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
Claims 1-20 in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA :
claims 1-5, 7-14, 16-17, and 19-20 are amended
claims 6 and 15 are canceled
b. This is a final action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 07/14/2026.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claims 1-9 previously rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b), claims 1-9 have been amended according to the examiner's recommendation and thus the previous rejection has been withdrawn.
Regarding Independent claims 1, 10, and 16 previously rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103, Applicant's arguments, see “All these paragraphs fail to disclose "if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information for changing an operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band," as recited in claim 1.” on page 9, filed on 07/14/2026, with respect to Cha et al. US Pub 2024/0259150 (hereinafter “Cha”), and in view of Shim et al. US Pub 2025/0344086 (hereinafter “Shim”), have been fully considered but are moot, over the limitations of “if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information for changing an operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band”. Said limitations are newly added to the amended Claims 1, 10, and 16 and have been addressed in instant office action, as shown in section 35 USC 103 rejection below, with newly identified prior art teaching from newly found reference Zhou et al. US Pub 2019/0097777 (hereinafter “Zhou”), in combination with previously applied reference Cha, thus rendering said Applicant’s arguments moot.
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 of this title, 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.
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 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.
Claims 1, 9, 10, 16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha et al. US Pub 2024/0259150 (hereinafter “Cha”), and in view of Zhou et al. US Pub 2019/0097777 (hereinafter “Zhou”).
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended)
Cha discloses an electronic device (“first wireless device 100” in Fig. 25; [0489]) comprising:
a plurality of antennas (“one or more antennas 108” in Fig. 25; [0489]);
communication circuitry (“transceiver 106” in Fig. 25; [0489]) electrically connected to the plurality of antennas; and
at least one processor (“one or more processors 102” in Fig. 25; [0489]) comprising processing circuitry, operably connected to the communication circuitry,
wherein the at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the electronic device to:
Cha does not specifically teach receive information indicating a combination of frequency bands to be used for cellular communication from a cellular network;
if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information for changing an operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band;
receive, from the cellular network, a signal including updated parameters for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band; and
perform the cellular communication, via the first frequency band and the second frequency band, including transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band based on the updated parameters for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band.
In an analogous art, Zhou discloses receive information indicating a combination of frequency bands to be used for cellular communication from a cellular network (“In step 904, the first access network equipment sends a predetermined instruction to the terminal device when the signal parameters of the first reference signals sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the second access network devices comply with the first condition, the predetermined instruction being configured to instruct the terminal device to send the second reference signal in the second frequency band.” [0355]);
if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded (“wherein the signal parameter includes: at least one of a signal intensity, a signal power, a signal quality, and a signal error rate.” [0032]) due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information (“a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by a second access network equipment complying with a second condition, and a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the first access network equipment complying with a third condition;” [0030]) including information for changing an operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band (“wherein the first positioning signal is a positioning signal received by the terminal device when using the first frequency band to communicate.” [0082]);
receive, from the cellular network (see Fig. 9B), a signal including updated parameters for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band (“In step 904, the first access network equipment sends a predetermined instruction to the terminal device when the signal parameters of the first reference signals sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the second access network devices comply with the first condition, the predetermined instruction being configured to instruct the terminal device to send the second reference signal in the second frequency band.” [0355]); and
perform the cellular communication, via the first frequency band and the second frequency band, including transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band based on the updated parameters for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band (“by sending the reference signal in the second frequency band through the terminal device when the communications between the terminal device and the access network equipment in the first frequency band satisfy the predetermined condition, the present disclosure solves a problem of lower efficiency for sending the reference signal by the access network equipment when a networking environment is comparatively complicated; and achieves the effects of being not only capable of sending the reference signal by the terminal device, but also selectively sending the reference signal in the second frequency band according to the specific communication situation of the first frequency band, improving the efficiency of the terminal device for sending the reference signal, and reducing the power consumption needed by the terminal device for sending the reference signal in the second frequency band.” [0198]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, to include Zhou’s method for sending a reference signal in a second frequency band by the terminal device after receiving a predetermined instruction, in order to determine frequency change (Zhou [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Zhou’s method for sending a reference signal in a second frequency band by the terminal device after receiving a predetermined instruction into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 9 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the UE capability information includes information indicating that transmission of the reference signal is not supported; and
Cha further discloses the at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the electronic device to: receive information related to resource allocation (i.e. “SRS resource sets”) determined based on a previous reference signal from the cellular network (“An SRS-Config information element (IE) may be used to configure SRS transmission. (A list of) SRS resources and/or (a list of) SRS resource sets may be defined, and each resource set may be defined as a set of SRS resources” [0244]),
and transmit and/or receive data through the first frequency band using allocated resources (“In Table 11, if the UE reports as its capability a value of 7 or 8 for feature groups (FG) 2 to 30, transmission may be performed as follows: a total of up to four SRS resource sets for BM (for each supported time-domain behavior) may be configured as shown in the right column, and one UE panel may correspond to each set for the transmission. For example, when the four-panel UE performs transmission as follows: each panel corresponds to one SRS resource set for BM, the number of SRS resources configurable for each set may also be supported by separate UE capability signaling.” [0407-0408]).
Regarding claim 10 (Currently Amended)
A method of operating an electronic device, comprising:
receiving information indicating a combination of frequency bands to be used for cellular communication from a cellular network;
if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, transmitting, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information for changing an operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band;
receiving, from the cellular network, a signal including updated parameters for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band; and
performing the cellular communication, via the first frequency band and the second frequency band, including transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band based on the updated parameters for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 10 is drawn to the method of using the corresponding apparatus claimed in claim 1. Therefore method claim 10 corresponds to apparatus claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 16 (Currently Amended)
Cha discloses an electronic device (“first wireless device 100” in Fig. 25; [0489]), comprising:
a plurality of antennas (i.e. (Tx) panel) including a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, and a fourth antenna (“it may be assumed that the UE is configured with four SRS resource sets configured for BM (e.g., the RRC parameter usage is set to ‘BeamManagement’) (for convenience, the four SRS resource sets may be called SRS resource sets A, B, C, and D). Since a total of four (Tx) panels are implemented for the UE, it may be considered that SRS transmission is performed by matching each SRS resource set to one (Tx) panel.” [0406]);
a first TRx circuit (“The transceiver(s) 106 may be connected to the processor(s) 102 and transmit and/or receive radio signals through one or more antennas 108.” [0489]) electrically connected to at least one of the first antenna, the second antenna, the third antenna, or the fourth antenna (“When the UE has multiple panels implemented therein, the UE may activate the multiple panels at a time and use one or more panels for transmission.” [0412]);
a second TRx circuit (“The transceiver(s) 106 may be connected to the processor(s) 102 and transmit and/or receive radio signals through one or more antennas 108.” [0489]) electrically connected to at least one of the first antenna, the second antenna, the third antenna, or the fourth antenna (“When the UE has multiple panels implemented therein, the UE may activate the multiple panels at a time and use one or more panels for transmission.” [0412]);
a memory (“memory(s) 104” in Fig. 25; [0489]); and
at least one processor, comprising processing circuitry, operatively connected to the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit (“the processor(s) 102 may process information within the memory(s) 104 to generate first information/signals and then transmit radio signals including the first information/signals through the transceiver(s) 106” [0489]),
wherein, the at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the electronic device to:
receive, from a cellular network, information indicating a combination of frequency bands to be used for cellular communication,
transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information indicating a second-operation mode that transmits a signal to the outside using one TRx circuit of the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit,
if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, control the first TRx circuit and the second TRX circuit to transmit the reference signal, and
sequentially transmit a reference signal through the first antenna, the second antenna, the third antenna, and the fourth antenna.
Cha does not specifically teach wherein, the at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the electronic device to:
receive, from a cellular network, information indicating a combination of frequency bands to be used for cellular communication,
transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information indicating a second-operation mode that transmits a signal to the outside using one TRx circuit of the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit,
if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band, control the first TRx circuit and the second TRX circuit to transmit the reference signal, and
sequentially transmit a reference signal through the first antenna, the second antenna, the third antenna, and the fourth antenna.
In an analogous art, Zhou discloses receive, from a cellular network, information indicating a combination of frequency bands to be used for cellular communication (“In step 904, the first access network equipment sends a predetermined instruction to the terminal device when the signal parameters of the first reference signals sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the second access network devices comply with the first condition, the predetermined instruction being configured to instruct the terminal device to send the second reference signal in the second frequency band.” [0355]),
transmit, to the cellular network, user equipment (UE) capability information including information indicating a second-operation mode that transmits a signal to the outside using one TRx circuit of the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit (“a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by a second access network equipment complying with a second condition, and a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the first access network equipment complying with a third condition;” [0030]),
if the combination of frequency bands includes a first frequency band and a second frequency band in which a quality of signal received via the second frequency band is degraded (“wherein the signal parameter includes: at least one of a signal intensity, a signal power, a signal quality, and a signal error rate.” [0032]) due to transmission of a reference signal via the first frequency band (“wherein the first positioning signal is a positioning signal received by the terminal device when using the first frequency band to communicate.” [0082]), control the first TRx circuit and the second TRX circuit to transmit the reference signal (“a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by a second access network equipment complying with a second condition, and a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the first access network equipment complying with a third condition;” [0030]), and
sequentially transmit a reference signal through the first antenna, the second antenna, the third antenna, and the fourth antenna (“by sending the reference signal in the second frequency band through the terminal device when the communications between the terminal device and the access network equipment in the first frequency band satisfy the predetermined condition, the present disclosure solves a problem of lower efficiency for sending the reference signal by the access network equipment when a networking environment is comparatively complicated; and achieves the effects of being not only capable of sending the reference signal by the terminal device, but also selectively sending the reference signal in the second frequency band according to the specific communication situation of the first frequency band, improving the efficiency of the terminal device for sending the reference signal, and reducing the power consumption needed by the terminal device for sending the reference signal in the second frequency band.” [0198]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, to include Zhou’s method for sending a reference signal in a second frequency band by the terminal device after receiving a predetermined instruction, in order to determine frequency change (Zhou [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Zhou’s method for sending a reference signal in a second frequency band by the terminal device after receiving a predetermined instruction into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 20 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 16,
Cha further discloses wherein the at least one processor (“processor(s) 102” in Fig. 25; [0489]), individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the first TRx circuit to transmit signals other than the reference signal through a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the operation mode (“the UE may make a request to the BS/location server/LMF for SRS transmission and/or SRS resource configuration for SRS transmission through a specific field/bit/resource and/or PUSCH (resource) of PUCCH” [0318]).
Claims 3-5, 12-14, 17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha, and in view of Zhou, and further in view of Shim et al. US Pub 2025/0344086 (hereinafter “Shim”).
Regarding claim 3 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein the UE capability information includes information for adjusting a transmission periodicity of the reference signal.
In an analogous art, Shim discloses wherein the UE capability information includes information for adjusting a transmission periodicity of the reference signal (“the UE may transmit an SRS resource referred to from the activated SRS resource set. Time-frequency axis resource mapping of the SRS resource to be transmitted in a slot follows resource mapping information configured for the SRS resource, and slot mapping including transmission periodicity and slot offset follows periodicityAndOffset configured for the SRS resource” [0265]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability, in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Shim [0249-0250]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 4 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein the UE capability information includes information for changing a number of transmissions of the reference signal during a specified time.
In an analogous art, Shim discloses wherein the UE capability information includes information for changing a number of transmissions of the reference signal during a specified time (“The UE may use one or more SRS resources in SRS transmission, and a maximum number of SRS resources available for simultaneous transmission on the same symbol in one SRS resource set and a maximum number of SRS resources are determined based on UE capability reported by the UE to the BS. In this case, the SRS resources simultaneously transmitted by the UE occupy a same RB.” [0284]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability, in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Shim [0249-0250]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 5 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein the UE capability information includes information for setting a transmission time of a signal reporting a signal quality of the second frequency band to be different from a transmission time of the reference signal.
In an analogous art, Shim discloses wherein the UE capability information includes information for setting a transmission time of a signal reporting a signal quality of the second frequency band to be different (i.e. “transmission periodicity and slot offset”) from a transmission time of the reference signal (“The SRS resource set activated by MAC CE signaling may be limited to an SRS resource set for which the resourceType is configured to ‘semi-persistent’. Intra-slot time-frequency axis resource mapping of the SRS resource to be transmitted follows resource mapping information configured for the SRS resource, and slot mapping including transmission periodicity and slot offset follows periodicityAndOffset configured for the SRS resource.” [0266]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability, in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Shim [0249-0250]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 12 (Currently Amended)
The method of claim 10, wherein the UE capability information includes information for adjusting a transmission periodicity of the reference signal.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 12 is drawn to the method of using the corresponding apparatus claimed in claim 3. Therefore method claim 12 corresponds to apparatus claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 13 (Currently Amended)
The method of claim 10, wherein the UE capability information includes information for changing a number of transmissions of the reference signal during a specified time.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 13 is drawn to the method of using the corresponding apparatus claimed in claim 4. Therefore method claim 13 corresponds to apparatus claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Regarding claim 14 (Currently Amended)
The method of claim 10, wherein the UE capability information includes information for setting a transmission time of a signal reporting a signal quality of the second frequency band to be different from a transmission time of the reference signal.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 14 is drawn to the method of using the corresponding apparatus claimed in claim 5. Therefore method claim 14 corresponds to apparatus claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 17 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 16,
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal according to a transmission order of the reference signal corresponding to the operation mode.
In an analogous art, Shim discloses wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal according to a transmission order of the reference signal corresponding to the operation mode (“The BS may configure the UE with at least one SRS configuration (i.e. by using the first TRx circuit and/or the second TRx circuit) for each UL BWP so as to transmit configuration information for SRS transmission, and may configure the UE with at least one SRS resource set for each SRS configuration (i.e. changing the operational frequency/mode according to each SRS configuration). For example, the BS and the UE may exchange higher layer signaling information to deliver information about the SRS resource set.” [0257] and furthermore “After the UE capability is configured, the UE transmits, to the BS, a UE capability information message including the UE capability. The BS performs scheduling and transmission/reception management appropriate for the UE, based on the UE capability received from the UE.” [0256]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability, in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Shim [0249-0250]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 19 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 16,
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein a state in which a signal is transmitted using both the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit comprises a state in which respective amplifiers included in the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit are activated.
In an analogous art, Shim discloses wherein a state in which a signal is transmitted using both the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit comprises a state in which respective amplifiers included in the first TRx circuit and the second TRx circuit are activated (“The transceiver may transmit or receive a signal to or from a UE. Here, the signal may include control information and data. To this end, the transceiver may include a RF transmitter for up-converting and amplifying a frequency of signals to be transmitted, and an RF receiver for low-noise-amplifying and down-converting a frequency of received signals.” [0636]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability, in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Shim [0249-0250]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Shim’s method for configuring supported band information according to UE capability into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 2 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha, in view of Zhou, and further in view of Liu et al. US Pub 2024/0031103, claiming domestic priority 2022-04-04 (hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claim 2 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein the UE capability information includes information for changing a number of antennas transmitting the reference signal during a specified time among the plurality of antennas.
In an analogous art, Liu discloses wherein the UE capability information includes information for changing a number of antennas transmitting the reference signal (i.e. SRS) during a specified time among the plurality of antennas (“it takes time for the UE to switch its physical antenna, and the switching time is specified as the minimum guard period between two SRS resources of an SRS resource set for antenna switching in TS 38.214, which is 1 or 2 OFDM symbol durations” [0355]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Liu’s method for receiving control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS), in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Liu [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Liu’s method for receiving control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS) into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 11 (Currently Amended)
The method of claim 10, wherein the UE capability information includes information for changing a number of antennas transmitting a reference signal during a specified time among a plurality of antennas of the electronic device.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 11 is drawn to the method of using the corresponding apparatus claimed in claim 2. Therefore method claim 11 corresponds to apparatus claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha, in view of Zhou and Shim, and further in view of Liu et al. US Pub 2024/0031103, claiming domestic priority 2022-04-04 (hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claim 18
Cha, as modified by Zhou and Shim, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 17, wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control:
Cha, Zhou, and Shim do not specifically teach the first TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the first antenna during a first time, the second TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the second antenna during a second time, the first TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the third antenna during a third time, and the second TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the fourth antenna during a fourth time.
In an analogous art, Liu discloses the first TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the first antenna during a first time (“specifying SRS switching for up to 8 antennas (e.g., xTyR, x={1, 2, 4} and y={6, 8}); and evaluating and, if needed, specifying the following mechanism(s) to enhance SRS capacity and/or coverage: SRS time bundling, increased SRS repetition, partial sounding across frequency.” [0137] and furthermore “if CMR/IMR is configured for the SRS with usage antennaSwitching, an indication to the UE is signaled so that the UE knows whether SRS beamforming based on the CMR/IMR should be used or not. In legacy antennaSwitching, it takes time for the UE to switch its physical antenna, and the switching time is specified as the minimum guard period between two SRS resources of an SRS resource set for antenna switching in TS 38.214, which is 1 or 2 OFDM symbol durations.” [0355]),
the second TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the second antenna during a second time, the first TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the third antenna during a third time, and the second TRx circuit to transmit the reference signal through the fourth antenna during a fourth time (different SRS transmission scenarios applying the same teaching as above).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou and Shim, to include Liu’s method for receiving control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS), in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Liu [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Liu’s method for receiving control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS) into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha, in view of Zhou, and further in view of Kazmi et al. US Pub 2019/0229954 (hereinafter “Kazmi”).
Regarding claim 7 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 1,
Zhou previously discloses receive a UE capability inquiry message from the cellular network while connecting again to the cellular network through the first frequency band (“a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by a second access network equipment complying with a second condition, and a signal parameter of a signal sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the first access network equipment complying with a third condition;” [0030]); and
transmit, to the cellular network, UE capability information including information for changing the operation of transmitting the reference signal via the first frequency band (“In step 904, the first access network equipment sends a predetermined instruction to the terminal device when the signal parameters of the first reference signals sent by the terminal device in the first frequency band and received by the second access network devices comply with the first condition, the predetermined instruction being configured to instruct the terminal device to send the second reference signal in the second frequency band.” [0355]).
Cha and Zhou do not specifically teach wherein based on the signal including the parameters for changing the operation of transmitting of the reference signal via the first frequency band not being received after transmission of the UE capability information, the at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to: perform a series of operations to release a connection with the cellular network through the first frequency.
In an analogous art, Kazmi discloses wherein based on the signal including the parameters for changing the operation of transmitting of the reference signal via the first frequency band not being received after transmission of the UE capability information, the at least one processor (“processing circuit 26” in Fig. 4; [0169]), individually and/or collectively, is configured to:
perform a series of operations to release a connection (i.e. “stopping SRS transmission from one or more antennas or antenna ports”) with the cellular network through the first frequency band to release the connection with the cellular network (e.g. “first cell, cell1”) through the first frequency (“determining a need for a wireless device for performing SRS carrier based switching from a first cell, cell1, operating on a first carrier frequency, F1, to a second cell, cell2, operating on a second carrier frequency, F2” [0027] and furthermore “SRS switching (a.k.a. SRS switching or switching SRS transmissions—see on the term “SRS” in Section 5.1) may involve at least one of: starting SRS transmission on a first carrier frequency and/or stopping SRS transmission on a second carrier frequency, wherein the first and the second carrier frequency may belong to licensed and/or unlicensed spectrum, same RAT or different RATs. According to the earlier examples, the SRS carrier based switching may involve any one or more carriers of f1, f2, f3, . . . , f(n); starting and/or stopping SRS transmission from one or more antennas or antenna ports.” [0084-0086]);
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou, to include Kazmi’s method for performing SRS carrier based switching, in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Kazmi [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Kazmi’s method for performing SRS carrier based switching into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha, in view of Zhou and Kazmi, and further in view of Liu.
Regarding claim 8 (Currently Amended)
Cha, as modified by Zhou and Kazmi, previously discloses the electronic device of claim 7,
Cha, Zhou, and Kazmi do not specifically teach wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the electronic device to transmit information indicating that a signal quality of the first frequency band is lower than a threshold to release the connection with the cellular network through the first frequency band.
In an analogous art, Liu discloses wherein at least one processor, individually and/or collectively, is configured to control the electronic device to transmit information indicating that a signal quality (“As an example, the access node selects the UEs associated with the uplink SRS (or feedback) received with highest signal quality measure. Examples of signal quality measures include SINR, SNR, RSRP, RSRQ, received signal power, and so on.” [0146]) of the first frequency band is lower than a threshold to release the connection with the cellular network through the first frequency band (“The access node may select the UEs associated with uplink SRSs received with signal quality measures that exceed a specified threshold. The specified threshold may be specified in a technical standard, an operator of the communication system, or through collaboration between the access node and the UEs, for example. The access node may select a specified number of UEs associated with uplink reference signals received with signal quality measures that exceed a specified threshold.” [0146]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system, as modified by Zhou and Kazmi, to include Liu’s method for receiving control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS), in order to facilitate SRS transmissions (Liu [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Liu’s method for receiving control information for a first sounding reference signal (SRS) into Cha’s method for transmitting and receiving a reference signal in a wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG M NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8184. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00am - 6:30pm.
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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