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 .
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 pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1–3, 9–15, 18–20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Li (WO2021217489A1; “Li”) in view of He (WO2024011572A1; “He”).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses: A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and configured to cause the UE to: an apparatus at FIG.8 including a processor, a memory coupled with the processor, and instructions stored in memory that are executable by the processor. (Li, para [0006], FIG. 8 element 115 (UE), element 840 (Processor), element 830 (Memory)).
Li describes: receive one or more channel state information (CSI) reference signals (CSI-RSs) receiving a reference signal from a base station, including where repeated resources may be resources for channel state information (CSI) reference signals (CSI-RS).
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(Li, para [0005]-[0006]: “provide for enhanced channel state information (CSI) reporting mechanisms which may enable a UE to indicate a receive antenna port in a CSI report”, [0023]-[0025], [0032]-[0033], [0111] “. . . The base station 105 may transmit a reference signal . . . a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS)), which may be precoded or unprecoded”).
Li describes: and transmit a CSI report associated with the one or more CSI-RSs. transmitting a channel state information report to the base station, including where the report may include channel state information (i.e., “CSI report” as claimed) associated with a set of receive antenna ports and an indication of the set of receive antenna ports. (Li, para [0005]-[0006], [0019]-[0022]).
With respect to claim 1, Li describes reception using receive antenna ports, but does not explicitly disclose that the receive antenna ports are of a low-power wakeup radio: using one or more low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) antenna ports;
However, He in para [0021] describes that a device may be equipped with a low-power wakeup radio that utilizes less power than a main radio and [0005] disclose that it may be used to monitor/receive signaling while reducing power consumption. (He, para [0021], [0005]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement Li’s channel-state feedback/receive-antenna-port reporting using the low-power wakeup radio of He, in order to reduce power consumption while still enabling channel-state feedback usable by a base station for downlink communications. (Li, para [0003], [0005]-[0006]; He, para [0021]).
Doing so would predictably reduce device power usage and extend operating time while maintaining the ability to provide channel-state feedback tied to the receive antenna port(s) used for reception. (Li, para [0003], [0019]-[0022]; He, para [0021]).
Regarding claim 2, Li discloses receiving multiple reference signals in multiple downlink transmission occasions associated with different receive antenna ports, and receiving a reference signal via repeated resources within a slot using a group of receive antenna ports, Li, para [0023]-[0025], [0032]-[0033], [0024]) but does not explicitly disclose that the receive antenna ports are of a low-power wakeup radio: The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more CSI-RSs include a plurality of CSI-RSs, wherein the one or more LP-WUR antenna ports include a plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports, and wherein the one or more processors, to receive the plurality of CSI-RSs using the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports, are configured to receive the plurality of CSI-RSs in a plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources associated with the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports.
However, He describes the low-power wakeup radio context for the receive functionality, and Li describes the multiple occasions/repeated resources associated with different receive antenna ports for reception of multiple reference signals. (He, para [0021], [0005]; Li, para [0023]-[0025], [0032]-[0033], [0024]).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses receiving an indication of an association between a resource for a reference signal and a receive antenna port, and receiving reference signals in different downlink transmission occasions based on associations to different receive antenna ports, but does not explicitly disclose that the receive antenna ports are of a low-power wakeup radio. (Li, para [0016], [0032]-[0033]): The UE of claim 2, wherein the plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources are associated with respective LP-WUR antenna ports of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports.
However, He describes the low-power wakeup radio context for the receive functionality, and Li describes associating a resource/transmission occasion with a receive antenna port. (He, para [0021]; Li, para [0016], [0032]-[0033]).
Accordingly, the rationale to combine Li with He is the same as described in claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses receiving a configuration for reporting channel state information, and determining a set of repeated resources for a reference signal based on the configuration, but does not explicitly disclose that the configuration is for low-power wakeup radio antenna switching resources. (Li, para [0019], [0023]-[0025]): The UE of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: receive a configuration of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources.
However, He describes the low-power wakeup radio context for the receive functionality, and Li describes receiving configuration signaling and using it to determine repeated resources for the reference signal. (He, para [0021]; Li, para [0019], [0023]-[0025]).
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses receiving control-channel signaling and/or DCI including an indication of a receive antenna port to use, but does not explicitly disclose that the indication is for low-power wakeup radio antenna switching in accordance with the configuration. (Li, para [0015], [0017]-[0018]): The UE of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: receive an indication to perform LP-WUR antenna switching in accordance with the configuration of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources. However, He describes the low-power wakeup radio context for the receive functionality, and Li describes receiving signaling that indicates the receive antenna port (and associated configuration state) for reception. (He, para [0021]; Li, para [0015], [0017]-[0018]).
Regarding claim 11, Li describes reduced-complexity devices that may be unable to operate efficiently using antenna switching and describes disabling receive antenna port switching, but does not explicitly disclose that the low-power wakeup radio antenna port(s) are fixed. (Li, para [0003], [0034]): The UE of claim 1, wherein the UE does not support LP-WUR antenna switching, and wherein the one or more LP-WUR antenna ports are fixed.
However, He describes the low-power wakeup radio context as a separate low-power radio relative to a main radio, and Li describes devices that may not operate efficiently with antenna switching and may disable receive antenna port switching, rendering the port selection fixed. (He, para [0021]; Li, para [0003], [0034]).
Regarding claim 12, A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving one or more channel state information (CSI) reference signals (CSI-RSs) using one or more low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) antenna ports; and transmitting a CSI report associated with the one or more CSI-RSs. Claim 12 is analogous to claim 1 and therefore is rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 13, The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more CSI-RSs include a plurality of CSI-RSs, wherein the one or more LP-WUR antenna ports include a plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports, and wherein receiving the plurality of CSI-RSs using the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports includes receiving the plurality of CSI-RSs in a plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources associated with the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports. Claim 13 is analogous to claim 2 and therefore is rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 14, The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resource. Claim 14 is analogues to claim 3 and is therefore rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 15, The method of claim 13, wherein each LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resource of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources corresponds to multiple LP-WUR antenna ports of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports. Claim 15 is analogues to Claim 4 and therefore it is rejected for the same rationale.
Regarding claim 18, An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: means for receiving one or more channel state information (CSI) reference signals (CSI-RSs) using one or more low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) antenna ports; and means for transmitting a CSI report associated with the one or more CSI-RSs. Claim 18 is analogous to Claim 1 and therefore rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 19, The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the one or more CSI-RSs include a plurality of CSI-RSs, wherein the one or more LP-WUR antenna ports include a plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports, and wherein the means for receiving the plurality of CSI-RSs using the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports include means for receiving the plurality of CSI-RSs in a plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources associated with the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports. Claim 19 is analogous to claim 2 and is therefore rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 20, The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the apparatus does not support LP-WUR antenna switching, and wherein the one or more LP-WUR antenna ports are fixed. Claim 20 is analogous to claim 11 and therefore rejected for the same reason.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Li (WO2021217489A1; “Li”) in view of He (WO2024011572A1; “He”) and further in view of Lincoln (WO 2017 /196243 Al “Lincoln”)
Regarding claim 4, Li describes associating a transmission occasion/resource with a receive antenna port, but does not explicitly disclose that each time-domain resource corresponds to multiple antenna ports. (Li, para [0016], [0032]-[0033]): The UE of claim 2, wherein each LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resource of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna switching time-domain resources corresponds to multiple LP-WUR antenna ports of the plurality of LP-WUR antenna ports.
However, Lincoln teaches that each beam may have between 1 and 8 ports and each beam is associated with a CSI-RS with rank ranging from 1 to 8, and further teaches that closed-loop precoding uses CSI-RS transmitted on the antenna ports of a beam and the UE measures the CSI-RS transmitted on the antenna ports (Lincoln, p. 10, lines 24-29; Lincoln, p. 12, lines 26-33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li’s LP-WUR receive-antenna switching scheme (as applied in view of He) to have a single antenna-switching time-domain resource correspond to (i.e., encompass) multiple antenna ports, as taught by Lincoln’s multi-port CSI-RS/beam arrangement (Lincoln, p. 10, lines 24-29; Lincoln, p. 12, lines 26-33).
Doing so would have predictably enabled multi-port CSI-RS measurements within a given time-domain resource in Li’s antenna-switching framework, thereby improving channel sounding/beamforming support (e.g., higher-rank measurements and more accurate channel estimation) without requiring separate time-domain resources per antenna port, which would reduce measurement/resource overhead and latency while using prior art elements according to their established functions.
Claim(s) 5–7, 16–17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Li (WO2021217489A1; “Li”) in view of He (WO2024011572A1; “He”) and further in view of Liu (US20230047048A1; “Liu”)
Regarding claim 5, Li describes channel-state feedback for receive antenna port, but does not explicitly disclose transmitting a capability signaling message for antenna switching of the low-power wakeup radio. (Li, para [0004]-[0006], [0019]-[0025]) Further He discloses the low-power wakeup radio context but does not explicitly teach a capability report associated with LP-WUR antenna switching : The UE of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: transmit a capability report associated with LP-WUR antenna switching.
However, Li in view of He and further in view of Liu describes reporting a capability indicating supported antenna switching (including supported antenna configurations) by reporting a capability of the remote unit indicating the supported Sounding Reference Signals (SRS) transmission port switching, wherein the capability includes at least 1T6R, 2T6R, 4T6R, 1T8R, 2T8R and 4T8R, receiving an SRS configuration according to the reported capability (Liu, para [0007]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li’s LP-WUR receive-antenna switching scheme (as applied in view of He) to generating reporting capability wherein one or more SRS resource sets are configured each consisting of one or more SRS resources for antenna switching, and transmitting SRS resource (s) according to the SRS configuration. (Liu Abstract, [0007])
Regarding claim 6, Li does not explicitly disclose the specific contents of the capability signaling message for antenna switching of the low-power wakeup radio: The UE of claim 5, wherein the capability report includes one or more of: an indication of a quantity of receive antennas associated with an LP-WUR of the UE, an indication that the UE supports the LP-WUR antenna switching, an indication of a minimum timing gap associated with the LP-WUR antenna switching, or an indication of a maximum bandwidth associated with CSI estimation using the LP-WUR.
However, Liu describes that the reported capability indicates supported antenna switching and includes supported antenna configurations (including receive-antenna quantities as reflected by the “R” value in configurations such as 1T6R, 2T6R, etc.), and further describes reporting one or more guard symbols/guard period for antenna switching (a timing gap). (Liu, para [0007], [0010], [0098]-[0099]). He describes the low-power wakeup radio context for applying such capability signaling to the low-power wakeup radio. (He, para [0021]).
Regarding claim 7, Li does not explicitly disclose a dedicated capability signaling message specifically associated with antenna switching of the low-power wakeup radio: The UE of claim 5, wherein the capability report is a dedicated capability report associated with the LP-WUR antenna switching.
However, Liu describes reporting a capability specifically for antenna switching (and introducing a new capability regarding guard period for antenna switching), evidencing a dedicated capability report for antenna switching, and He describes the low-power wakeup radio context for applying such dedicated capability reporting to low-power wakeup radio antenna switching. (Liu, para [0007], [0109]; He, para [0021]).
Regarding claim 16, The method of claim 13, further comprising: transmitting a capability report associated with LP-WUR antenna switching. Claim 16 is analogous to claim 5 and is therefore rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 17, The method of claim 16, wherein the capability report includes one or more of: an indication of a quantity of receive antennas associated with an LP-WUR of the UE, an indication that the UE supports the LP-WUR antenna switching, an indication of a minimum timing gap associated with the LP-WUR antenna switching, or an indication of a maximum bandwidth associated with CSI estimation using the LP-WUR. Claim 17 is analogues to claim 6 and is therefore rejected for the same reason.
Claim(s) 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Li (WO2021217489A1; “Li”) in view of He (WO2024011572A1; “He”) and further in view of Liu (US20230047048A1; “Liu”) and Duan (US20210112498A1; “Duan”)
Regarding claim 8, Li describes channel-state feedback for receive antenna port, but does not explicitly disclose a maximum quantity of main radio (MR) antennas associated with transmission. He discloses the low-power wakeup radio context but does not explicitly teach a maximum quantity of main radio (MR) antennas associated with the low-power wake up radio reception. Liu discloses a capability report associated with LP-WUR antenna switching but does not explicitly disclose a maximum quantity of main radio (MR) antennas associated with transmission and reception: The UE of claim 5, wherein the capability report includes: an indication of a maximum quantity of main radio (MR) antennas associated with transmission, an indication of a maximum quantity of MR antennas associated with reception, and an indication of a maximum quantity of LP-WUR antennas associated with reception. However, Duan explicitly discloses allow time for the TX chains of the UE to switch between different RX antenna ports including a number of receive antenna ports and a number of transmit chains (i.e., reported numbers for reception- and transmission-side antenna resources),
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including reporting different numbers based on power-saving configuration/low-power state. (Duan, para [0007]-[0008], [0103]-[0104], [0136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li’s LP-WUR receive-antenna switching scheme (as applied in view of He) to generating reporting capability wherein one or more SRS resource sets are configured each consisting of one or more SRS resources for antenna switching, and transmitting SRS resource (s) according to the SRS configuration taught by Liu on a low-power wakeup radio that utilizes less power than a main radio, supporting separate low-power and main-radio contexts for applying the reported antenna capability information to the low-power wakeup radio versus the main radio. (He, para [0021]) wherein Liu further describes that the reported capability includes explicit antenna configuration values such as 1T6R, 2T6R, etc., and the teachings of Duan further improving throughout performance based on SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) transmitted by the User Equipment (UE) to the base station (eNB/gNB providing information about the uplink channel quality over a wide bandwidth, enabling the scheduler to optimize resource allocation of antenna ports from base station.
Conclusion
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/CHONGSUH PARK/Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JOSEPH E AVELLINO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478