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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 21-37 in the reply filed on 02/04/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/19/2023 and 11/22/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 21-37 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable with respect to claims 1-17 of copending Application No. 18/247,339. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all the claimed limitations recited in the present application are transparently found in the copending application 18/247,339 with obvious wording variations. Take an example of comparing claim 21 of pending application and claim 1 of copending application 18/247,339:
Pending Application 18/475,715
Co-pending application 18/247,339
determining a quasi co-location (QCL) configuration between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS)
transmitting the quasi co-location (QCL) configuration to a user equipment (UE)
receiving a quasi co-location (QCL) configuration between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS)
transmitting the SSB and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
receiving the SSB and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
estimating a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on the QCL configuration, measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
Here, co-pending Application 18/247,339 claims the receiving side operation as opposed to the transmission side operation of the pending Application. However, these differences would be obvious in view of Manolakos.
Manolakos teaches the determining and transmission of QCL configuration to a receiving side device [Manolakos ¶ 0105, Fig. 11: the transmission point transmits, to the receiver device, an indication that the reference RF signal serves as a source for a QCL type(s) for positioning reference RF signals received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel]; and
transmitting the SSB and a further SSB/TRS to a receiving side device Manolakos ¶ 0094, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from a transmission point, e.g., base station 302 on the downlink, a reference RF signal, e.g., an SSB, on a wireless channel] and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS [Manolakos ¶ 0097, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from the transmission point, a positioning reference RF signal, e.g., TRS; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the receiving side device of co-pending Application 18/247,339 with the transmitting side device for transmitting QCL of SSB and further SSB/TRS transmissions as taught by Manolakos. The motivation to combine these references would be to provide both receiving and transmitting side devices to perform positioning [Manolakos ¶ 0005].
Take an example of comparing claim 31 of pending application and claim 11 of copending application 18/247,339:
Pending Application 18/475,715
Co-pending application 18/247,339
a transceiver configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE)
one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising
configuring, for the UE, a quasi co-location (QCL) configuration between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS)
receiving a quasi co-location (QCL) configuration between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS)
transmitting the SSB and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
receiving the SSB and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
estimating a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on the QCL configuration, measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS
Here, co-pending Application 18/247,339 claims the receiving side operation as opposed to the transmission side operation of the pending Application. However, these differences would be obvious in view of Manolakos.
Manolakos teaches a base station comprising a transceiver configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE) a transceiver configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE) [Manolakos ¶ 0056, Fig. 5: transmit (TX) processor 316 and the receive (RX) processor 370 (i.e. transceiver) in communication with UE]; and
one or more processors configured to perform operations [Manolakos ¶¶ 0055-0056: base station 302 may be provided to a controller/processor 375 and transmit (TX) processor 316 and the receive (RX) processor 370] comprising:
configuring QCL configuration to a receiving side device [Manolakos ¶ 0105, Fig. 11: the transmission point transmits, to the receiver device, an indication that the reference RF signal serves as a source for a QCL type(s) for positioning reference RF signals received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel]; and
transmitting the SSB and a further SSB/TRS to a receiving side device Manolakos ¶ 0094, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from a transmission point, e.g., base station 302 on the downlink, a reference RF signal, e.g., an SSB, on a wireless channel] and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS [Manolakos ¶ 0097, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from the transmission point, a positioning reference RF signal, e.g., TRS; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the receiving side device of co-pending Application 18/247,339 with the transmitting side device for transmitting QCL of SSB and further SSB/TRS transmissions as taught by Manolakos. The motivation to combine these references would be to provide both receiving and transmitting side devices to perform positioning [Manolakos ¶ 0005].
This is a provisional obviousness-type double patenting rejection because the conflicting claims have not in fact been patented.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 21-22, 31-32, and 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos et al. (US 2020/0112498 A1; “Manolakos”) in view of Liu et al. (US 2023/0308241 A1; “Liu (‘241)”).
Regarding claim 21, Manolakos teaches one or more processors configured to perform operations [Manolakos ¶¶ 0055-0056: base station 302 may be provided to a controller/processor 375 and transmit (TX) processor 316 and the receive (RX) processor 370] comprising:
determining a quasi co-location (QCL) configuration between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS); transmitting the quasi co-location (QCL) configuration to a user equipment (UE) [Manolakos ¶ 0105, Fig. 11: the transmission point transmits, to the receiver device, an indication that the reference RF signal serves as a source for a QCL type(s) for positioning reference RF signals received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel (here, an indication would implicitly be determined prior to transmission)]; and
transmitting the SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0094, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from a transmission point, e.g., base station 302 on the downlink, a reference RF signal, e.g., an SSB, on a wireless channel] and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS [Manolakos ¶ 0097, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from the transmission point, a positioning reference RF signal, e.g., TRS; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references],
wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on the QCL configuration, measurements for the SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0096, Fig. 10: receiver device measures an average delay, a delay spread, or both the average delay (i.e. timing error) and the delay spread (i.e. frequency error) of the source reference RF signal based on the QCL type(s)].
However, Manolakos does not explicitly disclose wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on QCL measurements, measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘241) teaches wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on QCL measurements, measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS [Liu (‘241) ¶ 0012, Fig. 1: UE can access the serving cell by SSB and obtain the initial Doppler shift and average delay, e.g., QCL-TypeC parameters, wherein TCI-state may be configured as TCI-state1={SSB, QCL-TypeC} and indicated for TRS, wherein the TRS can get the Doppler shift and average delay from the measurement of the synchronization signal in the associated SSB, and refine and track the Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay and delay spread by measuring the TRS (i.e. SSB timing and frequency errors are refined by combining SSB measurement and TRS measurement); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of refining Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay and delay spread measurements based on received SSB and subsequent TRS as taught by Liu (‘241). The motivation to combine these references would be to improve the performance on channel estimation and demodulation in a NR communication system [Liu (‘241) ¶ 0003-0004].
Regarding claim 22, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) teaches the one or more processors of claim 21, wherein the SSB and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS are transmitted from a same transmit and reception point (TRP) [Manolakos ¶ 0094, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from a transmission point, a reference RF signal, e.g., an SSB; ¶ 0097, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from the transmission point, a positioning reference RF signal, e.g., TRS; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 31, Manolakos teaches a base station, comprising:
a transceiver configured to communicate with a user equipment (UE) [Manolakos ¶ 0056, Fig. 5: transmit (TX) processor 316 and the receive (RX) processor 370 (i.e. transceiver) in communication with UE]; and
one or more processors configured to perform operations [Manolakos ¶¶ 0055-0056: base station 302 may be provided to a controller/processor 375 and transmit (TX) processor 316 and the receive (RX) processor 370] comprising:
configuring, for the UE, a quasi co-location (QCL) configuration between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS); [Manolakos ¶ 0105, Fig. 11: the transmission point transmits, to the receiver device, an indication that the reference RF signal serves as a source for a QCL type(s) for positioning reference RF signals received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel (here, an indication would implicitly be determined prior to transmission)] and
transmitting the SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0094, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from a transmission point, e.g., base station 302 on the downlink, a reference RF signal, e.g., an SSB, on a wireless channel] and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS [Manolakos ¶ 0097, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from the transmission point, a positioning reference RF signal, e.g., TRS; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references],
wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on the QCL configuration, measurements for the SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0096, Fig. 10: receiver device measures an average delay, a delay spread, or both the average delay (i.e. timing error) and the delay spread (i.e. frequency error) of the source reference RF signal based on the QCL type(s)].
However, Manolakos does not explicitly disclose wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on QCL measurements, measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘241) teaches wherein the UE estimates a frequency and timing error for the SSB by combining, based on QCL measurements, measurements for the SSB and measurements for the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS [Liu (‘241) ¶ 0012, Fig. 1: UE can access the serving cell by SSB and obtain the initial Doppler shift and average delay, e.g., QCL-TypeC parameters, wherein TCI-state may be configured as TCI-state1={SSB, QCL-TypeC} and indicated for TRS, wherein the TRS can get the Doppler shift and average delay from the measurement of the synchronization signal in the associated SSB, and refine and track the Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay and delay spread by measuring the TRS (i.e. SSB timing and frequency errors are refined by combining SSB measurement and TRS measurement); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of refining Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay and delay spread measurements based on received SSB and subsequent TRS as taught by Liu (‘241). The motivation to combine these references would be to improve the performance on channel estimation and demodulation in a NR communication system [Liu (‘241) ¶ 0003-0004].
Regarding claim 32, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) teaches the base station of claim 31, wherein the SSB and the at least one of the further SSB or the TRS are transmitted from a same transmit and reception point (TRP) [Manolakos ¶ 0094, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from a transmission point, a reference RF signal, e.g., an SSB; ¶ 0097, Fig. 10: receiver device receives, from the transmission point, a positioning reference RF signal, e.g., TRS; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., at least one of a further SSB or a tracking reference signal (TRS), therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 37, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) teaches the base station of claim 31, wherein the QCL configuration comprises the TRS and SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0095: an indication that the reference RF signal (i.e. SSB) serves as a source for a QCL type(s), e.g., E1/E2/E, for positioning reference RF signals (see ¶ 0097: TRS) received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel],
wherein one TRS is mapped to one SSB or one TRS is mapped to more than one SSB wherein one TRS is mapped to one SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0095: indication that the reference RF signal (i.e. SSB) serves as a source for a QCL type(s), e.g., E1/E2/E, for positioning reference RF signals (see ¶ 0097: TRS) received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel (i.e. an SSB maps to a TRS); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
However, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) does not explicitly disclose the QCL configuration further comprising one or more [additional] SSBs.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘558) teaches the QCL configuration further comprising one or more [additional] SSBs [Lui (‘558) ¶ 0071, Fig. 5: two beams are depicted as QCL-1 and QCL-2, wherein, each beam may include up to 4 SSB repetitions, and, e.g., the first beam, QCL-1, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB0, SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3, and similarly, the second beam, QCL-2, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB4, SSBS, SSB6, and SSB7; Fig. 5 shows repeated SSB associated with same QCL which are analogous to additional one or more SSBs].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring a same QCL for a group of SSB repetitions as taught by Liu (‘558). The motivation to do so would be to improve SSB detection in a limited detection window [Liu (‘558) ¶ 0069].
Claim(s) 23-25 and 33-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng et al. (US 2021/0345201 A1; “Cheng”).
Regarding claim 23, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) teaches the one or more processors of claim 21, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the QCL configuration comprises a grouping of SSBs.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Cheng teaches wherein the QCL configuration comprises a grouping of SSBs [Cheng ¶ 0288: UE receives QCL configuration for groups of reference signals (see ¶ 0285 RS may be SSB) in RRC control signaling].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring QCL information for a group of SSBs and a co-located group of reference signals as taught by Cheng. The motivation to do so would be to improve reference signal quality measurements [Cheng ¶ 0286].
Regarding claim 24, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the one or more processors of claim 23, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the QCL configuration is transmitted in a system information block (SIB) or via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.
However, Cheng teaches wherein the QCL configuration is transmitted in a system information block (SIB) or via radio resource control (RRC) signaling [Cheng ¶ 0288: UE receives QCL configuration for groups of reference signals (see ¶ 0285 RS may be SSB) in RRC control signaling; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., a system information block (SIB) or via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 23 above.
Regarding claim 25, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the one or more processors of claim 23, wherein a QCL reference signal source is the SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0095: an indication that the reference RF signal (i.e. SSB) serves as a source for a QCL type(s), e.g., E1/E2/E, for positioning reference RF signals (see ¶ 0097: TRS) received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel].
Regarding claim 33, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) teaches the base station of claim 31, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the QCL configuration comprises a grouping of SSBs.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Cheng teaches wherein the QCL configuration comprises a grouping of SSBs [Cheng ¶ 0288: UE receives QCL configuration for groups of reference signals (see ¶ 0285 RS may be SSB) in RRC control signaling].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring QCL information for a group of SSBs and a co-located group of reference signals as taught by Cheng. The motivation to do so would be to improve reference signal quality measurements [Cheng ¶ 0286].
Regarding claim 34, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the base station of claim 33, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the QCL configuration is transmitted in a system information block (SIB) or via radio resource control (RRC) signaling.
However, Cheng teaches wherein the QCL configuration is transmitted in a system information block (SIB) or via radio resource control (RRC) signaling [Cheng ¶ 0288: UE receives QCL configuration for groups of reference signals (see ¶ 0285 RS may be SSB) in RRC control signaling; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, e.g., a system information block (SIB) or via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 33 above.
Regarding claim 35, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the base station of claim 33, wherein a QCL reference signal source is the SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0095: an indication that the reference RF signal (i.e. SSB) serves as a source for a QCL type(s), e.g., E1/E2/E, for positioning reference RF signals (see ¶ 0097: TRS) received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel].
Claim(s) 26-27 and 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng in view of Li et al. (US 2023/0139558 A1; “Li (‘558)”).
Regarding claim 26, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the one or more processors of claim 23, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein consecutive SSBs share the QCL configuration.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘558) teaches wherein consecutive SSBs share the QCL configuration [Lui (‘558) ¶ 0071, Fig. 5: two beams are depicted as QCL-1 and QCL-2, wherein, each beam may include up to 4 SSB repetitions, and, e.g., the first beam, QCL-1, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB0, SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3, and similarly, the second beam, QCL-2, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB4, SSBS, SSB6, and SSB7; Fig. 5 shows repeated/consecutive SSB associated with same QCL]].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring a same QCL for a group of SSB repetitions as taught by Liu (‘558). The motivation to do so would be to improve SSB detection in a limited detection window [Liu (‘558) ¶ 0069].
Regarding claim 27, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the one or more processors of claim 23, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein every M SSBs share the QCL configuration.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘558) teaches wherein every M SSBs share the QCL configuration [Lui (‘558) ¶ 0071, Fig. 5: two beams are depicted as QCL-1 and QCL-2, wherein, each beam may include up to 4 SSB repetitions, and, e.g., the first beam, QCL-1, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB0, SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3, and similarly, the second beam, QCL-2, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB4, SSBS, SSB6, and SSB7; Fig. 5 shows repeated SSB associated with same QCL].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring a same QCL for a group of SSB repetitions as taught by Liu (‘558). The motivation to do so would be to improve SSB detection in a limited detection window [Liu (‘558) ¶ 0069].
Regarding claim 36, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Cheng teaches the base station of claim 33, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein every M SSBs share the QCL configuration.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘558) teaches wherein every M SSBs share the QCL configuration [Lui (‘558) ¶ 0071, Fig. 5: two beams are depicted as QCL-1 and QCL-2, wherein, each beam may include up to 4 SSB repetitions, and, e.g., the first beam, QCL-1, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB0, SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3, and similarly, the second beam, QCL-2, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB4, SSBS, SSB6, and SSB7; Fig. 5 shows repeated SSB associated with same QCL].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring a same QCL for a group of SSB repetitions as taught by Liu (‘558). The motivation to do so would be to improve SSB detection in a limited detection window [Liu (‘558) ¶ 0069].
Claim(s) 28-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Liu (‘558).
Regarding claim 28, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) teaches the one or more processors of claim 21, wherein the QCL configuration comprises the TRS and SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0095: an indication that the reference RF signal (i.e. SSB) serves as a source for a QCL type(s), e.g., E1/E2/E, for positioning reference RF signals (see ¶ 0097: TRS) received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel].
However, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) does not explicitly disclose the QCL configuration further comprising one or more [additional] SSBs.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Liu (‘558) teaches the QCL configuration further comprising one or more [additional] SSBs [Lui (‘558) ¶ 0071, Fig. 5: two beams are depicted as QCL-1 and QCL-2, wherein, each beam may include up to 4 SSB repetitions, and, e.g., the first beam, QCL-1, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB0, SSB1, SSB2, and SSB3, and similarly, the second beam, QCL-2, includes SSB repetitions depicted as SSB4, SSBS, SSB6, and SSB7; Fig. 5 shows repeated SSB associated with same QCL which are analogous to additional one or more SSBs].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring a same QCL for a group of SSB repetitions as taught by Liu (‘558). The motivation to do so would be to improve SSB detection in a limited detection window [Liu (‘558) ¶ 0069].
Regarding claim 29, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Liu (‘588) teaches the one or more processors of claim 28, wherein one TRS is mapped to one SSB [Manolakos ¶ 0095: indication that the reference RF signal (i.e. SSB) serves as a source for a QCL type(s), e.g., E1/E2/E, for positioning reference RF signals (see ¶ 0097: TRS) received by the receiver device from the transmission point on the wireless channel (i.e. an SSB maps to a TRS)].
Claim(s) 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Liu (‘558) in view of Cheng.
Regarding claim 30, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Liu (‘588) teaches the one or more processors of claim 28, however, Manolakos does not explicitly disclose wherein a CSI-RS may be a TRS.
However, Liu (‘241) teaches wherein a CSI-RS may be a TRS [Liu (‘241) ¶ 0004: UE obtains the fine Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay and delay spread by using the tracking RS (TRS), which is a type of CSI-RS].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 21 above.
However, Manolakos in view of Liu (‘241) in view of Liu (‘558) does not explicitly disclose wherein one TRS is mapped to more than one SSB.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Cheng teaches wherein one TRS is mapped to more than one SSB [Cheng ¶ 0285: the QCL configuration for measurement reporting may indicate indexes of the SSBs, lists of indexes for the sets of CSI-RSs, and the measurement quantities associated with the QCL configuration, i.e., which measurement quantities for one group of SSBs 1805 or CSI-RSs 1810 received from a base station can be inferred from another group of SSBs 1805 or CSI-RSs 1810 received from the base station (here, a group of SSB may be mapped to a CSI-RS)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of indicating SSB and quasi co-located TRS for a user equipment to perform QCL measurements as taught by Manolakos, with the method of configuring QCL information for a group of SSBs and a co-located group of reference signals as taught by Cheng. The motivation to do so would be to improve reference signal quality measurements [Cheng ¶ 0286].
Conclusion
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/BRIAN P COX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474