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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 3, 9-10, and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, line 1, “claim 22” should read as “claim 2”
In claim 9, line 1, “claim 66” should read as “claim 6”
In claim 10, line 1, “claim 1Error! Reference source not found.” should read as “claim 1”
In claim 14, line 1, “claim Error! Reference source not found.” should read as “claim 1”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-6, 15-20, and 26-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2019/0222273 A1), hereinafter referred to as Liu, in view of Jiang et al. (US 2018/0097663 A1), hereinafter referred to as Jiang, and further in view of Takeda et al. (US 2021/0153164 A1), hereinafter referred to as Takeda.
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Liu – Paragraph [0007], note communication method, terminal device), comprising:
one or more memories (Liu – Fig. 7; Paragraph [0132], note a terminal device 700 includes a memory); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (Liu – Fig. 7; Paragraph [0132], note a terminal device 700 includes a processor), configured to cause the UE to:
receive, from a network node, signaling indicating a subset of physical resource block groups (PRGs) that are associated with a same precoder, wherein the subset of PRGs comprises a plurality of physical resource blocks that span contiguous frequency resources (Liu – Paragraph [0079], note the network device may send indication information to the terminal device, and the indication information indicates the resource bundling granularity, the network device sends the indication information by using radio resource control (RRC) signaling or downlink control information (DCI); Paragraph [0082], note the resource bundling granularity may be a physical resource block bundling (PRB bundling) granularity or a precoding resource block group (PRG) granularity, the PRG granularity may indicate a quantity of consecutive (i.e., contiguous) PRBs on which same precoding is performed by a transmit end (network device, see Paragraph [0083]); Paragraph [0084], note the PRG and the PRB bundling group are interchangeable, resource bundling on each of the transmit end side and the receive end side may be the PRG, or resource bundling on each of the transmit end side and the receive end side may be the PRB bundling group);
receive, from the network node, a transmission via a PRG (Liu – Paragraph [0114], note the network device performs, based on a determined precoding resource block group, same precoding on data in a same precoding resource block group (for example, performs precoding by using a same precoding matrix), and then transmits the data to the terminal device after a precoding processing); and
perform a joint channel estimation based on the subset of PRGs when the subset of PRGs are associated with the same precoder (Liu – Paragraph [0082], note the PRB bundling granularity may indicate a quantity of PRBs across which joint channel estimation is performed by a receive end (terminal device, see Paragraph [0083]); Paragraph [0114], note the terminal device performs, based on a determined resource block bundling group, joint channel estimation on data in a same resource block bundling group for decoding, and finally obtains data sent by the network device).
Liu does not teach receiving, from the network node, a transmission via the set of PRGs; and the signaling indicating whether a set of physical resource block groups (PRGs) comprises a subset of PRGs that are associated with a same precoder, wherein the subset of PRGs comprises a plurality of PRGs that span contiguous frequency resources.
In an analogous art, Jiang teaches the signaling indicating whether a set of physical resource block groups (PRGs) comprises a subset of PRGs that are associated with a same precoder, wherein the subset of PRGs comprises a plurality of PRGs that span contiguous frequency resources (Jiang – Paragraph [0022], note in PRG bundling, a few contiguous resource blocks may be scheduled to one UE and the same precoding vector may be used for these continuous PRGs, the receiving device may determine whether the partial allocated PRG can assume the same precoding for the larger set of resource blocks in the entire PRG based on signaling from the transmitting device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Jiang into Liu in order to perform joint channel estimation across contiguous resource blocks in a PRG to achieve higher channel estimation accuracy (Jiang – Paragraph [0022]).
The combination of Liu and Jiang still does not teach receiving, from the network node, a transmission via the set of PRGs.
In an analogous art, Takeda teaches receiving, from the network node, a transmission via the set of PRGs (Takeda – Paragraph [0105], note a wireless communications system may perform data transmission over multiple precoding resource block groups (PRGs), a base station may transmit data over a first set of PDSCH resources using a first precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a first PRG), a second set of PDSCH resources using a second precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a second PRG), and a third set of PDSCH resources using a third precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a third PRG), a UE may receive the data transmission over one or more of the PRGs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Takeda into the combination of Liu and Jiang in order to mitigate the effects of interference on PRGs, increasing the reliability of wireless unicast communications (Takeda – Paragraph [0105]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Tsai, specifically Liu teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:
communicate with the network node based at least in part on a result of the joint channel estimation (Liu – Paragraph [0114], note the terminal device performs, based on a determined resource block bundling group, joint channel estimation on data in a same resource block bundling group for decoding, and finally obtains data sent by the network device).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Tsai, specifically Liu teaches wherein the signaling comprises an indication of a quantity of PRGs that are in the subset of PRGs (Liu – Paragraph [0082], note the PRG granularity may indicate a quantity of consecutive PRBs on which same precoding is performed by a transmit end, and the PRB bundling granularity may indicate a quantity of PRBs across which joint channel estimation is performed by a receive end).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Liu and Jiang does not teach wherein: the signaling further indicates that the set of PRGs comprises a second subset of PRGs that are associated with a second precoder; and the one or more processors, to cause the UE to perform the channel estimation, are configured to cause the UE to: perform a second joint channel estimation of the second subset of PRGs in response to the second subset of PRGs being associated with the second precoder.
In an analogous art, Takeda teaches wherein:
the signaling further indicates that the set of PRGs comprises a second subset of PRGs that are associated with a second precoder (Takeda – Paragraph [0105], note a base station 105 may transmit data over a first set of PDSCH resources using a second set of PDSCH resources using a second precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a second PRG)); and
the one or more processors, to cause the UE to perform the channel estimation, are configured to cause the UE to:
perform a second joint channel estimation of the second subset of PRGs in response to the second subset of PRGs being associated with the second precoder (Takeda – Paragraph [0131], note wireless communications system may implement joint CSI reporting, for multicast by using shared uplink PRG resources, where each uplink PRG resource is associated with a particular set of CSI, the downlink PRG resources may also be associated with respective uplink PRG resources).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Takeda into the combination of Liu and Jiang for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Takeda, specifically Liu teaches wherein the signaling comprises a first indication of a first quantity of PRGs that are in the subset of PRGs and a second indication of a second quantity of PRGs that are in the second subset of PRGs (Liu – Paragraph [0090], note quantity of PRBs included in a first precoding resource block group, quantity of PRBs included in a last precoding resource block group (each indicated by PRG granularity, see Paragraph [0082]))
Regarding claim 6, Liu does not teach wherein the signaling indicates a likelihood of the set of PRGs comprising the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder.
In an analogous art, Jiang teaches wherein the signaling indicates a likelihood of the set of PRGs comprising the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder (Jiang – Paragraph [0022], note the receiving device may determine whether the partial allocated PRG can assume the same precoding for the larger set of resource blocks in the entire PRG based on signaling from the transmitting device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Jiang into Liu for the same reason as claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 15, Liu teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a network node (Liu – Paragraph [0007], note communication method, network device), comprising:
one or more memories (Liu – Fig. 6; Paragraph [0122], note BBU 62 (of a base station, see Paragraph [0120]) further includes a memory 621); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (Liu – Fig. 6; Paragraph [0122], note BBU 62 (of a base station, see Paragraph [0120]) further includes a processor 622), configured to cause the network node to:
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), signaling indicating a subset of physical resource block groups (PRGs) that are associated with a same precoder, wherein the subset of PRGs comprises a plurality of physical resource blocks that span contiguous frequency resources (Liu – Paragraph [0079], note the network device may send indication information to the terminal device, and the indication information indicates the resource bundling granularity, the network device sends the indication information by using radio resource control (RRC) signaling or downlink control information (DCI); Paragraph [0082], note the resource bundling granularity may be a physical resource block bundling (PRB bundling) granularity or a precoding resource block group (PRG) granularity, the PRG granularity may indicate a quantity of consecutive (i.e., contiguous) PRBs on which same precoding is performed by a transmit end (network device, see Paragraph [0083]); Paragraph [0084], note the PRG and the PRB bundling group are interchangeable, resource bundling on each of the transmit end side and the receive end side may be the PRG, or resource bundling on each of the transmit end side and the receive end side may be the PRB bundling group), and wherein the subset of PRGs being associated with the same precoder enables the UE to perform a joint channel estimation (Liu – Paragraph [0082], note the PRB bundling granularity may indicate a quantity of PRBs across which joint channel estimation is performed by a receive end (terminal device, see Paragraph [0083]); Paragraph [0114], note the terminal device performs, based on a determined resource block bundling group, joint channel estimation on data in a same resource block bundling group for decoding, and finally obtains data sent by the network device); and
transmit, to the UE, a transmission via a PRG (Liu – Paragraph [0114], note the network device performs, based on a determined precoding resource block group, same precoding on data in a same precoding resource block group (for example, performs precoding by using a same precoding matrix), and then transmits the data to the terminal device after a precoding processing).
Liu does not teach transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), signaling indicating whether a set of physical resource block groups (PRGs) comprises a subset of PRGs that are associated with a same precoder, wherein the subset of PRGs comprises a plurality of PRGs that span contiguous frequency resources; and transmitting, to the UE, a transmission via the set of PRGs.
In an analogous art, Jiang teaches transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), signaling indicating whether a set of physical resource block groups (PRGs) comprises a subset of PRGs that are associated with a same precoder, wherein the subset of PRGs comprises a plurality of PRGs that span contiguous frequency resources (Jiang – Paragraph [0022], note in PRG bundling, a few contiguous resource blocks may be scheduled to one UE and the same precoding vector may be used for these continuous PRGs, the receiving device may determine whether the partial allocated PRG can assume the same precoding for the larger set of resource blocks in the entire PRG based on signaling from the transmitting device).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Jiang into Liu in order to perform joint channel estimation across contiguous resource blocks in a PRG to achieve higher channel estimation accuracy (Jiang – Paragraph [0022]).
The combination of Liu and Jiang still does not teach transmitting, to the UE, a transmission via the set of PRGs.
In an analogous art, Takeda teaches transmitting, to the UE, a transmission via the set of PRGs (Takeda – Paragraph [0105], note a wireless communications system may perform data transmission over multiple precoding resource block groups (PRGs), a base station may transmit data over a first set of PDSCH resources using a first precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a first PRG), a second set of PDSCH resources using a second precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a second PRG), and a third set of PDSCH resources using a third precoding matrix and/or beamforming (a third PRG), a UE may receive the data transmission over one or more of the PRGs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Takeda into the combination of Liu and Jiang in order to mitigate the effects of interference on PRGs, increasing the reliability of wireless unicast communications (Takeda – Paragraph [0105]).
Regarding claim 16, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 18, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 26, the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Takeda, specifically Liu teaches wherein the signaling indicates that the set of PRGs does not comprise the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder (Liu – Paragraph [0082], note the PRG granularity may indicate a quantity of consecutive PRBs on which same precoding is performed by a transmit end; the PRG granularity can indicate a quantity of zero PRBs on which same precoding is performed).
Regarding claim 27, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 1 above, except the claim is written in a method claim format.
Regarding claim 28, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 29, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 30, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 15 above, except the claim is written in a method claim format.
Claims 12-13 and 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Jiang and Takeda as applied to claims 1 and 15 above, and further in view of Ly et al. (US 2022/0337368 A1), hereinafter referred to as Ly.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Takeda does not teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to the network node, a capability of the UE to perform a joint channel estimation of multiple PRGs, wherein receiving the signaling is in response to transmitting the capability to the network node.
In an analogous art, Ly teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:
transmit, to the network node, a capability of the UE to perform a joint channel estimation of multiple PRGs, wherein receiving the signaling is in response to transmitting the capability to the network node (Ly – Fig. 10; Paragraph [0032], note the UE is configured for providing an indication that the UE has the ability to support joint channel estimation (JCE); Paragraph [0097], note various configurations of a UE to be able to send an indication to the network (e.g., gNB) of the capability for supporting Msg3 PUSCH repetition including the capability for counting available UL slots and joint channel estimation; Paragraph [0101], note the configured PRACH resource is decoded, which in turn communicates the capability indication to the base station; Paragraph [0102], note the base station will send Msg 4 for contention resolution via PDCCH or PDSCH resources).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Ly into the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Takeda in order for the UE to indicate joint channel estimation capability, allowing for Msg3 repetition and phase continuity across multiple PUSCH transmissions (Ly – Paragraph [0005]).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Takeda does not teach wherein the capability of the UE comprises an indication of a channel estimation algorithm associated with performing the channel estimation, one or more parameters associated with performing the channel estimation, or a combination thereof.
In an analogous art, Ly teaches wherein the capability of the UE comprises an indication of a channel estimation algorithm associated with performing the channel estimation, one or more parameters associated with performing the channel estimation, or a combination thereof (Ly – Paragraph [0144], note DMRS configuration decode circuitry, which is configured to decode or interpret the DMRS configuration of the UE to, in turn, determine whether the UE supports joint channel estimation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Ly into the combination of Liu, Jiang, and Takeda for the same reason as claim 12 above.
Regarding claim 24, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 12 above.
Regarding claim 25, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 13 above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-11, 14, and 21-23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Applicant’s dependent claims recite:
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: determine that the set of PRGs comprises the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder in response to the signaling indicating the likelihood and in response to receiving the transmission;
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: determine that the set of PRGs does not comprise the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder in response to the signaling indicating the likelihood and in response to receiving the transmission; and refrain from performing a joint channel estimation based on the set of PRGs not comprising the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder;
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: transmit a reference signal to the network node, wherein receiving the signaling indicating the likelihood of the set of PRGs comprising the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder is in response to transmitting the reference signal;
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to the network node, a channel state information report comprising a plurality of precoding matrix indicators (PMIs), wherein each PMI of the plurality of PMIs is associated with a respective subset of PRGs from the set of PRGs, and wherein the signaling indicates whether the set of PRGs comprise the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder by indicating whether the respective subsets of PRGs from the set of PRGs are associated with a precoder that corresponds to one of the plurality of PMIs; and
the one or more processors, to cause the UE to perform the channel estimation, are configured to cause the UE to: refrain from performing the joint channel estimation when the set of PRGs does not comprise the subset of PRGs that are associated with the same precoder.
The limitations above are neither taught nor suggested by the prior art.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Manolakos et al. (US 2019/0261325 A1) discloses PRG value indicating a PRB bundle size (indicating a quantity of PRBs precoded using the same precoding matrix).
Tsai (US 2020/0266943 A1) discloses a TRP transmitting over a first set of physical resource block groups and a second set of physical resource block groups.
Khoshnevisan et al. (US 2020/0404667 A1) discloses contiguous RBs in a PRB domain over which a UE can assume that the same precoding is used.
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/BAILOR C HSU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461