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 Amendment
Claims 1, 8, and 15 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are presently pending.
1. Amendment made to the Specification filed on 07/31/2026 has been accepted and acknowledged by the examiner.
2. Amendment made to claims 1, 8, and 15 filed on 07/31/2026 has been considered and accepted by the examiner. Therefore, the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 USC § 112(b) has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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.
Claims 1, 8, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over QIN et al. (US 20200014515, hereinafter, “QIN”) in view of GAO et al. (US 20210184742, hereinafter, “GAO”), and further in view of LIU et al. (US 20230344585, hereinafter, “LIU”) and He et al. (US 20240121627, hereinafter, “He”).
Claim 1. QIN teaches: A first node for wireless communications, comprising: - See Fig. 1
a first receiver, receiving a first signaling, - See Fig. 13, ¶ [0161], (“The receiver is configured to receive a signal…”) the first signaling being used to indicate a first reference signal resource; - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0121], (“in step 801, a base station 110 sends an indication of a plurality of reference signal resources…to the terminal 120.”); ¶ [0123], (“Information about a reference signal resource includes one or more types of the following: an indication of mapping the reference signal to a time-frequency resource, a reference signal period, a reference signal port”, The indication of reference signal resources is equated to first signaling.) and
a first transceiver, - See Fig. 13, ¶ [0161], (“transceiver 131”) operating a first signal in a first time-frequency resource set, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0122], (“In step 802, the terminal 120 sends a reference signal based on the first indication information and the indication of the plurality of reference signal resources…¶ [0123] A reference signal resource is a part of a resource in a slot…an indication of mapping the reference signal to a time-frequency resource”, reference signal resources mapped to time-frequency (eq. time-frequency resource set)) the first reference signal resource being used to determine spatial parameters of the first signal; - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0121], (“base station 110 sends an indication of a plurality of reference signal resources…the indication indicates that the plurality of reference signal resources belong to a first group…indicates a quasi co-location (QCL) relationship between antenna ports of a reference signal transmitted on the plurality of reference signal resources in the first group.”); ¶ [0125], (“The parameter may be…an angle of departure (AOD)…a receive antenna spatial correlation parameter…”)
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate the first time-frequency resource set; - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0122], (“In step 802, the terminal 120 sends a reference signal based on the first indication information and the indication of the plurality of reference signal resources…¶ [0123] A reference signal resource is a part of a resource in a slot…an indication of mapping the reference signal to a time-frequency resource”, reference signal resources mapped to time-frequency (eq. time-frequency resource set))
the first reference signal resource is one of K1 candidate reference signal resources, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0121], (“in step 801, a base station 110 sends an indication of a plurality of reference signal resources…to the terminal 120.”) K1 is a positive integer greater than 1, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0121], (“…a plurality of reference signal resources…”) and the first signaling indicates the first reference signal resource from the K1 candidate reference signal resources; - in ¶ [0150 - 0151], (“configuration information includes an identifier of the first resource…an identifier in a candidate set of first resources…the candidate set of first resources includes one or more first resources that are configured by the base station…”)
time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource set are used to determine the target reference signal resource set from the M1 reference signal resource sets; the operating is receiving, or, the operating is transmitting; - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0121], (“in step 801, a base station 110 sends an indication of a plurality of reference signal resources…to the terminal 120.”); ¶ [0122], (“In step 802, the terminal 120 sends a reference signal based on the first indication information…”)
QIN does not explicitly teach:
a target reference signal resource set comprises K1 candidate reference signal resources, and the target reference signal resource set is one of M1 reference signal resource sets, where M1 is a positive integer greater than 1;
However, GAO teaches:
a target reference signal resource set comprises K1 candidate reference signal resources, - See Fig. 4, ¶ [0111], (“one reference signal resource set includes K reference signal resources…where N, M, K and L are integers greater than or equal to 1.”) and the target reference signal resource set is one of M1 reference signal resource sets, where M1 is a positive integer greater than 1; - See Fig. 4, ¶ [0111], (“one reference signal resource setting includes M reference signal resource sets, one reference signal resource set includes K reference signal resources…where N, M, K and L are integers greater than or equal to 1.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified QIN with GAO to include a target reference signal resource set comprises K1 candidate reference signal resources and is one of M1 reference signal resource sets, as taught by GAO. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve wireless communication and reduce signaling overhead by using specific indexes, as suggested by GAO, improving communication robustness. - ¶ [0004]
Combination of QIN and GAO does not explicitly teach:
time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource set are used to determine the target reference signal resource set from the M1 reference signal resource sets;
However, LIU teaches:
time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource set are used to determine the target reference signal resource set from the M1 reference signal resource sets; – See Fig. 2-3, ¶ [0003], (“sounding reference signal (SRS)”); ¶ [0194], (“Different SRS resource sets correspond to different time-frequency resources occupied by PUSCH…the PUSCH occupies two OFDM symbol groups. Each OFDM symbol group corresponds to one SRS resource set…PUSCH occupies a slot 0 and a slot 1…two SRS resource sets (an SRS resource set 0 and an SRS resource set 1)…the slot 0 corresponds to…SRS resource set 0, and the slot 1 corresponds to…SRS resource set 1.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified QIN and GAO with LIU to include time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource set are used to determine the target reference signal resource set from the M1 reference signal resource sets, as taught by LIU. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce signaling overhead, as suggested by LIU, This application provides an indication method, to reduce signaling overheads. - ¶ [0004]
Combination of QIN, GAO, and LIU does not explicitly teach:
wherein the target reference signal resource set is a transmission configuration indication (TCI) list.
However, He teaches:
wherein the target reference signal resource set is a transmission configuration indication (TCI) list. – in ¶ [0165], (“a plurality of TCI lists are configured, to activate, by using MAC CE signaling, one TCI list in the plurality of TCI lists as the first TCI list corresponding to the first CORESET.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified QIN, GAO, and LIU with He to include the target reference signal resource set is a TCI list, as taught by He. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to avoid interference by applying the resource set determination method taught by LIU to TCI lists taught by He, as suggested by He, If another device is occupying the channel, the device needs to wait until the another device finishes transmitting data, and then the device can occupy the channel. This process causes a long delay, and affects transmission performance. - ¶ [0003]
Claims 8, 15 are rejected under the same rationale as Claim 1 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claims 4-5, 11-12, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over QIN et al. (US 20200014515, hereinafter, “QIN”) in view of GAO et al. (US 20210184742, hereinafter, “GAO”), and further in view of LIU et al. (US 20230344585, hereinafter, “LIU”), He et al. (US 20240121627, hereinafter, “He”), and LIU et al. (US 20240007246, hereinafter, “LIU’246”).
Claim 4. Combination of QIN, GAO, LIU, and He teaches The first node according to claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Combination of QIN, GAO, LIU, and He does not explicitly teach:
wherein the first receiver receives a first information block; the first information block is used to indicate a format adopted by a symbol comprised in the time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource set.
However, LIU’246 teaches:
wherein the first receiver receives a first information block; - See Fig. 5, ¶ [0239], (“The first information block is received in operation S512…¶ [0241], (“the first information block is generated by measuring the first reference signal group.“) the first information block is used to indicate a format adopted by a symbol – in ¶ [0300 – 0301], (“the first reference resource block occupies a positive integer of multiple carrier symbols in one time slot in the time domain…the time domain resources occupied by the first information block are used to determine the time domain resources occupied by the first reference resource block.”) comprised in the time-domain resources occupied by the first time-frequency resource set. - See Fig. 6, ¶ [0026], (“a time domain position of a first reference resource block associated with a time domain resource occupied by a first information block”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified QIN, GAO, LIU, and He with LIU’246 to include the first information block, as taught by LIU’246. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce latency, as suggested by LIU’246, (NR) system supports a more diverse range of application scenarios, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). - ¶ [0003]
Claim 5. Combination of QIN, GAO, LIU, and He teaches The first node according to claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
LIU’246 further teaches:
wherein the first receiver receives a second information block; - See Fig. 5, ¶ [0240], (“the second information block is received in operation S5201.”) the second information block is used to indicate the M1 reference signal resource sets. - in ¶ [0239], (“the second information block is transmitted in operation S5101. The first reference signal group is transmitted in operation S511. The signal is transmitted in the second reference signal resource in operation S5102. The signal is transmitted in M reference signal resources in operation S5103.”); ¶ [0252], (“The second information block indicates the first reporting configuration, the first reporting configuration indicates a set of first reporting quantities and a set of first reference signals”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified QIN, GAO, LIU, and He with LIU’246 to include the second information block, as taught by LIU’246. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce latency, as suggested by LIU’246, (NR) system supports a more diverse range of application scenarios, such as enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB), ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). - ¶ [0003]
Claims 11, 18 are rejected under the same rationale as Claim 4 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claims 12, 19 are rejected under the same rationale as Claim 5 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 6-7, 9-10, 13-14, 16-17, and 20 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
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 Shima Wasel whose telephone number is (703)756-4725. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Khaled Kassim can be reached at (571) 270-3770. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHIMA WASEL/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475
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