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 .
Response to Amendment
2. Claims 1, 9 and 14-15 are amended. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
With regards to applicant’s arguments, filed on 1/20/2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant asserts, with respect to claims 1, 9 and 15 that combination of Chen and Song does not teach or suggest: “calculating an effective RSRP corresponding to at least one additional SSB received from the serving base station, the effective RSRP calculated based at least in part on a correlation power”. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
As defined and known in the art the effective RSRP refers to a modified measurement of a cell's signal strength, calculated by applying an offset (bias) to the actual RSRP value measured by the user equipment (UE). The combination of Chen and Song, specifically song teaches that UEs estimate RSRP by normalizing the received CRS power either in the time or frequency domain. As illustrated in Fig. 3, at 340, the timing offset (TO) calculated at 330 is compensated for the group1 and group2 cross-correlation values. The frequency offset (FO) is then calculated based on the TO-compensated cross-correlations (See Equation 11) At 350, the frequency offset (FO) calculated at 340 is compensated for the group1 and group2 cross-correlation values and, at 360, the cross-correlation values are averaged across groups, and then the real part is taken. (See Equation 12) At 370, the linear RSRP values are averaged (“averaging RSRP (linear)”). At 380, the ghost cells are eliminated in accordance with the present disclosure. At 390, the linear RSRP measurements are converted to power measurements, which are provided to the upper layer. [Therefore, the UE estimates the updated [effective] RSRP of an additional received CRS [PSS or SSS] from the serving cell, by correlating the CRS power either in time or frequency domain. The power correlation is a cross-correlation between adjacent CRSs’ [SSBs] RSRP, data and additional CRS to calculate a negative value for ghost cells to calculate the effective RSRP ] (See Song; Par. [20]-[22], [43]-[45] and Fig. 3)
Therefore, and for the reasons set above, combination of Chen and Song teaches the claimed invention. The rejection of claims 1-5, 9-13 and 15-16 is sustained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claims 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US. Pub. No. 2018/0324678 A1) in view of Song et al. (US. Pub. No. 2017/0086133 A1) and further in view of Abdelmonem et al. (US. Pub. No. 2018/0220377 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a method (See Abstract) comprising:
receiving a first synchronization signal including at least one first synchronization signal block (SSB) from a serving base station and a second synchronization signal including at least one second SSB from a neighboring base station (See Par. [211], [219], [240]-[241] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE receives multiple synchronization signal block (SSB) burst from the serving cell and receives multiple synchronization signal block (SSB) burst from the neighbor cell) wherein the second synchronization signal including the at least one second SSB overlaps a slot through which data is transmitted from the serving base station (See Par. [199], [204], [308] of Chen for a reference to the SSB signal received from the neighbor cell overlaps with the scheduled PDSCH [data slot] of the serving cell);
measuring a first received power and a received reference signal received power (RSRP) of each of the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal received on the slot (See Par. [123]-[124], [164]-[165], [175] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE measures the transmit power [received signal power] as well as the received reference signal received power (RSRP) for each received SSB signal).
Chen does not explicitly disclose calculating an effective RSRP corresponding to at least one additional SSB received from the serving base station, the effective RSRP calculated based at least in part on a correlation power, wherein the correlation power is based at least in part on a cross correlation between the received RSRP, the first received power, the data, and the at least one additional SSB, wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station.
However, Song discloses calculating an effective RSRP corresponding to at least one additional SSB received from the serving base station, the effective RSRP calculated based at least in part on a correlation power (See Par. [20]-[22], [43]-[45] of Song for a reference to the UE estimates the updated [effective] RSRP of an additional received CRS [PSS or SSS] from the serving cell, by correlating the CRS power either in time or frequency domain), wherein the correlation power is based at least in part on a cross correlation between the received RSRP, the first received power, the data, and the at least one additional SSB (See Par. [21]-[22], [34], [45], [55] of Song for a reference to the power correlation is a cross-correlation between adjacent CRSs’ [SSBs] RSRP, data and additional CRS to calculate a negative value for ghost cells to calculate the effective RSRP).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Song to Chen. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the accuracy of the UE RSRP measurements. (Song; Par. [6])
The combination of Chen and Song does not explicitly disclose wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station.
However, Abdelmonem discloses wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station (See Par. [118]-[119], [205], [217] of Song for a reference to generating an average power level [Effective RSRP] by time averaging at least a portion of power levels in the received signals to mitigate the interference).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Abdelmonem to the combination of Chen and Song. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the detection of interference in SC-FDMA/OFDM channels through a time-averaging algorithm that isolates interference components in the channel and ignores the underlying signal. (Abdelmonem; Par. [112])
Regarding claim 9, Chen discloses an apparatus (See Chen; Fig. 3; UE 116) comprising:
a communication circuit (See Chen; Fig. 3; RF Transceiver 310) configured to receive a first synchronization signal including data on a resource of at least one first synchronization signal block (SSB) from a serving base station and to receive a second synchronization signal including at least one second SSB from a neighboring base station (See Par. [211], [219], [240]-[241] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE receives multiple synchronization signal block (SSB) burst from the serving cell and receives multiple synchronization signal block (SSB) burst from the neighbor cell), the second synchronization signal including the at least one second SSB transmitted to an additional resource that corresponds to the resource of the at least one first SSB that includes the data (See Par. [199], [204], [308] of Chen for a reference to the SSB signal received from the neighbor cell overlaps with the scheduled PDSCH [data slot] of the serving cell);
a memory (See Chen; Fig. 3; Memory 360);
and a control circuit (See Chen; Fig. 3; Processor 340), wherein the control circuit comprises a reference signal received power (RSRP) update circuit (See Chen; Fig. 3; Processor 340) configured to measure each of a received RSRP and a first received power based at least in part on using the data received on the resource and the at least one second SSB (See Par. [123]-[124], [164]-[165], [175] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE measures the transmit power [received signal power] as well as the received reference signal received power (RSRP) for each received SSB signal), wherein the control circuit include a communication processor configured to control operations of the communication circuit, the memory, and the RSRP update circuit (See Chen; Fig. 3; Processor 340).
Chen does not explicitly disclose calculate an effective RSRP corresponding to at least one additional SSB received from the serving base station; a simulation value of a correlation coefficient based on cross correlation between the data and the at least one second SSB the effective RSRP calculated based at least in part on the received RSRP, the first received power, and a simulation value stored in the memory, wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station.
However, Song discloses calculate an effective RSRP corresponding to at least one additional SSB received from the serving base station (See Par. [20]-[22] of Song for a reference to the UE estimates the updated [effective] RSRP of an additional received CRS [PSS or SSS] from the serving cell, by correlating the CRS power either in time or frequency domain); a simulation value of a correlation coefficient based on cross correlation between the data and the at least one second SSB the effective RSRP calculated based at least in part on the received RSRP, the first received power, and a simulation value stored in the memory (See Par. [21]-[22], [34], [55] of Song for a reference to the power correlation is a cross-correlation between adjacent CRSs’ [SSBs] RSRP, data and additional CRS to calculate a negative value for ghost cells to calculate the effective RSRP).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Song to Chen. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the accuracy of the UE RSRP measurements. (Song; Par. [6])
The combination of Chen and Song does not explicitly disclose wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station.
However, Abdelmonem discloses wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station (See Par. [118]-[119], [205], [217] of Song for a reference to generating an average power level [Effective RSRP] by time averaging at least a portion of power levels in the received signals to mitigate the interference).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Abdelmonem to the combination of Chen and Song. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the detection of interference in SC-FDMA/OFDM channels through a time-averaging algorithm that isolates interference components in the channel and ignores the underlying signal. (Abdelmonem; Par. [112])
5. Claims 2-3, 10-11 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Song et al. in view of Abdelmonem et al. and further in view of Zhang et al. (US. Pub. No. 2022/0311499 A1).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, further comprising: measuring a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) based at least in part on the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal received on the slot; and comparing the SINR with a predefined threshold.
However, Zhang discloses measuring a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) based at least in part on the first synchronization signal and the second synchronization signal received on the slot (See Par. [25]-[28], [50] of Zhang for a reference to the UE measures the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of a first SSB transmitted on a first beam and a second SSB transmitted on a second beam); and
comparing the SINR with a predefined threshold (See Par. [25]-[28], [50] of Zhang for a reference to comparing the measured SINR with a predetermined SINR threshold).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Zhang to the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving beam searching for secondary cells, handover and beam discovery in the case of beam failure. (Zhang; Par. [26])
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem does not explicitly disclose wherein the effective RSRP is calculated based at least in part on detecting that the SINR is less than the predefined threshold.
However, Zhang wherein the effective RSRP is calculated based at least in part on detecting that the SINR is less than the predefined threshold (See Par. [25]-[28] of Zhang for a reference to determining a projected measurement of adjusted [effective] RSRP based on determining the change in SINR between the two RSRP signal is less than a predetermined threshold).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Zhang to the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving beam searching for secondary cells, handover and beam discovery in the case of beam failure. (Zhang; Par. [26])
Regarding claim 10, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 2.
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 3.
Regarding claim 15, Chen discloses a wireless communication system (See Chen; See Fig. 1; System 100) comprising:
a serving base station (See Chen; See Fig. 1; BS 102) configured to transmit, to an electronic device, a first synchronization signal block (SSB) burst set including a first SSB and data (See Par. [211], [219], [240]-[241] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE receives multiple synchronization signal block (SSB) burst from the serving cell); a neighboring base station (See Chen; See Fig. 1; BS 103) configured to transmit, to the electronic device, a second SSB burst set including a second SSB (See Par. [211], [219], [240]-[241] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE receives multiple synchronization signal block (SSB) burst from the neighbor cell), the second SSB transmitted on an additional slot that corresponds to a slot for the data (See Par. [199], [204], [308] of Chen for a reference to the SSB signal received from the neighbor cell overlaps with the scheduled PDSCH [data slot] of the serving cell); and the electronic device configured to measure each of a first received power, a received reference signal received power (RSRP) (See Par. [123]-[124], [164]-[165], [175] and Fig. 9A of Chen for a reference to the UE measures the transmit power [received signal power] as well as the received reference signal received power (RSRP) for each received SSB signal).
Chen does not explicitly disclose the electronic device configured to a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) based at least in part on the data received on the slot and the second SSB and to calculate, based at least in part on determining the SINR is less than a threshold, an effective RSRP corresponding to the second SSB based at least in part on the received RSRP, the first received power, the data, and a correlation power, the correlation power based at least in part on a cross correlation of the second SSB, wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station.
However, Song discloses the electronic device configured to an effective RSRP corresponding to the second SSB based at least in part on the received RSRP, the first received power, the data, and a correlation power, the correlation power based at least in part on a cross correlation of the second SSB (See Par. [20]-[22], [34], [55] of Song for a reference to the UE estimates the updated [effective] RSRP of an additional received CRS [PSS or SSS] from the serving cell, by correlating the CRS power either in time or frequency domain. The power correlation is a cross-correlation between adjacent CRSs’ [SSBs] RSRP, data and additional CRS to calculate a negative value for ghost cells to calculate the effective RSRP).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Song to Chen. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the accuracy of the UE RSRP measurements. (Song; Par. [6])
The combination of Chen and Song does not explicitly disclose the electronic device configured to a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) based at least in part on the data received on the slot and the second SSB and to calculate, based at least in part on determining the SINR is less than a threshold, an effective RSRP; wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station.
However, Abdelmonem discloses wherein the effective RSRP is calculated to remove an interference effect of the serving base station (See Par. [118]-[119], [205], [217] of Song for a reference to generating an average power level [Effective RSRP] by time averaging at least a portion of power levels in the received signals to mitigate the interference).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Abdelmonem to the combination of Chen and Song. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the detection of interference in SC-FDMA/OFDM channels through a time-averaging algorithm that isolates interference components in the channel and ignores the underlying signal. (Abdelmonem; Par. [112])
The combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem does not explicitly disclose the electronic device configured to a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) based at least in part on the data received on the slot and the second SSB and to calculate, based at least in part on determining the SINR is less than a threshold, an effective RSRP.
However, Zhang discloses the electronic device configured to a signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) based at least in part on the data received on the slot and the second SSB and to calculate (See Par. [25]-[28], [50] of Zhang for a reference to the UE measures the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of a first SSB transmitted on a first beam and a second SSB transmitted on a second beam), based at least in part on determining the SINR is less than a threshold, an effective RSRP (See Par. [25]-[28] of Zhang for a reference to determining a projected measurement of adjusted [effective] RSRP based on determining the change in SINR between the two RSRP signal is less than a predetermined threshold).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Zhang to the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving beam searching for secondary cells, handover and beam discovery in the case of beam failure. (Zhang; Par. [26])
Regarding claim 16, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 3.
6. Claims 4-5 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. in view of Song et al. in view of Abdelmonem et al. and further in view of Abedini et al. (US. Pub. No. 2023/0421321 A1).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether the first received power detected on the slot exceeds the received RSRP.
However, Abedini discloses determining whether the first received power detected on the slot exceeds the received RSRP (See Par. [91], [99], [123] of Abedini for a reference to determining if the received power of the first SSB received from the serving BS is above the received RSRP).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Abedini to the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the reliability of transmitting reference signals and saving energy when transmitting RSs in different beam directions. (Abedini; Par. [83])
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem does not explicitly disclose wherein the effective RSRP is calculated based at least in part on detecting that the first received power detected on the slot exceeds the received RSRP.
However, Abedini discloses wherein the effective RSRP is calculated based at least in part on detecting that the first received power detected on the slot exceeds the received RSRP (See Par. [88]-[90], [122]-[123] of Abedini for a reference to the effective RSRP is obtained [Calculated[, by the UE, based on determining the received power exceeds the RSRP threshold, by combining all of the SSBs’ RSRPs in the linear domain).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Abedini to the combination of Chen, Song and Abdelmonem. The motivation for combination would be to improve network’s performance, by improving the reliability of transmitting reference signals and saving energy when transmitting RSs in different beam directions. (Abedini; Par. [83])
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 4.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth
in claim 5.
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 6-7, 14 and 17-18 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. Claims 8 and 19-20 are objected to as being dependent on claims 6 and 18-19 respectively.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Arikawa et al, (US. Pub. No. 2021/0083779 A1) discloses a signal processing device and a signal processing method, which are used for optical space communication.
Ding et al. (US. Pub. No. 2021/0314197 A1) discloses wireless communications and Doppler spread estimation based on supervised learning.
Zhu et al. (US. Pub. No. 2018/0076850 A1) discloses filtering noise from Power-Line Communication (PLC) systems.
9. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication from the examiner should be directed to RASHA FAYED whose telephone number is (571) 270-3804. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the supervisory Examiner, Un Cho can be reached on (571)272-7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/R.K.F/Examiner, Art Unit 2413
/UN C CHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2413