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 .
This action is in response to the application filed on 10/2/2023.
Claims 1-12 are amended.
Claims 13 is cancelled.
Claims 14-21 are new.
Claims 1-12 and 14-21 have been examined and rejected.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/6/2023 is considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because, the claim is directed to ”a computer storage medium storing a computer program”, that is non-statutory for the fact that they cover transitory signal.
This rejection can be overcome by amending the claim to include “non-transitory” prior to the limitation “medium”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-8, 11-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sun (US 12, 438,588 B2).
Regarding Claim 1, Sun discloses a method of operating a feedback radio node (see FIG. 4. UE) in a wireless communication network (see FIG. 4. Signaling for multi TRP reporting), the feedback radio node being configured with a reference signalling configuration (see page 12, lines 15-23, For a group of either NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource, the following configurations may be utilized. Each NZP-CSI-RS-Resource-Set or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource may be configured with a physical cell ID (PCI), or may be configured with a CORESETPoolIndex, or may be configured with a separate group index),
the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP), the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”), the method comprising;
transmitting a measurement report according to the reference signalling configuration (see col 8, lines 25-45, Prior to the transmission of the group pair, the network may provide the UE with a CSI-ReportConfig message that is configured to indicate to the UE how to report various types of CSI. When group based reporting is configured, the network may include group based reporting information in the CSI-ReportConfig message or any other appropriate message. The CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate a bitmap based on the CSI-RS resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, a (N) bitmap may be configured. For each bit, a 0 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the first TRP and a 1 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the second TRP. In some embodiments, the CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate segmentation at the resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP; also see col 8, page 12, lines 10-15, performing an uplink transmission to the TRPs using an uplink resource associated with the selected beam… the UE may report the beam selection and/or the corresponding measurement data to the network).
Regarding Claim 2, Sun discloses a feedback radio node (see FIG. 4. UE) for a wireless communication network, the feedback radio node being configured: with a reference signalling configuration (see page 12, lines 15-23, For a group of either NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource, the following configurations may be utilized. Each NZP-CSI-RS-Resource-Set or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource may be configured with a physical cell ID (PCI), or may be configured with a CORESETPoolIndex, or may be configured with a separate group index),
the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP), the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP), the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”); and
to transmit a measurement report according to the reference signalling configuration (see col 8, lines 25-45, Prior to the transmission of the group pair, the network may provide the UE with a CSI-ReportConfig message that is configured to indicate to the UE how to report various types of CSI. When group based reporting is configured, the network may include group based reporting information in the CSI-ReportConfig message or any other appropriate message. The CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate a bitmap based on the CSI-RS resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, a (N) bitmap may be configured. For each bit, a 0 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the first TRP and a 1 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the second TRP. In some embodiments, the CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate segmentation at the resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP; also see col 8, page 12, lines 10-15, performing an uplink transmission to the TRPs using an uplink resource associated with the selected beam… the UE may report the beam selection and/or the corresponding measurement data to the network).
Regarding Claim 3, Sun discloses a feedback method of operating a signalling radio node (see FIG. 4, Cell 120A) in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
configuring a feedback radio node with a with a reference signalling configuration (see page 12, lines 15-23, For a group of either NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource, the following configurations may be utilized. Each NZP-CSI-RS-Resource-Set or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource may be configured with a physical cell ID (PCI), or may be configured with a CORESETPoolIndex, or may be configured with a separate group index), the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP),
the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP), the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”); and
receiving a measurement report according to the reference signalling configuration (see col 8, lines 25-45, Prior to the transmission of the group pair, the network may provide the UE with a CSI-ReportConfig message that is configured to indicate to the UE how to report various types of CSI. When group based reporting is configured, the network may include group based reporting information in the CSI-ReportConfig message or any other appropriate message. The CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate a bitmap based on the CSI-RS resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, a (N) bitmap may be configured. For each bit, a 0 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the first TRP and a 1 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the second TRP. In some embodiments, the CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate segmentation at the resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP; also see col 8, page 12, lines 10-15, performing an uplink transmission to the TRPs using an uplink resource associated with the selected beam… the UE may report the beam selection and/or the corresponding measurement data to the network/i.e., measurement report received by the network).
Regarding Claim 4, Sun discloses a signaling radio node (see FIG. 4, Cell 120A) for a wireless communication network, the signalling radio node being configured to:
configure a feedback radio node with a reference signalling configuration (see page 12, lines 15-23, For a group of either NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource, the following configurations may be utilized. Each NZP-CSI-RS-Resource-Set or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource may be configured with a physical cell ID (PCI), or may be configured with a CORESETPoolIndex, or may be configured with a separate group index),
the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP),
the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals, the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP), the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”); and
receive a measurement report according to the reference signalling configuration (see col 8, lines 25-45, Prior to the transmission of the group pair, the network may provide the UE with a CSI-ReportConfig message that is configured to indicate to the UE how to report various types of CSI. When group based reporting is configured, the network may include group based reporting information in the CSI-ReportConfig message or any other appropriate message. The CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate a bitmap based on the CSI-RS resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, a (N) bitmap may be configured. For each bit, a 0 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the first TRP and a 1 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the second TRP. In some embodiments, the CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate segmentation at the resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP; also see col 8, page 12, lines 10-15, performing an uplink transmission to the TRPs using an uplink resource associated with the selected beam… the UE may report the beam selection and/or the corresponding measurement data to the network/i.e., measurement report received by the network).
Regarding Claims 5, 15, Sun discloses: M is 1 or larger (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell may configure multiple groups of reference signals/i.e., “M” is the number of groups that is larger than 1, and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP; see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP).
Regarding Claims 6, 14, 16, Sun discloses: m=1,…, M, and N, is the or different for different m (see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”).
Regarding Claims 7, 17, Sun discloses: the measurement report pertains to P groups of the M groups, with P being one of 0,. , M (see col 3, lines 20-23, The UE may collect measurement data using the reference signals, select a beam associated with each TRP and then report the selected beams to the network).
Regarding Claims 8, 18, Sun discloses: the reference signals are one or both synchronisation signals and Channel State Information Reference Signals, CSI-RS (see col 6, lines 49-51, A group of reference signals may refer to a group of channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS), a group of synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) or a group of any other appropriate type of reference signals).
Regarding Claim 12, Sun discloses a computer storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions causing processing circuitry to one or both control and perform a method of
operating a feedback radio node in a wireless communication network (see FIG. 4. Signaling for multi TRP reporting), the feedback radio node being configured with a reference signalling configuration (see page 12, lines 15-23, For a group of either NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource, the following configurations may be utilized. Each NZP-CSI-RS-Resource-Set or NZP-CSI-RS-Resource may be configured with a physical cell ID (PCI), or may be configured with a CORESETPoolIndex, or may be configured with a separate group index),
the reference signalling configuration indicating set of groups of reference signals (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell 120A may configure multiple groups of reference signals and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP), the set comprising M groups, each group comprising a number Nm of reference signals (see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”), the method comprising:
transmitting a measurement report according to the reference signalling configuration (see col 8, lines 25-45, Prior to the transmission of the group pair, the network may provide the UE with a CSI-ReportConfig message that is configured to indicate to the UE how to report various types of CSI. When group based reporting is configured, the network may include group based reporting information in the CSI-ReportConfig message or any other appropriate message. The CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate a bitmap based on the CSI-RS resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, a (N) bitmap may be configured. For each bit, a 0 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the first TRP and a 1 may indicate that the corresponding CSI-RS or SSB belongs to the second TRP. In some embodiments, the CSI-ReportConfig message may indicate segmentation at the resource level. To provide an example, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP; also see col 8, page 12, lines 10-15, performing an uplink transmission to the TRPs using an uplink resource associated with the selected beam… the UE may report the beam selection and/or the corresponding measurement data to the network).
Regarding Claims 14, 16, Sun discloses the feedback radio node according to claim 2, wherein m=1,..., M, and N, is the same or different for different m (see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB/i.e., representing the number of reference signals denoted as “N”, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP/i.e., representing two TRP groups denoted as “M”).
Regarding Claim 15, Sun discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein M is 1 or larger (see page 11, lines 33-35, the cell may configure multiple groups of reference signals/i.e., “M” is the number of groups that is larger than 1, and each group may correspond to a single TRP. For example, a first group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a first TRP and a second group of reference signals may be configured for transmission by a second TRP; see FIG. 4. At 405, configure multiple groups of reference signals; also see col 8, lines 25-45, for (N) CSI-RS or SSB, the gNB may configure a single value (M)<(N), the first (M) CSI-RS resources may correspond to the first TRP and the remaining N-M CSI-RS resources may correspond to the second TRP).
Regarding Claims 11, 21, Sun discloses: the measurement report is based on measuring with multiple reception beams (see FIG. 4., col 6, lines 8-12, For beam reporting, a TRP may transmit multiple beams to the UE. Each beam may include reference signals that are to be measured by the UE. The UE may then select a beam and report the selection to the network).
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) 9-10, 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun in view of Cheng (US 20190379506 A1).
Regarding Claims 9, 19, Sun discloses: that UE may collect measurement data using the reference signals, select a beam associated with each TRP and then report the selected beams to the network.
Sun does not disclose details regarding: the measurement report comprises one or more entries for each group, each entry pertaining to one or both of a measured parameter and a group indication.
In the same field of endeavor, Cheng teaches this limitation: see FIGs. 2A-2B, paras 90-93, CSI Reporting in Multi-TRP Transmission by Group Based CSI Indicator: a BS may configure a UE with a CSI measurement configuration (e.g., CSI-MeasConfig) which may include a CSI report configuration (e.g., CSI-ReportConfig) and a CSI resource configuration (e.g., CSI-ResourceConfig). The UE may be configured with a CSI-ReportConfig to perform a periodic reporting, and the UE may calculate and report CRI/RI/PMI/LI/CQI according to a CSIReportQuantity IE contained in the CSI-ReportConfig... The UE is also configured with a GroupBasedCSIReporting IE. When the value of the GroupBasedCSIReporting IE is set as true, the UE may report and calculate the CSI for multiple TRPs/i.e., CSI reporting for each TRP group. In a slot that the UE is configured to perform the CSI measurement according to the CSI-ReportConfig, the UE may measure all the CSI-RS resources based on the TRP information.
Therefore, it would have been obvious, to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Sun to include details regarding the measurement report comprises entries for each group, each entry pertaining to one or both of a measured parameter and a group indication (TRP/group information) as taught by Cheng, for an improved mechanism for multi-TRP transmission (see Cheng, para 4).
Regarding Claims 10, 20, Sun does not disclose details regarding: each reference signal of one group pertains to the same transmission beam (Examiners Note: Using BRI consistent with the specification, this limitation has been interpreted to mean: “each reference signal of a group has a QCL relationship to each of the other reference signal resources”.
Based on this interpretation, and in the same field of endeavor, see para 50, The TRP information may help a UE to identify the correspondence between multiple TRPs and DL RS resources. In some implementations, the DL RS resources may be Quasi Co-Location (QCL) associated RS resources, such as Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs), CSI-RSs, and Phase-Tracking Reference Signals (PT-RSs). With the TRP information, the UE may know from which base station/TRP the transmitted DL RSs are received.
It would have been obvious, to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Sun to include details regarding each reference signal of one group pertains to the same transmission beam as taught by Cheng, for an improved mechanism for multi-TRP transmission (see Cheng, para 4).
Conclusion
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/DEEPA BELUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472