DETAILED ACTION
In response to communication filed on 4/8/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claims 1-20 are rejected.
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 Amendments
This communication is in response to Applicant’s reply filed under 3 CFR 1.111 on 4/8/2026. Claims 1-9,12, and 15-20 were amended and claims 1-20 remain pending.
Amendment to claim 20 in response to rejection under 35 USC § 112, second paragraph has been considered. The amendment to the claims obviates previously raised rejection, as such this rejection is hereby withdrawn.
Amendment to claim 20 in response to objection under informalities has been considered. The amendment to the claims obviates previously raised objection, as such this objection is hereby withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claims 1 and its dependents by virtue of dependency, the limitation “the first reference signal is used by the terminal for phase noise compensation and the second reference signal is a redundant signal, and the third reference signal is a reference signal for phase noise compensation, and the fourth reference signal is a redundant signal, and wherein the first reference signal and the third reference signal used for phase noise compensation and the second reference signal and the third reference signal are separately located at real signal positions and imaginary signal positions” is new matter because the specifications, as noted in paragraph 0018, specifically identify that redundant signals are for interfering and other reference signals are used for phase noise compensation, the redundant signals and reference signals are separately located at real signal and imaginary signal positions respectively. By this definition in the specifications, redundant signals are to be located in a real signal position and reference signals for phase noise compensation are to be located in an imaginary signal position.
Regarding claims 12 and its dependents by virtue of dependency, the limitation “the first reference signal is used by the terminal for phase noise compensation and the second reference signal is a redundant signal, and the third reference signal is a reference signal for phase noise compensation, and the fourth reference signal is a redundant signal, and wherein the first reference signal and the third reference signal used for phase noise compensation and the second reference signal and the third reference signal are separately located at real signal positions and imaginary signal positions” is new matter because the specifications, as noted in paragraph 0018, specifically identify that redundant signals are for interfering and other reference signals are used for phase noise compensation, the redundant signals and reference signals are separately located at real signal and imaginary signal positions respectively. By this definition in the specifications, redundant signals are to be located in a real signal position and reference signals for phase noise compensation are to be located in an imaginary signal position.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(B) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and its dependent claims by virtue of dependency, the limitation “the second reference signal is a redundant signal…and the fourth reference signal is a redundant signal” is indefinite because it is unclear to what a redundant signal is supposed to represent and if the second reference signal and fourth reference signal are supposed to be the same signal.
Regarding claims 12 and its dependent claims by virtue of dependency, the limitation “the second reference signal is a redundant signal…and the fourth reference signal is a redundant signal” is indefinite because it is unclear to what a redundant signal is supposed to represent and if the second reference signal and fourth reference signal are supposed to be the same “redundant” signal.
Regarding claims 1 and its dependent claims by virtue of dependency, the limitation “wherein the first reference signal and the third reference signal used for phase noise compensation and the second reference signal and the third reference signal are separately located at real signal positions and imaginary signal positions” is indefinite because the language is drafted in a way in which it is unclear to whether the first and third reference signals are defined as being located at real signal and imaginary signal positions respectively as well as the second and third reference signals being defined as being located at real signal and imaginary signal positions respectively, or whether the first and third reference signals are being located at the real signal position and the second and third reference signals are located at the imaginary signal position.
Regarding claims 12 and its dependent claims by virtue of dependency, the limitation “wherein the first reference signal and the third reference signal used for phase noise compensation and the second reference signal and the third reference signal are separately located at real signal positions and imaginary signal positions” is indefinite because the language is drafted in a way in which it is unclear to whether the first and third reference signals are defined as being located at real signal and imaginary signal positions respectively as well as the second and third reference signals being defined as being located at real signal and imaginary signal positions respectively, or whether the first and third reference signals are being located at the real signal position and the second and third reference signals are located at the imaginary signal position.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 1st paragraph and 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 17-22, filed 4/8/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-3 and 12-14 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendments. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection has been made to address the new claim amendments accordingly in view of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) and 35 U.S.C. 112(b) respectively, as noted in the above rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li et al. (US Pub. 2019/0230646) discloses a plurality of patterns for a phase noise compensation reference signal, if a type of phase noise compensation reference signal is the same as an existing reference signal, they may have different reference signal patterns [paragraph 0084].
Ma et al. (US Pub. 2023/0327936), by the same inventive entity, discloses phase noise tracking pilot signal PTRS patterns, in which each pattern includes a real part PTRS and an imaginary part PTRS [refer Abstract].
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 RYAN C KAVLESKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3619. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30am-3pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C Jiang can be reached on 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Ryan Kavleski
/R.C.K./
Examiner, Art Unit 2412
/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
Prosecution Insights