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 .
Claims 1-20 are subject to examination and rejected.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang (US PGPub 2022/0052747) in view of Kumar (US PGPub 2025/0063588).
Regarding claim 1, Tang teaches a method (Tang, see paragraph 0034, the base station enables the UE to tailor its SRS needs based on its beam correspondence with its serving network base station) comprising:
grouping wireless devices connected to an access node in a network into one of a mobile group and a stationary group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)); and
adjusting a periodicity for receiving the SRS from the wireless devices belonging to the stationary group, causing the wireless devices in the stationary group to send the SRS to the access node less frequently than the wireless devices in the mobile group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, when the UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment is stable, the UE can reduce the SRS resources by requesting a large periodicity to reduce the overhead due to low mobility. When the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like), the UE can increase the SRS resources by requesting a small periodicity to adapt to the high mobility state).
Tang teaches the above yet fails to teach at least some of the wireless devices in the network utilizing sounding reference signal (SRS) antenna switching to send SRS to the access node from receiving antennas.
Then Kumar teaches at least some of the wireless devices in the network utilizing sounding reference signal (SRS) antenna switching to send SRS to the access node from receiving antennas (Kumar, see paragraph 0041, To aid the network entity in obtaining a complete downlink channel estimate (e.g., for all possible downlink channels associated with the UE), the UE may transmit SRS from each of its RX antennas or antenna ports, which may be referred to as SRS antenna switching).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tang with User equipment performance in carrier aggregation scenarios of Kumar, because doing so would make Tang more efficient in reducing communications latency and improving communications efficiency (Kumar, see paragraph 0205).
Regarding claim 2, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein the stationary group comprises fixed wireless access (FWA) devices (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 3, Tang in view of Kumar teaches further comprising grouping the wireless devices based on respective single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) (Tang, see paragraph 0095, The NSSF 329 may select a set of network slice instances serving the UE 301. The NSSF 329 may also determine allowed NSSAI and the mapping to the subscribed S-NSSAIs, if needed).
Regarding claim 4, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein the S-NSSAI includes a slice service type (SST) and a slice differentiator (SD) and grouping the wireless devices includes grouping wireless devices having a first SD value in the stationary group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 5, Tang in view of Kumar teaches further comprising grouping wireless devices with a second SD value in the mobile group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 6, Tang in view of Kumar teaches further comprising grouping the wireless devices based on a service profile identifier (SPID) (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 7, Tang in view of Kumar teaches further comprising adjusting the SRS periodicity for the stationary group to a maximum allowed by the network (Tang, see paragraph 0035, when the UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment is stable, the UE can reduce the SRS resources by requesting a large periodicity to reduce the overhead due to low mobility. When the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like), the UE can increase the SRS resources by requesting a small periodicity to adapt to the high mobility state).
Regarding claim 8, Tang in view of Kumar teaches further comprising increasing a number of connected wireless devices in the stationary group based on the adjusted SRS periodicity (Tang, see paragraph 0035, when the UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment is stable, the UE can reduce the SRS resources by requesting a large periodicity to reduce the overhead due to low mobility. When the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like), the UE can increase the SRS resources by requesting a small periodicity to adapt to the high mobility state).
Regarding claim 9, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein the wireless devices in the stationary group using time division duplexing (TDD) and frequency division duplexing (FDD) carrier aggregation experience improved secondary cell (SCell) throughput on FDD triggered by the periodicity adjustment (Kumar, see paragraph 0058, A UE 115 may be configured with multiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink component carriers according to a carrier aggregation configuration. Carrier aggregation may be used with both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) component carriers).
Regarding claim 10, Tang teaches a system (Tang, see paragraph 0034, the base station enables the UE to tailor its SRS needs based on its beam correspondence with its serving network base station) comprising:
a memory storing data and instructions (Tang, see figure 1, RAN or gNB); and
a processor coupled to the memory executing the stored instructions to perform operations (Tang, see figure 1, RAN or gNB) comprising:
grouping wireless devices connected to an access node in a network into one of a mobile group and a stationary group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)); and
adjusting a periodicity for receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS) from the wireless devices belonging to the stationary group, causing the wireless devices in the stationary group to send the SRS to the access node less frequently than the wireless devices in the mobile group to improve throughput on the FDD carrier (Tang, see paragraph 0035, when the UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment is stable, the UE can reduce the SRS resources by requesting a large periodicity to reduce the overhead due to low mobility. When the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like), the UE can increase the SRS resources by requesting a small periodicity to adapt to the high mobility state).
Tang teaches the above yet fails to teach at least some of the wireless devices in the network utilizing time division duplexing (TDD) and frequency division duplexing (FDD) carrier aggregation (CA).
Then Kumar teaches at least some of the wireless devices in the network utilizing time division duplexing (TDD) and frequency division duplexing (FDD) carrier aggregation (CA) (Kumar, see paragraph 0058, A UE 115 may be configured with multiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink component carriers according to a carrier aggregation configuration. Carrier aggregation may be used with both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) component carriers).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tang with User equipment performance in carrier aggregation scenarios of Kumar, because doing so would make Tang more efficient in reducing communications latency and improving communications efficiency (Kumar, see paragraph 0205).
Regarding claim 11, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein the stationary group comprises fixed wireless access (FWA) devices (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 12, Tang in view of Kumar teaches the operations further comprising grouping the wireless devices based on respective single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) (Tang, see paragraph 0095, The NSSF 329 may select a set of network slice instances serving the UE 301. The NSSF 329 may also determine allowed NSSAI and the mapping to the subscribed S-NSSAIs, if needed).
Regarding claim 13, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein the S-NSSAI includes a slice service type (SST) and a slice differentiator (SD) and the operations further comprise grouping the wireless devices having a first SD value in the stationary group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 14, Tang in view of Kumar teaches the operations further comprising grouping wireless devices with a second SD value in the mobile group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 15, Tang in view of Kumar teaches the operations further comprising grouping the wireless devices based on a service profile identifier (SPID) (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 16, Tang in view of Kumar teaches the operations further comprising increasing a number of connected wireless devices in the stationary group based on the adjusted SRS periodicity (Tang, see paragraph 0035, when the UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment is stable, the UE can reduce the SRS resources by requesting a large periodicity to reduce the overhead due to low mobility. When the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like), the UE can increase the SRS resources by requesting a small periodicity to adapt to the high mobility state).
Regarding claim 17, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein at least some of the wireless devices utilize SRS antenna switching to send the SRS from receive antennas of the wireless devices (Kumar, see paragraph 0041, To aid the network entity in obtaining a complete downlink channel estimate (e.g., for all possible downlink channels associated with the UE), the UE may transmit SRS from each of its RX antennas or antenna ports, which may be referred to as SRS antenna switching).
Regarding claim 18, Tang teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executed by a processor to perform multiple operations (Tang, see paragraph 0034, the base station enables the UE to tailor its SRS needs based on its beam correspondence with its serving network base station) comprising:
grouping wireless devices connected to an access node in a network into one of a mobile group and a stationary group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)); and
adjusting a periodicity for receiving the SRS from the wireless devices belonging to the stationary group, causing the wireless devices in the stationary group to send the SRS to the access node less frequently than the wireless devices in the mobile group (Tang, see paragraph 0035, when the UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment is stable, the UE can reduce the SRS resources by requesting a large periodicity to reduce the overhead due to low mobility. When the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like), the UE can increase the SRS resources by requesting a small periodicity to adapt to the high mobility state).
Tang teaches the above yet fails to teach at least some of the wireless devices in the network utilizing time division duplexing (TDD) and frequency division duplexing (FDD) carrier aggregation (CA) and utilizing sounding reference signal (SRS) antenna switching to send SRS to the access node from receiving antennas of the wireless devices.
Then Kumar teaches at least some of the wireless devices in the network utilizing time division duplexing (TDD) and frequency division duplexing (FDD) carrier aggregation (CA) (Kumar, see paragraph 0058, A UE 115 may be configured with multiple downlink component carriers and one or more uplink component carriers according to a carrier aggregation configuration. Carrier aggregation may be used with both frequency division duplexing (FDD) and time division duplexing (TDD) component carriers) and utilizing sounding reference signal (SRS) antenna switching to send SRS to the access node from receiving antennas of the wireless devices (Kumar, see paragraph 0041, To aid the network entity in obtaining a complete downlink channel estimate (e.g., for all possible downlink channels associated with the UE), the UE may transmit SRS from each of its RX antennas or antenna ports, which may be referred to as SRS antenna switching).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tang with User equipment performance in carrier aggregation scenarios of Kumar, because doing so would make Tang more efficient in reducing communications latency and improving communications efficiency (Kumar, see paragraph 0205).
Regarding claim 19, Tang in view of Kumar teaches wherein the stationary group comprises fixed wireless access (FWA) devices (Tang, see paragraph 0035, a UE dynamically selects the required or desired periodicity and occurrence in aperiodic mode based on real time conditions, such as mobility, etc. The UE is stationary relative to a gNB and an environment … the UE is in a high mobility state (e.g., moving at a relatively high speed or the like)).
Regarding claim 20, Tang in view of Kumar teaches the operations further comprising grouping the wireless devices based on respective single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) (Tang, see paragraph 0095, The NSSF 329 may select a set of network slice instances serving the UE 301. The NSSF 329 may also determine allowed NSSAI and the mapping to the subscribed S-NSSAIs, if needed).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHONG G KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-0619. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri @ 9am - 5pm.
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/CHONG G KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2443
/NICHOLAS R TAYLOR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2443