DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is in response to the submission filed 2024-03-14 (herein referred to as the Reply) where claim(s) 1-20 are pending for consideration.
35 USC §102 - Claim Rejections
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.
(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) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276)
Claim(s) 1, 13
LIU_276 teaches
one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to cause the UE to: <FIG(s). 6; para. 0296, 0548-0552>.
transmit, to a wireless communication device, an indication of a plurality of frequency segments, First device sends, to second device, sends M first signals on N frequency resource. <para. 0293-0313>.
wherein at least a first frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments and a second frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments are non-contiguous in frequency with one another; At least two frequency resources in the N frequency resources are distributed on K carriers, where K is a positive integer greater than 1. Optionally, at least two carriers in the K carriers are non-contiguous (in other words, not adjacent) in frequency domain, and/or the at least two carriers in the K carriers belong to different frequency bands or frequency segments. <para. 0293-0313>.
receive, from the wireless communication device, a communication associated with the plurality of frequency segments; and The first device receives, on the N frequency resources, P second signals sent by the second device, where N and P are positive integers, and P is greater than or equal to N. The P second signals are signals responding to the received M first signals. <para. 0293-0313>.
demodulate the communication. First device implicitly needs to demodulate the received P signals. <para. 0293-0313, 0318-0321>.
Claim(s) 20
LIU_276 teaches
one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to cause the wireless communication device to: <FIG(s). 6; para. 0296, 0548-0552>.
receive an indication of a plurality of frequency segments, Second device receives, from first device, M first signals on N frequency resource. <para. 0293-0313>.
wherein at least a first frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments and a second frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments are non-contiguous in frequency with one another; and At least two frequency resources in the N frequency resources are distributed on K carriers, where K is a positive integer greater than 1. Optionally, at least two carriers in the K carriers are non-contiguous (in other words, not adjacent) in frequency domain, and/or the at least two carriers in the K carriers belong to different frequency bands or frequency segments. <para. 0293-0313>.
transmit a communication associated with the plurality of frequency segments. The second device sends, to the first device, P second signals on the N frequency resources, where N and P are positive integers, and P is greater than or equal to N. The P second signals are signals responding to the received M first signals. <para. 0293-0313>.
Claim(s) 4, 16
LIU_276 teaches
wherein the plurality of frequency segments are associated with a spectral efficiency that is lower than a threshold. Frequency resources such as carriers inherently have a spectral efficiency (e.g., SINR) and therefore are associated with spectral efficiency properties. Furthermore, implicitly all spectral efficiency properties are less than 100% (i.e., there is no perfect radio carrier that enables transmissions at 100% efficiency) and therefore when a threshold is taken to be 100%, the disclose carriers are below said threshold <para. 0293-0313>.
35 USC §103 - Claim Rejections
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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of KIM_441 (US20210165441)
Claim(s) 5
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the plurality of frequency segments are included in a communication bandwidth of the wireless communication device, and wherein one or more frequency segments, in the communication bandwidth, with spectral efficiencies that satisfy the threshold, are omitted from the plurality of frequency segments.
However in a similar endeavor, KIM_441 teaches
wherein the plurality of frequency segments are included in a communication bandwidth of the wireless communication device, and wherein one or more frequency segments, in the communication bandwidth, with spectral efficiencies that satisfy the threshold, are omitted from the plurality of frequency segments. Carriers having SINR higher than a threshold are not selected. <para. 0095>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by KIM_441. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide an electronic device and an operating method thereof for determining a clock frequency for components of the electronic device in consideration of downlink data efficiency in the electronic device. <para. 0005>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of MATOBA_533 (US20060063533)
Claim(s) 6
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to
select the plurality of frequency segments according to at least one of:
a channel capacity,
a signal-to-noise ratio,
a rank, or
a condition number.
However in a similar endeavor, MATOBA_533 teaches
select the plurality of frequency segments according to at least one of:
a channel capacity, Frequency bands are selected according to bandwidth. <FIG(s). 7; para. 0098-0106; Claim(s) 9>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by MATOBA_533. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to realize a frequency band allocation device and a frequency band allocation method employed in mobile communications systems in which plural frequency bands are utilized for plural communications systems. <para. 0018>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of JASSAL_819 (US20250038819)
Claim(s) 6
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to
select the plurality of frequency segments according to at least one of:
a channel capacity,
a signal-to-noise ratio,
a rank, or
a condition number.
However in a similar endeavor, JASSAL_819 teaches
select the plurality of frequency segments according to at least one of:
a rank, or UE may select frequency bands, one at a time, based on increasing order of rank <para. 0177>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by JASSAL_819. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to increase time efficiency and to increase spectral efficiency. <para. 0006>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of BRISEBOIS_717 (US20100062717)
Claim(s) 6
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to
select the plurality of frequency segments according to at least one of:
a channel capacity,
a signal-to-noise ratio,
a rank, or
a condition number.
However in a similar endeavor, BRISEBOIS_717 teaches
select the plurality of frequency segments according to at least one of:
a signal-to-noise ratio, anchor and non-anchor frequency carriers are selected based upon the demand and their ability to deliver the desired signal-to-noise ratio <para. 0025>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by BRISEBOIS_717. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to reduce interference between bi-directional transmission paths. <para. 0001>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of SHIN_156 (US20250081156)
Claim(s) 7, 17
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the one or more processors, to cause the UE to
receive the communication, are configured to cause the UE to receive the communication on an ultra-wideband sidelink.
However in a similar endeavor, SHIN_156 teaches
receive the communication, are configured to cause the UE to receive the communication on an ultra-wideband sidelink. UE can receives UWB messages via SLPP <para. 0019-0021; Claim(s) 11>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by SHIN_156. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to support UWB positioning as a RAT-independent positioning scheme <para. 0015>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of LI_558 (US20240015558)
Claim(s) 8
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the indication comprises a bitmap that indicates whether a corresponding frequency segment is included in the plurality of frequency segments.
However in a similar endeavor, LI_558 teaches
wherein the indication comprises a bitmap that indicates whether a corresponding frequency segment is included in the plurality of frequency segments. Each bit in a bitmap is associated with a component carrier. The value assigned to the bit respectively indicates whether the corresponding carrier should be included. <FIG(s). 10, 9; para. 0132-0134, 0162, 0221>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by LI_558. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to enable backward compatibility in sidelink carrier aggregation. <para. 0006>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of LI_558 (US20240015558), and further view of PRASAD_839 (US20230060839)
Claim(s) 9
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the indication is associated with a quantization parameter that indicates a size of a frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments.
However in a similar endeavor, PRASAD_839 teaches
wherein the indication is associated with a quantization parameter that indicates a size of a frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments. set of parameters may comprise a carrier indicator field parameter which indicates a size of a carrier indicator field in DCI <para. 0051>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 and LI_558 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by PRASAD_839. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide a solution for estimating downlink size for a multicast traffic. <para. 0003>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU_276 (US20240385276) in view of HE_067 (US20180049067)
Claim(s) 10
LIU_276 does not explicitly teach
wherein the indication comprises an indication of
a location of a frequency segment of the plurality of frequency segments and
a frequency width of the frequency segment.
However in a similar endeavor, HE_067 teaches
a frequency width of the frequency segment. configuration message may include information corresponding to the width of band and/or location on frequency spectrum <FIG(s). 2; para. 0037>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by LIU_276 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by HE_067. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide efficient and improved process when using guard-bands for a communication channel during wireless communications <para. 0005>.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) is/are indicated as having allowable subject matter and objected to.
Claim(s) 2, 14 and 3, 15
The claim(s) is/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.
Closes prior art is the reference(s) used in the rejections for the independent claims. However, the reference(s) do not reaching a DL communication via an access link network node in addition to receiving portion of the DL downlink communication from a wireless communication device . Where the Examiner interpreted the “wireless communication device” and “network node” to be distinct, different devices in the network and interpreted the “receive a downlink communication” to be distinct, different from the “receive, from the wireless communication device, a communication associated with the plurality of frequency segments” such that the apparatus receives the entire downlink communication from the access link from the network node and portions of the downlink communication from the wireless communication device.
Claim(s) 11, 18
The claim(s) is/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.
Closes prior art is the reference(s) used in the rejections for the independent claims. However the reference(s) do not teach a DMRS centered in a frequency segment, and bandwidth of the DRMS is wider/larger than the bandwidth of the frequency segment.
Claim(s) 12, 19
The claim(s) is/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.
Closes prior art is the reference(s) used in the rejections for the independent claims and SHIN_156 (US20250081156), which teaches SL UWB communications. However the reference(s) do not teach “demodulating the communication as received via the ultra-wideband sidelink in connection with demodulating the communication as received via an access link with a network node.” Where the Examiner interprets the “in connection with” to require coordinated demodulating operation that incorporates both demodulating the received UWB communications and demodulating access link communicates in order to properly demodulate the communication.
In addition to the explicit reasons given herein, allowability is also determined in view of the combination of references required for obviousness, the inter-relationship between other claimed limitations, and the claimed invention as a whole. Accordingly, amendments that do not incorporate the allowable claims into the base/intervening claims in its entirely, are not allowable. This includes amendments that incorporate the allowable claims into the base/intervening claims in part or in a non-narrowing manner (i.e., changing the scope of the subject matter).
Relevant Cited References
KR10-2323-01333488 (ENG translation) disclosing supported subject matter relied upon for SHIN’156.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE TACDIRAN whose telephone number is 571-272-1717. The examiner can normally be reached on M-TH, 10-5PM EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached on 571-270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDRE TACDIRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415