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 canceled claim 2 into independent claims 1 and 11, filed December 23, 2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 2 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 35 U.S.C. 103 over Yamada et al. US 20220006582 A1 (Foreign Priority October, 2018) in view of Takeda et al. US 20170026919 A1 (Foreign Priority October 3, 2011).
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.
Claims 1, 3-8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. US 20220006582 A1 (Foreign Priority October, 2018) in view of Takeda et al. US 20170026919 A1 (Foreign Priority October 3, 2011).
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended), Yamada discloses a base station, comprising: reception circuitry (see, reception point within a base station, section 0018), which, in operation, receives control information (see, DCI being transmitted to a base station apparatus, section 0061) on sharing of channel state information (see, the DCI having a CSI feedback report that is being fed back into the base station apparatus, section 0061) in inter-base-station coordinated communication (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses where different base station apparatuses can transmit and receive CSI, sections 0138-0140); and control circuitry (see, terminal apparatus that receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140), which, in operation, controls transmission of the channel state information to another base station (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses transmission and reception points where a terminal apparatus receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140) based on the control information (see, QCL information associated with CRI that prescribes an antenna port, signal or channel for receiving transmission, section 0138), wherein, when the control information indicates a request for the channel state information, the control circuitry instructs a base station other than the another base station among base stations involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication to transmit the channel state information to the another base station.
Yamada discloses all claim limitations but fail to explicitly disclose: wherein, when the control information indicates a request for the channel state information, the control circuitry instructs a base station other than the another base station among base stations involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication to transmit the channel state information to the another base station.
However Takeda from a similar field of endeavor discloses: wherein, when the control information indicates a request for the channel state information (see, base station needs to transmit a transmission request to the terminal only when the base station desires to obtain CSI, section 0010 Takeda; noted, a transmission request is made from the base station, using the transmission parameter in the received control information, section 0037 Takeda), the control circuitry instructs a base station other than the another base station among base stations involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication (see, control section selects, as a first P-SRS, a P-SRS having a wide band, low power density and a transmission period capable of following a channel variation, and selects, as a second P-SRS, a P-SRS having a narrow band, high power density and transmission period capable of following switching between base stations as terminal moves, section 0071 Takeda) to transmit the channel state information to the another base station (fig. 6-7, terminal 300 sets transmission resources of the first P-SRS and the second P-SRS based on the P-SRS selection set received from macro base station 100. Terminal 300 then time-division-multiplexes and transmits the first P-SRS and second P-SRS to respective base stations 100 and 200 according to the set transmission resources, section 0088 Takeda; noted, respective base stations 100 and 200 measure CSIs using the received P-SRSs. Macro base station 100 then performs PUSCH frequency scheduling and determines transmission parameters based on the CSIs measured in respective base stations 100 and 200, section 0089 Takeda)
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to modify the base station of Yamada with the base stations of Takeda. The motivation would have been to improve transmission of control information between base stations in a cell network.
Regarding claim 3 (Original), Yamada discloses the base station according to claim 1, wherein, when the control information indicates a request for the sharing of the channel state information (see, base station apparatus can transmit a CSI request to request a CSI report to the terminal apparatus, section 0144), the control circuitry (see, terminal apparatus that receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140) determines the transmission of the channel state information to the another base station indicated in the control information (see, the base station apparatus can transmit CSI configuration information or information indicating CSI configuration information in the downlink control information to the terminal apparatus to be sent to another base station apparatus through coordinated communication, section 0147).
Regarding claim 4 (Original), Yamada discloses the base station according to claim 1, wherein, when the control information indicates a request for the sharing of the channel state information (see, base station apparatus can transmit a CSI request to request a CSI report to the terminal apparatus, section 0144) related to a terminal associated with the base station (see, the terminal apparatus communicates with multiple base station apparatuses, section 0140), the control circuitry (see, terminal apparatus that receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140) determines the transmission of the channel state information to the another base station (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses transmission and reception points where a terminal apparatus receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140).
Regarding claim 5 (Original), Yamada discloses the base station according to claim 1. wherein, when the control information indicates a combination of the another base station that does not receive the channel state information among base stations (see, the use of a codebook to determine the preferable transmit beam of the base station apparatus to the terminal apparatus then to different base stations, section 0139) involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses transmission and reception points where a terminal apparatus receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140) and a source of the channel state information (see, base station apparatus can transmit a CSI request to request a CSI report to the terminal apparatus, sections 0144-0145), the control circuitry determines the transmission, to the another base station, of the channel state information from the source (see, the use of a codebook to determine the preferable transmit beam of the base station apparatus to the terminal apparatus then to different base stations, section 0139).
Regarding claim 6 (Original), Yamada discloses the base station according to claim 5, wherein the control information is included in a signal that triggers a start of measurement of the channel state information (see, measurement unit performs various measurements such as a CSI measurement to determines the CSI/RSRP/RSRQ/RSSI, section 0123; noted, terminal apparatus performs interference measurement in a resource to which ZP CSI-RS corresponds, section 0067; noted, terminal apparatus performs signal measurement (channel measurement) or interference measurement by using the NZP CSI-RS, section 0067).
Regarding claim 7 (Original), Yamada discloses the base station according to claim 1,wherein, when the control information (see, DCI being transmitted to a base station apparatus, section 0061) indicates the sharing of channel state information (see, the DCI having a CSI feedback report that is being fed back into the base station apparatus, section 0061), the control circuitry (see, terminal apparatus that receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140) determines the transmission of the channel state information to a base station involved in the inter-base- station coordinated communication (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses transmission and reception points where a terminal apparatus receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140).
Regarding claim 8 (Original), Yamada discloses the base station according to claim 7,wherein the control information is included in a signal that triggers a start of measurement of the channel state information (see, measurement unit performs various measurements such as a CSI measurement to determines the CSI/RSRP/RSRQ/RSSI, section 0123; noted, terminal apparatus performs interference measurement in a resource to which ZP CSI-RS corresponds, section 0067; noted, terminal apparatus performs signal measurement (channel measurement) or interference measurement by using the NZP CSI-RS, section 0067).
Regarding claim 11 (Currently Amended), Yamada discloses a communication method, comprising: receiving, by a base station, control information (see, DCI being transmitted to a base station apparatus, section 0061) on sharing of channel state information (see, the DCI having a CSI feedback report that is being fed back into the base station apparatus, section 0061) in inter-base-station coordinated communication (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses where different base station apparatuses can transmit and receive CSI, sections 0138-0140); and controlling, by the base station, transmission of the channel state information to another base station (see, coordinated communication of multiple base station apparatuses transmission and reception points where a terminal apparatus receives CRI (CSI-RS resource ID) with associated QCL information from a base station to transmit to another base station, sections 0138-0140) based on the control information (see, QCL information associated with CRI that prescribes an antenna port, signal or channel for receiving transmission, section 0138); and instructing a base station other than the another base station among base stations involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication to transmit the channel state information to the another base station when the control information indicates a request for the channel state information.
Yamada discloses all claim limitations but fail to explicitly disclose: instructing a base station other than the another base station among base stations involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication to transmit the channel state information to the another base station when the control information indicates a request for the channel state information.
However Takeda from a similar field of endeavor discloses: instructing a base station other than the another base station among base stations involved in the inter-base-station coordinated communication (see, control section selects, as a first P-SRS, a P-SRS having a wide band, low power density and a transmission period capable of following a channel variation, and selects, as a second P-SRS, a P-SRS having a narrow band, high power density and transmission period capable of following switching between base stations as terminal moves, section 0071 Takeda) to transmit the channel state information to the another base station (fig. 6-7, terminal 300 sets transmission resources of the first P-SRS and the second P-SRS based on the P-SRS selection set received from macro base station 100. Terminal 300 then time-division-multiplexes and transmits the first P-SRS and second P-SRS to respective base stations 100 and 200 according to the set transmission resources, section 0088 Takeda; noted, respective base stations 100 and 200 measure CSIs using the received P-SRSs. Macro base station 100 then performs PUSCH frequency scheduling and determines transmission parameters based on the CSIs measured in respective base stations 100 and 200, section 0089 Takeda) when the control information indicates a request for the channel state information (see, base station needs to transmit a transmission request to the terminal only when the base station desires to obtain CSI, section 0010 Takeda; noted, a transmission request is made from the base station, using the transmission parameter in the received control information, section 0037 Takeda).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to modify the base station of Yamada with the base stations of Takeda. The motivation would have been to improve transmission of control information between base stations in a cell network.
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamada et al. US 20220006582 A1 (Foreign Priority October, 2018) in view of Takeda et al. US 20170026919 A1 (Foreign Priority October 3, 2011), and in further view of Zhao et al. US 20230163816 A1 (Foreign Priority November 27, 2018).
The combination of Yamada and Takeda discloses all claim limitations but fail to explicitly disclose: Regarding claim 9 (Original), the base station according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry determines whether to share the channel state information with the another base station based on a line type with the another base station.
However Zhao from a similar field of endeavor discloses: the base station according to claim 1, wherein the control circuitry determines whether to share the channel state information with the another base station based on a line type with the another base station (see, the base station device is connected to the core network though either a wired or wireless communication interface where a wireless interface allows for a higher frequency band, section 0504 Zhao).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to modify the combination of Yamada and Takeda with the types of wires of Zhao. The motivation would have been to make improvements in wireless communication system with regards to channel state information.
The combination of Yamada and Takeda discloses all claim limitations but fail to explicitly disclose: Regarding claim 10 (Original), a communication method, comprising: receiving, by a base station, control information on sharing of channel state information in inter-base-station coordinated communication; and controlling, by the base station, transmission of the channel state information to another base station based on the control information.
However Zhao from a similar field of endeavor discloses: the base station according to claim 9,wherein the control circuitry determines to share the channel state information (see, base station may send reference signals (CSI-RS) to the terminal device in order to estimate the long-term channel state information which the terminal device can feedback, sections 0338-0339) when the line type is wireless (see, the base station device is connected to the core network though either a wired or wireless communication interface where a wireless interface allows for a higher frequency band, section 0504 Zhao), and determines not to share the channel state information when the line type is wired (see, the base station device is connected to the core network though either a wired or wireless communication interface where a wireless interface allows for a higher frequency band and the wired is not allowed to have a higher frequency band, section 0504 Zhao).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains to modify the combination of Yamada and Takeda with the types of wires of Zhao. The motivation would have been to make improvements in wireless communication system with regards to channel state information.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK YIPAO PEI whose telephone number is (703)756-1890. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM ET.
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/PATRICK YIPAO PEI/Examiner, Art Unit 2473
/KWANG B YAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2473