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
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 1-5 and 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sun et al. (US 2022/0014250 A1; hereinafter Sun).
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Sun teaches a method performed using a system or a system comprising:
at least one baseband unit to perform at least some baseband processing (Fig. 15, element 1500 network side device, element 1510 processor; ¶ [0104] The network side device may be a base station. The network side device may be a building baseband unit (BBU) of the base station.; ¶ [0260] The network side device may include a processor.; ¶ [0261] The processor is configured to configure channel state information reference signal CSI-RS transmit information of M access points.); and
a plurality of radio units (read as two or more access points) to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of user equipment via a respective set of one or more antennas (Fig. 10 and Fig. 11; ¶ [0010] The CSI-RS transmit information is used to indicate the M access points to periodically send a CSI-RS to a first user equipment.; ¶ [0032] The CSI-RS transmit information is used to indicate MI access points to periodically send a CSI-RS to each second user equipment.; ¶ [0099] Physical antennas of a plurality of access points.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0200] When there are two or more access points in the working set of the first user equipment or a working set of the coordinated second user equipment.; ¶ [0221] It is assumed that access points in a measurement set of the user equipment are RRU #0, RRU #1, and RRU #2; and a first physical antenna of each RRU is used as a reference antenna.),
wherein the at least one baseband unit and the plurality of radio units are communicatively coupled with each other (¶ [0104] The network side device may be a base station. In an example, the network side device may be specifically a building baseband unit (BBU) of the base station. The M access points are M coordinated transmission access points.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).),
the method comprising:
grouping the plurality of radio units into one or more groups, each group comprising at least one radio unit (¶ [0113] The K joint access point groups are obtained by dividing the M access points into K groups. K is a positive integer.);
for each group:
configuring each radio unit of the group to transmit a different downlink signal to a user equipment at a unique time instance (read as M CSI-RS transmit moments) within a predefined time interval (¶ [0113] The M access points periodically send the CSI-RS to the first user equipment at the preset interval.; ¶ [0114] When the M access points sequentially send the CSI-RS at the time interval T.; ¶ [0116] The network side device may configure the CSI-RS transmit information of the M access points in a time division manner. The network side device may indicate the M access points to periodically and independently send the CSI-RS at the time interval T. CSI-RS transmit period M*T of an access point. Total of M CSI-RS transmit moments. Each of the M access points sends the CSI-RS once at the M CSI-RS transmit moments.),
wherein the transmissions of the different downlink signals for one group are repeated in a same sequential manner for another group at time instances distinct from the unique time instances (¶ [0126] Periodically and independently send the CSI-RS at the time interval T and to periodically and jointly send the CSI-RS at the time interval T. For the M access points, subframe offsets may be [Symbol font/0x44], T+[Symbol font/0x44],…, and (M-1)*T+[Symbol font/0x44] respectively; or for the K join access point groups, subframe offsets may be M*T+[Symbol font/0x44],…, and (M+K-1)*T+[Symbol font/0x44] respectively.; ¶ [0129] Sequentially send, in a CSI-RS transmit period (3+1)*T of each access point, the CSI-RS at the time interval T.), and
wherein a time duration between two consecutive downlink signal transmissions within a group and across the one or more groups is same (¶ [0107] Subframe offset information of each of the M access points are all the same as those of the primary access points.; ¶ [0126] Send the CSI-RS at the time interval T. Subframe offsets may be [Symbol font/0x44], T+[Symbol font/0x44],…, and (M-1)*T+[Symbol font/0x44] respectively or for the K joint access point groups, subframe offsets may be M*T+[Symbol font/0x44],…, and (M+K-1)*T+[Symbol font/0x44] respectively.); and
receiving a measurement report comprising signal strength measurements of the different downlink signals at the end of the predefined time interval (¶ [0150] After receiving the CSI-RS, the first user equipment measures the CSI and feeds back the CSI. The CSI includes a channel quality indicator (CQI).); and
selecting one or more radio units from the plurality of radio units for serving the user equipment based on the received measurement reports (¶ [0220] Calculate the difference between an RSRP between another access point and the first user equipment and an RSRP between the primary access point of the first user equipment and the first user equipment. When the RSRP difference is greater than [Symbol font/0x67], the access point is added to the measurement set.).
Regarding claims 2 and 15, Sun teaches comparing the signal strength measurements of the downlink signals with a predefined threshold value (¶ [0220] Determine a threshold. Calculate the difference between RSRP. When the RSRP difference is greater than [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is added, or when the RSRP difference is less than or equal to [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is not added.); and
selecting the one or more radio units from the plurality of radio units for serving the user equipment based on a result of the comparison (¶ [0104] The M access points are M coordinated transmission access points. The first user equipment may be referred to as a coordinated user equipment, and is configured to measure downlink CSI of the M coordinated transmission access points. An access point is to send common signaling such as physical broadcast channel (PBCH) to the user equipment.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0220] When the RSRP difference is greater than [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is added, or when the RSRP difference is less than or equal to [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is not added.).
Regarding claim 3 and 16, Sun teaches wherein configuring each radio unit of the group to transmit a different downlink signal comprises configuring each radio unit of the group to transmit a wideband (read as any system bandwidth) downlink signal to the user equipment (¶ [0103] Configure the channel state information reference signal CSI-RS transmit information of the M access points to indicate the M access points to periodically send the CSI-RS to the first user equipment.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0118] Indicate the M access points to send the CSI-RS. Send in different subbands of a system bandwidth.; ¶ [0119] The M access points send the CSI-RS in polling mode in any system bandwidth.; ¶ [0120] A total frequency domain width used by the access points for CSI-RS transmission is equal to the system bandwidth.).
Regarding claim 4 and 17, Sun teaches wherein the different downlink signals comprise Channel State Information Reference Signals (CSI-RSs) (¶ [0101] Configures channel state information reference signal CSI-RS transmit information of M access points to periodically send a CSI-RS to a first user equipment. M is an integer greater than 1.).
Regarding claim 5 and 19, Sun teaches wherein each of the plurality of radio units is configured to serve a same cell (¶ [0107] Each of the M access points are all the same as those of the primary access point.; ¶ [0108] The CSI-RS sequence corresponding to the access point is generated based on a cell identity of the primary access point. The network side device generates, based on a cell identity (cell ID) of RRU #0, a CSI-RS.).
Regarding claim 18, Sun teaches wherein each of the one or more groups comprises distinct radio units (Fig. 6; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0130] Three joint access point groups are respectively represented as RRU #0/1, RRU #0/2, and RRU #1/2.).
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.
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 6-7, 11-13, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Berg et al. (US 2023/0014537 A1; hereinafter Berg).
Regarding claim 6, Sun teaches a method performed using a system comprising:
at least one baseband unit to perform at least some baseband processing (Fig. 15, element 1500 network side device, element 1510 processor; ¶ [0104] The network side device may be a base station. The network side device may be a building baseband unit (BBU) of the base station.; ¶ [0260] The network side device may include a processor.; ¶ [0261] The processor is configured to configure channel state information reference signal CSI-RS transmit information of M access points.); and
a plurality of radio units (read as two or more access points) to wirelessly communicate with a plurality of user equipment via a respective set of one or more antennas (Fig. 10 and Fig. 11; ¶ [0010] The CSI-RS transmit information is used to indicate the M access points to periodically send a CSI-RS to a first user equipment.; ¶ [0032] The CSI-RS transmit information is used to indicate MI access points to periodically send a CSI-RS to each second user equipment.; ¶ [0099] Physical antennas of a plurality of access points.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0200] When there are two or more access points in the working set of the first user equipment or a working set of the coordinated second user equipment.; ¶ [0221] It is assumed that access points in a measurement set of the user equipment are RRU #0, RRU #1, and RRU #2; and a first physical antenna of each RRU is used as a reference antenna.),
wherein the at least one baseband unit and the plurality of radio units are communicatively coupled with each other (¶ [0104] The network side device may be a base station. In an example, the network side device may be specifically a building baseband unit (BBU) of the base station. The M access points are M coordinated transmission access points.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).),
the method comprising:
partitioning available downlink bandwidth into a plurality of sub-bands (¶ [0118] The M access points simultaneously send CSI-RS in different subbands of a system bandwidth.);
grouping the plurality of radio units into one or more groups, wherein each group comprises at least one radio unit (read as access point) (¶ [0113] The K joint access point groups are obtained by dividing the M access points into K groups. K is a positive integer.), and
wherein a number of the at least one radio unit in each group is less than or equal to a number of the plurality of sub-bands (¶ [0113] The K joint access point groups are obtained by dividing the M access points into K groups. K is a positive integer.; ¶ [0118] The M access points simultaneously send, the CSI-RS in different subbands of a system bandwidth.);
receiving a measurement report comprising sub-band level signal strength measurements of the downlink signal transmissions from the plurality of radio units after the first-time instance (Fig. 3, Step 310; ¶ [0101] Step 310: The network side device obtains channel state information CSI corresponding to each of the M access points and fed back by the first user equipment. When the preset interval is the subband interval, a PMI in the CSI corresponding to the access point is fed back at a granularity of a subband.); and
selecting one or more radio units from the plurality of radio units for serving the user equipment based on the received measurement report (¶ [0220] Calculate the difference between an RSRP between another access point and the first user equipment and an RSRP between the primary access point of the first user equipment and the first user equipment. When the RSRP difference is greater than [Symbol font/0x67], the access point is added to the measurement set.).
Sun does not explicitly teach at a first-time instance, performing the following for each group: configuring each radio unit of the group to transmit a same downlink signal to a user equipment in a unique sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands, wherein a downlink signal transmitted from at least one radio unit of one group is different from a downlink signal transmitted from at least one radio unit of another group.
In analogous art, Berg teaches at a first-time instance, performing the following for each group:
configuring each radio unit (read as TRP) of the group to transmit a same downlink signal to a user equipment in a unique sub-band of the plurality of sub-bands (¶ [0165] Configuring the plurality of TRPs to transmit the plurality of signals in a multiplexed sequence. The multiplexed sequence is a time, frequency, or code multiplexed sequence.; ¶ [0173] Downlink physical signals may include synchronization signals, which may include any one or more of SSBs and CSI-RS., ¶ [0174] Multiple TRPs in the group of TRPs are configured to transmit a single SB.),
wherein a downlink signal transmitted from at least one radio unit of one group is different from a downlink signal transmitted from at least one radio unit of another group (¶ [0167] The group of TRPs includes a plurality of sub-groups of TRPs, and each sub-group of TRPs is associated with a unique Synchronization Signal Block, SSB, index.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine radio unit groups sending different downlink signals taught by Berg with a group of radio units communicating with a UE as taught by Sun. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce inter-cell interference and improve the selection of radio units, which would improve the user experience, by enabling the UE to measure and distinguish transmissions from different radio unit groups (Berg: ¶ [0018]).
Regarding claims 7, Sun teaches comparing the signal strength measurements of the downlink signals with a predefined threshold value (¶ [0220] Determine a threshold. Calculate the difference between RSRP. When the RSRP difference is greater than [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is added, or when the RSRP difference is less than or equal to [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is not added.); and
selecting the one or more radio units from the plurality of radio units for serving the user equipment based on a result of the comparison (¶ [0104] The M access points are M coordinated transmission access points. The first user equipment may be referred to as a coordinated user equipment, and is configured to measure downlink CSI of the M coordinated transmission access points. An access point is to send common signaling such as physical broadcast channel (PBCH) to the user equipment.; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0220] When the RSRP difference is greater than [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is added, or when the RSRP difference is less than or equal to [Symbol font/0x67] the access point is not added.).
Regarding claim 11, Sun teaches wherein the different downlink signals comprise Channel State Information Reference Signals (CSI-RSs) (¶ [0101] Configures channel state information reference signal CSI-RS transmit information of M access points to periodically send a CSI-RS to a first user equipment. M is an integer greater than 1.).
Regarding claim 12, Sun teaches wherein each of the one or more groups comprises distinct radio units (Fig. 6; ¶ [0105] The access point may be a remote radio unit (RRU).; ¶ [0130] Three joint access point groups are respectively represented as RRU #0/1, RRU #0/2, and RRU #1/2.).
Regarding claim 13, Sun teaches wherein each of the plurality of radio units is configured to serve a same cell (¶ [0107] Each of the M access points are all the same as those of the primary access point.; ¶ [0108] The CSI-RS sequence corresponding to the access point is generated based on a cell identity of the primary access point. The network side device generates, based on a cell identity (cell ID) of RRU #0, a CSI-RS.).
Regarding claim 20, Sun does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one baseband unit comprises at least one distributed unit.
In analogous art, Berg teaches wherein the at least one baseband unit comprises at least one distributed unit (¶ [0164] The network operating as the DU is a baseband unit (BBU).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine radio unit groups sending different downlink signals taught by Berg with a group of radio units communicating with a UE as taught by Sun. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce inter-cell interference and improve the selection of radio units, which would improve the user experience, by enabling the UE to measure and distinguish transmissions from different radio unit groups (Berg: ¶ [0018]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lee et al. (US 2018/0077679 A1) discloses “Method for Reporting Measurement Result for Determining Position in Wireless Communication System, and Device Therefor”
Barabell et al. (US 2024/0284442 A1) discloses “Radio Access Networks”
Eyuboglu et al. (US 2014/0219255 A1) discloses “Radio Access Networks”
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/D.M.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464