DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s amendment and arguments filed June 8, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1, 12, 14, 22, and 26 have been amended.
Claims 1-30 are currently pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on June 8, 2026 has been entered.
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 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 of this title, 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 22-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FAXÉR et al. (hereinafter Faxer) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2023/0299907 A1) in view of Laselva et al. (hereinafter Laselva) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0259947 A1), and further in view of Carames et al. (hereinafter Carames) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2022/0030417 A1).
Regarding claim 22, Faxer teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (UE, figures 3-4), comprising: one or more memories (memory, figure 4); and one or more processors (processor, figure 4), coupled to the one or more memories, which are configured, individually or in any combination, to cause the UE to: transmit capability information that indicates a plurality of operating modes (SRS transmission setting/transmission mode) supported by the UE ([0021]; [0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0057]; [0059]; teaches the UE transmits capability information including an operating mode, such as SRS transmission setting), and receive, in accordance with transmitting the capability information, configuration information associated with one or more operating modes of the plurality of operating modes supported by the UE ([0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0059]; [0060]; [0061]; teaches the UE receives configuration information associated with the capability of the UE).
However, Faxer may not explicitly disclose autonomously activatable by the UE in accordance with one or more conditions experienced by the UE.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Laselva teaches and suggests autonomously activatable by the UE in accordance with one or more conditions experienced by the UE ([0088]; “…measures/mechanisms for a UE to autonomously switch, e.g. when allowed to do so by the network, to a power saving mode based on conditions that are detected locally at the UE…”; [0089]; “…configure the UE to autonomously switch to a new power saving mode, including parameters and/or conditions…”; teaches the UE is configured to autonomously activate a power saving modes based on the UE capabilities and one or more conditions).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the UE is configured to autonomously activate a power saving modes based on the UE capabilities and one or more conditions as taught by Laselva with the method and apparatus for UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission as disclosed by Faxer for the purpose of improving power consumption in the UE in order to improve effective use of network resources and power saving, as suggested by Laselva.
However, Faxer, as modified by Laselva, may not explicitly disclose wherein at least one of the plurality of operating modes is associated with a combination of a network performance indicator and at least one of a location of the UE, a power savings indicator, or one or more applications that operate on the UE (although Laselva does suggest operating mode associated with power savings).
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Carames teaches and suggests wherein at least one of the plurality of operating modes (operating mode; [0019]) is associated with a combination of a network performance indicator and at least one of a location of the UE, a power savings indicator, or one or more applications that operate on the UE ([0019]; “…the network decisions for a UE device's operating mode may take into account policy considerations such as (a) geographical location of a UE device, (b) frequency bands available at the UE device's location, (c) traffic load in an area, (d) subscription parameters, such as services supported, quality of service (QoS) requirements, and past service mean opinion score (MOS) measurements…may take into account other factors, such as provisioned attributes, use cases, historical network performance data, and/or network capabilities provisional attributes…”; teaches an operating mode of a UE is associated with network performance data and the location of the UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate an operating mode of a UE is associated with network performance data and the location of the UE as taught by Carames with the method and apparatus for UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission as disclosed by Faxer, as modified by Laselva, for the purpose of improving selection of operation mode of a UE in order to improve effective use of network resources, as suggested by Carames.
Regarding claim 23, Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, further teaches and suggests wherein the configuration information indicates for the UE to enable the one or more operating modes of the plurality of operating modes (SRS transmission setting/transmission mode) supported by the UE ([0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0059]; [0060]; [0061]; teaches the UE receives configuration information associated with the capability of the UE).
Regarding claim 24, Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, further teaches and suggests wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to adjust, in accordance with receiving the configuration information, at least one of an application associated with the UE, a mobility parameter, a radio frequency parameter, a location parameter, or a sensor parameter ([0024]; [0055]; [0059]; [0060]; [0065]; teaches the UE receives configuration information associated with the capability of the UE and the UE modifying frequency and mobility parameters).
Regarding claim 25, Faxer discloses the UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to transmit an indication that the UE has activated an operating mode of the one or more operating modes.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Carames teaches and suggests wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to transmit an indication that the UE has activated an operating mode (operating mode; [0019]) of the one or more operating modes ([0018]; [0019]; “…the network decisions for a UE device's operating mode may take into account policy considerations such as (a) geographical location of a UE device, (b) frequency bands available at the UE device's location, (c) traffic load in an area, (d) subscription parameters, such as services supported, quality of service (QoS) requirements, and past service mean opinion score (MOS) measurements…may take into account other factors, such as provisioned attributes, use cases, historical network performance data, and/or network capabilities provisional attributes…”; teaches UE indicates the operating mode of a UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate UE indicates the operating mode of a UE as taught by Carames with the method and apparatus for UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission as disclosed by Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, for the purpose of improving selection of operation mode of a UE in order to improve effective use of network resources, as suggested by Carames.
Regarding claim 26, Faxer teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a network node (network node, figure 3), comprising: one or more memories (memory, figure 3); and one or more processors (processor, figure 3), coupled to the one or more memories, which are configured, individually or in any combination, to cause the network node to:
receive capability information that indicates a plurality of operating modes (SRS transmission setting/transmission mode) supported by a user equipment (UE) (UE, figures 3-4) ([0021]; [0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0057]; [0059]; teaches the network node receives from the UE transmits capability information including an operating mode, such as SRS transmission setting); and transmit, in accordance with receiving the capability information, configuration information associated with one or more operating modes of the plurality of operating modes supported by the UE ([0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0059]; [0060]; [0061]; teaches the network node transmits to the UE receives configuration information associated with the capability of the UE).
However, Faxer may not explicitly disclose autonomously activatable by the UE in accordance with one or more conditions experienced by the UE.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Laselva teaches and suggests autonomously activatable by the UE in accordance with one or more conditions experienced by the UE ([0088]; “…measures/mechanisms for a UE to autonomously switch, e.g. when allowed to do so by the network, to a power saving mode based on conditions that are detected locally at the UE…”; [0089]; “…configure the UE to autonomously switch to a new power saving mode, including parameters and/or conditions…”; teaches the UE is configured to autonomously activate a power saving modes based on the UE capabilities and one or more conditions).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the UE is configured to autonomously activate a power saving modes based on the UE capabilities and one or more conditions as taught by Laselva with the method and apparatus for UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission as disclosed by Faxer for the purpose of improving power consumption in the UE in order to improve effective use of network resources and power saving, as suggested by Laselva.
However, Faxer, as modified by Laselva, may not explicitly disclose wherein at least one of the plurality of operating modes is associated with a combination of a network performance indicator and at least one of a location of the UE, a power savings indicator, or one or more applications associated with the UE (although Laselva does suggest operating mode associated with power savings).
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Carames teaches and suggests wherein at least one of the plurality of operating modes (operating mode; [0019]) is associated with a combination of a network performance indicator and at least one of a location of the UE, a power savings indicator, or one or more applications that operate on the UE ([0019]; “…the network decisions for a UE device's operating mode may take into account policy considerations such as (a) geographical location of a UE device, (b) frequency bands available at the UE device's location, (c) traffic load in an area, (d) subscription parameters, such as services supported, quality of service (QoS) requirements, and past service mean opinion score (MOS) measurements…may take into account other factors, such as provisioned attributes, use cases, historical network performance data, and/or network capabilities provisional attributes…”; teaches an operating mode of a UE is associated with network performance data and the location of the UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate an operating mode of a UE is associated with network performance data and the location of the UE as taught by Carames with the method and apparatus for UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission as disclosed by Faxer for the purpose of improving selection of operation mode of a UE in order to improve effective use of network resources, as suggested by Carames.
Regarding claim 27, Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, further teaches and suggests wherein the configuration information indicates for the UE to enable the one or more operating modes of the plurality of operating modes supported by the UE ([0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0059]; [0060]; [0061]; teaches the UE receives configuration information associated with the capability of the UE).
Regarding claim 28, Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, further teaches and suggests wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the network node to identify the one or more operating modes of the plurality of operating modes based at least in part on network node capability information ([0024]; [0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0059]; [0060]; [0061]; teaches the UE receives configuration information associated with the capability of the UE).
Regarding claim 29, Faxer discloses the UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the network node to receive an indication that the UE has activated an operating mode of the one or more operating modes.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Carames teaches and suggests wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the network node to receive an indication that the UE has activated an operating mode of the one or more operating modes (operating mode; [0019]) ([0018]; [0019]; “…the network decisions for a UE device's operating mode may take into account policy considerations such as (a) geographical location of a UE device, (b) frequency bands available at the UE device's location, (c) traffic load in an area, (d) subscription parameters, such as services supported, quality of service (QoS) requirements, and past service mean opinion score (MOS) measurements…may take into account other factors, such as provisioned attributes, use cases, historical network performance data, and/or network capabilities provisional attributes…”; teaches UE indicates the operating mode of a UE).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate UE indicates the operating mode of a UE as taught by Carames with the method and apparatus for UE receiving an indicator for indicating the UE to perform reciprocity-based or non-codebook based precoding for SRS transmission as disclosed by Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, for the purpose of improving selection of operation mode of a UE in order to improve effective use of network resources, as suggested by Carames.
Regarding claim 30, Faxer, as modified by Laselva and Carames, further teaches and suggests wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the network node to transmit a grant indication, a handover indication, or a redirection indication in accordance with receiving the indication that the UE has activated the operating mode ([0050]; “…a wireless device for either codebook based precoding or non-codebook based precoding, depending on the UE and/or network capabilities…”; [0061]; [0157]; teaches the network node signals an UL grant in accordance with the capability of the UE).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-21 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The prior art of record taken alone and/or in combination fails to teach or suggest, with respect to claim 1, transmitting a reciprocity factor that indicates-identified by the UE in accordance with one or more reciprocity factor measurements and associated with an uplink channel and that indicates a downlink channel, the reciprocity factor indicating a switching point between the reciprocity-based communications and the codebook-based communications. The same reasoning applies to claim 12.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed June 8, 2026, with respect to the previous rejection(s) of claims 1-21 based on the combination of Zhang, Faxer, and Liu have been fully considered and are persuasive, illustrating how the claims distinguish from each of the cited references and their proposed combinations. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn, and the claims are allowed over the prior art of record.
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 22-30 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection as necessitated by Applicant’s amendment.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
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/Suk Jin Kang/
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
September 4, 2026
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