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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 26 depends on claim 21, wherein claim 21 is cancelled.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NPL (3GPP TSG WG1 Meeting #104bis-e, R1-2103615, published 4/12/2021).
(1) Regarding claim 1:
NPL discloses a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, applied to a terminal device and comprising:
determining a valid duration of a reference signal availability indication (DCI format carrying paging early indication (PEI) can also include TSR/CSI-RS availability information; a bitwidth of a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasion within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 5, last paragraph; the examiner interprets eh bitwidth of the bitfield as the claimed valid duration); and
in response to receiving the reference signal availability indication, determining availability of a reference signal within a valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication (a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasions within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 85, last paragraph; The first/leftmost bit of the bitfield corresponds to TRS/CSI-RS occasion/resource set index 0, the second bit corresponds to TRS/CSI-RS resource set index 1, and so on. Value 0 in the bitmap indicates that the corresponding TRS/CSI-RS resource set is not available while value 1 indicates that the corresponding TRS/CSI-RS resource set is available, page 5, last paragraph to page 6, 1st paragraph; the examiner interprets the time occupied by a bit in the bitfield as the claimed valid time domain range), wherein the valid time domain range is determined based on the valid duration (the bitwidth of the bitfield is define by the DCI format carrying paging early indication (PEI) can also include TSR/CSI-RS availability information; a bitwidth of a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasion within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 5, last paragraph).
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.
Claims 1, 22, and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ye et al. (US 2022/0321296 A1).
(1) Regarding claim 1:
Ye discloses a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, applied to a terminal device and comprising:
determining a valid duration (the duration of the time window (T0) can be either pre-defined or configured, and/or derived based on the periodicity of the RS configuration, para. 0064) of a reference signal availability indication (Toffset indicates whether the RS occasion just prior to the paging occasion, para. 0064); and
in response to receiving the reference signal availability indication determining availability of a reference signal within a valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication (when Toffset=0, which means the RS occasion(s) in the time window T0 immediately before the start of the paging occasion are available; when Toffset[Symbol font/0xB9]0, setting, that indicates that the RS occasion just prior to the paging occasion is not available, para. 0064), wherein the valid time domain range is determined based on the valid duration (the RS occasion(s) within a time window T0 before the start of the paging occasion minus an offset (Toffset) are available, para. 0064).
(2) Regarding claim 22:
Ye discloses a terminal device (system 200 as shown in figure 2), comprising:
at least one processor (processor 210 in figure 2, para. 0021); and
at least one memory in communication connection with the at least one processor; wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the at least one processor executes the program instructions to:
determining a valid duration (the duration of the time window (T0) can be either pre-defined or configured, and/or derived based on the periodicity of the RS configuration, para. 0064) of a reference signal availability indication (Toffset indicates whether the RS occasion just prior to the paging occasion, para. 0064); and
in response to receiving the reference signal availability indication determining availability of a reference signal within a valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication (when Toffset=0, which means the RS occasion(s) in the time window T0 immediately before the start of the paging occasion are available; when Toffset[Symbol font/0xB9]0, setting, that indicates that the RS occasion just prior to the paging occasion is not available, para. 0064), wherein the valid time domain range is determined based on the valid duration (the RS occasion(s) within a time window T0 before the start of the paging occasion minus an offset (Toffset) are available, para. 0064).
(3) Regarding claim 25:
Ye discloses a computer-readable storage medium(memory 250 as shown in figure 2), wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises a stored program, and when being executed, the program causes a device comprising the computer-readable storage medium to (processor 210, alone or in combination with computer instructions stored within memory 250, and/or one or more transceiver 220a-220n, implements performing time and/or frequency tracking based on those RS configurations, as discussed herein, para. 0030):
determining a valid duration (the duration of the time window (T0) can be either pre-defined or configured, and/or derived based on the periodicity of the RS configuration, para. 0064) of a reference signal availability indication (Toffset indicates whether the RS occasion just prior to the paging occasion, para. 0064); and
in response to receiving the reference signal availability indication determining availability of a reference signal within a valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication (when Toffset=0, which means the RS occasion(s) in the time window T0 immediately before the start of the paging occasion are available; when Toffset[Symbol font/0xB9]0, setting, that indicates that the RS occasion just prior to the paging occasion is not available, para. 0064), wherein the valid time domain range is determined based on the valid duration (the RS occasion(s) within a time window T0 before the start of the paging occasion minus an offset (Toffset) are available, para. 0064).
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.
Claims 2, 22, 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL (3GPP TSG WG1 Meeting #104bis-e, R1-2103615, published 4/12/2021) in view of Ye et al. (US 2022/0321296 A1).
(1) Regarding claim 22:
NPL discloses a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, applied to a terminal device and comprising:
determining a valid duration of a reference signal availability indication (DCI format carrying paging early indication (PEI) can also include TSR/CSI-RS availability information; a bitwidth of a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasion within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 5, last paragraph); and
in response to receiving the reference signal availability indication, determining availability of a reference signal within a valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication (The first/leftmost bit of the bitfield corresponds to TRS/CSI-RS occasion/resource set index 0, the second bit corresponds to TRS/CSI-RS resource set index 1, and so on. Value O in the bitmap indicates that the corresponding TRS/CSI-RS resource set is not available while value 1 indicates that the corresponding TRS/CSI-RS resource set is available, page 5, last paragraph to page 6, 1st paragraph; the examiner interprets the time occupied by a bit in the bitfield as the claimed valid time domain range), wherein the valid time domain range is determined based on the valid duration (the bitwidth of the bitfield is define by the DCI format carrying paging early indication (PEI) can also include TSR/CSI-RS availability information; a bitwidth of a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasion within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 5, last paragraph).
NPL fails to explicitly disclose a terminal device comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory in communication connection with the at least one processor to implemented the claimed method.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Ye discloses a terminal device 200 in figure 2 (can be UE 105, para, 0021) comprises processor 210 and memory 250 that implement a method of providing an indication of the availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) occasion (para. 0026).
It is desirable for the terminal device comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory in communication connection with the at least one processor to implemented the claimed method because it performs same function of the hardware for less expense, adaptability, and flexibility. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of Ye in the method of NPL for the benefit for reducing cost and improving the adaptability and flexibility of the communication system.
(2) Regarding claim 25:
NPL discloses a method for indicating availability of a reference signal, applied to a terminal device and comprising:
determining a valid duration of a reference signal availability indication (DCI format carrying paging early indication (PEI) can also include TSR/CSI-RS availability information; a bitwidth of a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasion within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 5, last paragraph); and
in response to receiving the reference signal availability indication, determining availability of a reference signal within a valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication (The first/leftmost bit of the bitfield corresponds to TRS/CSI-RS occasion/resource set index 0, the second bit corresponds to TRS/CSI-RS resource set index 1, and so on. Value O in the bitmap indicates that the corresponding TRS/CSI-RS resource set is not available while value 1 indicates that the corresponding TRS/CSI-RS resource set is available, page 5, last paragraph to page 6, 1st paragraph; the examiner interprets the time occupied by a bit in the bitfield as the claimed valid time domain range), wherein the valid time domain range is determined based on the valid duration (the bitwidth of the bitfield is define by the DCI format carrying paging early indication (PEI) can also include TSR/CSI-RS availability information; a bitwidth of a bitfield for indicating availability of TRS/CSI-RS on configured TRS/CSI-RS occasion within a particular DRX/paging cycle can be configured in a DCI format including PEI, page 5, last paragraph).
NPL fails to explicitly disclose a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises a stored program, and when being executed, the program causes a device comprising the computer-readable storage medium to implement the claimed method.
However, Ye discloses computer system 900 in figure 9 that comprises removable storage unit 918 includes a computer usable or readable storage device having stored thereon computer software (control logic) and/or data to be executed by one or more data processing devices (such as computer system 900), causes such data processing devices to operate as described herein (para. 0077-0080).
It is desirable for the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises a stored program, and when being executed, the program causes a device comprising the computer-readable storage medium to implement the claimed method because it performs same function of the hardware for less expense, adaptability, and flexibility. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of Ye in the method of NPL for the benefit for reducing cost and improving the adaptability and flexibility of the communication system.
(3) Regarding claim 2:
NPL discloses all subject matter of claim 1, but fails to disclose obtaining the valid duration of the reference signal availability indication based on a system broadcast message or radio resource control (RRC) signaling.
However, Ye discloses obtaining the valid duration of the reference signal availability indication based on a system broadcast message or radio resource control (RRC) signaling (the number of bits may be broadcast in the SIB, para. 0044).
It is desirable to obtain the valid duration of the reference signal availability indication based on a system broadcast message or radio resource control (RRC) signaling because it can control multiple UE with regard to the reference signal availability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the benefit of controlling multiple UEs in regard to the reference signal availability.
(4) Regarding claim 26 (the examiner presume claim 26 is depend on claim 25):
NPL and Ye together disclose all subject matter of claim 25, and Ye further discloses obtaining the valid duration of the reference signal availability indication based on a system broadcast message or radio resource control (RRC) signaling (the number of bits may be broadcast in the SIB, para. 0044).
It is desirable to obtain the valid duration of the reference signal availability indication based on a system broadcast message or radio resource control (RRC) signaling because it can control multiple UE with regard to the reference signal availability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the benefit of controlling multiple UEs in regard to the reference signal availability.
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al. (US 2022/0321296 A1) in view of NPL (3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting, R1-2102317, published on 4/12-4/20/2021).
(1) Regarding claim 3:
Ye discloses all subject matter of claim 1, but fails to disclose a length of the valid duration is an integer multiple of a paging cycle.
NPL discloses gNB can configure an “indication period”, which can be as long as N paging cycles (page 4, section 2.2 “How to reduce the overhead due to the availability indication” 1st paragraph).
It is desirable to have the length of the valid duration is an integer multiple of a paging cycle because flexibility changes of assistance TRS. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of NPL in the method of Ye for the benefit of improves the flexibility of indicating availability of assistance TRS.
(2) Regarding claim 4:
Ye and NPL discloses all subject matter of claim 3, and NPL further discloses the valid duration comprises one or a combination of two or more of the following information:
a receiving cycle T1 of the reference signal availability indication;
a quantity M of paging cycles (NPL discloses gNB can configure an “indication period”, which can be as long as N paging cycles (page 4, section 2.2 “How to reduce the overhead due to the availability indication” 1st paragraph)); and
a timing duration T2.
(3) Regarding claim 5:
Ye discloses all subject matter of claim 1, but fails to disclose determining a target resource location based on the valid duration; and receiving the reference signal availability indication at the target resource location.
However, NPL discloses determining a target resource location based on the valid duration (NPL discloses gNB can configure an “indication period”, which can be as long as N paging cycles (page 4, section 2.2 “How to reduce the overhead due to the availability indication” 1st paragraph)); and receiving the reference signal availability indication at the target resource location (by each indication, gNB can indicate the availability of assistance TRS within the next N paging cycle (page 4, section 2.2 “How to reduce the overhead due to the availability indication” 1st paragraph)).
It is desirable to determine a target resource location based on the valid duration; and receiving the reference signal availability indication at the target resource location because flexibility changes of assistance TRS. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of NPL in the method of Ye for the benefit of improves the flexibility of indicating availability of assistance TRS.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL (3GPP TSG WG1 Meeting #104bis-e, R1-2103615, published 4/12/2021).
NPL discloses all subject matter of claim 1, but fails to explicitly disclose the determining the availability of the reference signal within the valid time domain range based on the reference signal availability indication comprises in response to a determination that the reference signal availability indication comprises information indicating that the reference signal is available, determining that all reference signals within the valid time domain range are available; and in response to a determination that the reference signal availability indication comprises information indicating that the reference signal is unavailable, determining that none of reference signals within the valid time domain range is available.
However, NPL discloses In case there is no paging DCI that can be used for the indication, we can define default behavior such that "UE assumes CSI-RS/TRS is unavailable if UE doesn't receive explicit indication (paging DCI)"; and SIB can configure multiple TRS/CSI-RS configurations, and then use paging DCI to active or inform the availability of certain configured TRS/CSI-RS, page 6, 2nd paragraph. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that when in response to a determination that the reference signal availability indication comprises information indicating that the reference signal is available, determining that all reference signals within the valid time domain range are available; and in response to a determination that the reference signal availability indication comprises information indicating that the reference signal is unavailable, determining that none of reference signals within the valid time domain range is available for the benefit of reducing power wastage on reference signal monitoring.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11 and 27-31 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Oh et al. (US 2022/0095268 A1) discloses method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving mode reference signal in wireless communication system (fig. 17).
Jung e al. (US 2023/0412341 A1) discloses tracking reference signal configuration.
Esswie et al. (US 2023/0422211 A1) discloses method and apparatus for power saving enhancements of paging procedures in cellular systems.
Liao et al. (US 2022/0322281 A1) discloses enhancements on signaling of tracking reference signal configuration update for idle mode or inactive mode user equipment.
Chen et al. (US 2023/0032593 A1) discloses configuration for reference signaling in wireless communication systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SIU M LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-1083. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 8:30-7:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chieh M Fan can be reached at 571-272-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SIU M LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632 11/1/2025