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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/22/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that He and Chung does not teach that a number of symbols , in which the UE does not transmit any other signals, between the 1st and 2nd SRS resource is based on the subcarrier spacing configuration. Applicant further argues that He’s guard period length does not depends on numerology or subcarrier spacing.
However, it is noted that He teaches the system can choose among a plurality of guard period values (See par [100, 146]). For example, in figure 2 and par [45-46], He teaches that when the system chooses a frame structure of a full bandwidth of a component carrier CC for a wide-band SRS transmission 202, the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s can be seen as one symbol length (see one symbol length between CC#1 and CC#2 for wideband SRS transmission). But when the system chooses an SRS-subframe structure of a partial bandwidth for a sub-band SRS transmission 204 (SRS is only transmitted within half a symbol bandwidth, i.e. a different numerology), the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s in CC 220 for the sub-band SRS transmission 204 can be seen occupying as a two-symbol length (the total combination of one full and two half symbols). Thus, He does teach that the guard period length is based on the size of the frame structure, i.e. numerology or subcarrier spacing.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over He et al. (US 2020/0322187) (hereinafter “He”), in view of Chung et al. (US 2012/0008588) (hereinafter “Chung”).
Regarding claim 1 and 7, He teaches:
A method of transmitting a sounding reference signal (SRS) by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station (BS), SRS configuration information including information related to SRS resources for antenna switching (See Fig. 1: Network with eNB110a and UE 140 with four CCs (component carriers) that can be used for UL data transmissions, where CC0 – CC3 can be configured or utilized for SRS transmissions [0029]. Fig. 8, [0095]: Step 802 - UE receives sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission configuration parameters comprising of a first CC (associated with first SRS resource) and second CC (associated with second SRS resource) associated with a time division duplex (TDD) operation and/or an SRS carrier switching operation for communicating an SRS transmission. [0095].);
transmitting, to the BS, a first SRS resource and a second SRS resource in different symbols within the same slot (Fig. 8, [0096]: Step 804 - transmitting the SRS transmission based on the SRS carrier switching operation, based on the configuration parameters, including a starting symbol of the first CC transmission [0099] (i.e. first SRS) and the second CC (second SRS). See Fig. 2 [0041-0044]: SRS CC-based switching operations is illustrated within a single D-SRS subframe 205 (D-SRS subframe refers to a subframe that is used for SRS transmission on one or more SRS CCs [0041]). A starting symbol of the SRS transmission (associated with the first SRS resource) begins on CC 215, continue with CC 220 (associated with second SRS resource). SRS transmission 215 occurs at symbol #3, and 220 occurs at symbol #5, separated by Type 2 GP 260 (guard period of 1 symbol). SRS switching can occur from a CC of one particular band to another CC [0042], as illustrated in Fig.2, where the SRS transmission occurs in different symbols, at different frequency bands, but all within the same slot); wherein the first SRS resource is associated with a different antenna port than the second SRS resource (Fig. 2, [0041-0044]: SRS switching to CC1 (215) followed by SRS switching to CC2 (220), followed by a third SRS transmission 225. Each SRS transmission occurs at a different, frequency resource/sub-band, (different sub-bands equates to different antenna ports), separated by a frequency guard band(s) as well) and wherein a number of symbols, in which the UE does not transmit any other signal, is between the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource (See Fig. 2, [0045-0047]: A Type 1 GP 250 symbol gap can be different than a Type 2 GP 260 symbol gap, as illustrated in 202 (see Fig. 2, Wide-band SRS transmission on SW-T-CCs)), in that 250 may include time for switching from receiving to transmitting, and also to initiate tuning to SW-F-CC 210.
With regard to the limitation that a number of symbols, in which the UE does not transmit any other signals, between the 1st and 2nd SRS resource is based on the subcarrier spacing configuration, He teaches that when the system chooses a frame structure of a full bandwidth of a component carrier CC for a wide-band SRS transmission 202, the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s can be seen as one symbol length (see one symbol length between CC#1 and CC#2 for wideband SRS transmission). But when the system chooses an SRS-subframe structure of a partial bandwidth for a sub-band SRS transmission 204 (SRS is only transmitted within half a symbol bandwidth, i.e. a different numerology), the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s in CC 220 for the sub-band SRS transmission 204 can be seen occupying as a two-symbol length (the total combination of one full and two half symbols). Thus, He does teach that the guard period length is based on the size of the frame structure, i.e. numerology or subcarrier spacing.
He does not expressly teach the association of SRS with a different antenna port. However, the use of different antennas for transmitting SRS is old and well known in the art for enhancing transmission quality via diversity as different antennas would provide different transmission paths. For example, Chung discloses transmitting using switching to different antenna for transmitting SRS by applying a TDM scheme to implement antenna switching, teaches such association with a different antenna port in par [0128, 0132]. Chung teaches transmitting SRSs by applying a TDM scheme antenna by antenna with respect to 2 antennas through antenna switching [0128]; [0132] Fig. 10 and Fig. 13 show methods for transmitting SRS to have a frequency interval of system bandwidth between different antennas, meaning there are different antenna ports connected to different antennas). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Chung into the system of He with the motivation being to enhance communication quality through space diversity.
With respect to claim 7, He further teaches:
A user equipment (UE) (Fig. 1, UE 140) for transmitting a sounding reference signal SRS the UE comprising:
at least one transceiver (Fig. 9, 906);
at least one processor (Fig. 9, 904/ 904E); and
at least one memory (Fig. 9, 904/904G) operably connected to the at least one processor and configured to store instructions for causing the at least one processor to perform a specific operation when executed ([0104]).,
Regarding claims 2 and 8, He further teaches:
wherein the number of symbols is configured as a gap for antenna switching. (Fig. 2, [0045-0047]: He teaches CC-based SRS switching - UE switches from CC1 (215) to CC (220), the UE is switching to a different antenna port. Fig. 2 illustrates SRS transmissions occurring at symbol #3 (215) followed by SRS transmission occurring at symbol #5 (220), where symbol #4 is not used for any transmission, known as a symbol gap or guard period [0045]. The symbol gap, symbol #4, is shown as a Type 2 GP (260), can be about 1 symbol. A guard period is referred to as a gap in transmission or the place/time where NO transmission (i.e. no transmitting or receiving) can occur to protect from transmission overlap or interference [0045]. Type 2 GP 260 can be considered intra-CC switching [0047], symbol length of one “1” in the exemplary illustration). He also teaches that when the system chooses a frame structure of a full bandwidth of a component carrier CC for a wide-band SRS transmission 202, the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s can be seen as one symbol length (see one symbol length between CC#1 and CC#2 for wideband SRS transmission). But when the system chooses an SRS-subframe structure of a partial bandwidth for a sub-band SRS transmission 204 (SRS is only transmitted within half a symbol bandwidth, i.e. a different numerology), the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s in CC 220 for the sub-band SRS transmission 204 can be seen occupying as a two-symbol length (the total combination of one full and two half symbols).
Regarding claims 3 and 9, He teaches: receiving, from the BS, information representing whether the number of symbol is configured between the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource ([0055-0056, 0096-0102]: SRS transmission configuration information can comprise at least: the starting symbol of an SRS transmission is configured by the eNB [0098], and the gap or GP length (250 or 260) can be derived therefrom [0056]).
Regarding claims 4 and 10, He further teaches wherein the information is received through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, a medium access control channel element (MAC CE) or downlink control information (DCI) ([0051]: reference configurations can be signaled using SIB1, or dedicated RRC signaling as part of an SRS CC-based switching configuration202 or 204, or using DCI format).
Regarding claims 5 and 11, He teaches wherein the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource configured within a plurality of consecutive symbols of a slot (Fig. 2, the D-SRS subframe defines the symbols that can be used for CC-based SRS switching, in this example symbol #3 thru symbol #10.[0041-0044]).
Regarding claims 6 and 12, He teaches wherein the SRS configuration information further includes a number of antenna ports for transmission of the SRS (Fig. 8, [0095]: Step 802 - UE receives sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission configuration parameters comprising of a first CC (associated with first SRS resource) and second CC (associated with second SRS resource) associated with a time division duplex (TDD) operation and/or an SRS carrier switching operation for communicating an SRS transmission. [0095]. CC is component carrier, indicating a subband, equates to information associated with antenna ports, where the number of CCs indicates the number of antenna ports).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, He teaches:
A method of receiving a sounding reference signal SRS by a base station (BS), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), SRS configuration information including information related to SRS resources for antenna switching (See Fig. 1: Network with eNB110a and UE 140 with four CCs (component carriers) that can be used for data transmissions, where CC0 – CC3 can be used for UL data transmission configured or utilized for SRS transmissions [0029]. Fig. 8, [0095]: Step 802 – eNB sends sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission configuration parameters comprising of a first CC (associated with first SRS resource) and second CC (associated with second SRS resource) associated with a time division duplex (TDD) operation and/or an SRS carrier switching operation for communicating an SRS transmission. [0095].); and
receiving, from the UE, a first SRS resource and a second SRS resource in different symbols within the same slot (Fig. 8, [0096]: Step 804 - eNB receives the SRS transmission based on the SRS carrier switching operation, based on the configuration parameters, including a starting symbol of the first CC transmission [0099] (i.e. first SRS) and the second CC (second SRS). See Fig. 2 [0041-0044]: SRS CC-based switching operations is illustrated within a single D-SRS subframe 205 (D-SRS subframe refers to a subframe that is used for SRS transmission on one or more SRS CCs [0041]). A starting symbol of the SRS transmission (associated with the first SRS resource) begins on CC 215, continue with CC 220 (associated with second SRS resource). SRS transmission 215 occurs at symbol #3, and 220 occurs at symbol #5, separated by Type 2 GP 260 (guard period of 1 symbol). SRS switching can occur from a CC of one particular band to another CC [0042], as illustrated in Fig.2, where the SRS transmission occurs in different symbols, at different frequency bands, but all within the same slot.) ;;
With regard to the limitation that a number of symbols, in which the UE does not transmit any other signals, between the 1st and 2nd SRS resource is based on the subcarrier spacing configuration, He teaches that when the system chooses a frame structure of a full bandwidth of a component carrier CC for a wide-band SRS transmission 202, the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s can be seen as one symbol length (see one symbol length between CC#1 and CC#2 for wideband SRS transmission). But when the system chooses an SRS-subframe structure of a partial bandwidth for a sub-band SRS transmission 204 (SRS is only transmitted within half a symbol bandwidth, i.e. a different numerology), the type 2 guard period length between the two SRS’s in CC 220 for the sub-band SRS transmission 204 can be seen occupying as a two-symbol length (the total combination of one full and two half symbols). Thus, He does teach that the guard period length is based on the size of the frame structure, i.e. numerology or subcarrier spacing.
He does not expressly teach the association of SRS with a different antenna port. However, the use of different antennas for transmitting SRS is old and well known in the art for enhancing transmission quality via diversity as different antennas would provide different transmission paths. For example, Chung discloses transmitting using switching to different antenna for transmitting SRS by applying a TDM scheme to implement antenna switching, teaches such association with a different antenna port in par [0128, 0132]. Chung teaches transmitting SRSs by applying a TDM scheme antenna by antenna with respect to 2 antennas through antenna switching [0128]; [0132] Fig. 10 and Fig. 13 show methods for transmitting SRS to have a frequency interval of system bandwidth between different antennas, meaning there are different antenna ports connected to different antennas). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Chung into the system of He with the motivation being to enhance communication quality through space diversity.
With respect to claim 14, He further teaches that A base station (BS) for receiving a sounding reference signal SRS the BS comprising:
at least one transceiver (Fig. 10, 1008 communication platform);
at least one processor (Fig. 10, 1016); and
at least one memory (Fig. 10, 1024) operably connected to the at least one processor and configured to store instructions for causing the at least one processor to perform a specific operation when executed ([0134])
Conclusion
Zhang et al (WO 2011/139068) teaches that null symbols (symbols in which the UE does not transmit any other signals) can be added to perform rate matching for different rate structures.
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HUY D. VU
Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2461
/HUY D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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