TCI) state for receiving one of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or a physical downlink shared channel (PD SCH) of the second SCell…”); and a third signaling that signals the cell information (Tang paragraph 80, “The MAC CE 341 may specify an SCell index corresponding to the SCell 120a…”).
Regarding claim 18, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein RS comprises a tracking reference signal (TRS) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) (Tang paragraph 6, CSI-RS), or a synchronization signal physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) block (Tang paragraph 58, SSB).
Regarding claim 19, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more signaling comprise a downlink control information (DCI) signaling (Tang paragraph 51, DCI) or a medium access control (MAC) signaling (Tang paragraph 6, MAC CE).
Regarding claim 20, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein at least one of relationships among the RS, the TCI, the cell information, a maximum number of indicated or activated or updated TCI state, a maximum number of transmitted or measured or reported RS resources or resource sets or a transmission burst, a maximum number of cells, a gap, an offset, second offset, a minimum time for application of a TCI state are determined from: a downlink control information signaling (Tang paragraph 51, DCI), a medium access control control element signaling (Tang figures 3-7, paragraph 6, MAC CE), a radio resource control signaling (Tang paragraph 18, RRC message), or is pre-defined, or depends on a capability of the wireless device.
Regarding claim 21, Tang discloses the method of claim 18, wherein, the TRS, the CSI-RS or an SSB is quasi-co-located (QCLed) with at least one of a demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) of a physical downlink shared channel PDSCH, a DM-RS of a physical downlink control channel PDCCH, another SSB, another CSI-RS, a sounding reference signal SRS or a preamble for candidate cell (Tang paragraph 61, “For example, at the base station, when transmitting a signal, such as a PDCCH, a PDSCH, a CSI reference signal (CSI RS) and the like, a best choice of Tx beam can be selected based on beam pair link qualities indicated by the L3-RSRP report or the L1-RSRP report. The base station 105 may indicate an SSB (e.g., using an SSB index) corresponding to the selected Tx beam to the UE 101. The indication can be in the form of a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state signaled from the base station 105 to the UE 101. The TCI state can provide an SSB (using an SSB index) and a quasi-co-location (QCL) type (e.g., Type D corresponding to spatial receiver parameters). Such a TCI state can indicate to the UE 101 that the SSB is quasi-co-located (QCLed) with the to-be-transmitted signal in terms of the QCL type. When Type-D TCI state is indicated, based on the SSB index indicated TCI state and the previously acquired L1-RSRP (or L3-RSRP) measurement results, the UE 101 can use a best Rx beam corresponding to the indicated SSB index for reception of the signal.”).
Regarding claim 22, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: a first signaling is received in a downlink control indicator (DCI) and wherein a second signaling is received in a MAC control element (MAC CE), or the second signaling is received in a downlink control indicator (DCI) and wherein the first signaling is received in a MAC control element (MAC CE), or the first signaling is received in a first DCI and the second signaling is received in a second DCI, or the first signaling is received in a first MAC CE and the second signaling is received in a second MAC CE (Tang paragraph 6, second MAC CE, and third MAC CE).
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claim(s) 11-13, and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20210251040_A1_Tang in view of US_20240089053_A1_Wang.
Regarding claim 11, Tang discloses the method of claim 1, but does not disclose wherein, positions of RS transmissions are determined based on at least one of: a first RS transmission position is determined based on an offset indicated in the one or more signaling relative to a first reference position; or in case that at least two RS transmission are signaled, a subsequent RS transmission position is determined based on a gap, relative to a second reference position or a first reference position signaled in the one or more signaling.
Wang discloses wherein, positions of RS transmissions are determined based on at least one of: a first RS transmission position is determined based on an offset indicated in the one or more signaling relative to a first reference position (Wang paragraph 207, “…the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS determined in accordance with the CSI-RS resource period and/or the offset value is preferably that a transmission start point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS, or the transmission start point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS is after the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS. The determined time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS may also be that an end point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS, or the end point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS is before the determined time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS…”, also read paragraphs 170-178); or in case that at least two RS transmission are signaled, a subsequent RS transmission position is determined based on a gap, relative to a second reference position or a first reference position signaled in the one or more signaling (Wang paragraph 219, “…the network device notifies the UE of second offset values, i.e., offset 1, offset 2, ... , offset X, of the position of the transmission resource of the CSI-RS corresponding to each beam relative to a first offset value (TRS_offset) through the SIB signaling,…”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Wang’s the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS determined in accordance with the CSI-RS resource period and/or the offset value (Wang paragraphs 206, 222, 223) in Tang’s system to enable flexible, efficient channel sounding, allowing UEs to perform precise time/frequency tracking and beam management without interfering with user data. This method for improving the system of Tang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Wang. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Tang and Wang to obtain the invention as specified in claim 11.
Regarding claim 12, Tang and Wang disclose the method of claim 11, and Wang further discloses wherein the first reference position comprises: a starting position at which the wireless device receives a signaling (Wang paragraph 207, “…the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS determined in accordance with the CSI-RS resource period and/or the offset value is preferably that a transmission start point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS, or the transmission start point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS is after the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS. The determined time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS may also be that an end point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS, or the end point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS is before the determined time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS…”, and paragraph 151); an ending position of a signaling for reception by the wireless device (Wang paragraph 207, “…the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS determined in accordance with the CSI-RS resource period and/or the offset value is preferably that a transmission start point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS, or the transmission start point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS is after the time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS. The determined time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS may also be that an end point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS, or the end point of the time-domain transmission resource of the CSI-RS is before the determined time-domain transmission position of the CSI-RS…”, and paragraph 151); a starting position at which the wireless device is to commence transmission of a hybrid automatic request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information corresponding to a receiving signaling; or an ending position at which the wireless device is to end the transmission of the HARQ-ACK information corresponding to the signaling.
Regarding claim 13, Tang and Wang disclose the method of claim 11, , and Wang further wherein the second reference position can be at least one of: an ending time of a previous RS transmission; or a starting time of the previous RS transmission (Wang figure 6, and paragraphs 170-178, 219).
Regarding claim 15, Tang and Wang disclose the method of claim 11, , and Tang further wherein a reporting position is determined based on a second offset relative to a third reference position (Tang figure 3, paragraphs 7-9, TCSI_reporting is corresponding to the claimed “second offset”, and paragraph 91. The SSB is corresponding to the claimed “third reference”).
Regarding claim 16, Tang and Wang disclose the method of claim 15, , and Tang further wherein the third reference position comprises: an ending position of a specific RS transmission; a starting position of the specific RS transmission; a starting position on which the wireless device receives a predefined signaling; an ending position in which the wireless device receives the predefined signaling (Tang figure 3, paragraph 91, “In the process 324, the UE 101 can process a received signal of the SSB…”); a starting position in which the wireless device is to be sent a hybrid automatic request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information corresponding to the predefined signaling; or an ending position in which the wireless device is to end sending the HARQ-ACK information corresponding to the specific signaling.
Regarding claim 17, Tang and Wang disclose the method of claim 16, , and Tang further wherein the specific RS transmission comprises: a first RS transmission occasion or a transmission burst before the reporting; a last RS transmission occasion or a transmission burst before the reporting; an indicated or default RS transmission occasion or a transmission burst before the reporting (Tang figure 4, CSI reporting at the end of the time line).
Conclusion
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/W.H/Examiner, Art Unit 2471
/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471