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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6, 8-12, and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sakhnini et al. (US 2023/0421324 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sakhnini discloses a method performed by a terminal (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving first configuration information associated with at least one beam identifier (paragraph [0005]-[0016]; [0060]-[0066]; [0090]; and so on, illustrating a UE receives first reference signal configuration associated to at least one or more beam identifiers); receiving information related to a reference signal resource set, reference signal resources in the reference signal resource set being associated with beam identifiers associated with the first configuration information, the reference signal resource set comprising a first resource set (paragraph [0061]; [0145]-[0151]; [0158]-[0159]; [0161]-[0163]; [0133]; [0136]; [0150]; and etc., explaining the reception of information, in the first reference signal configuration, reference signal resource related to reference signal resource set associated with at least one beam identifier); and determining a channel state information (CSI) parameter or transmitting a CSI report, the CSI parameter or the CSI report being associated with a beam identifier, the CSI parameter or the CSI report being associated with the reference signal resource set (paragraph [0143]-[0144]; [0146]-[0147]; [0151]; and so on, describing the transmission of CSI report, where the CSI report is associated with the beam identifier and reference signal resource set such CSI-RS, SSB).
Regarding claim 2, Sakhnini discloses wherein the first configuration information associated with at least one beam identifier comprises the at least one beam identifier being determined according to the first configuration information (paragraph [0063]-[0064]; [0090]; [0141]; [0157]; [0166]; [0174]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 3, Sakhnini discloses wherein the at least one beam identifier being determined according to the first configuration information comprises at least one of: at least one beam identifier being determined according to a number of beams included in the first configuration information (paragraph [0090]; [0133]-[0135]; and so on); and at least one beam identifier being determined according to synchronization signal block (SSB) information included in the first configuration information (paragraph [0133]-[0135]; [0138]; [0150]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 4, Sakhnini discloses wherein the reference signal resource set further comprises a second resource set, and wherein the CSI parameter or the CSI report is associated with at least one of the first resource set or the second resource set (paragraph [0145]-[0147]; [0151]).
Regarding claim 5, Sakhnini further discloses comprising: receiving second configuration information, the second configuration information being associated with at least one beam identifier associated with the first configuration information (paragraph [0184]-[0186]; [0189]-[0190]; [0090]; [0141]; [0157]; [0166]; [0174]; and so on), wherein the beam identifier associated with the CSI parameter or the CSI report is one or more of beam identifiers associated with the second configuration information (paragraph [0013]-[0016]; [0130]; [0141]-[0142]; [0146]-[0147]; [0151]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 6, Sakhnini discloses wherein the CSI parameter or the CSI report comprises a CSI parameter corresponding to the beam identifier associated with the CSI parameter or the CSI report (paragraph [0013]-[0016]; [0130]; [0141]-[0142]; [0146]-[0147]; [0151]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 8, Sakhnini discloses wherein the CSI parameter or the CSI report being associated with the beam identifier comprises at least one of: at least one beam identifier; at least one first identifier associated with at least one beam identifier; a CSI parameter corresponding to at least one beam identifier or at least one first identifier; and beam identifier related information (paragraph [0013]-[0016]; [0130]; [0141]-[0142]; [0146]-[0147]; [0151]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 9, Sakhnini discloses wherein the beam identifier related information is determined according to the beam identifier associated with the first configuration information or the beam identifier associated with a second configuration information, and wherein the second configuration information is associated with at least one beam identifier associated with the first configuration information (paragraph [0184]-[0186]; [0189]-[0190]; [0090]; [0141]; [0157]; [0166]; [0174]; and so on).
Regarding claim 10, Sakhnini discloses wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one of: beam identifiers, information on a number of beams, beam attribute information, mapping relationship between beams and reference signal resources, beam associated reference signal resource information, and beam associated panel information (paragraph [0184]-[0186]; [0189]-[0190]; [0090]; [0141]; [0157]; [0166]; [0174]; and so on).
Regarding claim 11, Sakhnini discloses a method performed by a terminal in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving third configuration information, the third configuration information being related to at least one first reference signal resource (paragraph [0227]; [0063]; [0066]; [0090]; [0166]; [0174]; [0245]; and so on), the at least one first reference signal resource being associated with a same downlink spatial domain transmission filer, or the at least one first reference signal resource being associated with a same quasi co-location (QCL) assumption (paragraph [0066]; [0168]; [0244]; [0256]; [0295]; [0306]; [0210]; [0168]; [0062]-[0063]; and etc.); and determining a channel state information (CSI) parameter or transmitting a CSI report, the CSI parameter or the CSI report being associated with the at least one first reference signal resource (paragraph [0143]-[0144]; [0146]-[0147]; [0151]; and so on).
Regarding claim 12, Sakhnini discloses wherein the at least one first reference signal is further associated with at least one of: one or more resource groups, a repetition parameter of the one or more resource groups being set to ON; a CSI-RS resource indicator (CRI); a CRI and a CSI parameter corresponding to the CRI; a same power; and a same time-frequency feature (paragraph [0056]-[0058]; [0061]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 14, Sakhnini discloses wherein the CSI parameter or the CSI report is associated with at least one of: a specific first time window; and at least one reference signal transmission occasion associated with the at least one first reference signal resource (paragraph [0146]-[0147]; [0151]).
Regarding claim 15, Sakhnini discloses wherein the determining a CSI parameter or transmitting a CSI report comprises: based on one or more transmission occasions of one reference signal resource in the at least one first reference signal resource, determining a CSI parameter or transmitting a CSI report (paragraph [0147]; [0151]).
Regarding claim 16, Sakhnini discloses wherein the one or more transmission occasions are associated with a specific second time window (paragraph [0146]-[0147]; [0151]).
Regarding claim 17, Sakhnini discloses a method performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: transmitting first configuration information, the first configuration information being associated with at least one beam identifier (paragraph [0005]-[0016]; [0060]-[0066]; [0090]; and so on); transmitting information related to a reference signal resource set, reference signal resources in the reference signal resource set being associated with beam identifiers associated with the first configuration information, the reference signal resource set comprising a first resource set (paragraph [0061]; [0145]-[0151]; [0158]-[0159]; [0161]-[0163]; [0133]; [0136]; [0150]; and etc.); and transmitting at least one reference signal, the at least one reference signal being associated with the reference signal resource set (paragraph [0162]-[0163]; [0146]-[0151]; [0133]-[0135]; [0138]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 18, Sakhnini discloses wherein the first configuration information associated with at least one beam identifier comprises: at least one beam identifier being determined according to a number of beams included in the first configuration information, or at least one beam identifier being determined according to synchronization signal block (SSB) information included in the first configuration information (paragraph [0090]; [0133]-[0135]; and so on).
Regarding claim 19, Sakhnini discloses a method performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: transmitting third configuration information, the third configuration information being related to at least one first reference signal resource (paragraph [0227]; [0063]; [0066]; [0090]; [0166]; [0174]; [0245]; and so on), the at least one first reference signal resource being associated with a same downlink spatial domain transmission filer, or the at least one first reference signal resource being associated with a same quasi co-location (QCL) assumption (paragraph [0066]; [0168]; [0244]; [0256]; [0295]; [0306]; [0210]; [0168]; [0062]-[0063]; and etc.); and transmitting at least one reference signal, the at least one reference signal being associated with the at least one reference signal resource (paragraph [0162]-[0163]; [0146]-[0151]; [0133]-[0135]; [0138]; and etc.).
Regarding claim 20, Sakhnini discloses wherein the at least one first reference signal is further associated with at least one of: one or more resource groups, a repetition parameter of the one or more resource groups being set to ON; a CSI-RS resource indicator (CRI); a CRI and a channel state information (CSI) parameter corresponding to the CRI; a same power; and a same time-frequency feature (paragraph [0056]-[0058]; [0061]; and etc.).
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 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.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakhnini in view of Yang et al. (US 2022/0376756 A1).
Regarding claim 13, as applied above, Sakhnini discloses wherein the determining a CSI parameter or transmitting a CSI report. However, Sakhnini does not disclose the transmitting CSI report comprises: based on a power of the at least one first reference signal resource that is scaled by a power parameter, determining a CSI parameter or transmitting a CSI report.
Yang teaches the transmitting CSI report comprises: based on a power of the at least one first reference signal resource that is scaled by a power parameter, determining a CSI parameter or transmitting a CSI report (paragraph [0091]; [0113]; [0134]; [0152]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the transmitting CSI report comprises: based on a power of the at least one first reference signal resource that is scaled by a power parameter, determining a CSI parameter or transmitting a CSI report as taught by Yang into Skhnini in order to improve quality of service and to reduce power consumption.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 is 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 KIBROM T HAILU whose telephone number is (571)270-1209. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HUY D VU can be reached at (571)272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIBROM T HAILU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461