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
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.
Claims 1-3, 9, 12-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM et al PG PUB 2022/0217666 in view of WONG et al PG PUB 2023/0217328.
Re Claims 1, 12, ASTROM et al teaches a network device for determining a RSS configuration S136 for a RSS (a resynchronization signal pilot) wherein the configuration includes at least a first frequency domain resource is a part of frequency resources of a narrowband [0018 0094]; a WD (an apparatus comprising a processor and memory) for determining based on the configuration (the at least one frequency domain resource) for performing one or more measurements (a first radio resource measurement results) corresponding to the detected the RSS (pilot) [0021 0044].
ASTROM et al fails to explicitly teach “compensating…a power difference between the RSS pilot and a CRS pilot, to obtain a second RRM result.”. However, WONG et al teaches the UE needs to factor in the relative power difference between the RSS and CRS [0062]. This is to improve the mobility based on the measurement result (a second RRM result). WONG et al further teaches the terminal reporting (sending) the measurement result to a controlling node (a higher layer) wherein the controlling node performs switching and scheduling of the one or more DU which is a function of a higher layer [0036]. One skilled in the art would have been motivated to have compensated the first RRM result with the power difference between the RRS pilot and CRS pilot to improve the measurement accuracy and mobility of the UE.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled to have combined the teachings.
Re Claims 2, 13, ASTROM et al teaches the RSS is configured with a starting location in the frequency domain in every PRB [0044], the WD determines the frequency domain resources of the narrowband.
Re Claims 3, 14, ASTROM et al teaches a RSRQ measurement (the first radio resource measurement result) is performed through the use of the RSS [0012].
Re Claims 9, 20, ASTROM et al teaches the RSRQ measurement is determined at a physical layer.
Claims 4-6, 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM et al PG PUB 2022/0217666 in view of WONG et al PG PUB 2023/0217328 as applied to Claims 1 and 12 above and further in view of LIU et al PG PUB 2023/00523368.
Re Claims 4, 15, ASTROM et al teaches the RSS measurement result can be RSRQ. ASTROM et al in view of WONG et al fails to explicitly teach "determine the RSRQ based on the RSSI". However, LIU et al teaches determining the RSRQ based on the RSSI [0042]. One skilled in the art would have been motivated to determine the RSRQ based on the RSSI for channel estimation. Based on the channel estimation, a reliable channel connection can be established. One skilled in the art would have been motivated to perform the channel estimation using the RSRQ based on the RSSI. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled to have combined the teachings.
Re Claims 5-6, 16-17, ASTROM et al teaches the RSS is configured with a starting location in the frequency domain in every PRB in the narrowband and in the time domain (at least one time domain sub-resources) [See figure 1: Time-Frequency Grid of the RSS] in every frame [0044]; LIU et al teaches determining the RSRQ based on a RSRP and the RSSI that corresponds to the RSS pilot [0042].
Claims 7-8 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM et al PG PUB 2022/0217666 in view of WONG et al PG PUB 2023/0217328 as applied to Claims 1 and 12 above and further in view SIOMINA et al PG PUB 2020/0350975.
Re Claims 7, 18, ASTROM et al teaches performing measurement based on frequency domain resources of the narrowband on with the RSS pilot is located. ASTROM et al in view of WONG et al fails to explicitly teach "determining a RS-SINR". However, SIOMINA et al teaches a radio measurement method can include RS-SINR [0039]. One skilled in the art would have been motivated to support RS-SINR to determine the signal quality and/or signal strength for channel reliability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled to have combined the teachings.
Re Claims 8, 19, SOMINIA et al teaches the UE may be required to perform a measurement (the RS-SINR) if the UE is not receiving any data channel (at least one first time unit is not used to send downlink data) over the time resources [0090]. One skilled in the art would have been motivated to have performed the RS-SINR on the time period not overlapping with the data channel (the downlink data) to avoid collision. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled to have combined the teachings.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-9, 11-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 6/3/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Re Claims 1 and 12, Applicant argues WONG et al fails to teach “sending the radio resource measurement result to a higher layer” whereby “a higher layer” refers to protocol layer above the physical layer within the same device. However, such limitation is not claimed. It is known to one skilled that both the UE and controlling node in WONG et al includes a protocol stack comprising a physical layer and higher layer to support RRM and RRC signaling.
As claimed, “sending the second radio resource measurement result to a higher layer” can read on the UE sending/reporting the RRM result to a higher layer in the controlling node.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/ANDREW LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475
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