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 communication is response to claims filed on 10/23/23 via a preliminary amendment, which is considered by the examiner.
Claims 17-28 are presented for examination.
Claims 1-16 are canceled.
Claims 17-28 are newly added.
Information Disclosure Statement’s
6. The information disclosure statement(s) submitted on 10/23/23, 04/17/25, 04/22/25 & 08/04/25 have being considered by the examiner and made of record in the application file.
Drawing
7. The drawings filed on 10/23/23 are accepted by the examiner.
Claims Objections
8. Claims 17, 19, 21-22, 24, 26 & 28 are objected to because of minor informalities:
9. Claim 17, in part, recites, “…and/or …in line 3. It is suggested to clarify the use of words instead of “/”.
10. Claims 19, 21, 24, 26 & 28 are also objected for the same reason as claim 17 above.
11. Claim 17, in part, recites, “…memory …in line 1. Since it is recited for the first time in the claim, for clarity it is suggested to change “memory” to “a memory”.
12. Claim 22 is also objected for the same reason as claim 17 above.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
13. 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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
14. Claims 17-20 & 22-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (hereinafter referred as Peng) European Patent Application No. EP 3 820 050 A1 (as disclosed in the IDS), in view of Zhou et al. (hereinafter referred as Zhou) US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0267536 A1.
Regarding claims 17 & 24: Peng discloses a user equipment (UE) (See FIG. 5 & Para. 0244; a terminal Device)/method, of a wireless communications system, for facilitating a dynamic association between reference signals (RSs) configured for beam management measurements and reporting, for downlink (DL) and/or uplink (UL) beam selection (See Para. 0005, 0082 & 0084; a network device receives capability information that is of an antenna panel and that if from a terminal device. A beam management resource is a resource used for beam management. the beam management resource may include a synchronization signal, a broadcast channel, a downlink channel measurement reference signal, a tracking signal, a downlink control channel demodulation reference signal. The antenna panels may cover different directions, and each antenna panel may generate one or more beams), the UE comprising:
a plurality of antenna panels (See FIG. 5 & Para. 0244; a terminal Device includes a plurality of antenna panels);
memory storing computer-executable instructions (See FIG. 5 & Para. 0244; a terminal Device includes a memory); and
a processor (See FIG. 5 & Para. 0244; a terminal Device includes a processor) configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the UE at least to perform:
generating at least a first capability set of a first functionality, the first capability set including a plurality of capability information items indexed, respectively, by a plurality of corresponding capability indices, each capability information item indicating, for a panel corresponding to the capability information item from among the plurality of antenna panels, capability information of the corresponding panel with respect to the first functionality (See FIG. 2, Para. 0005 & 0091; The capability information. The capability information is information about a capability that is of an antenna panel and that is supported by the terminal device. The antenna panel may be a reference signal resource set. The capability information includes one or more of the following: a quantity of beams that can be processed by each antenna panel of the terminal device, where the quantity of beams that can be processed by each antenna panel of the terminal device includes a quantity of beams that can be received by each receive antenna panel of the terminal device, or a quantity of beams that can be sent by each transmit antenna panel of the terminal device), and
transmitting the first capability set to a next generation node B (gNB) included in the wireless communications system (See Para. 0091; The terminal device sends the capability information to a network device).
Peng does not explicitly discloses and semi-statically configured capability indices of a capability set of at least one functionality.
However, Zhou from the same field of endeavor discloses semi-statically configured capability indices of a capability set of at least one functionality (See Para. 0080-0082 & 0091-0094; UE 115-a transmits capability/panel information 230 to base station 105-a on an uplink channel 220. For example, UE 115-a transmits an indication of a number of antenna panels, whether the UE 115 supports simultaneous communications on multiple panels).
the first capability set including a plurality of capability information items indexed, respectively, by a plurality of corresponding capability indices, each capability information item indicating, for a panel corresponding to the capability information item from among the plurality of antenna panels, capability information of the corresponding panel with respect to the first functionality (See Para. 0091-0094; the panel-specific capabilities may indicate one or more of a capability to support simultaneous communications using multiple beams on multiple panels, a number of spatial layers or ranks per beam or panel, a maximum number of spatial layers or ranks supported across all beams or panels, supported combinations of spatial layers or ranks across beams or panels that support simultaneous communications).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include semi-statically configured capability indices of a capability set of at least one functionality as taught by Zhou in the system of Peng in order to efficiently managing beams from multiple antenna panels which help enhance reliability and efficiency of a network utilizing beamforming (See Para. 0004; lines 7-8).
Regarding claims 18 & 25: The combination of Peng and Zhou disclose a user equipment (UE)/method.
Furthermore, Zhou disclose a user equipment (UE)/method, wherein the plurality of capability information items included in the first capability set includes at least first and second capability information items indexed by first and second indices, respectively, from among the plurality of capability indices, wherein the first capability information item indicates capability information of a first panel, from among the plurality of antenna panels, with respect to the first functionality, and wherein the second capability information item indicates capability information of a second panel, from among the plurality of antenna panels, with respect to the first functionality, the second panel being different than the first panel (See Para. 0080, 0083 & 0091-0094; UEs may identify multiple antenna panels, and determination of panel-specific capabilities for the multiple antenna panels. UE 115-a transmits an indication of a number of antenna panels. Panel-specific capabilities reporting for each panel separately, including beam support, number of ranks/layers, etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the plurality of capability information items included in the first capability set includes at least first and second capability information items indexed by first and second indices, respectively, from among the plurality of capability indices, wherein the first capability information item indicates capability information of a first panel, from among the plurality of antenna panels, with respect to the first functionality, and wherein the second capability information item indicates capability information of a second panel, from among the plurality of antenna panels, with respect to the first functionality, the second panel being different than the first panel as taught by Zhou in the system of Peng in order to efficiently managing beams from multiple antenna panels which help enhance reliability and efficiency of a network utilizing beamforming (See Para. 0004; lines 7-8).
Regarding claims 19 & 26: The combination of Peng and Zhou disclose a user equipment (UE)/method.
Furthermore, Zhou disclose a user equipment (UE)/method, wherein the plurality of capability information items included in the first capability set includes at least first and second capability information items indexed by first and second indices, respectively, from among the plurality of capability indices, wherein the first capability information item indicates capability information of a first panel, from among the plurality of antenna panels, with respect to the first functionality and first DL and/or UL channel conditions, and wherein the second capability information item indicates capability information of the first panel with respect to the first functionality and second DL and/or UL channel conditions, the second DL and/or UL channel conditions being different than the first DL and/or UL channel conditions (See Para. 0091-0094; describes capability information per beam, per panel, and per spatial condition (i.e., different beam sets imply different channel conditions). Also, Para. 0087 & 0090 reference configurable behavior depending on beam direction, align resources and interference, which aligns with varying DL/UL conditions).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include wherein the plurality of capability information items included in the first capability set includes at least first and second capability information items indexed by first and second indices, respectively, from among the plurality of capability indices, wherein the first capability information item indicates capability information of a first panel, from among the plurality of antenna panels, with respect to the first functionality and first DL and/or UL channel conditions, and wherein the second capability information item indicates capability information of the first panel with respect to the first functionality and second DL and/or UL channel conditions, the second DL and/or UL channel conditions being different than the first DL and/or UL channel conditions as taught by Zhou in the system of Peng in order to efficiently managing beams from multiple antenna panels which help enhance reliability and efficiency of a network utilizing beamforming (See Para. 0004; lines 7-8).
Regarding claims 20 & 27: The combination of Peng and Zhou disclose a user equipment (UE)/method.
Furthermore, Peng disclose a user equipment (UE)/method, wherein the first functionality includes at least one of a maximum number of Rx beams of the panel (See Para. 0091; maximum quantity of activated panels) OR (See Para. 0091-0094; multiple example of capability info reported by UE per panel includes number of spatial layers/ranks per beam or panel).
Regarding claim 22: Peng discloses a network element (See FIG. 6 & Para. 0250-0253; a base station), of a wireless communications system, for facilitating a dynamic association between reference signals (RSs) configured for beam management measurements and reporting, for downlink (DL) and/or uplink (UL) beam selection (See Para. 0005, 0082 & 0084; a network device receives capability information that is of an antenna panel and that if from a terminal device. A beam management resource is a resource used for beam management. the beam management resource may include a synchronization signal, a broadcast channel, a downlink channel measurement reference signal, a tracking signal, a downlink control channel demodulation reference signal. The antenna panels may cover different directions, and each antenna panel may generate one or more beams), the network element comprising:
memory (See FIG. 6 & Para. 0250-0253; a base station includes a memory) storing computer-executable instructions; and
a processor (See FIG. 6 & Para. 0250-0253; a base station includes a processor) configured to execute the computer-executable instructions, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, cause the network element at least to perform:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), downlink (DL) reference signals (RSs) (See Para. 0108; the terminal device sends a downlink reference signal); and
receiving, from the UE, a at least a first capability set of a first functionality (See Para. 0091; The network device receives the capability information from a terminal device), the first capability set including a plurality of capability information items indexed, respectively, by a plurality of corresponding capability indices, each capability information item indicating, for a panel corresponding to the capability information item from among a plurality of antenna panels of the UE, capability information of the corresponding panel with respect to the first functionality (See FIG. 2, Para. 0005 & 0091; The capability information. The capability information is information about a capability that is of an antenna panel and that is supported by the terminal device. The antenna panel may be a reference signal resource set. The capability information includes one or more of the following: a quantity of beams that can be processed by each antenna panel of the terminal device, where the quantity of beams that can be processed by each antenna panel of the terminal device includes a quantity of beams that can be received by each receive antenna panel of the terminal device, or a quantity of beams that can be sent by each transmit antenna panel of the terminal device).
Peng does not explicitly discloses and semi-statically configured capability indices of a capability set of at least one functionality.
However, Zhou from the same field of endeavor discloses semi-statically configured capability indices of a capability set of at least one functionality (See Para. 0080-0082 & 0091-0094; UE 115-a transmits capability/panel information 230 to base station 105-a on an uplink channel 220. For example, UE 115-a transmits an indication of a number of antenna panels, whether the UE 115 supports simultaneous communications on multiple panels).
the first capability set including a plurality of capability information items indexed, respectively, by a plurality of corresponding capability indices, each capability information item indicating, for a panel corresponding to the capability information item from among the plurality of antenna panels, capability information of the corresponding panel with respect to the first functionality (See Para. 0091-0094; the panel-specific capabilities may indicate one or more of a capability to support simultaneous communications using multiple beams on multiple panels, a number of spatial layers or ranks per beam or panel, a maximum number of spatial layers or ranks supported across all beams or panels, supported combinations of spatial layers or ranks across beams or panels that support simultaneous communications).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include semi-statically configured capability indices of a capability set of at least one functionality as taught by Zhou in the system of Peng in order to efficiently managing beams from multiple antenna panels which help enhance reliability and efficiency of a network utilizing beamforming (See Para. 0004; lines 7-8).
Regarding claim 23: The combination of Peng and Zhou disclose a network element.
Furthermore, Peng disclose a network element, wherein the first functionality includes at least one of a maximum number of Rx beams (See Para. 0091; maximum quantity of activated panels) OR (See Zhou; Para. 0091-0094; multiple example of capability info reported by UE per panel includes number of spatial layers/ranks per beam or panel).
Allowable Subject Matter
15. Claims 21 & 28 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
16. The prior art of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
A. Park et al. 2021/0351888 A1 (Title: Method for transmitting and receiving uplink taking into account..) (See Abstract, Para. 0012 & 0037-0038).
B. Lenovo et al. 2020/0229104 A1 (Title: Uplink power control) (See abstract, Para. 0006 & 00813-0016).
C. Bai et al. 2020/0350976 A1 (Title: Control for multi-panel UE activation/deactivation) (See FIG. 1, Para. 0046, 0050 & 0160).
17. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MEWALE A AMBAYE whose telephone number is (571)270-1076. The examiner can normally be reached on M.F 6a.m.-2p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian Moore can be reached on (571)272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MEWALE A AMBAYE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469