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 .
Oath/Declaration
It is noted that no oath or declaration has been filed for any listed inventor. It is recommended that a proper oath or declaration be filed for each inventor.
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 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rico Alvarino et al. (U.S. Publication US 2020/0037383 A1; hereafter referred to as ‘Rico’).
With respect to claims 21 and 31, Rico discloses an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor, the programming instructions instructing the apparatus to perform operations of a method (See the abstract, paragraph 8, and paragraph 218 of Rico for reference to a UE, which is an apparatus, including a memory and one or more processors executing software stored in the memory to perform a wireless communication method). Rico also discloses determining, by a terminal device, first information, wherein the first information comprises a first information element and a second information element, the first information element indicates at least two frequency band sets, a first frequency band set in the at least two frequency band sets comprises at least one frequency band, the second information element indicates a first relationship between a second frequency band set and the first frequency band set, and the first relationship comprises switching or concurrence (See paragraphs 172-174 and Figure 8 of Rico for reference to the UE determining an antenna switching capability for the UE that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna, which is equivalent to the claimed second information element, for a plurality of bands that are included in a set of band combinations, which is equivalent to the claimed first information element, wherein each individual band combination is equivalent to the claimed a frequency band set comprising at least one frequency band). Rico further discloses sending, by the terminal device, the first information to a network device (See paragraph 174 and Figure 8 of Rico for reference to signaling the set of band combinations and the antenna switching capability to a base station, which is a network device).
With respect to claims 22 and 32, Rico discloses sending indication information to the network device, wherein the indication information indicates a switching duration for switching between the first frequency band set and second frequency band set (See paragraph 175 and paragraph 180 of Rico for reference to signaling a carrier switching capability that indicates an interruption time, which is a switching duration, to at least one of an uplink operation or a downlink operation due to a switch from a source band to a target band).
With respect to claims 23 and 33, Rico discloses wherein all frequency bands in at least one frequency band set belong to a first frequency band combination, the first information further comprises a third information element, and the third information element indicates a quantity of radio frequency chains supported by the first frequency band combination (See paragraphs 175-177 and paragraph 192 of Rico for reference to the antenna switching capability indicating the number of transmit and received antennas that the UE is capable of switching and indicating number of transmit chains of the UE capable of switching between two or more bands).
With respect to claims 24 and 34, Rico discloses wherein the first information comprises a fourth information element, and the fourth information element indicates a quantity of radio frequency chains supported by the first frequency band set (See paragraphs 175-177 and paragraph 192 of Rico for reference to the antenna switching capability indicating the number of transmit and received antennas that the UE is capable of switching and indicating number of transmit chains of the UE capable of switching between two or more bands).
With respect to claims 25 and 35, Rico discloses wherein a third frequency band set in the at least one frequency band set comprises a fifth information element, the fifth information element indicates a second relationship between frequency bands in the third frequency band set, and the second relationship comprises switching or concurrence (See paragraphs 172-174 and Figure 8 of Rico for reference to the indication of band combinations including multiple band combinations such that multiple different relationships between different bands and their corresponding switching capability are signaled).
With respect to claims 26 and 36, Rico discloses an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor, the programming instructions instructing the apparatus to perform operations of a method (See the abstract, paragraph 9, and paragraph 218 of Rico for reference to a base station, which is an apparatus, including a memory and one or more processors executing software stored in the memory to perform a wireless communication method). Rico also discloses receiving, by a network device, first information from a terminal device, wherein the first information comprises a first information element and a second information element, the first information element indicates at least two frequency band sets, a first frequency band set in the at least two frequency band sets comprises at least one frequency band, the second information element indicates a first relationship between a second frequency band set and the first frequency band set, and the first relationship comprises switching or concurrence (See paragraph 172-174 and Figure 8 of Rico for reference to the base station receiving via signaling from a UE, which is a terminal device, an antenna switching capability for the UE that relates to a capability of the UE to switch an antenna, which is equivalent to the claimed second information element, for a plurality of bands that are included in a set of band combinations, which is equivalent to the claimed first information element, wherein each individual band combination is equivalent to the claimed a frequency band set comprising at least one frequency band).
With respect to claims 27 and 37, Rico discloses receiving indication information from the terminal device, wherein the indication information indicates a switching duration for switching between the first frequency band set and second frequency band set (See paragraph 175 and paragraph 180 of Rico for reference to the received signaling including a carrier switching capability that indicates an interruption time, which is a switching duration, to at least one of an uplink operation or a downlink operation due to a switch from a source band to a target band).
With respect to claims 28 and 38, Rico discloses configuring M carrier sets; wherein carriers in the M carrier sets belong to at least one frequency band in the at least two frequency band sets, a second carrier set in the M carrier sets comprises at least one carrier, and a relationship between a third carrier set and the second carrier set is the first relationship; and wherein the second carrier set corresponds to the first frequency band set, the third carrier set corresponds to the second frequency band set, and M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 (See paragraphs 172-174 and Figure 8 of Rico for reference to the signaled information including multiple band combinations such that multiple sets of relationships between different band combinations and their corresponding switching capabilities are signaled to configured and configured by the base station).
With respect to claims 29 and 39, Rico discloses wherein all frequency bands in at least one frequency band set belong to a first frequency band combination, the first information further comprises a third information element, and the third information element indicates a quantity of radio frequency chains supported by the first frequency band combination (See paragraphs 175-177 and paragraph 192 of Rico for reference to the antenna switching capability indicating the number of transmit and received antennas that the UE is capable of switching and indicating number of transmit chains of the UE capable of switching between two or more bands).
With respect to claims 30 and 40, Rico discloses wherein the first information comprises a fourth information element, and the fourth information element indicates a quantity of radio frequency chains supported by the first frequency band set (See paragraphs 175-177 and paragraph 192 of Rico for reference to the antenna switching capability indicating the number of transmit and received antennas that the UE is capable of switching and indicating number of transmit chains of the UE capable of switching between two or more bands).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nory et al. (U.S. Publication US 2023/0188306 A1), Chen et al. (U.S. Publication US 2022/0278784 A1), and Yong (U.S. Publication US 2019/0132846 A1) each disclose relevant systems and methods of indicating frequency band switching capability.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason E Mattis whose telephone number is (571)272-3154. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached at 571-2723155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON E MATTIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461