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 .
Election/Restrictions
In response to recently amended claim 20, the Restriction/Election requirement, mailed on 05/11/2026 has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 8-12, 15-16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (2021/0159962).
Regrading claims 1-2, Zhang discloses an apparatus (i.e. terminal device) (See figs. 1, 8) comprising: at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor (See figs. 10-11 and par [0218, 0224, 0235-0236), cause the apparatus at least to: determine an uplink transmission power control mode from at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes (i.e. 2T4R and 1T4R) for antenna ports of the apparatus, where the antenna ports comprise at least two antenna ports; and send, to a network equipment, information regarding the determined uplink transmission power control mode (See fig. 5, step 410 and par [0103, 0109-0112]), wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: determine respective insertion losses for a plurality of antenna ports of the apparatus, where at least two of the respective insertion losses are different; and send, to the network equipment, information regarding the determined respective insertion losses for the plurality of antenna ports (See fig. 5 and par [0108, 0116-0117, 0119]).
Claim 19 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 1, as method.
Regarding claim 20, Zhang discloses an apparatus (i.e. network device) (See figs. 1, 9) comprising: at least one processor; and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor (See figs. 10-11 and par [0218, 0223]), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a user equipment, information regarding an uplink transmission power control mode determined by the user equipment, wherein the uplink transmission power control mode is determined from at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes (i.e. 2T4R and 1T4R) for antenna ports of the user equipment, where the antenna ports comprise at least two antenna ports (See fig. 6, step 510 and par [0105, 0109-0112]).
Regarding claim 8, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 1. Zhang further discloses the sending of the information comprises an indication that the apparatus is configured to support use at least one of: a first mode, or a second mode (See fig. 5, step 410 and par [0103, 0109-0112]).
Regarding claims 9-10, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 1. Zhang further discloses the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to select one of the at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes for use with the antenna ports, wherein the sending of the information comprises an indication of the selected uplink transmission power control mode (See fig. 5 and par [0110]).
Regarding claim 11, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 1. Zhang further discloses the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to receive mode information from the network equipment (See par 0131]).
Regarding claim 12, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 11. Zhang further discloses the received mode information comprises information regarding at least one event triggering condition to enable the apparatus to select one of the at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes for use with the antenna ports (See par 0147).
Regarding claims 15-16, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 1. Zhang further discloses the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to receive multiple uplink power control triggering conditions (i.e. sensitivity fallback in a preset range, power fallback in a preset range) for use with antenna-switching (See par [0147]), wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to use the multiple uplink power control triggering conditions to select one of the at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes (See par [0149-0157]).
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 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (2021/0159962) in view of Sridharan.
Regarding claim 3, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 1. However, Zhang does not explicitly mention that the at least two different transmission power control modes comprise: a first mode where the apparatus provides a substantially same uplink transmission output power for the at least two of the antenna ports; and a second mode where the apparatus provides uplink transmission output powers for the at least two antenna ports which are not substantially the same for the respective at least two antenna ports. Since Sridharan suggest a similar system (See fig. 2), wherein at least two different transmission power control modes, comprising: a first mode (i.e. Mode A – equal transmission power splitting mode) where the apparatus provides a substantially same uplink transmission output power for the at least two of the antenna ports; and a second mode (i.e. Mode B – unequal transmission power splitting mode) where the apparatus provides uplink transmission output powers for the at least two antenna ports which are not substantially the same for the respective at least two antenna ports (See fig.2 and col. 7 line 50 to col. 8 line 10, col. 19 lines 32-55, col. 20 line 63 to col. 21 line 16), are reported to the network equipment (See fig.2 and col. 21 lines 18-20); therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify, as suggested by Sridharan, the apparatus of Zhang with two modes as well as to have included the information of the two modes in the report sent to the network equipment, for the advantage of expanding the transmission power capability of the apparatus as well as expanding the report capability of the apparatus to various parameters.
Regarding claim 4, Zhang & Sridharan disclose as cited in claim 3. Sridharan further discloses the second mode comprises determining an uplink transmission output power performance degradation for the at least two antenna ports (See col. 19 line 56 to col. 20 line 6).
Regarding claims 5-7, Zhang & Sridharan disclose as cited in claim 3. Zhang further discloses the sending of the information comprises sending a report in regard to the modes (i.e. first and second modes) to the network equipment, where the report further comprises information regarding different insertion losses for the respective at least two antenna ports (See fig. 5 and par [0108, 0116-0117, 0119]).
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (2021/0159962) in view of Chen (11,924,129).
Regarding claims 17, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 1. However, Zhang does not explicitly mention that the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to receive an uplink sounding resource signal (SRS) resource set parameter, and use the parameter to configure the apparatus to use one of the at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes. Since Chen suggests a similar system, wherein the apparatus (i.e. terminal device) configured to receive an uplink sounding resource signal (SRS) resource set parameter from the network device, and use the parameter to configure the apparatus to use one of the at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes (See figs. 9-10 and col. 7 line 47 to col. 8 line 32, col. 18 lines 22-40); therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify, as suggested by Chen, the system of Zhang for the advantage of improving transmission reliability in repeated PUSCH transmissions.
Regarding claim 18, Zhang & Chen disclose as cited in claim 17. However, they do not explicitly mention that the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to receive a message with a change of the parameter, and use the changed parameter to reconfigure the apparatus to use a different one of the at least two possible different uplink transmission power control modes. It would have been logical and obvious to one skilled in the art to modify, based on figures 9-10 of Chen, the system such that the SRS resource set parameter as well as uplink transmission power control modes will be changed corresponding to newly received uplink SRS signal(s) from the terminal device, for the advantage of allowing the system to make proper adjustments.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 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.
Regarding claims 13-14, Zhang discloses as cited in claim 12. However, Zhang fails to mention that the received mode information is configured to enable the apparatus to inform the network equipment of a recommended power control mode, and where the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to receive a message from the network equipment configured for the apparatus to reconfigure to use the recommended power control mode.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See PTO-892 for a listing of cited prior arts of record.
Conclusion
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/TUAN A TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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