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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 03/28/2024.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Claims 1-20 are rejected.
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 1-20 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “a method comprising …a system”. Examiner is not clear about the statutory class of invention contemplated in this claim. In other words, is not clear if the claim is directed to a method claim or a system/apparatus claim, but not both.
Similarly, claim 1 recites “allocating … respective reference signal profiles associated with respective profile index values to respective cells associated with a radio access network based on the respective profile index values associated with a profile type that is determined, from a group of profile types, based on cell relation topology information”. These “based on” clauses in claim 1 are confusing with respect to how they relate to allocating … respective reference signal profiles. Thus, the scope of the subject-matter for which protection is sought is not clearly defined, contrary to the requirements of 35 USC § 112.
A similar problem exists in Independent claim 12, and Independent claim 19.
Further, Claim 1 recites the limitation “respective adjacent cells of the respective cells”. It is not known whether the respective cells comprise more than or only respective adjacent cells. Therefore, the scope of the subject-matter for which protection is sought is not clearly defined.
A similar confusion exists in Independent claim 12, and Independent claim 19.
Thus, claims 1, 12 and 19 are rejected for being vague and indefinite.
Claims 2-11, 13-18 and 20 are also rejected for depending from rejected base claims.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 12, 19, and claims that depend from them, would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Kim et al (US 20110170435 A1) is pertinent to a method for processing a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) in a wireless communication system based on a multiple access scheme.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMED A KAMARA whose telephone number is (571)270-5629. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9AM-4PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHARLES JIANG can be reached on 5712707191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMED A KAMARA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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