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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 1-2 (specifically p. 1), filed 7 January 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 9, 10 and 19 under Chang and Lee have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Xu and Wang (see below).
Claim Objections
Claims 1-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding independent claims 1 and 10, both claims and part of the specification (fig. 3 & supporting description) are misleading: from claim 1 & fig. 3, it can be misinterpreted/misconstrue that first signal is generated (a result of) channel encoding. Yet First signal is an INPUT to channel encoding, see fig. 6A, resulting Second Signal. Likewise, claim 1 & fig. 3 misconstrue that Second Signal is generated from repetition &/or frequency spread transformation. Yet Second signal in actually an INPUT to repetition and/or frequency spread transformation, see fig. 6A, resulting Third Signal. Likewise claim 1 & fig. 3 misconstrue that Third Signal is generated (a result of) signal modulation. Yet Third signal is actually an INPUT to signal modulation, see fig. 6A, resulting Target Signal. Such unclarity is also noted in the Supplemental European Search Report section 2.1 (page/sheet #2).
Likewise, independent claims 9 and 19 are reception apparatus/method with mirroring claim language argued above and therefore have same misinterpretation.
Dependent claims 2-8 and 11-18 are also objected to because they depend on claims 1 and 10 above respectively.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 9-13, 15 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 2022/0200634) in view of Wang (US 2023/0208554).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Xu describes a signal generation method/device, wherein the method comprises:
[at least one processor; and a memory coupled to the at least one processor and having program instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first device to:] (para. 70, apparatus with processor coupled to memory for executing a method)
obtaining, at a first device, a first signal by channel encoding based on transmission information, wherein the transmission information comprises information for a second device (fig. 2, regarding transmission from first wireless communication device 202 to second wireless communication device 204, the first wireless communication device block encodes received information to generate first block code data (first signal), see fig. 14 step 1404 + para. 163-164 or fig. 15 step 1504 + para. 179-180. Such block encoding uses Polar codes, which is used in 5G channel encoding means, para. 34);
generating, at the first device, a second signal by based on the first signal (fig. 14 step 1406&1408 + para. 165-166 or fig. 15 step 1506 to 1510 + para. 181-182, first wireless communication device 202 continues by using first block code data to generate first repetition pattern (second signal));
generating, at the first device, a third signal by linear encoding based on the second signal (fig. 14 step 1410 + para. 173-174 or fig. 15 step 1510 + para. 185-186, first wireless communication device 202 continues by using first repetition pattern’s coded bits to [perform block encode to] generate second block coded data (third signal). Such block encoding uses Polar codes, para. 34, and Polar codes are linear block error correcting code, para. 47-48 (linear encoding); and
sending, by the first device, the target signal to the second device (fig. 2, for transmission between first wireless communication device 202 to second wireless communication device 204).
Xu fails to further explicitly describe:
generating, at the first device, a target signal by signal modulation based on the third signal.
Wang also describes wireless transmission by from source terminal to destination terminal (fig. 1-2), further describing:
generating, at the first device, a target signal by signal modulation based on the encoded signal (fig. 2 & para. 117, output after the plural encoding means is modulation before wireless transmission).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the third (plural encoded) signal of Xu be modulated before transmission as in Wang.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this is part of the steps in communication system to improve data transmission reliability & ensure communication quality (Wang, para. 3).
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Xu describes:
wherein the obtaining, at a first device, a first signal by channel encoding based on transmission information comprises:
generating, by the first device, the first signal online through the channel encoding (fig. 2, the first wireless communication device block encodes received information to generate first block code data (first signal), see fig. 14 step 1404 + para. 163-164 or fig. 15 step 1504 + para. 179-180. Such block encoding uses Polar codes, which is used in 5G channel encoding means, para. 34).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Xu describes:
wherein the channel encoding comprises Polar encoding. (para. 34, the block encoding uses Polar codes, which is used in 5G channel encoding means).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Xu describes:
wherein the first signal comprises at least one information block (fig. 2, the first wireless communication device block encodes received information to generate first block code data (first signal), see fig. 14 step 1404 + para. 163-164 or fig. 15 step 1504 + para. 179-180), and the generating, at the first device, a second signal by repetition or frequency spread transformation based on the first signal comprises:
generating, by the first device, a plurality of same information blocks or a plurality of same information bits based on the at least one information block in the first signal and a determined quantity of repetition times (fig. 14 step 1406&1408 + para. 165-166 or fig. 15 step 1506 to 1510 + para. 181-182, first wireless communication device 202 uses first block code (information block) to generate first repetition pattern based on the repetition-based rate matching 310 per the number of repetition bits, para. 56. See also abstract).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Xu describes:
wherein the generating, at the first device, a third signal by linear encoding based on the second signal comprises: generating, by the first device, the third signal based on the second signal and a linear code (fig. 14 step 1410 + para. 173-174 or fig. 15 step 1510 + para. 185-186, first wireless communication device 202 continues by using first repetition pattern’s coded bits to [perform block encode to] generate second block coded data (third signal). Such block encoding uses Polar codes, para. 34, and Polar codes are linear block error correcting code, para. 47-48 (linear encoding).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Xu describes a signal processing method, wherein the method comprises:
determining, at the second device, a second signal by linear decoding based on the third signal determining, at the second device, a second signal by linear decoding based on the third signal (reception step as a mirrored step of transmission represented by fig. 14, step 1410 + para. 173-174 or fig. 15 step 1510 + para. 185-186, second wireless communication device 204 uses received second block coded data (third signal) to decode to repetition pattern’s coded bits (second signal). Such block decoding deploys Polar codes, para. 34, and Polar codes are linear block error correcting code, para. 47-48 (linear decoding); and
determining, at the second device, a first signal through de-repetition or frequency despread transformation based on the second signal (reception step as a mirrored step of transmission represented by fig. 14 step 1406&1408 + para. 165-166 or fig. 15 step 1506 to 1510 + para. 181-182, second wireless communication device 202 continues de-repetitioning the first repetition pattern (second signal) to yield first block code data (first signal)); and
determining, at the second device, transmission information through channel decoding based on the first signal, wherein the transmission information comprises information for the second device (reception step as a mirrored step of transmission represented by fig. 2, second wireless communication device 204, decodes generate first block code data (first signal) to yield original information, see fig. 14 step 1404 + para. 163-164 or fig. 15 step 1504 + para. 179-180. Such block encoding uses Polar codes, which is used in 5G channel encoding means, para. 34);
Xu fails to further explicitly describe:
determining, at a second device, a third signal by signal demodulation based on a target signal, wherein the target signal is from a first device.
Wang also describes wireless transmission by from source terminal to destination terminal (fig. 1-2), further describing:
determining, at a second device, a third signal by signal demodulation based on a target signal, wherein the target signal is from a first device (fig. 2 & para. 117, second communication device demodulates wireless reception from first communication device for further decoding means).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the reception of Xu comprises decoding means to yield third (plural encoded) signal as in Wang.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this is part of the steps in communication system to improve data transmission reliability & ensure communication quality (Wang, para. 3).
Regarding claim 18, Xu and Wang combined describe:
the first device is a terminal (Xu, fig. 1, UE (terminal)).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu and Wang as applied to claims 4 and 13 above respectively, and further in view of Odenwalder (WO 02/07372).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Xu and Wang already describe claim 4’s alternative language portion of:
generating, by the first device, a plurality of same information blocks or a plurality of same information bits based on the at least one information block in the first signal and a determined quantity of repetition times (Xu fig. 14 step 1406&1408 + para. 165-166 or fig. 15 step 1506 to 1510 + para. 181-182, first wireless communication device 202 uses first block code (information block) to generate first repetition pattern based on the repetition-based rate matching 310 per the number of repetition bits, para. 56. See also abstract)
Xu and Wang combined fail to further explicitly describe the rest claim 4 required for claim 5, as follows:
and multiplying, by the first device, the plurality of same information blocks of same information by a spreading code, to generate the second signal.
Xu and Wang combined also fail to describe claim 5’s limitation:
wherein the first spreading code comprises a complementary Gray code, a Walsh code, or a Huffman code.
Odenwalder also describes block encoding for transmission (title), further describing:
multiplying, by the first device, the plurality of same information blocks of same information by a spreading code, to generate another signal, wherein the first spreading code comprises a complementary Gray code, a Walsh code, or a Huffman code (p. 43 last para., in the encoding process, the encoded DRC message is provided to multiplier 628 which overs the message with the Walsh code).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the in the transmission process after encoding * repetition steps in Xu and Wang combined to multiply the information blocks with Walsh codes as in Odenwalder.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this enables to message to identify the destination base station 4 for which the DRC message is directed (Odenwalder p. 43 last para.).
Claims 7 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu and Wang combined as applied to claims 6 and 15 above respectively, and further in view of Kang (US 2014/0086347).
Regarding claim 7, Xu and Wang combined describe linear code, but fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein the linear code comprises an FM0 linear code, a Miller linear code, a PIE linear code, or a Manchester linear code.
Kang also describe wireless transmission between transmitter 402 & receiver 406 (fig. 5), further comprising:
wherein the linear code comprises an FM0 linear code, a Miller linear code, a PIE linear code, or a Manchester linear code (fig. 3 & para. 7, 17 & 42, linear coding used for encoding can be modified Miller code pattern or Manchester code pattern).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the linear code used in Xu and Wang combined be a Miller or Manchester linear code as in Kang.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this is a straightforward encoding implementation which reduces hardware complexity (Kang, fig. 5 & para. 55).
Claim 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu and Wang combined as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang (US 2016/0127046),
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Xu and Wang combined already describe a modulation scheme of the generating, at the first device, a target signal by signal modulation of the third signal, as per claim 1, but fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein comprises binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signal modulation and amplitude shift keying (ASK) signal modulation.
Zhang also describes transmission between transmitter to receiver requiring modulation (para. 32), further describing:
wherein comprises binary phase shift keying (BPSK) signal modulation and amplitude shift keying (ASK) signal modulation (para. 5, modulation format uses phase shift keying (PSK) & amplitude shift keying (ASK), where PSK may be BPSK).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the modulation in Xu and Wang comprise BPSK & ASK as in Zhang.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this is part of (standardized) norm for performing quadrature amplitude modulation using PSK with ASK (Zhang para. 5).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Hui (US 2020/0067529) describing outer encoding (fig. 9, comprising redundant code bits, abstract), then inner encoding (see para. 6), linear block encoding (fig. 7), plus frequency spreading (fig. 14), Hui (US 2019/0158226) describing linear (outer) encoder 302, then interleaver 304, then polar (inner) encoder 306 (fig. 3), Hof (US 20180091174) describing secondary coders 43 may be configured for applying additional coding techniques to those channels resulting from the polar coding that are neither perfect nor useless. The combination of the polar encoders 42 and secondary encoders 43 provides the progressive polar encoder 49 and the combination of polar decoders 47 and secondary decoders 46, operating in a progressive stage-by-stage decoding (fig. 4), Wang (US2023/0208554) & (US 2022/0052711) each describing source encoding, channel encoding & modulation (fig.2), where channel encoding method of polar code, which is a linear block code (para. 3), Xu (US 2022/0200634) describing rate matching for block encoding by encoding data & then repeat encoded data (fig. 2), Kim (US 2022/0029638) describing channel coding and then rate matching (fig. 4), Luo (US 20200036474) describing source encoding, channel encoding & rate matching (fig. 3), and Yokokawa (US 2010/0281329) describing data processing involving LDPC encoding, interleaving, mapping & modulation (fig. 8).
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WARNER WONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/WARNER WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469