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 .
The instant office action is in response to communication filed on 02/29/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending of which claims 1, 14, 16 and 20 are independent.
The IDS(s) submitted on 09/04/2024 is being reviewed.
Internet Communications
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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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 16 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nimbalker et al (US 20250350333 A1, hereinafter referred to as D1) in view of Fan et al (US 20250203428 A1, hereinafter referred to as D2).
Regarding claim 1, D1 discloses a method (See Figs. 1-14) performed by a transceiver node (i.e. Network Node or BS 16 in Fig. 2) in a wireless communication system (Fig. 2 pluralities BS 16 acting as network node in wireless communication with Wireless Devices 22 as user equipment (UE) see paragraph 150. See Fig. 3 also ), the method comprising:
transmitting (See Paragraph 228 in relation to Fig. 11 where network node 16 of Fig. 2 transmitting configuration info in step S150 to WD/UE), at least one user equipment (UE) node (i.e. WD/UE of Fig. 2 is the one receiving the transmission of the configuration info and per table 1 the CSI-RS measurement reporting for periodic and aperiodic cases as feedback to downlink CSI-RS measurement. See Table 2 and paragraph 282 too ), configuration to feedback one or more downlink channel state information (CSI) feedback reports corresponding to one or more Channel state information - Reference signal (CSI- reference signal (RS) port muting patterns to the transceiver node (i.e. Network Node 16 in step S152 also as part of the configuration message sends a CSI-RS port muting pattern enabling WD/UE to utilize a modified CSI-RS measurement configuration for feedback reporting. See paragraph 228 and Tables 1 and 2 in addition), wherein information regarding the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns is included in the configuration; (See paragraphs 44, 77, and 282-288 and Tables 1 and 2)
receiving, from the at least one UE node, one or more downlink CSI feedback
reports, wherein the one or more downlink CSI feedback reports comprise at least one
of one (i.e. please note that limitations are claimed in the alternative) or more individual CSI feedback reports corresponding to the one or more CSI-
RS port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See Paragraph 228), a single multi-CSI feedback report corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See paragraph 228), and one or more CSI feedback reports comprising one or more quantized versions of at least a singular vector decomposition (SVD) decomposed downlink channel matrix corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns.
D1 fails to disclose determining to mute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to at least one of the one or more port muting patterns or to unmute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the transceiver node, based on the one or more downlink CSI feedback reports.
D2, in the same endeavor discloses determining to mute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to at least one of the one or more port muting patterns or to unmute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the transceiver node, based on the one or more downlink CSI feedback reports.( See Fig. 7 and paragraph 160 it is shown that the network node instructs the UE to measure subset 1 of CSI-RS ports and after measuring UE transmits CSI feedback for subset 1 to network node and then the network node instructs the UE to measure subset 2 and after measuring again UE transmits CSI Feedback for subset 2 to network node. The network node then compares CSI Feedbacks for set 1 and set 2 and mutes or turns off antenna of CSI-RS port based on the comparison)
In view of the above, having D1’s port muting indication to UE and then given the well- established teaching of D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify D1’s port muting indication to UE as taught by D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS), since D2 states in paragraph 42 that the modification results in helping the network node to make the right antenna muting decision before actual perform antenna muting. It may use muting patterns or CSI-RS ports combinations/configurations. Further, the method may be used to prepare for antenna muting, i.e., to determine the specific set of ports to mute while maintaining maximal possible performance in the muted state.
Regarding claim 16, D1 discloses a transceiver node (Fig. 3 Network Node 16. Fig. 2 pluralities BS 16 acting as network node in wireless communication with Wireless Devices 22 as user equipment (UE) see paragraph 150. See Fig. 3 also) comprising: memory (Fig. 3 memory 72) storing one or more computer programs; and one or more processors (Fig. 3 Processors 68 and 70) communicatively coupled with the memory, wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the at least one transceiver node to:
transmitting (See Paragraph 228 in relation to Fig. 11 where network node 16 of Fig. 2 transmitting configuration info in step S150 to WD/UE), at least one user equipment (UE) node (i.e. WD/UE of Fig. 2 is the one receiving the transmission of the configuration info and per table 1 the CSI-RS measurement reporting for periodic and aperiodic cases as feedback to downlink CSI-RS measurement. See Table 2 and paragraph 282 too ), configuration to feedback one or more downlink channel state information (CSI) feedback reports corresponding to one or more Channel state information - Reference signal (CSI- reference signal (RS) port muting patterns to the transceiver node (i.e. Network Node 16 in step S152 also as part of the configuration message sends a CSI-RS port muting pattern enabling WD/UE to utilize a modified CSI-RS measurement configuration for feedback reporting. See paragraph 228 and Tables 1 and 2 in addition), wherein information regarding the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns is included in the configuration; (See paragraphs 44, 77, and 282-288 and Tables 1 and 2)
receiving, from the at least one UE node, one or more downlink CSI feedback reports, wherein the one or more downlink CSI feedback reports comprise at least one of one (i.e. please note that limitations are claimed in the alternative) or more individual CSI feedback reports corresponding to the one or more CSI-
RS port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See Paragraph 228), a single multi-CSI feedback report corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See paragraph 228), and one or more CSI feedback reports comprising one or more quantized versions of at least a singular vector decomposition (SVD) decomposed downlink channel matrix corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns.
D1 fails to disclose determining to mute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to at least one of the one or more port muting patterns or to unmute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the transceiver node, based on the one or more downlink CSI feedback reports.
D2, in the same endeavor discloses determining to mute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to at least one of the one or more port muting patterns or to unmute at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the transceiver node, based on the one or more downlink CSI feedback reports.( See Fig. 7 and paragraph 160 it is shown that the network node instructs the UE to measure subset 1 of CSI-RS ports and after measuring UE transmits CSI feedback for subset 1 to network node and then the network node instructs the UE to measure subset 2 and after measuring again UE transmits CSI Feedback for subset 2 to network node. The network node then compares CSI Feedbacks for set 1 and set 2 and mutes or turns off antenna of CSI-RS port based on the comparison)
In view of the above, having D1’s port muting indication to UE and then given the well- established teaching of D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify D1’s port muting indication to UE as taught by D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS), since D2 states in paragraph 42 that the modification results in helping the network node to make the right antenna muting decision before actual perform antenna muting. It may use muting patterns or CSI-RS ports combinations/configurations. Further, the method may be used to prepare for antenna muting, i.e., to determine the specific set of ports to mute while maintaining maximal possible performance in the muted state.
Regarding claim 3, D1 discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, to the at least one UE node, one or more downlink CSI-RS (See Table 1 and paragraphs 15-19 indicating UE receiving CSI-RS for measurement), wherein the downlink CSI feedback reports are obtained based on the one or more downlink CSI for the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. (See Fig. 10 S148 and Fig. 11 S158 indicate the CSI feedback reports are obtained based on the one or more downlink CSI for the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns)
Regarding claim 4, D1 discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns are at least one of: one or more fully unmuted CSI-RS port muting patterns; and one or more partially unmuted CSI-RS port muting patterns. (See Fig.12 CSI-RS port muting patterns ranging from 0% to 75%)
Regarding claim 7, D1 discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting to the at least one UE node, configuration to measure the one or more downlink CSI for the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. (See Fig. 11 S150 and S152 indicating the network node transmitting to the at least one UE node, configuration to measure the one or more downlink CSI for the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns See paragraph 228).
Regarding claim 9, D1 discloses the method of claim 1, but fails to disclose, wherein the determining to mute at least one CSI- RS port belonging to at least one of the one or more port muting patterns or to unmute the at least one CSI-RS port comprises determining whether to mute the at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns or to unmute the at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the transceiver node, by way of estimating residual energy, which has not been fed back, in the one or more downlink channels corresponding to the at least one CSI-RS port muting pattern of the UE node.
D2, in the same endeavor discloses, wherein the determining to mute at least one CSI- RS port belonging to at least one of the one or more port muting patterns or to unmute the at least one CSI-RS port comprises determining whether to mute the at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns or to unmute the at least one CSI-RS port belonging to the transceiver node, by way of estimating residual energy, which has not been fed back, in the one or more downlink channels corresponding to the at least one CSI-RS port muting pattern of the UE node. (D2 in paragraph 160 clearly discloses the muting (turning on ) or unmuting (turning off) depends on the estimated residual energy as RSRP or noise level of the port to be turned on or off and not feedback from a neighbor port or network node.)
In view of the above, having D1’s port muting indication to UE and then given the well- established teaching of D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS), it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify D1’s port muting indication to UE as taught by D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS), since D2 states in paragraph 42 that the modification results in helping the network node to make the right antenna muting decision before actual perform antenna muting. It may use muting patterns or CSI-RS ports combinations/configurations. Further, the method may be used to prepare for antenna muting, i.e., to determine the specific set of ports to mute while maintaining maximal possible performance in the muted state.
Regarding claim 18, claim 18 is rejected in the same scope of claim 7.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 in view of D2 and further in view of Vitthaladevuni et al (US 20250392367 A1, hereinafter referred to as D3).
Regarding claim 13, D1 modified by D2 disclose the method of claim 1, including wherein the one or more downlink CSI corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns but fails to disclose the CSI comprises one or more channel quality indicator (CQIs), one or more precoder matrix indicators (PMIs) and one or more rank indicator (RIs).
D3, in the same endeavor, discloses the CSI comprises one or more channel quality indicator (CQIs), one or more precoder matrix indicators (PMIs) and one or more rank indicator (RIs). (See paragraph 86 indicating the information included in a CSI report may include a channel quality indicator (CQI), a rank indicator (RI), a W.sub.1 codebook payload, and/or a precoding matrix indicator (PMI), among other examples.)
In view of the above, having D1’s port muting indication to UE modified by D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS) and then given the well- established teaching of D3’s Channel State Information Content, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to further modify D1’s port muting indication to UE modified by D2’s techniques for measuring and reporting for subset of Reference Signal (RS) as taught by D3’s Channel State Information Content, since D3 states in paragraphs 5 and 89 that the modification results in transmission of compressed CSI reducing system overhead.
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)(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) 14 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nimbalker et al (US 20250350333 A1, hereinafter referred to as D1)
Regarding claim 14, D1 discloses a user equipment (UE) node (Fig. 3 Wireless Device 22 ) comprising
memory storing one or more computer programs (Fig. 3 memory 88); and one or more processors coupled with the memory (Fig. 3 Processors 84 and 86), wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (see paragraph 155), cause UE node to:
receive, from the transceiver node (i.e. Network Node 16 in Fig. 3 and Fig. 10), configuration to feedback one or more downlink channel state information (CSI) feedback reports corresponding to one or more Channel state information - Reference signal (CSI- reference signal (RS) port muting patterns to the transceiver node (i.e. Fig. 10 step 144 per paragraph 204 the WD/UE receives the configuration signal for CSI-RS measurement and associated report/feedback to be transmitted to the network node 16. WD/UE of Fig. 2 is the one receiving the transmission of the configuration info and per table 1 the CSI-RS measurement reporting for periodic and aperiodic cases as feedback to downlink CSI-RS measurement. See Table 2 and paragraphs 24, 77, 228. And 282-288 too), wherein information regarding the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns is included in the configuration, measure one or more downlink channel state information (CSI), (See Fig. 10 step S148 and paragraph 204) (i.e. also Network Node 16 in Fig. 10 step S146 also as part of the configuration message receives a CSI-RS port muting pattern enabling WD/UE to utilize a modified CSI-RS measurement configuration for feedback reporting. See paragraphs 204 and 228 and Tables 1 and 2 in addition),
and
transmit one or more CSI feedback reports to a transceiver node (See Fig. 11 step S154 where the UE/WD sends feedback report for the CSI-RS measurement conducted to the network node) , wherein the one or more CSI feedback reports comprise at least one of (i.e. note that the limitations are presented in the alternative) one or more individual CSI feedback reports corresponding to the one or more channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See Paragraph 228), a single multi-CSI feedback report corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See Paragraph 228), and one or more CSI feedback reports having quantized version of at least an SVD decomposed downlink channel matrix for the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns.
Regarding claim 20, D1 discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) node (Fig. 3 Wireless Device 22 ) comprising
receiving, from the transceiver node (i.e. Network Node 16 in Fig. 3 and Fig. 10), configuration to feedback one or more downlink channel state information (CSI) feedback reports corresponding to one or more Channel state information - Reference signal (CSI- reference signal (RS) port muting patterns to the transceiver node (i.e. Fig. 10 step 144 per paragraph 204 the WD/UE receives the configuration signal for CSI-RS measurement and associated report/feedback to be transmitted to the network node 16. WD/UE of Fig. 2 is the one receiving the transmission of the configuration info and per table 1 the CSI-RS measurement reporting for periodic and aperiodic cases as feedback to downlink CSI-RS measurement. See Table 2 and paragraphs 24, 77, 228. And 282-288 too), wherein information regarding the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns is included in the configuration; (i.e. Network Node 16 in Fig. 10 step S146 also as part of the configuration message receives a CSI-RS port muting pattern enabling WD/UE to utilize a modified CSI-RS measurement configuration for feedback reporting. See paragraphs 204 and 228 and Tables 1 and 2 in addition),
measure one or more downlink channel state information (CSI), (See Fig. 10 step S148 and paragraph 204) (i.e. also Network Node 16 in Fig. 10 step S146 also as part of the configuration message receives a CSI-RS port muting pattern enabling WD/UE to utilize a modified CSI-RS measurement configuration for feedback reporting. See paragraphs 204 and 228 and Tables 1 and 2 in addition),
and
transmit one or more CSI feedback reports to a transceiver node (See Fig. 11 step S154 where the UE/WD sends feedback report for the CSI-RS measurement conducted to the network node) , wherein the one or more CSI feedback reports comprise at least one of (i.e. note that the limitations are presented in the alternative) one or more individual CSI feedback reports corresponding to the one or more channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS) port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See Paragraph 228), a single multi-CSI feedback report corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns( Therefore in Fig. 11 step S154 indicates the network node 16 receiving from the WD/Wireless Node UE(User Equipment) receives one or more individual CSI_RS measurement report/feedback corresponding to the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns. See Paragraph 228), and one or more CSI feedback reports having quantized version of at least an SVD decomposed downlink channel matrix for the one or more CSI-RS port muting patterns.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 17 and 19 is 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
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/HABTE MERED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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