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 .
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments filed on 04/06/2026 regarding claims 1-25 in the remarks are fully considered but moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection; however, examiner respectfully disagrees with applicant’s characterization of the previously applied prior art Go (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0031097).
(i) Applicant argues that in Go (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0031097) (specifically, paragraph [0211], DCI includes an SRS request field for indicating a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS set and not a DCI including a field for indicating a slot level offset value (please see page 13 under arguments and remarks).
(i) (Response) Examiner agrees with applicant’s characterization of the prior art Go that the DCI as disclosed in paragraph [0211] indicates a symbol level offset value and not a slot level offset value; however, several sections of the prior art disclose said slot level offset value as well. For example, paragraph [0223] explicitly states: “A base station may indicate or update a slot offset (slofOffset) through a DCI specific field when triggering an (ther than an SRS request field an (aperiodic) SRS resource set through DCI to enhanced UE”. Therefor it is evident that the prior art teaches slot level offset value as argued by applicant.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
3. Claim(s) 1, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 22, 24 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0031097) in view of Haghighat (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0300806) and further in view of Sun (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0154759).
As per claim 1:
Go teaches a wireless communication method, applied to a first device (see paragraph [0009], teaches a method and a device for transmitting/receiving sounding reference signals in wireless communication system. Note: Examiner is reading terminal as said first device), comprising:
receiving first control information sent by a second device (see paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device)), wherein the first device is a User Equipment (UE), the second device is a network device (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], the base station (construed as said second device) indicates the symbol level offset value through DCI to the enhanced UE construed as said first device)), and the first control information is downlink control information (DCI) (see paragraph [0211], DCI);
wherein the first control information comprises a first field (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], SRS request field), and the first field is configured to indicate to trigger the first device to perform aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission based on at least one SRS resource set (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device));
and performing, for a first SRS resource set of the at least one SRS resource set, aperiodic SRS transmission on a first target slot based on the first SRS resource set (see paragraph [0213], when a base station triggers a specific aperiodic SRS resource set to enhanced UE through DCI, a symbol level offset value for startPosition may be indicated through a specific field in the DCI. In this case, when transmitting a subsequent aperiodic SRS resource set, a terminal may perform transmission by applying the symbol level offset value to startPosition of all SRS resources in the corresponding resource set);
wherein the first SRS resource set is an SRS resource set, which is configured with at least one slot offset, of the at least one SRS resource set (see paragraph [0214], disclose for example, SRS resource 1 and SRS resource 2 are configured in a specific SRS resource set of enhanced UE. Also, the start position of SRS resource 1 is 0 and the number of symbols of SRS 1 is 2. The start position of SRS resource 2 is 3 and the number of symbols of SRS resource 2 is 2. The respective start positions of SRS 1 and SRS 2 are determined based on symbol level offset value indicated through the specific field in the corresponding DCI. Thus, said SRS resource set is configured with symbol level offset value).
Go does not clearly teach the first control information further comprises a second field;
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset.
Haghighat teaches the first control information further comprises a second field (see paragraph [0140], one or more fields of the DCI may be used for the one or more slot offset indications);
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset (see paragraph [0140], the WTRU can determine a DCI as a DCI comprising one or more offset indications, the one or more fields may be used for the one or more slot offset indications. Paragraph [0146] disclose the one or more slot offset indications may comprise slot offset for SRS resource sets).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the one or more offset indications (as disclosed in Haghighat) into Go as a way of enabling the UE/WTRU to determine slot offset(s) corresponding to the triggered SRS resource set(s) (please see paragraph [0146] of Haghighat). Therefore, by allowing aperiodic SRS’s sot level offset to be configured, potential collision of SRS transmission and other transmissions may be avoided (please see paragraph [0081] of Haghighat).
The combination of Go and Haghighat do not clearly teach and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset.
Sun teaches and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset (see paragraph [0072], if the reference slot is the Xth slot, the first slot offset is Y and the remaining slot offset (construed as said second slot offset) is Z, then the slot for transmission of the AP SRS is the second slot, i.e., (X+Y+Z)th slot).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the application of first and second slot offsets in determining a second slot (as disclosed in Sun into both Go and Haghighat) as a way of improving flexibility of transmission of the AP-SRS (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun). Thus, configuring different slot offsets avoids conflict caused by configuring two kinds of slot offset (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun).
As per claim 9:
Go teaches a wireless communication method, applied to a second device (see paragraph [0009], teaches a method of transmitting a sounding reference signal (SRS) in a wireless communication system. The method further includes receiving from a base station configuration information. Note: Examiner is reading said base station as said second device), comprising:
sending first control information to a first device (see paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device)) , wherein the first device is a User Equipment (UE), the second device is a network device (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], the base station (construed as said second device) indicates the symbol level offset value through DCI to the enhanced UE construed as said first device)), and the first control information is downlink control information (DCI) (see paragraph [0211], DCI);
wherein the first control information comprises a first field (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], SRS request field) … , and the first field is configured to indicate to trigger the first device to perform aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission based on at least one SRS resource set (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device));
and performing, for a first SRS resource set of the at least one SRS resource set, aperiodic SRS transmission on a first target slot based on the first SRS resource set (see paragraph [0213], when a base station triggers a specific aperiodic SRS resource set to enhanced UE through DCI, a symbol level offset value for startPosition may be indicated through a specific field in the DCI. In this case, when transmitting a subsequent aperiodic SRS resource set, a terminal may perform transmission by applying the symbol level offset value to startPosition of all SRS resources in the corresponding resource set);
wherein the first SRS resource set is an SRS resource set, which is configured with at least one slot offset, of the at least one SRS resource set (see paragraph [0214], disclose for example, SRS resource 1 and SRS resource 2 are configured in a specific SRS resource set of enhanced UE. Also, the start position of SRS resource 1 is 0 and the number of symbols of SRS 1 is 2. The start position of SRS resource 2 is 3 and the number of symbols of SRS resource 2 is 2. The respective start positions of SRS 1 and SRS 2 are determined based on symbol level offset value indicated through the specific field in the corresponding DCI. Thus, said SRS resource set is configured with symbol level offset value).
Go does not clearly teach and a second field
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset.
Haghighat teaches and a second field (see paragraph [0140], one or more fields of the DCI may be used for the one or more slot offset indications)
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset (see paragraph [0140], the WTRU can determine a DCI as a DCI comprising one or more offset indications, the one or more fields may be used for the one or more slot offset indications. Paragraph [0146] disclose the one or more slot offset indications may comprise slot offset for SRS resource sets).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the one or more offset indications (as disclosed in Haghighat) into Go as a way of enabling the UE/WTRU to determine slot offset(s) corresponding to the triggered SRS resource set(s) (please see paragraph [0146] of Haghighat). Therefore, by allowing aperiodic SRS’s sot level offset to be configured, potential collision of SRS transmission and other transmissions may be avoided (please see paragraph [0081] of Haghighat).
The combination of Go and Haghighat do not clearly teach and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset.
Sun teaches and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset (see paragraph [0072], if the reference slot is the Xth slot, the first slot offset is Y and the remaining slot offset (construed as said second slot offset) is Z, then the slot for transmission of the AP SRS is the second slot, i.e., (X+Y+Z)th slot).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the application of first and second slot offsets in determining a second slot (as disclosed in Sun into both Go and Haghighat) as a way of improving flexibility of transmission of the AP-SRS (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun). Thus, configuring different slot offsets avoids conflict caused by configuring two kinds of slot offset (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun).
As per claim 11:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 9, further comprising:
sending configuration information to the first device, wherein the configuration information is configured to configure one or more SRS resource sets (Go, see paragraph [0280], terminal receives configuration information related to N SRS resource sets from a base station), each of the one or more SRS resource sets is configured with at least one SRS resource, and the one or more SRS resource sets comprises the at least one SRS resource set (Go, see paragraphs [0281]-[0282], configuration information may include usage value for each SRS resource set and time domain operation for each SRS resource set. The configuration may also include for each SRS resource set information on a symbol level starting position in a slot for SRS transmission and/or information on the number of symbols in a slot for SRS transmission, please see paragraphs [0284]-[0285]).
As per claim 12:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the at least one SRS resource set comprises a plurality of SRS resource sets whose usage fields are configured as antenna switching (Go, see paragraph [0014], the M SRS resource sets may be configured with the same usage value. The usage value may include at least one of beam management, codebook, non-codebook, antenna switching and/or positioning), and different SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets correspond to different transmission slots (Go, paragraph [0020], the configuration information may include a starting position for SRS transmission in a slot and/or the number of symbols for SRS transmission in a slot for each SRS resource in the N SRS resource sets).
As per claim 13:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of SRS resource sets is configured with a corresponding trigger state (Go, see paragraph [0016], plurality of SRS resource sets may be mapped to each codepoint of a field triggering the transmission of the SRS in the DCI).
As per claim 17:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 9, wherein the first control information is at least one of downlink control information format 0_1 (DCI format 0_1) (Go, see paragraph [0124], DCI format 0_1), downlink control information format 0_2 (DCI format 0_2) (Go, see paragraph [0125], DCI format 0_2), downlink control information format 1_1 (DCI format 1_1) (Go, see paragraph [0126], DCI format 1_1), downlink control information format 1_2 (DCI format 1_2) (Go, paragraph [0126], DCI format 1_2), or downlink control information format 2_3 (DCI format 2_3) (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
As per claim 18:
Go teaches a first device (see Figure 11, first device 100), comprising:
a memory for storing a computer program (see Figure 11, and paragraph [0328], memory(s) 104. Information received by processor 102 are stored in memory 104);
a transceiver (see Figure 11, transceiver(s) 106);
and a processor for execute the computer program to control the transceiver (see paragraph [0328], processor 102 may control memory 104 and/or transceiver 106. Processor 102 may receive a wireless signal including second information/signal through transceiver 106 and then store information obtained by signal processing of second information/signal in memory 104) to:
receive first control information sent by a second device (see paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device)), wherein the first device is a User Equipment (UE), the second device is a network device (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], the base station (construed as said second device) indicates the symbol level offset value through DCI to the enhanced UE construed as said first device)), and the first control information is downlink control information (DCI) (see paragraph [0211], DCI);;
wherein the first control information comprises a first field (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], SRS request field), and the first field is configured to indicate to trigger the first device to perform aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission based on at least one SRS resource set (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device));
and performing, for a first SRS resource set of the at least one SRS resource set, aperiodic SRS transmission on a first target slot based on the first SRS resource set (see paragraph [0213], when a base station triggers a specific aperiodic SRS resource set to enhanced UE through DCI, a symbol level offset value for startPosition may be indicated through a specific field in the DCI. In this case, when transmitting a subsequent aperiodic SRS resource set, a terminal may perform transmission by applying the symbol level offset value to startPosition of all SRS resources in the corresponding resource set);
wherein the first SRS resource set is an SRS resource set, which is configured with at least one slot offset, of the at least one SRS resource set (see paragraph [0214], disclose for example, SRS resource 1 and SRS resource 2 are configured in a specific SRS resource set of enhanced UE. Also, the start position of SRS resource 1 is 0 and the number of symbols of SRS 1 is 2. The start position of SRS resource 2 is 3 and the number of symbols of SRS resource 2 is 2. The respective start positions of SRS 1 and SRS 2 are determined based on symbol level offset value indicated through the specific field in the corresponding DCI. Thus, said SRS resource set is configured with symbol level offset value).
Go does not clearly teach the first control information further comprises a second field;
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset.
Haghighat teaches the first control information further comprises a second field;
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset (see paragraph [0140], the WTRU can determine a DCI as a DCI comprising one or more offset indications, the one or more fields may be used for the one or more slot offset indications. Paragraph [0146] disclose the one or more slot offset indications may comprise slot offset for SRS resource sets).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the one or more offset indications (as disclosed in Haghighat) into Go as a way of enabling the UE/WTRU to determine slot offset(s) corresponding to the triggered SRS resource set(s) (please see paragraph [0146] of Haghighat). Therefore, by allowing aperiodic SRS’s sot level offset to be configured, potential collision of SRS transmission and other transmissions may be avoided (please see paragraph [0081] of Haghighat).
The combination of Go and Haghighat do not clearly teach and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset.
Sun teaches and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset (see paragraph [0072], if the reference slot is the Xth slot, the first slot offset is Y and the remaining slot offset (construed as said second slot offset) is Z, then the slot for transmission of the AP SRS is the second slot, i.e., (X+Y+Z)th slot).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the application of first and second slot offsets in determining a second slot (as disclosed in Sun into both Go and Haghighat) as a way of improving flexibility of transmission of the AP-SRS (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun). Thus, configuring different slot offsets avoids conflict caused by configuring two kinds of slot offset (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun).
As per claim 22:
Go teaches a second device (see Figure 11, second device 200), comprising:
a memory for storing a computer program (see Figure 11, paragraph [0329], memory(s) 204 for storing software code);
a transceiver (see Figure 11, transceiver(s) 206);
and a processor for execute the computer program to control the transceiver (see paragraph [0329], processor 202 may control memory 204 and/or transceiver 206) to:
sending first control information to a first device (see paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device)) , wherein the first device is a User Equipment (UE), the second device is a network device (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], the base station (construed as said second device) indicates the symbol level offset value through DCI to the enhanced UE construed as said first device)), and the first control information is downlink control information (DCI) (see paragraph [0211], DCI);
wherein the first control information comprises a first field (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], SRS request field) … , and the first field is configured to indicate to trigger the first device to perform aperiodic sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission based on at least one SRS resource set (as explained earlier in paragraph [0211], base station (construed as said second device) may indicate a symbol level offset value when triggering aperiodic SRS resource set through an SRS request field of DCI to enhanced UE (construed as said first device));
and performing, for a first SRS resource set of the at least one SRS resource set, aperiodic SRS transmission on a first target slot based on the first SRS resource set (see paragraph [0213], when a base station triggers a specific aperiodic SRS resource set to enhanced UE through DCI, a symbol level offset value for startPosition may be indicated through a specific field in the DCI. In this case, when transmitting a subsequent aperiodic SRS resource set, a terminal may perform transmission by applying the symbol level offset value to startPosition of all SRS resources in the corresponding resource set);
wherein the first SRS resource set is an SRS resource set, which is configured with at least one slot offset, of the at least one SRS resource set (see paragraph [0214], disclose for example, SRS resource 1 and SRS resource 2 are configured in a specific SRS resource set of enhanced UE. Also, the start position of SRS resource 1 is 0 and the number of symbols of SRS 1 is 2. The start position of SRS resource 2 is 3 and the number of symbols of SRS resource 2 is 2. The respective start positions of SRS 1 and SRS 2 are determined based on symbol level offset value indicated through the specific field in the corresponding DCI. Thus, said SRS resource set is configured with symbol level offset value).
Go does not clearly teach and a second field
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset.
Haghighat teaches and a second field (see paragraph [0140], one or more fields of the DCI may be used for the one or more slot offset indications)
the second field is configured to indicate a first slot offset, which corresponds to the first SRS resource set, of the at least one slot offset (see paragraph [0140], the WTRU can determine a DCI as a DCI comprising one or more offset indications, the one or more fields may be used for the one or more slot offset indications. Paragraph [0146] disclose the one or more slot offset indications may comprise slot offset for SRS resource sets).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the one or more offset indications (as disclosed in Haghighat) into Go as a way of enabling the UE/WTRU to determine slot offset(s) corresponding to the triggered SRS resource set(s) (please see paragraph [0146] of Haghighat). Therefore, by allowing aperiodic SRS’s sot level offset to be configured, potential collision of SRS transmission and other transmissions may be avoided (please see paragraph [0081] of Haghighat).
The combination of Go and Haghighat do not clearly teach and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset.
Sun teaches and the first target slot is determined based on the first slot offset and a second slot offset (see paragraph [0072], if the reference slot is the Xth slot, the first slot offset is Y and the remaining slot offset (construed as said second slot offset) is Z, then the slot for transmission of the AP SRS is the second slot, i.e., (X+Y+Z)th slot).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the application of first and second slot offsets in determining a second slot (as disclosed in Sun into both Go and Haghighat) as a way of improving flexibility of transmission of the AP-SRS (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun). Thus, configuring different slot offsets avoids conflict caused by configuring two kinds of slot offset (please see paragraph [0079] of Sun).
Claim 24 is rejected in the same scope as claim 11.
As per claim 25:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the second device of claim 24, wherein the at least one SRS resource set comprises a plurality of SRS resource sets whose usage fields are configured as antenna switching (Go, see paragraphs [0014], [0015], the M SRS resource sets may be configured with the same usage value. The usage value may include at least one beam management, codebook, non-codebook, antenna switching and/or positioning), and different SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets correspond to different transmission slots (Go, paragraph [0020], the configuration information may include a starting position for SRS transmission in a slot and/or the number of symbols for SRS transmission in a slot for each SRS resource in the N SRS resource sets).
4. Claims 2 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Zheng (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0014971).
As per claim 2:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 1 with the exception of further comprising:
determining a number of bits occupied by the second field.
Zheng teaches further comprising:
determining a number of bits occupied by the second field (see paragraph [0126], MAC CE 1300/1302 has a predetermined number of bits arranged in various bit fields).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the one or more slot offsets (as disclosed in Zheng) into Go, Haghighat and Sun as a way of improving multiplexing of the SRS resource sets with other UL channels using a variety of slot formats and dynamic slot format changes (please see paragraph [0127] of Zheng). Therefore, implementing such SRS resource control scheme(s) can provide an efficient way of configuring and controlling SRS resources for SRS antenna switching and triggering aperiodic SRS (please see paragraph [0096] of Zheng).
Claim 19 is rejected in the same scope as claim 2.
5. Claims 3, 4, 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun, Zheng and further in view of Shahmohammadian (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0029861).
As per claim 3:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Zheng teaches the method of claim 2 with the exception of:
wherein the determining the number of bits occupied by the second field comprises:
determining the number of bits occupied by the second field based on a first configuration field of a second SRS resource set of all SRS resource sets configured with the at least one slot offset;
wherein the first configuration field is configured to provide the at least one slot offset for the SRS resource set.
Shahmohammadian teaches wherein the determining the number of bits occupied by the second field comprises:
determining the number of bits occupied by the second field based on a first configuration field of a second SRS resource set of all SRS resource sets configured with the at least one slot offset (see paragraph [0204], disclose to reduce the overhead of an aperiodic SRS set configuration for “antennaSwitching” usage, each resource level slot offset may be assigned a specific number of bits with in the repurposed fields. Each SRS resource has a specific number of bits for a slot offset indicated that are sorted in the DCI according to the SRS resource ID, see paragraph [0207]);
wherein the first configuration field is configured to provide the at least one slot offset for the SRS resource set (see paragraph [0211], the slot offsets of the lowest set ID are sorted according to their resource ID, following slot offsets of resources of the second lowest set ID and so on).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the sorting of slot offsets (each with a specific number of bits) in the DCI (as disclosed in Shahmohammadian) into Go, Haghighat, Sun and Zheng as a way of reducing the overhead of the aperiodic SRS set configuration (please see paragraph [0204] of Shahmohammadian).
As per claim 4:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Zheng and further in view of Shahmohammadian teaches the method of claim 3.
The combination of Go, Haghighat, Sun and Zheng do not teach wherein the first configuration field is configured by at least one of a list structure, a sequence structure, or a bitmap.
Shahmohammadian teaches wherein the first configuration field is configured by at least one of a list structure, a sequence structure, or a bitmap (see paragraph [0205] disclose bitmap structure of “0100100101” for representing four slot offset values of 2, 5, 8 and 10).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the sorting of slot offsets (each with a specific number of bits) in the DCI (as disclosed in Shahmohammadian) into Go, Haghighat, Sun and Zheng as a way of reducing the overhead of the aperiodic SRS set configuration (please see paragraph [0204] of Shahmohammadian).
Claim 20 is rejected in the same scope as claim 3.
Claim 21 is rejected in the same scope as claim 4.
6. Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun, Zheng, Shahmohammadian and Abdelghaffar (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0116653).
As per claim 5:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun, Zheng and Shahmohammadian teaches the method of claim 3 with the exception of:
wherein the second SRS resource set is an SRS resource set, which has a highest number of slot offsets configured by the first configuration field, of all the SRS resource sets configured with the at least one slot offset.
Abdelghaffar teaches wherein the second SRS resource set is an SRS resource set, which has a highest number of slot offsets configured by the first configuration field, of all the SRS resource sets configured with the at least one slot offset (see paragraph [0126], the UE and RAN node may configure the bit width of the DCI code point bitfield for a given bandwidth based on the configured A-SRS resource set for that given bandwidth that includes the largest (i.e., maximum) number of available slot offset values (t-values)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the configured bitfield (as disclosed in Abdelghaffar) into Go, Haghighat, Sun, Zheng and Shahmohammadian as a way of supporting enhanced SRS triggering (please see paragraph [0132] of Abdelghaffar).
7. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Zheng and further in view of Shahmohammadian, Abdelghaffar and Wang (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0201657).
As per claim 6:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun, Zheng, Shahmohammadian and Abdelghaffar teaches the method of claim 5 with the exception of:
wherein the number of bits occupied by the second field and the number of slot offsets configured for the second SRS resource set meet one of:
2a ≥K, or 2a ≥K+1;
wherein a represents the number of bits occupied by the second field, and K represents the number of slot offsets configured for the second SRS resource set.
Wang teaches wherein the number of bits occupied by the second field and the number of slot offsets configured for the second SRS resource set meet one of:
2a ≥K, or 2a ≥K+1;
wherein a represents the number of bits occupied by the second field, and K represents the number of slot offsets configured for the second SRS resource set (see paragraph [0068], the quantity (e.g., x) of the one or more bits may be based at least in part on the integer value of N. x number of bits may be used when the available slot list includes 2x positions (e.g., N=2x)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the available slot list as disclosed in Wang as a way of providing the UE with the option of selecting the respective position (please see paragraph [0070] of Wang). Thus, utilizing the MAC CE to indicate the select available slot list, from among the plurality of available slot lists, may enable the BS to utilize a reduced number of bits in the DCI (please see paragraph [0070] of Wang).
8. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Abdelghaffar (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0049193).
As per claim 7:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 1 with the exception of:
further comprising:
in a case where the number of the at least one slot offset is less than or equal to a value of the second field, performing one of:
determining a (mod (Y, N))-th slot offset or a (mod (Y, N)+1)-th slot offset of the at least one slot offset as the first slot offset, wherein Y represents a value of the second field, or Y represents the value of the second field plus 1, N represents the number of the at least one slot offset, and mod represents a modulo operation;
determining an N-th slot offset of the at least one slot offset as the first slot offset;
determining a first slot offset of the at least one slot offset as the first slot offset;
determining the first slot offset as 0;
sending the first SRS resource set without considering the second field;
or sending the first SRS resource set without considering the first slot offset.
Abdelghaffar teaches further comprising:
in a case where the number of the at least one slot offset is less than or equal to a value of the second field (see paragraph [0249], it is possible in some cases for the set of slot offsets to number less than the set of AP SRS resource trigger values (e.g., DCI codepoints), each trigger value can be mapped to a slot in accordance with various rules), performing one of:
determining a (mod (Y, N))-th slot offset or a (mod (Y, N)+1)-th slot offset of the at least one slot offset as the first slot offset, wherein Y represents a value of the second field, or Y represents the value of the second field plus 1, N represents the number of the at least one slot offset, and mod represents a modulo operation (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
determining an N-th slot offset of the at least one slot offset as the first slot offset (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
determining a first slot offset of the at least one slot offset as the first slot offset (see paragraph [0250], in the case that only one slot offset value, that slot offset value can be applied to each trigger value);
determining the first slot offset as 0 (see paragraph [0251], if delta=4 as in legacy slot offset, Offset_1 may be set to 0);
sending the first SRS resource set without considering the second field (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
or sending the first SRS resource set without considering the first slot offset (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the mapping of one slot offset value to each trigger value (as disclosed in Abdelghaffar) into Go, Haghighat and Sun as a way of enabling the UE to determine available candidate slot offsets among the set of candidate slot offsets and the SP-SRS transmission is ultimately performed on an earliest slot based on the determination (please see paragraph [0246] of Abedelghaffar).
9. Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Go (US PG Pub. No. 2024/0397490), hereinafter referred to as Go’490.
As per claim 8:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein each first SRS resource set of the at least one SRS resource set is configured with a same number of slot offsets; or each of the at least one SRS resource set is configured with a same number of slot offsets.
Go’490 teaches wherein each first SRS resource set of the at least one SRS resource set is configured with a same number of slot offsets (paragraph [0162] explicitly states: “Each codepoint in the SRS request field may be associated with one or more SRS resource sets. And, the same number of available slot offsets may be configured for the one or more SRS resource sets); or each of the at least one SRS resource set is configured with a same number of slot offsets (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the same number of configured slot offsets for each SRS resource set (as disclosed in Go’490) into Go, Haghighat and Sun as a way of resolving ambiguity related to the slot offset indicator (please see paragraph [0011] of Go’490).
10. Claims 10 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Chou (US PG Pub. No. 2023/0140402).
As per claim 10:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 9 with the exception of:
further comprising:
determining the first target slot based on the first slot and the first slot offset;
wherein the first slot is determined by a slot where the first control information is located and the second slot offset.
Chou teaches further comprising:
determining the first target slot based on the first slot and the first slot offset (see Figure 2, paragraph [0028], the SRS resource (i.e., SRS transmission) occurs in time slot defined as n+slot offset + additional offset);
wherein the first slot is determined by a slot where the first control information is located and the second slot offset (see Figure 2, paragraph [0027], the reference slot = n+slot offset. Where n is the time slot of the DCI and slot offset is the first slot offset).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the first slot offset and additional slot offset (as disclosed in Chou) into Go, Haghighat and Sun as a way of indicating the start position of the SRS resource especially when the slot format has changed (please see paragraph [0034] of Chou).
Claim 23 is rejected in the same scope as claim 10.
11. Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Sun (US Patent No. 12,512,939), hereinafter referred to as Sun’939.
As per claim 14:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun teaches the method of claim 9 with the exception of:
further comprising:
receiving capability information reported by the first device;
wherein the capability information is configured to indicate that the first device supports configuring a first configuration field for an SRS resource set, and the first configuration field is configured to configure a slot offset for the SRS resource set;
and/or the capability information is configured to indicate that the first device supports comprising the second field in control information;
and/or the capability information is configured to indicate that the first device supports dynamic slot offset.
Sun’939 teaches further comprising:
receiving capability information reported by the first device (see Figure 6, step 604, Col 17, lines 65-67, Col 18, line 1, the base station receives capability information from the UE);
wherein the capability information is configured to indicate that the first device supports configuring a first configuration field for an SRS resource set, and the first configuration field is configured to configure a slot offset for the SRS resource set (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
and/or the capability information is configured to indicate that the first device supports comprising the second field in control information (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
and/or the capability information is configured to indicate that the first device supports dynamic slot offset (see Col 18, lines 1-19, base station receives varying minimum timing offsets from different UEs).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the transmission of UE capability information indicating the minimum timing offset (as disclosed in Sun’939) into Go, Haghighat and Sun as a way of accommodating the UEs capability of decoding the DCI (within a certain amount of time) before sending AP-SRS signal in response thereto (please see Col 18, lines 6-20 of Sun’939).
As per claim 15:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and further in view of Sun’939 teaches the method of claim 14 with the exception of wherein the capability information is reported via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, or media access control control element (MAC CE).
Sun’939 teaches wherein the capability information is reported via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, or media access control control element (MAC CE) (see Col 17, lines 65-67, Col 18, line 1, as part of the RRC configuration or as a separate action, the base station receives various capability information transmitted from the UE).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the transmission of UE capability information indicating the minimum timing offset (as disclosed in Sun) into Go, Haghighat and Sun as a way of accommodating the UEs capability of decoding the DCI (within a certain amount of time) before sending AP-SRS signal in response thereto (please see Col 18, lines 6-20 of Sun’939).
12. Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun, Sun’939 and Liu (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0359882).
As per claim 16:
Go in view of Haghighat and further in view of Sun and Sun’939 teaches the method of claim 14 with the exception of:
wherein the receiving the capability information reported by the first device comprises one of:
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each band combination;
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each band range;
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each band;
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each carrier;
or receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each terminal device.
Liu teaches wherein the receiving the capability information reported by the first device comprises one of:
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each band combination (see paragraph [0109], UE capability indicates whether the UE supports aperiodic SRS on the additional symbols with carrier switching for a band combination);
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each band range (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art);
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each band (see paragraph [0038], UE may report the capability to switch from band A (source CC) to band B (destination CC));
receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each carrier (see paragraph [0109], the base station receives UE capability for SRS switching and a retuning time from a source CC to a destination CC for an aperiodic SRS on additional SRS symbols relative to a first set of SRS symbols with carrier switching);
or receiving the capability information reported by the first device for each terminal device (Note: Limitation(s) is/are recited in alternate form and thus not addressed by the prior art).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the transmission of UE capability report for aperiodic SRS transmission (as disclosed in Liu) into Go, Haghighat, Sun and Sun’939 as a way of scheduling the UE in such a way as to avoid collision between an uplink transmission on the source CC and the additional SRS symbols of the aperiodic SRS on the destination CC (please see paragraph [0079] of Liu).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRINCE AKWASI MENSAH whose telephone number is (571)270-7183. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:00pm.
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PRINCE AKWASI. MENSAH
Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/PRINCE A MENSAH/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
/Michael Thier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2474
Prosecution Insights