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.
Claims 1, 6, 8, 11, 18, and 19 are 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.
a) Claim 1 line 11: “a first user equipment” should be changed to -- the first user equipment --.
b) Claim 1 line 22: “first user equipment” should be changed to -- the first user equipment --.
c) Claim 6 line 2: “a second fine beam” should be changed to -- the second fine beam --.
d) Claim 8 line 2: “a second fine beam” should be changed to -- the second fine beam --.
e) Claim 11 line 2: “a plurality of coarse beams” should be changed to -- the plurality of coarse beams--.
f) Claim 18 line 2: “a second fine beam” should be changed to -- the second fine beam --.
g) Claim 19 line 2: “a second fine beam” should be changed to --the second fine beam --.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 are allowed (pending 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections).
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance (pending 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejections):
Independent claims 1 and 13:
U.S. Publication No. 20180227886 to Chou et al disclose in Figures 1-26 and Sections 0120, 0125, 0135, 0139, 0151, and 0154 a system, comprising:
…
…
a plurality of antennas (Sections 0004 and 0062) …
Wherein … the plurality of antennas are configured to implement a base station (BS) for wirelessly communicating with user equipment (UE) in a cell (BS communicates with UE in a cell; Sections 0049-0054).
Wherein the base station is configured to:
Receive signal measurements for a plurality of coarse beams from a first user equipment (UE). BS requests UE to measure reference signals of a plurality of coarse beams. UE measures the reference signals of the plurality of coarse beams and sends the measurement reports to BS.
Establish a coarse beam association for a first user equipment with a first coarse beam of the plurality of coarse beams based on the signal measurements for the plurality of coarse beams from the first user equipment. BS uses the measurement reports from UE to select a coarse beams qualified for transmission from the plurality of coarse beams. Refer to Sections 0043-0163.
…
…
…
…
…
Chou et al do not disclose a system, comprising: at least one BBU; a radio unit communicatively coupled to the at least one BBU; and a plurality of antennas communicatively coupled to the radio unit;
wherein the at least one BBU, the radio unit, and the plurality of antennas are configured to implement a base station for wirelessly communicating with user equipment in a cell …
U.S. Publication No. 20210112001 to Li et al disclose in Figures 1-24 and Section 0080 wherein in Figure 4, BS includes a BBU 401 and a radio unit 402 and the RRU 402 is connected to an antenna system 403. Refer to Sections 0072-0459.
Chou et al and Li et al do not disclose … configure the first user equipment to measure reference signals associated with a first set of fine beams … ; receive reference signal measurements for the first set of fine beams from the first user equipment; establish a fine beam association for the first user equipment with a first fine beam of the first set of fine beams based on the reference signal measurements for the first set of fine beams from the first user equipment …
U.S. Publication No. 20220052737 to Shanmugaraju et al disclose in Figures 1-10 and Sections 0058, 0080, 0091, and 0135 wherein each BS is associated with a plurality of fine beams. UE measures reference signals of the plurality of fine beams, and then sends the measurement results of the plurality of fine beams to BS. Based on the measurement reports of the plurality of fine beams from UE, BS selects a fine beam from the plurality of fine beams. Refer to Sections 0019 and 0170.
Chou et al, Li et al, and Shanmugaraju et al do not disclose … transmit synchronization signals to first user equipment using … coarse beam.
U.S. Publication No. 20220086709 to Hao et al disclose in Figures 1-12 and Sections 0439-0440 wherein BS transmits synchronization signals to UE using a coarse beam. Refer to Sections 0213-0488.
Chou et al, Li et al, and Shanmugaraju et al, and Hao et al do not disclose … transmit data signals to the first user equipment using … fine beam.
U.S. Publication No. 20160165583 to Ho et al disclose in Figures 1-10 and Sections 0065 wherein BS transmits data signals to UE using a fine beam. Refer to Sections 0026-0066.
However, none of the prior art disclose the limitations “… configure the first user equipment to measure reference signals associated with a first set of fine beams, wherein the first set of fine beams is associated with the first coarse beam; receive reference signal measurements for the first set of fine beams from the first user equipment; establish a fine beam association for the first user equipment with a first fine beam of the first set of fine beams based on the reference signal measurements for the first set of fine beams from the first user equipment; transmit synchronization signals to first user equipment using the first coarse beam; and transmit data signals to the first user equipment using the first fine beam.”, and can be combined with Chou et al, Li et al, Shanmugaraju et al, Hao et al, and Ho et al.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Publication No. 20240422760 to Wu et al disclose in Figures 1-10 and Sections 0107-0121 wherein a first terminal and a second terminal device send reference signals to each other via refined beams, in order to determine respective fine-grained beams with high quality based on measurement results of the reference signal. Refer to Sections 0078-0322.
U.S. Publication No. 20230042335 to Li et al disclose in Figures 1-20 and Sections 0148-0151 wherein UE sends a beam based on a transmit beam configured by a network side device; the network side device performs, based on an initial receive beam, the fine receive beam sweeping, pairs with and measures the beam, to select a proper fine receive beam. Refer to Sections 0139-0401.
U.S. Publication No. 20180368126 to Islam et al disclose in Figures 1-14 and Sections 0092-0095 wherein UE 502 selects a beam that is strongest or preferable in the coarse beam set; UE selects a beam by measuring the received power and/or signal quality associated with each of the first set of coarse beams, comparing the measurements to one another, and selecting the beam that corresponds to the greatest, highest, or best measurement. Refer to Sections 0028-0156.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINE Y NG whose telephone number is (571)272-3124. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12pm-9pm.
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/Christine Ng/
Examiner, AU 2464
April 6, 2026