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 .
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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/24/26 have been fully considered.
Applicant’s arguments, on page 7, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection to claims 14 and 28 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection to claims 14 and 28 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, starting on page 7, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection to claims 1-29 have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Wang in view of Sun do not disclose “each SRS resource in the first SRS resource set is separately configured with a separate frequency resource in the carrier, a separate frequency-domain shift parameter.” Examiner respectfully disagrees. Wang in paragraph 38 discloses a per SRS-Resource freqDomainShift parameter. One of ordinary skill in the art may reasonable interpret this as corresponding to the separate frequency-domain shift parameter as recited in the instant claim. Sun in Table 1 discloses that each SRS-Resource has a “startPosition” and “nrofsymbols” value. One of ordinary skill in the art may reasonable interpret these as corresponding to the “separate frequency resource” as recited in the instant claim. Thus, Wang in view of Sun do disclose all the features of the instant claim. Applicant’s arguments regarding claims 9, 16, and 23 are based on their similarity to claim 1 and are respectfully disagreed with for similar reasons. Applicant’s arguments regarding the remaining claims are based on their dependence to claims 1, 9, 16, and 23 and are respectfully disagreed with for similar reasons.
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.
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(s) 1-6, 8-14, 16-21, and 23-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (US 20240022379 A1) in view of Sun (US 20230117977 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses:
“A method, comprising: receiving, by a user equipment (UE), control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS),” ([para 0115]: “In overview, the method 450 may include receiving configuration information for SRS transmission (452).”)
“the control information indicating at least a first frequency resource in a carrier,” ([para 0116]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify a starting position in frequency domain for transmitting the SRS. The wireless communication device may determine the starting position according to (or based on) an offset parameter (noffset), a partial frequency factor (PF), and/or other information.”)
“a frequency-domain shift parameter,” ([para 0038]: “The frequency domain shift value n shift may be used to adjust/modify the SRS allocation with respect to the reference point grid. In some embodiments, a higher layer parameter of an IE may include/provide/specify the frequency domain shift value n shift.”)
“a partial frequency (PF) value,” ([para 0039]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may obtain/acquire/receive/determine a value of the partial frequency factor (PF)… The value of the PF can be configured by the wireless communication node (or other entities of the wireless communication network).”)
“and a frequency-domain offset value…” ([para 0044]: “The wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify/select the value of the noffset according to (or based on) higher layer signaling.”)
“…and each SRS resource in the first SRS resource set is separately configured with… a separate frequency-domain shift parameter…” ([para 0038]: “For instance, the frequency domain shift value may be included/provided/specified in the higher layer parameter freqDomainShift of SRS-Resource and/or SRS-PosResource-r16 (or other IEs). In some embodiments, the transmission comb offset k.sub.TC∈{0, 1, . . . , K.sub.TC−1} may be included/provided/specified in a higher layer parameter, such as transmissionComb, of an IE (e.g., SRS-Resource, SRS-PosResource-r16, or other IEs).”
“…transmitting, by the UE based on the control information,” ([para 0124]: “Referring now to operation (454), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication device may transmit/send/broadcast/communicate a SRS to the wireless communication node according to (or based on) the configuration information.”)
“the first SRS on a first PF sounding resource within the first frequency resource in the carrier,” ([para 0006]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine, according to an offset parameter (noffset) and a partial frequency factor (PF), a starting position in frequency domain for transmitting the SRS as a partial frequency SRS transmission.”)
“wherein a resource starting physical resource block (PRB) of the first frequency resource is in accordance with the frequency-domain shift parameter,” ([para 0038]: “The frequency domain shift value n shift may be used to adjust/modify the SRS allocation with respect to the reference point grid. In some embodiments, a higher layer parameter of an IE may include/provide/specify the frequency domain shift value n shift.” ; [para 0037]: “ If NBWPstart≤nshift, the reference point for the starting position k0(pi)=0 may include or correspond to subcarrier 0 in common resource block 0. Otherwise, the reference point for the starting position can be the lowest subcarrier of the bandwidth part (BWP).”)
“wherein a PF bandwidth of the first PF sounding resource is based on at least the PF value and a bandwidth of the first frequency resource,” ([para 0039]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may obtain/acquire/receive/determine a value of the partial frequency factor (PF)… The value of the PF can be configured by the wireless communication node (or other entities of the wireless communication network).”)
“and wherein a PF sounding resource starting PRB of the first PF sounding resource is based at least on the resource starting PRB of the first frequency resource and the frequency-domain offset value.” ([para 0044]: “The wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify/select the value of the noffset according to (or based on) higher layer signaling.” Also see the equation after paragraph 36.)
While Wang does imply “wherein a PF bandwidth of the first PF sounding resource is based on at least the PF value and a bandwidth of the first frequency resource” in paragraph 117, Wang does not explicitly disclose this feature, nor does Wang disclose “wherein the first SRS is configured in a first SRS resource set including one or more SRS resources, and each SRS resource in the first SRS resource set is separately configured with a separate frequency resource in the carrier, a separate frequency-domain shift parameter, a separate PF value, and a separate frequency-domain offset value.”
However, Sun explicitly discloses the missing features:
“wherein the first SRS is configured in a first SRS resource set including one or more SRS resources, and each SRS resource in the first SRS resource set is separately configured with a separate frequency resource in the carrier… a separate PF value, and a separate frequency-domain offset value.” ([para 0065]: “In some implementations, each MAC-CE comprises a corresponding SRS-ResourceSetId, and each MAC-CE configures the partial frequency sounding indicator PF and the partial frequency sounding offset of all SRS-Resources indicated by the corresponding SRS-ResourceSetId independently.”; [para 0047]: “An offset basic unit of the partial frequency sounding offset define the number of RBs been shifted per partial frequency sounding offset. In some embodiments, the offset basic unit may be specified in the specification, for example, in 38.214 or 38.331. Alternatively, the offset basic unit may be configured as part of RRC, for example. in SRS-Resource. SRS-ResourceSet or SRS-Config.” Also see “startPosition” and “nrofsymbols” in Table 1.)
“wherein a PF bandwidth of the first PF sounding resource is based on at least the PF value and a bandwidth of the first frequency resource” ([para 0044]: “In some embodiments. an SRS transmission subband with mSRS,BSRS resource blocks (PRBs) may be divided into multiple groups of RBs and each group is constructed by in mSRS,BSRS/PF contiguous RBs in an OFDM symbol in a time slot.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, having the teachings of Wang and Sun, to use the PF as disclosed by Wang, as the divisor to obtain the number of resource blocks as disclosed by Sun. The motivation for doing so is that it increases interoperability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Sun to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang does not explicitly disclose “wherein the first frequency resource is configured with m PRBs, and the first PF sounding resource is configured with m/(the PF value) PRBs in the m PRBs of the first frequency resource.”
However, Sun explicitly discloses the missing feature “wherein the first frequency resource is configured with m PRBs, and the first PF sounding resource is configured with m/(the PF value) PRBs in the m PRBs of the first frequency resource.” ([para 0044]: “In some embodiments. an SRS transmission subband with mSRS,BSRS resource blocks (PRBs) may be divided into multiple groups of RBs and each group is constructed by in mSRS,BSRS/PF contiguous RBs in an OFDM symbol in a time slot.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, having the teachings of Wang and Sun, to use the PF as disclosed by Wang, as the divisor to obtain the number of resource blocks as disclosed by Sun. The motivation for doing so is that it increases interoperability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Sun to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the PF sounding resource starting PRB of the first PF sounding resource is the resource starting PRB of the first frequency resource shifted in accordance with the frequency-domain offset value.” ([para 0116]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify a starting position in frequency domain for transmitting the SRS. The wireless communication device may determine the starting position according to (or based on) an offset parameter (noffset), a partial frequency factor (PF), and/or other information.”)
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the control information further indicates a hopping parameter, and wherein the PF sounding resource starting PRB of the first PF sounding resource is based on the resource starting PRB of the first frequency resource, the frequency-domain offset value, and a hopping offset value in accordance with the hopping parameter.” ([para 0059]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine at least one value of the kF according to a hopping pattern/sequence.” ; [para 0055]: “In some embodiments, the parameter kF may indicate/specify/provide a frequency domain shift value for partial frequency SRS transmissions.”)
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the PF value is one of 2, 4, or 8.” ([para 0117]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify/select a value of the PF from a predetermined list of values (e.g., from {2, 3, 4, 8} and/or from {2, 4, 8}).”)
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the control information is received in a radio resource control (RRC) message.” ([para 0117]: “The wireless communication device may receive the configuration via higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling, MAC-CE signaling, and/or other types of signaling).”)
Regarding claim 8, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the first SRS is transmitted on a first SRS resource in the first SRS resource set.” ([para 0124]: “Referring now to operation (454), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication device may transmit/send/broadcast/communicate a SRS to the wireless communication node according to (or based on) the configuration information.”)
Regarding claim 9, Wang discloses:
“A method, comprising:
transmitting, by a base station to a user equipment (UE), control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS),” ([para 0115]: “In overview, the method 450 may include receiving configuration information for SRS transmission (452).”)
“the control information indicating at least a first frequency resource in a carrier,” ([para 0116]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify a starting position in frequency domain for transmitting the SRS. The wireless communication device may determine the starting position according to (or based on) an offset parameter (noffset), a partial frequency factor (PF), and/or other information.”)
“a frequency-domain shift parameter,” ([para 0038]: “The frequency domain shift value n shift may be used to adjust/modify the SRS allocation with respect to the reference point grid. In some embodiments, a higher layer parameter of an IE may include/provide/specify the frequency domain shift value n shift.”)
“a partial frequency (PF) value,” ([para 0039]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may obtain/acquire/receive/determine a value of the partial frequency factor (PF)… The value of the PF can be configured by the wireless communication node (or other entities of the wireless communication network).”)
“and a frequency-domain offset value; and” ([para 0044]: “The wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify/select the value of the noffset according to (or based on) higher layer signaling.”)
“receiving, by the base station from the UE based on the control information,” ([para 0124]: “Referring now to operation (454), and in some embodiments, the wireless communication device may transmit/send/broadcast/communicate a SRS to the wireless communication node according to (or based on) the configuration information.”)
“the first SRS on a first PF sounding resource within the first frequency resource in the carrier,” ([para 0006]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine, according to an offset parameter (noffset) and a partial frequency factor (PF), a starting position in frequency domain for transmitting the SRS as a partial frequency SRS transmission.”)
“wherein a resource starting physical resource block (PRB) of the first frequency resource is in accordance with the frequency-domain shift parameter,” ([para 0038]: “The frequency domain shift value n shift may be used to adjust/modify the SRS allocation with respect to the reference point grid. In some embodiments, a higher layer parameter of an IE may include/provide/specify the frequency domain shift value n shift.” ; [para 0037]: “ If NBWPstart≤nshift, the reference point for the starting position k0(pi)=0 may include or correspond to subcarrier 0 in common resource block 0. Otherwise, the reference point for the starting position can be the lowest subcarrier of the bandwidth part (BWP).”)
“wherein a PF bandwidth of the first PF sounding resource is based on at least the PF value and a bandwidth of the first frequency resource,” ([para 0039]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may obtain/acquire/receive/determine a value of the partial frequency factor (PF)… The value of the PF can be configured by the wireless communication node (or other entities of the wireless communication network).”)
“and wherein a PF sounding resource starting PRB of the first PF sounding resource is based at least on the resource starting PRB of the first frequency resource and the frequency-domain offset value.” ([para 0044]: “The wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify/select the value of the noffset according to (or based on) higher layer signaling.” Also see the equation after paragraph 36.)
While Wang does imply “wherein a PF bandwidth of the first PF sounding resource is based on at least the PF value and a bandwidth of the first frequency resource” in paragraph 117, Wang does not explicitly disclose this feature.
However, Sun explicitly discloses the missing feature “wherein a PF bandwidth of the first PF sounding resource is based on at least the PF value and a bandwidth of the first frequency resource” ([para 0044]: “In some embodiments. an SRS transmission subband with mSRS,BSRS resource blocks (PRBs) may be divided into multiple groups of RBs and each group is constructed by in mSRS,BSRS/PF contiguous RBs in an OFDM symbol in a time slot.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, having the teachings of Wang and Sun, to use the PF as disclosed by Wang, as the divisor to obtain the number of resource blocks as disclosed by Sun. The motivation for doing so is that it increases interoperability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Sun to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang does not explicitly disclose “wherein the first frequency resource is configured with m PRBs, and the first PF sounding resource is configured with m/(the PF value) PRBs in the m PRBs of the first frequency resource.”
However, Sun explicitly discloses the missing feature “wherein the first frequency resource is configured with m PRBs, and the first PF sounding resource is configured with m/(the PF value) PRBs in the m PRBs of the first frequency resource.” ([para 0044]: “In some embodiments. an SRS transmission subband with mSRS,BSRS resource blocks (PRBs) may be divided into multiple groups of RBs and each group is constructed by in mSRS,BSRS/PF contiguous RBs in an OFDM symbol in a time slot.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, having the teachings of Wang and Sun, to use the PF as disclosed by Wang, as the divisor to obtain the number of resource blocks as disclosed by Sun. The motivation for doing so is that it increases interoperability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Sun to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
Regarding claim 11, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the PF sounding resource starting PRB of the first PF sounding resource is the resource starting PRB of the first frequency resource shifted in accordance with the frequency-domain offset value.” ([para 0116]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify a starting position in frequency domain for transmitting the SRS. The wireless communication device may determine the starting position according to (or based on) an offset parameter (noffset), a partial frequency factor (PF), and/or other information.”)
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the control information further indicates a hopping parameter, and wherein the PF sounding resource starting PRB of the first PF sounding resource is based on the resource starting PRB of the first frequency resource, the frequency-domain offset value, and a hopping offset value in accordance with the hopping parameter.” ([para 0059]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine at least one value of the kF according to a hopping pattern/sequence.” ; [para 0055]: “In some embodiments, the parameter kF may indicate/specify/provide a frequency domain shift value for partial frequency SRS transmissions.”)
Regarding claim 13, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the PF value is one of 2, 4, or 8.” ([para 0117]: “In some embodiments, the wireless communication device may determine/configure/identify/select a value of the PF from a predetermined list of values (e.g., from {2, 3, 4, 8} and/or from {2, 4, 8}).”)
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang further discloses “wherein the control information is received in a radio resource control (RRC) message.” ([para 0117]: “The wireless communication device may receive the configuration via higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signaling, MAC-CE signaling, and/or other types of signaling).”)
Regarding claim 15, Wang discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Wang does not explicitly disclose “wherein the first SRS is configured in a first SRS resource set including one or more SRS resources, and each SRS resource in the first SRS resource set is separately configured with a separate frequency resource in the carrier, a separate frequency-domain shift parameter, a separate PF value, and a separate frequency-domain offset value.”
However, Sun explicitly discloses the missing feature “wherein the first SRS is configured in a first SRS resource set including one or more SRS resources, and each SRS resource in the first SRS resource set is separately configured with a separate frequency resource in the carrier, a separate frequency-domain shift parameter, a separate PF value, and a separate frequency-domain offset value.” ([para 0065]: “In some implementations, each MAC-CE comprises a corresponding SRS-ResourceSetId, and each MAC-CE configures the partial frequency sounding indicator PF and the partial frequency sounding offset of all SRS-Resources indicated by the corresponding SRS-ResourceSetId independently.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, having the teachings of Wang and Sun, to modify the configuration as disclosed by Wang, to be independent for each SRS resource as disclosed by Sun. The motivation for doing so is that it increases flexibility. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Wang with Sun to obtain the invention as specified in the instant claim.
Claims 16-29 are substantially similar to claims 1-15 with the differences amounting to that claims 1-15 are directed towards a method while claims 16-29 are directed towards apparatuses containing generic hardware. Such hardware is taught by Wang in paragraph 26. Thus, claims 16-29 are rejected for similar reasons to claims 1-15.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/SAAD KHAWAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412