DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This action is in response to the communication filed on 1/28/2026. Claims 1-5, 7-20 are pending in this application.
Examiner Note
The examiner is here to serve, to assist, and to help applicant to the very best of his ability. The Primary Patent Examiner position is a position of serving and it is an honor to externally serve the applicant and attorney and to internally serve junior examiners and supervisors. The goal of the examiner is to work with and assist applicant to move cases along as efficiently as possible.
Applicant is encouraged to call examiner to schedule an interview if applicant has any questions about this action, wants to discuss any possible paths forward, has proposed amendments to the claims to run by the examiner, or for any other issues that applicant would like to discuss.
Examiner can normally be reached at (571) 270-3863 or michael.keller@uspto.gov, Monday-Friday, from about 6 AM - 10 PM EST and if your call is missed examiner will try to return call quickly, thank you.
Priority
This application claims priority of 63/422,620, filed 11/4/2022. The assignee of record is Meta Platforms Technologies, LLC. The listed inventor(s) is/are: Lim, Suhwan; Chan, Yee Sin; Kim, Ji Woo.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 1/28/2026 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection.
Response to Amendment
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 (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.
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) 1-5, 7-12, & 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ng (WO 2020201617 A1, published 10/8/2020; hereinafter Ng) in view of Duan et al. (US 20210112498 A1, published 4/15/2021; hereinafter Dua), and further in view of Lei et al. (US 20190297489 A1, published 9/26/2019; hereinafter Lei).
For Claim 1, Ng teaches a device, comprising: a wireless communications interface; and one or more processors to (Please see screenshot of Ng Fig. 1 below, thank you:
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identify a capability of the device to control a parameter related to receiving a signal via the wireless communications interface, the capability representative of an improvement of reception by the device (Ng Claim 1 determining with a user equipment an actual or improved maximum sensitivity degradation for at least one of a plurality of multi- connectivity frequency bands);
provide, to a network device using the wireless communications interface, a signal indicating the capability of the device (Ng Claim 1 transmitting the determined actual or improved maximum sensitivity degradation from the user equipment to a network equipment); and
control… the wireless communications interface responsive to instructions received from the network device and related to the capability (Ng Fig. 9 930-940, please see screenshot of Ng Fig. 9 below, thank you:
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Ng does not explicitly teach control operation of the wireless communications interface.
However, Dua teaches control operation of the wireless communications interface (Dua ¶ 0097 The base station 702 may receive the RRC connection request from the UE 704 and determine the antenna switching capabilities of the UE based on the included report. The base station 702 may then schedule SRS resource sets for the UE 704 based on the determined antenna switching capabilities.
Please see screenshot of Sua Fig. 7 below, thank you:
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Dua and Ng are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the SRS antenna switching techniques of Dua with the system of Ng to facilitate MIMO communications and beamforming (Dua ¶ 0095).
Ng-Dua does not explicitly teach the signal comprising a bitmap representing a level of the capability from among a plurality of levels.
However, Lei teaches the signal comprising a bitmap representing a level of the capability from among a plurality of levels (Lei ¶ 0078 the base station 502 may receive the signal 512 from the UE 504 communicating at least one of a positioning requirement (e.g., in the form of a bitmap of a positioning requirement level) or capability information of the UE 504.
Please see screenshot of Lei Fig. 5 below, thank you:
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Lei and Ng-Dua are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the bitmap techniques of Lei with the system of Ng-Dua to indicate a positioning accuracy, a ranging accuracy, and a velocity determination support requested by the UE (Lei ¶ 0078).
For Claim 2, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the parameter corresponds to at least one of a receiver reference sensitivity of the wireless communications interface or an improved sensitivity degradation level of the wireless communications interface (Ng Fig. 1 180), the improved sensitivity degradation level corresponding to the level from among the plurality of levels (Lei ¶ 0078).
For Claim 3, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the capability of the device relates to controlling a signal to interference and noise ratio of signals received by the wireless communications interface (Ng Claim 9 measuring a signal to interference plus noise ratio in a downlink receive signal when simultaneous transmission on one or more uplinks is present).
For Claim 4, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are to apply an enhancement to a sensitivity of the wireless communications interface responsive to the instructions (Please see NG screenshot of Fig. 8 below, 830-850, thank you:
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For Claim 5, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are to monitor a sensitivity degradation related to a target signal received by the wireless communications interface, and provide the signal indicating the capability responsive to the monitoring (Ng Claims 8-9 8. A method as in any of claims 1 or 3 to 5, where the transmitting of the determined actual or improved maximum sensitivity degradation from the user equipment comprises measurement reporting of the determined actual or improved maximum sensitivity degradation from the user equipment with cross band transmit-to -receive degradation.
9. A method as in any of claims 1 to 8, further comprising measuring a signal to interference plus noise ratio in a downlink receive signal when simultaneous transmission on one or more uplinks is present).
For Claim 7, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are to control operation of one or more antennas of the wireless communications interface responsive to the instructions (Dua ¶ 0095-0097, Fig. 7).
For Claim 8, Ng teaches a system, comprising: a first device, comprising: a wireless communications interface; and one or more processors (Ng Fig. 1) to:
identify a capability of the first device to control a parameter related to receiving a signal via the wireless communications interface, the capability representative of an improvement of reception by the device (Ng Claim 1); and
transmit, using the wireless communications interface, a signal indicating the capability of the device (Ng Claim 1); and
a second device configured to provide instructions to the first device to control… the first device according to the capability (Ng Fig. 1).
Ng does not explicitly teach control operation of the first device.
However, Dua teaches control operation of the first device (Dua ¶ 0097, Fig. 7).
Dua and Ng are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the SRS antenna switching techniques of Dua with the system of Ng to facilitate MIMO communications and beamforming (Dua ¶ 0095).
Ng-Dua does not explicitly teach the signal comprising a bitmap representing a level of the capability from among a plurality of levels.
However, Lei teaches the signal comprising a bitmap representing a level of the capability from among a plurality of levels (Lei ¶ 0078 the base station 502 may receive the signal 512 from the UE 504 communicating at least one of a positioning requirement (e.g., in the form of a bitmap of a positioning requirement level) or capability information of the UE 504.
Please see screenshot of Lei Fig. 5 below, thank you:
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Lei and Ng-Dua are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the bitmap techniques of Lei with the system of Ng-Dua to indicate a positioning accuracy, a ranging accuracy, and a velocity determination support requested by the UE (Lei ¶ 0078).
For Claim 9, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the parameter corresponds to at least one of a receiver reference sensitivity of the wireless communications interface or an improved sensitivity degradation level of the wireless communications interface (Ng Fig. 1 180).
For Claim 10, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the capability of the first device relates to controlling a signal to interference and noise ratio of signals received by the wireless communications interface (Ng Claim 9).
For Claim 11, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are to apply an enhancement to a sensitivity of the wireless communications interface responsive to receiving the instructions from the second device (Ng Fig. 8).
For Claim 12, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are to monitor a sensitivity degradation related to a target signal received by the wireless communications interface, and provide the signal indicating the capability responsive to the monitoring (Ng Claims 8-9).
For Claim 14, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are to control operation of one or more antennas of the wireless communications interface according to the instructions (Dua ¶ 0095-0097, Fig. 7).
For Claim 15, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the first device is a user equipment, and the second device is a network base station (Ng Fig. 1).
For Claim 16, Ng teaches a method, comprising: identifying, by one or more processors of a device, a capability of the device to manage a parameter related to receiving a signal via a wireless communications interface of the device, the capability representative of an improvement of reception by the device (Ng Claim 1);
providing, by the one or more processors using the wireless communications interface, to a network device, a signal indicating the capability of the device (Ng Claim 1);
receiving, by the one or more processors using the wireless communications interface, subsequent to providing the signal, one or more instructions from the network device relating to the capability (Ng Fig. 9).
Ng does not explicitly teach operating, by the one or more processors, the device according to the instructions.
However, Dua teaches operating, by the one or more processors, the device according to the instructions (Dua ¶ 0097, Fig. 7).
Dua and Ng are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the SRS antenna switching techniques of Dua with the system of Ng to facilitate MIMO communications and beamforming (Dua ¶ 0095).
Ng-Dua does not explicitly teach the signal comprising a bitmap representing a level of the capability from among a plurality of levels.
However, Lei teaches the signal comprising a bitmap representing a level of the capability from among a plurality of levels (Lei ¶ 0078 the base station 502 may receive the signal 512 from the UE 504 communicating at least one of a positioning requirement (e.g., in the form of a bitmap of a positioning requirement level) or capability information of the UE 504.
Please see screenshot of Lei Fig. 5 below, thank you:
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Lei and Ng-Dua are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the bitmap techniques of Lei with the system of Ng-Dua to indicate a positioning accuracy, a ranging accuracy, and a velocity determination support requested by the UE (Lei ¶ 0078).
For Claim 17, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the method of claim 16, wherein the parameter corresponds to at least one of a receiver reference sensitivity of the wireless communications interface or an improved sensitivity degradation level of the wireless communications interface (Ng Fig. 1 180).
For Claim 18, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the method of claim 16, wherein the capability of the device relates to managing a signal to interference and noise ratio of signals received by the wireless communications interface (Ng Claim 9).
For Claim 19, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the method of claim 16, further comprising applying an enhancement, by the one or more processors, to a sensitivity of the wireless communications interface responsive to the instructions (Ng Fig. 8).
For Claim 20, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the method of claim 16, further comprising: monitoring, by the one or more processors, a sensitivity degradation related to a target signal received by the wireless communications interface (Ng Fig. 8); and providing, by the one or more processors, the signal indicating the capability responsive to the monitoring (Ng Claims 8-9).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ng-Dua-Lei as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim (US 20150282122 A1, published 10/1/2015; hereinafter Kim)
For Claim 13, Ng-Dua-Lei teaches the system of claim 8, Ng-Dua-Lei does not explicitly teacj wherein the bitmap comprises a plurality of bits having values to represent the plurality of levels
However, Kim teaches wherein the one or more processors are to generate the signal indicating the capability using a bitmap (Kim Claim 4).
Kim and Ng-Dua are analogous art because they are both related to networking.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the bitmap techniques of Kim with the system of Ng-Dua because the BS may determine a transmission antenna and beam exerting interference to the MS based on a beam bitmap, and control not to transmit a signal to the other MSs through a corresponding transmission antenna and beam during communication with the MS, and determine a transmission antenna and beam to be used for the communication with the MS in consideration of the optimal beam set (Kim ¶ 0080).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. 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.
Any inquiry concerning communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Keller at (571)270-3863 or michael.keller@uspto.gov. If attempts to reach the examiner are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Gillis can be reached at 571-272-7952.
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/MICHAEL A KELLER/
Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446