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
The rejection of claim 10 under 35 U.S.C. §101 is withdrawn in response to amendments made to the claim.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-10 and 12-21 have been considered but are moot due to the introduction of new references necessitated by amendments to the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7, 9-10, 14, 16, 19, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wei et al. (US 2022/0191880 A1; “Wei”).
Regarding claim 1, Wei teaches a method of operating a wireless device in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
transmitting a measurement report based, in part, on control signaling received from a network node [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE; ¶ 0088: the reference signal measurement report (triggered by the DCI) means that the UE feeds back a reference signal measurement result CSI to the base station],
the control signaling including a beam switch indication, the beam switch indication comprising a measurement report indication [Wei ¶ 0212: the DCI message carries a BWP switching command (i.e. beam switch indication) and a trigger reference signal measurement report command (i.e. measurement report indication) at the same time] and an element indication [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)]; and
performing a beam selection update, the beam selection update being triggered by the received control signaling [Wei ¶ 0120: UE performs bandwidth part bundle switching according to the switching indication information (i.e. received control signaling)].
Regarding claim 2, Wei teaches a wireless device for a wireless communication network, the wireless device configured to:
transit a measurement report based, in part, on control signaling received from a network node [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE; ¶ 0088: the reference signal measurement report (triggered by the DCI) means that the UE feeds back a reference signal measurement result CSI to the base station],
the control signaling including a beam switch indication, the beam switch indication comprising a measurement report indication [Wei ¶ 0212: the DCI message carries a BWP switching command (i.e. beam switch indication) and a trigger reference signal measurement report command (i.e. measurement report indication) at the same time] and an element indication [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)]; and
perform a beam selection update, the beam selection update being triggered by the received control signaling [Wei ¶ 0120: UE performs bandwidth part bundle switching according to the switching indication information (i.e. received control signaling)].
Regarding claim 3, Wei teaches a method of operating a network node in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
receiving a measurement report from a wireless device, the measurement report based, in part, on control signaling [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE; ¶ 0088: the reference signal measurement report (triggered by the DCI) means that the UE feeds back a reference signal measurement result CSI to the base station];
transmitting the control signaling to the wireless device [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE], the control signaling triggering a beam selection update performed by the wireless device [Wei ¶ 0120: UE performs bandwidth part bundle switching according to the switching indication information (i.e. received control signaling)],
the control signaling comprising a report indication to indicate the measurement report received from the wireless device [Wei ¶ 0212: the DCI message carries a BWP switching command (i.e. beam switch indication) and a trigger reference signal measurement report command (i.e. measurement report indication) at the same time], and an element indication to indicate an entry of the indicated measurement report [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)].
Regarding claim 4, Wei teaches a network node for a wireless communication network, the network node configured to:
receive a measurement report from a wireless device, the measurement report based, in part, on control signaling [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE; ¶ 0088: the reference signal measurement report (triggered by the DCI) means that the UE feeds back a reference signal measurement result CSI to the base station];
transmit the control signaling to the wireless device [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE], the control signaling triggering a beam selection update performed by the wireless device [Wei ¶ 0120: UE performs bandwidth part bundle switching according to the switching indication information (i.e. received control signaling)],
the control signaling comprising a report indication to indicate the measurement report received from the wireless device [Wei ¶ 0212: the DCI message carries a BWP switching command (i.e. beam switch indication) and a trigger reference signal measurement report command (i.e. measurement report indication) at the same time], and an element indication to indicate an entry of the indicated measurement report [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)].
Regarding claim 7, Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the element indication is a pointer to an entry or element of the measurement report [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)].
Regarding claim 9, Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the control signaling is physical layer signaling or Radio Resource layer signaling [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE (i.e. physical layer signaling); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 10, Wei teaches a non-transitory computer storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions causing processing circuitry to one or both control and perform a method, the method comprising:
transmitting a measurement report based, in part, on control signaling received from a network node [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE; ¶ 0088: the reference signal measurement report (triggered by the DCI) means that the UE feeds back a reference signal measurement result CSI to the base station],
the control signaling including a beam switch indication, the beam switch indication comprising a measurement report indication [Wei ¶ 0212: the DCI message carries a BWP switching command (i.e. beam switch indication) and a trigger reference signal measurement report command (i.e. measurement report indication) at the same time] and an element indication [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)]; and
performing a beam selection update, the beam selection update being triggered by the received control signaling [Wei ¶ 0120: UE performs bandwidth part bundle switching according to the switching indication information (i.e. received control signaling)].
Regarding claim 14, Wei teaches the wireless device according to claim 2, wherein the element indication is a pointer to an entry or element of the measurement report [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)].
Regarding claim 16, Wei teaches the wireless device according to claim 2, wherein the control signaling is physical layer signaling or Radio Resource layer signaling [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE (i.e. physical layer signaling); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 19, Wei teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the element indication is a pointer to an entry or element of the measurement report [Wei ¶¶ 0222-0224: a time domain position for triggering the reference signal is a slot corresponding to a sum of the first available slot after BWP switching and a second preset offset, e.g., indicated by preset bit field information of the bit field part in the switching indication information (here, the second preset offset is analogous to an element indication as it is used to define the position of a triggered RS for measurement)].
Regarding claim 21, Wei teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the control signaling is physical layer signaling or Radio Resource layer signaling [Yokomakura ¶ 0152: trigger state is initiated by using a CSI request field included in the DCI (i.e. physical layer signaling); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references] [Wei ¶ 0078: a base station sends a downlink control information (DCI) message including switching indication information to a UE (i.e. physical layer signaling); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
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.
Claim(s) 5-6, 8, 12-13, 15, 17-18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei in view of Yokomakura et al. (US 2021/0067304 A1; “Yokomakura”).
Regarding claim 5, Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a beam indication or reference indication.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a beam indication or reference indication [Yokomakura ¶ 0175, Fig. 8: in a case that “10” is indicated as the value of the CSI request field for the terminal apparatus 1 in a certain slot, the terminal apparatus 1 reports the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #1 and the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #2; see also ¶ 0139: channel measurement is to measure the amount related to the quality of each layer or each codeword in a case that the downlink desired signal or channel or spatial multiplexing is assumed for the CSI measurement (i.e. report includes multiple entries associated with CSI/reference signal and BWP, i.e., a beam indication or reference indication); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 6, Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a measurement result or set of measurement results pertaining to received reference signaling.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a measurement result or set of measurement results pertaining to received reference signaling [Yokomakura ¶ 0175, Fig. 8: in a case that “10” is indicated as the value of the CSI request field for the terminal apparatus 1 in a certain slot, the terminal apparatus 1 reports the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #1 and the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #2 (i.e. a plurality CSI reported); ¶ 0128: CSI includes a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI), a CSI-RS Resource Indicator (CRI), a Strongest Layer Indication (SLI), a rank indication (RI), and/or a Layer-1 Reference Signal Received Power (L1-RSRP) (i.e. measurement results)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 8, Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report indication is a pointer to the measurement report.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report indication is a pointer to the measurement report [Yokomakura ¶ 0152: configuration related to one or multiple CSI reports for the channel measurement on one or multiple component carriers and/or trigger states (i.e. control signaling indicating CSI reports) for one or multiple CSI-RS resource sets are configured by a higher layer (see also 0158: number of states of the triggers, NCSI, for the aperiodic CSI report configured by the RRC signaling) for a CSI-RS resource set in which the operation in the time domain of the CSI-RS resource set is aperiodic; see also ¶¶ 0171-0172, Figs. 6, 7, and 8 showing RRC configuration of CSI reports, i.e., report indication].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 12, Wei teaches the wireless device according to claim 2, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a beam indication or reference indication.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a beam indication or reference indication [Yokomakura ¶ 0175, Fig. 8: in a case that “10” is indicated as the value of the CSI request field for the terminal apparatus 1 in a certain slot, the terminal apparatus 1 reports the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #1 and the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #2; see also ¶ 0139: channel measurement is to measure the amount related to the quality of each layer or each codeword in a case that the downlink desired signal or channel or spatial multiplexing is assumed for the CSI measurement (i.e. report includes multiple entries associated with CSI/reference signal and BWP, i.e., a beam indication or reference indication); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 13, Wei teaches the wireless device according to claim 2, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a measurement result or set of measurement results pertaining to received reference signaling.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a measurement result or set of measurement results pertaining to received reference signaling [Yokomakura ¶ 0175, Fig. 8: in a case that “10” is indicated as the value of the CSI request field for the terminal apparatus 1 in a certain slot, the terminal apparatus 1 reports the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #1 and the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #2 (i.e. a plurality CSI reported); ¶ 0128: CSI includes a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI), a CSI-RS Resource Indicator (CRI), a Strongest Layer Indication (SLI), a rank indication (RI), and/or a Layer-1 Reference Signal Received Power (L1-RSRP) (i.e. measurement results)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 15, Wei teaches the wireless device according to claim 2, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report indication is a pointer to the measurement report.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report indication is a pointer to the measurement report [Yokomakura ¶ 0152: configuration related to one or multiple CSI reports for the channel measurement on one or multiple component carriers and/or trigger states (i.e. control signaling indicating CSI reports) for one or multiple CSI-RS resource sets are configured by a higher layer (see also 0158: number of states of the triggers, NCSI, for the aperiodic CSI report configured by the RRC signaling) for a CSI-RS resource set in which the operation in the time domain of the CSI-RS resource set is aperiodic; see also ¶¶ 0171-0172, Figs. 6, 7, and 8 showing RRC configuration of CSI reports, i.e., report indication].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 17, Wei teaches the method according to claim 3, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a beam indication or reference indication.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a beam indication or reference indication [Yokomakura ¶ 0175, Fig. 8: in a case that “10” is indicated as the value of the CSI request field for the terminal apparatus 1 in a certain slot, the terminal apparatus 1 reports the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #1 and the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #2; see also ¶ 0139: channel measurement is to measure the amount related to the quality of each layer or each codeword in a case that the downlink desired signal or channel or spatial multiplexing is assumed for the CSI measurement (i.e. report includes multiple entries associated with CSI/reference signal and BWP, i.e., a beam indication or reference indication); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 18, Wei teaches the method according to claim 3, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a measurement result or set of measurement results pertaining to received reference signaling.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a measurement result or set of measurement results pertaining to received reference signaling [Yokomakura ¶ 0175, Fig. 8: in a case that “10” is indicated as the value of the CSI request field for the terminal apparatus 1 in a certain slot, the terminal apparatus 1 reports the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #1 and the CSI of the BWP #0 of the serving cell #2 (i.e. a plurality CSI reported); ¶ 0128: CSI includes a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), a Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI), a CSI-RS Resource Indicator (CRI), a Strongest Layer Indication (SLI), a rank indication (RI), and/or a Layer-1 Reference Signal Received Power (L1-RSRP) (i.e. measurement results)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
Regarding claim 20, Wei teaches the method according to claim 3, however, does not explicitly disclose wherein the measurement report indication is a pointer to the measurement report.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Yokomakura teaches wherein the measurement report indication is a pointer to the measurement report [Yokomakura ¶ 0152: configuration related to one or multiple CSI reports for the channel measurement on one or multiple component carriers and/or trigger states (i.e. control signaling indicating CSI reports) for one or multiple CSI-RS resource sets are configured by a higher layer (see also 0158: number of states of the triggers, NCSI, for the aperiodic CSI report configured by the RRC signaling) for a CSI-RS resource set in which the operation in the time domain of the CSI-RS resource set is aperiodic; see also ¶¶ 0171-0172, Figs. 6, 7, and 8 showing RRC configuration of CSI reports, i.e., report indication].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of triggering a beam selection and CSI report through a single control signaling as taught by Wei with the method of triggering CSI reporting for a plurality of BWP as taught by Yokomakura. The motivation to combine these references would be to improve communication efficiency in a NR communication system [Yokomakura ¶¶ 0002-0005].
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN P COX whose telephone number is (571)272-2728. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00AM-4PM EST.
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/BRIAN P COX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474