DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Cross Reference to Related Applications
2. This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from Indian Application Number 202221066337, titled "METHODS OF TWO DOWNLINK CHANNEL STATE INFORMATION AND TWO UPLINK CHANNEL STATE INFORMATION FOR FULL DUPLEX SYSTEM," filed on Nov. 18, 2022. The disclosure of each of the foregoing documents is incorporated by reference.
Priority
3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claims status
4. Based on the Response to Restriction Requirement filed on January 16, 2026, applicant elects, to prosecute Group I, as claims 1-10 without traverse. Claims 11-22 have been withdrawn and cancelled. Therefore, claims 1-10 are pending for examination.
Drawings
5. The Examiner contends that the drawings submitted on November 13, 2023 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Information Disclosure Statement
6. The Examiner has considered the reference(s) listed on the Information Disclosure Statements submitted on January 19, 2025 and May 20, 2025.
Claim Objection (minor informalities)
7. Claims 1, 2, 3,6, 7, 8 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites:
“…receiving…for downlink (DL)-only slots and for subband full duplex (SBFD) slots, …” in line 4-5 and;
“…receiving CSI-RS signals on DL-only slots and DL resource of SBFD slots…” in line 8-9.
It appears that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” in line 8-9 are referring back to “downlink (DL)-only slots” and “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from line 4-5.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “…receiving CSI-RS signals on the DL-only slots and DL resource of the …” in line 8-9.
If applicant is of the opinion that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” in line 8-9 are not referring back to “downlink (DL)-only slots” and “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from line 4-5, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regarding claim 2, the claim recites: “The method of claim 1, wherein UE estimates … configured for DL-only slots and SBFD slots”.
Claim 2 depends on claim 1 and it appears that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 2 is referring back to “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 1.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “the DL-only slots and “the SBFD slots”.
If applicant is of the opinion that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 2 is not referring back to “downlink (DL)-only slots” and “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from claim 1, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regarding claim 3, the claim recites: “…a common CMR is configured for DL-only slots and SBFD slots” in line 2.
Claim 3 depends on claim 1 and it appears that “DL-only slots” and SBFD slots” from claim 2 is referring back to “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 1.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “the DL-only slots and “the SBFD slots”.
If applicant is of the opinion that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 3 is not referring back to “downlink (DL)-only slots” and “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from claim 1, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regarding claim 6, the claim recites: “…configured for SBFD slots” in line 3.
Claim 6 depends on claims 1 and 5 and it appears that “SBFD slots” from claim 6 is referring back to “SBFD slots” from claim 1.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “the SBFD slots”.
If applicant is of the opinion that “SBFD slots” from claim 6 is not referring back to “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from claim 1, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regarding claim 7, the claim recites: “…DL-only slots” and “…SBFD slots” in line 2-3.
Claim 7 depends on claim 1 and it appears that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 7 is referring back to “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 1.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “the DL-only slots and “the SBFD slots”.
If applicant is of the opinion that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 7 is not referring back to “downlink (DL)-only slots” and “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from claim 1, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regarding claim 8, the claim recites: “…DL-only slots” and “…SBFD slots” in line 3.
Claim 8 depends on claim 1 and it appears that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 8 is referring back to “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 1.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “the DL-only slots and “the SBFD slots”.
If applicant is of the opinion that “DL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” from claim 8 is not referring back to “downlink (DL)-only slots” and “subband full duplex (SBFD) slots” from claim 1, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Regarding claim 10, the claim recites: “…SBFD slots” and “UL-only slots” in line 2-3.
Claim 10 depends on claim 9 and it appears that “…SBFD slots” and “UL-only slots” from claim 9 is referring back to “…SBFD slots” and “UL-only slots” from claim 10.
In order to avoid the insufficient antecedent basis, it is suggested to amend as “ “the SBFD slots” and “the UL-only slots”.
If applicant is of the opinion that “…SBFD slots” and “UL-only slots” from claim 10 is not referring back to “…SBFD slots” and “UL-only slots” from claim 10, further clarification is requested and it is suggested to fix antecedent basis issues.
Appropriate corrections are requested. For the purpose of examinations, the examiner will interpret the claims as best understood.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
8. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
9. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
10. There are two separate requirements under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b). MPEP § 2171. The first is subjective and requires that the claims must set forth the subject matter that the Applicants regard as their invention. Id. The second is objective and requires that the claims must particularly point out and distinctively define the metes and bounds of the subject matter that will be protected by the patent grant (i.e., whether the scope of the claim is clear to one of ordinary skill in the art). Id.
11. Claims 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 4, the claim recites: “…channel estimation using the CSI-RS configured to the CMR” in line 2.
Claim 1 recites “a first CSI-RS configuration for DL only slots”, “ a second CSI-RS configuration for SBFD slots” and “ a CSI-RS signals on DL only slots” in line 3-5 and 8.
Claim 4 depends on claims 1 and 3 and it is unclear whether “the CSI-RS” in line 2 from claim 4 is referring back to “a first CSI-RS configuration for DL only slots”, “ a second CSI-RS configuration for SBFD slots” and “ a CSI-RS signals on DL only slots” in line 3-5 and 8 from claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, the claim recites: “…CMR contents for the first RS configuration and the second RS configuration are different” in line 1-2.
Claim 1 recites “a first CSI-RS configuration for DL only slots”, “ a second CSI-RS configuration for SBFD slots” in line 2-3.
Claim 5 depends on claim 1 and it is unclear whether “the first RS configuration and the second RS configuration” in line 1-2 from claim 5 is referring back to “a first CSI-RS configuration for DL only slots”, “ a second CSI-RS configuration for SBFD slots” in line 2-3 from claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, the claim recites: “…using the CSI-RS configured for the DL-only slots…” and “…CSI-RS configured for SBFD slots” in line 2-3.
Claim 1 recites “a first CSI-RS configuration for DL only slots”, “ a second CSI-RS configuration for SBFD slots” and “ a CSI-RS signals on DL only slots” in line 3-5 and 8.
Claim 6 depends on claims 1 and 5 and it is unclear whether “the CSI-RS configured for the DL-only slots” and “CSI-RS configured for SBFD slots” in line 2-3 from claim 6 is referring back to “a first CSI-RS configuration for DL only slots”, “ a second CSI-RS configuration for SBFD slots” and “ a CSI-RS signals on DL only slots” in line 3-5 and 8 from claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, the claim recites:
“ … receiving a first sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration for uplink (UL)only slots and a second SRS configuration for subband full duplex (SBFD) slots ; and
transmitting SRS signals on UL-only slots and SBFD slots based on the
first SRS configuration and the second SRS configuration”.
The claim recites “UL-only slots” and “ SBFD slots” in line 2-3 and line 5.
It is unclear whether “UL-only slots” and “SBFD slots” in line 5 is referring back to “UL-only slots and SBFD slots” from line 2-3.
Regarding claim 10, which depends from claim 9 is further rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph at least via dependency to the respective claim.
For the purpose of examinations, the examiner will interpret the claims as best understood. Applicant is requested and required to appropriately address and clarify as applicable. Further clarification is requested to understand what applicant is trying to accomplish.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
12. 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.
13. Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DEOGUN (US 2025/0379698 A1), hereinafter “Deogun” in view of SHIM et al. (US 2026/0025302 A1), hereinafter “Shim”.
Regarding claim 1, Deogun discloses a method for a suer equipment (UE) in a wireless network (Figs. 20-24, method performed by user equipment and an access network node capable of reducing interference in communication) comprising:
receiving, by the UE (Figs. 20-22), a first channel status information (CSI) reference signal (RS) configuration (Figs. 20-22, paragraphs [0277], [0293], [0294], CSI-RS resource configuration) for downlink (DL)-only slots (Figs. 20-22, paragraphs [0277], [0293]-[0294], non-SBFD (TDD DL slots)) and a second CSI-RS configuration for subband full duplex (SBFD) slots (paragraphs [0277], [0293]-[0294], SBFD specific);
receiving CSI-RS signals on DL-only slots (Figs. 20-22, paragraph [0274], non-SBFD (TDD DL slots)) and DL resources of SBFD slots (Figs. 20-22, paragraph [0274], SBFD specific) based on the first CSI-RS configuration and the second CSI-RS configuration (Figs. 20-22, paragraph [0274], one or more SBFD specific CSI-RS resource settings for SBFD slots/symbols and one or more TDD specific CSI-RS resource settings for other (legacy) TDD slots/symbols); and
performing channel status information (CSI) measurements of the CSI-RS signals (Figs. 20-22, paragraph [0274], CSI-RS measurement and reporting).
While Deogun implicitly refers to “each CSI-RS configuration includes configurations for channel measurement resource (CMR) and interference measurement resource (IMR)” (paragraph [0180], CSI-RS may either be either zero power (ZP-CSI-RS) or non-zero power (NZP-CSI-RS); NZP-CSI-RS are used for most of the procedures including channel measurement, beam management, beam measurement, connected mode mobility etc.; ZP-CSI-RS are empty resource elements, used primarily for interference measurement), Shim from the same or similar field of endeavor explicitly discloses each CSI-RS configuration includes configurations (Fig. 7, paragraphs [0092]-[0095], CSI resource configuration may include at least one of a CSI-IM resource for interference measurement, an NZP CSI-RS resource for interference measurement, and an NZP CSI-RS resource for channel measurement) for channel measurement (CMR) and interference measurement resource (Fig. 7, paragraphs [0092]-[0095], channel measurement resource (CMR) may be a NZP CSI-RS for CSI acquisition, and the interference measurement resource (IMR) may be an NZP CSI-RS for CSI-IM and IM).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “each CSI-RS configuration includes configurations for channel measurement (CMR) and interference measurement resource” as taught by Shim, in the system of Deogun, so that it would provide accurate and efficient method of transmitting and receiving signals as more and more communication devices require larger communication capacities and a need for mobile broadband communication improved from the legacy radio access technology (Shim, paragraph [0003]).
Regarding claim 2, Deogun discloses the UE estimates an interference covariance individually on IMRs configured for DL-only slots and SBFD slots (Figs. 20-22, paragraph [0274], CSI-RS measurement and reporting; one or more SBFD specific CSI-RS resource settings for SBFD slots/symbols and one or more TDD specific CSI-RS resource settings for other (legacy) TDD slots/symbols).
Regarding claim 3, Deogun discloses a common CMR is configured for DL-only lots and SBFD slots (paragraph [0339], a single CSI-RS resource 3002 is configured for associated CSI reporting for both the PDSCH of a legacy TDD DL slot (as illustrated at 3010 a) and for the PDSCH of an SBFD slot (as illustrated at 3010 b)).
Regarding claim 4, Deogun discloses the UE performs channel estimation using the CSI-RS configured on the CMR (paragraph [0339], a single CSI-RS resource 3002 is configured for associated CSI reporting for both the PDSCH of a legacy TDD DL slot (as illustrated at 3010 a) and for the PDSCH of an SBFD slot (as illustrated at 3010 b)).
Regarding claim 5, Deogun discloses CMR contents for the first RS configuration and the second RS configuration are different (Fig. 20, paragraphs [0273], [02765], [0277], different CSI-RS configurations during SBFD and legacy TDD).
Regarding claim 6, Deogun discloses UE performs channel estimation individually using the CSI-RS configured for the DL-only slots and CSI-RS configured for SBFD slots (Figs. 20-22, paragraph [0274], one or more SBFD specific CSI-RS resource settings for SBFD slots/symbols and one or more TDD specific CSI-RS resource settings for other (legacy) TDD slots/symbols).
Regarding claim 7, Deogun discloses receiving a first CSI report configuration for DL-only slots and a second CSI report configuration for SBFD slots (Fig. 29, paragraph [0334], one set of CSI-RS resources and associated CSI-RS reports may be configured for use in respect of non-SBFD (legacy TDD DL) slots, and another set of CSI-RS resources and associated CSI-RS reports may be configured for use in respect of SBFD slots).
Regarding claim 8, Deogun discloses the CSI-RS signals are periodic or aperiodic, and wherein for periodic CSI-RS signals the periodicity of CSI-RS for SBFD slots and DL-only slots are different (paragraph [0193], multiple CSI report configuration instances and CSI resource configuration instances; multiple resource sets can be configured per CSI resource config for the case of aperiodic CSI RS resources).
Regarding claim 9, Deogun discloses receiving a first sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration for uplink (UL)-only slots and a second SRS configuration for subband full duplex (SBFD) slots; and transmitting SRS signals on UL only slots and SBFD slots based on the first SRS configuration and the second SRS configuration (paragraphs [0367], [0380], (pre) configured with a different respective number of repetitions for uplink (e.g., PUCCH/PRACH and/or SRS) transmissions in SBFD slots/symbols, than for uplink (e.g., PUCCH/PRACH and/or SRS) transmissions in legacy TDD UL slots/symbols; configured for the overall control of the reception and decoding of uplink communications, via associated uplink channels (e.g. via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), a random-access channel (RACH), and/or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)) including both dynamic and semi-static signalling (e.g., SRS)).
14. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DEOGUN (US 2025/0379698 A1), hereinafter “Deogun” in view of SHIM et al. (US 2026/0025302 A1), hereinafter “Shim” in view of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #110bis-e (R1-2209770; as submitted by the applicant with IDS dated May 20, 2025), hereinafter “3GPP’770”.
Regarding claim 10, Deogun in view of Shim disclose the method according to claim 9.
While Deogun implicitly refers to “the SRS signals are periodic or aperiodic, and wherein for periodic SRS signals the periodicity of SRS for SBFD slots and UL-only slots are different” (paragraph [0380], dynamic and semi-static SRS signaling), 3GPP’770 from the same or similar field of endeavor explicitly discloses the SRS signals are periodic or aperiodic, and wherein for periodic SRS signals the periodicity of SRS for SBFD slots and UL-only slots are different (page 12, section 2.2.3.7, two resource allocation configurations for periodic and semi-persistent SRS transmission and the set of parameters applied to UE-only slots and SBFD slots).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “the SRS signals are periodic or aperiodic, and wherein for periodic SRS signals the periodicity of SRS for SBFD slots and UL-only slots are different” as taught by 3GPP’770, in the combined system of Deogun and Shim, so that it would provide supporting frequency domain allocations for periodic and aperiodic SRS transmission based on the slot type (3GPP’770, section 2.2.3.7, proposal 20).
Conclusion
15. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SITHU KO whose telephone number is 571-272-8647. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Friday 8:30am-5:00pmEST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edan Orgad can be reached on 571-272-7884. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SITHU KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414