DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Information Disclosure Statement
The references listed in the Information Disclosure Statement filed on 02/06/24 have been considered by the examiner (see attached PTO-1449 form or PTO/SB/08A and 08B).
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.
Claims 1-3, 8-13 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (U.S. 20250110226).
For claim 1, Huang et al. disclose a method by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), sensing configuration information for a sensing operation (at least Fig. 3A, [0032], [0075] and [0086]. gNB can transmit a configuration message 506 to sensing UE 502, such as to pre-configure the UE 502 for receipt of subsequent control/sensing signals.);
transmitting a first sensing signal for the sensing operation based on the sensing configuration information (at least Fig. 3A, [0074] and [0089]. The gNB 504 can then transmit a control signal 508 to sensing UE 502. Using the time-gap information provided in the configuration message 506, the sensing UE 502 can use the control signal 508 to determine when to initiate monitoring for a sensing signal.); and
receiving a second sensing signal reflected from a target based on the sensing configuration information and obtaining sensing data based on the second sensing signal (at least Fig. 3A, [0079] and [0091]-[0093]. After successful receipt of the control signal 508, the sensing UE 502 can initiate monitoring for a subsequent sensing signal 512. The sensing signal 512 can include reflected RF waveforms, for example, that have been reflected off of a sensed/detected object, such as object 304, discussed above with respect to FIG. 3B. Based on the received sensing signal 512, the sensing UE 502 can perform measurements. Once measurements have been performed based on the sensing signal 512, the sensing UE can communicate the measurements back to the gNB 504 (e.g., in a measurement report 516). In some instances, the measurement report 516 can be transmitted by the UE 502 to the gNB 504 in a manner specified by UL resource information indicated in the control signal 508.),
wherein the sensing configuration information includes resource allocation information for the sensing operation (at least [0032], [0060], [0075]-[0078] and [0099]. The configuration message can include radio resource information (e.g., in a preamble or control message), including type and/or format information for the subsequent control signal. Additionally, the configuration message can include time-gap information that indicates a period of time between receipt of the control signal and the subsequent sensing signal. In some aspects, the time-gap information can be used by the receiving UE, such as to determine when to initiate monitoring for the sensing signal. For instance, the time-gap can be configured to allow the sensing UE to have sufficient time to decode the control signal.)
For claim 2, Huang et al. disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the resource allocation information includes time resource allocation information for the sensing operation and frequency resource allocation information for the sensing, and wherein the frequency resource allocation information identifies continuous frequencies for the sensing operation (at least [0032], [0060], [0075]-[0078], [0099] and [0169]. The configuration message can include radio resource information (e.g., in a preamble or control message), including type and/or format information for the subsequent control signal. Additionally, the configuration message can include time-gap information that indicates a period of time between receipt of the control signal and the subsequent sensing signal. In some aspects, the time-gap information can be used by the receiving UE, such as to determine when to initiate monitoring for the sensing signal. For instance, the time-gap can be configured to allow the sensing UE to have sufficient time to decode the control signal. The radio resource information comprises orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) waveform information, frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform information, periodicity information, sequencing information, or a combination thereof.)
For claim 3, Huang et al. disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the method of claim 2, wherein the frequency resource allocation information includes start resource element (RE) index information, for the continuous frequencies, indicating an index of a start RE and end RE index information indicating an index of an end RE (at least [0032], [0060], [0075]-[0078], [0084]-0087], [0099] and [0169]. The radio resource information comprises orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) waveform information, frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform information, periodicity information, sequencing information, or a combination thereof. The receiving/sensing device (e.g., UE 306 discussed above with respect to FIG. 3B) can be configured to ‘wake-up’ or initiate monitoring based on the receipt of a control signal 402. The control signal 402 and/or a previously received configuration message may be used to specify a duration associated with gap 406 (also referred to as a time-gap). For example, the duration associated with the gap 406 may indicate a time duration between transmission of the control signal 402 and subsequent sensing signal 404. The time-gap 406 can be used by the receiving UE to determine when to initiate monitoring for the sensing signal 404. As such, the time-gap can be configured to allow the sensing UE to have sufficient time to decode the control signal 402 (e.g., before decoding or processing the sensing signal).)
For claim 8, the claim has features similar to claim 1. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 1.
For claim 9, the claim has features similar to claims 2-3. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claims 2-3.
For claim 10, Huang et al. disclose the method of claim 8, wherein performing the communication operation includes identifying a resource allocated for the sensing operation based on the resource allocation information and disregarding a signal received through the identified resource (at least [0033] and [0076]. The configuration message can include time-gap information that indicates a period of time between receipt of the control signal and the subsequent sensing signal (e.g., reflected sensing signal 303B). As discussed in further detail with respect to FIG. 4, the time-gap (shown as time-gap 406 in FIG. 4) can specify a time duration between the control signal (shown as control signal 402 in FIG. 4) and the sensing signal (shown as sensing signal 404 in FIG. 4, which may correspond to reflected sensing signal 303B of FIG. 3A and/or FIG. 3B in some cases). In other words, the UE disregards a signal received through the identified source when the signal transmits before or after sensing signal 404.)
For claims 11-13, the claim has features similar to claims 1-3. Therefore, the claims are also rejected for the same reason in claims 1-3.
For claim 18, the claim has features similar to claim 1. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 1.
For claim 19, the claim has features similar to claims 2-3. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claims 2-3.
For claim 20, the claim has features similar to claim 10. Therefore, the claim is also rejected for the same reason in claim 10.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 4-6 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (U.S. 20250110226) in view of Choi et al. (U.S. 20190182829)
For claim 4, Huang et al. disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the sensing configuration information further includes transmission period information of the first sensing signal and transmission offset information in which the first sensing signal is transmitted within a transmission period based on the transmission period information (at least [0061], [0032] and [0076]. Transmission of a sequence or pattern that is included in TX waveform 216 can be repeated continuously such that the sequence is transmitted a certain number of times or for a certain duration of time. In some examples, repeating a pattern in the transmission of TX waveform 216 can be used to avoid missing the reception of any reflected signals if RF receiver 210 is enabled after RF transmitter 206. In one example implementation, TX waveform 216 can include a sequence having a sequence length L that is transmitted two or more times, which can allow RF receiver 210 to be enabled at a time less than or equal to L in order to receive reflections corresponding to the entire sequence without missing any information. The configuration message can include time-gap information that indicates a period of time between receipt of the control signal and the subsequent sensing signal (e.g., reflected sensing signal 303B). As discussed in further detail with respect to FIG. 4, the time-gap (shown as time-gap 406 in FIG. 4) can specify a time duration between the control signal (shown as control signal 402 in FIG. 4) and the sensing signal (shown as sensing signal 404 in FIG. 4, which may correspond to reflected sensing signal 303B of FIG. 3A and/or FIG. 3B in some cases).) However, Huang et al. do not disclose the transmission period and a transmission offset are configured based on a per-slot basis.
In the same field of endeavor, Choi et al. disclose the transmission period and a transmission offset are configured based on a per-slot basis (at least [0121]. It is assumed that a transmission period of an SFI corresponds to 10 slots and that a transmission offset is transmitted every 0th slot. The transmission period of the SFI and the transmission offset may be configured by a higher layer signal. Alternatively, monitoring of the SFI 804 by the terminal in the slot format fixed to the downlink symbol to receive the downlink signal or in the semi-static slot configured as the downlink symbol to receive the downlink signal may be determined by the standard.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Huang et al. as taught by Choi et al. for purpose of receiving the downlink signal.
For claim 5, the combination of Huang et al. and Choi et al. disclose the method of claim 4. Huang et al. disclose the sensing configuration information further includes transmission mode information indicating a transmission mode of the first sensing signal, and wherein the transmission mode comprises one of a periodic transmission mode, a semi-persistent transmission mode, or an aperiodic transmission mode (at least [0061], [0032] and [0076]. Transmission of a sequence or pattern that is included in TX waveform 216 can be repeated continuously such that the sequence is transmitted a certain number of times or for a certain duration of time. In some examples, repeating a pattern in the transmission of TX waveform 216 can be used to avoid missing the reception of any reflected signals if RF receiver 210 is enabled after RF transmitter 206. In one example implementation, TX waveform 216 can include a sequence having a sequence length L that is transmitted two or more times, which can allow RF receiver 210 to be enabled at a time less than or equal to L in order to receive reflections corresponding to the entire sequence without missing any information.)
For claim 6, the combination of Huang et al. and Choi et al. disclose the method of claim 4. Huang et al. disclose in case that the transmission mode is identified as the periodic transmission mode, transmitting the first sensing signal for the sensing operation comprises: transmitting the first sensing signal periodically based on the transmission period information and the transmission offset information (at least [0061], [0032] and [0076]. Transmission of a sequence or pattern that is included in TX waveform 216 can be repeated continuously such that the sequence is transmitted a certain number of times or for a certain duration of time. In some examples, repeating a pattern in the transmission of TX waveform 216 can be used to avoid missing the reception of any reflected signals if RF receiver 210 is enabled after RF transmitter 206. In one example implementation, TX waveform 216 can include a sequence having a sequence length L that is transmitted two or more times, which can allow RF receiver 210 to be enabled at a time less than or equal to L in order to receive reflections corresponding to the entire sequence without missing any information.
For claims 14-16, the claim has features similar to claims 4-6. Therefore, the claims are also rejected for the same reason in claims 4-6.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAI PHUONG whose telephone number is 571-272-7896. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
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/DAI PHUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644