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 .
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 21-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (2) as being anticipated by Koutsimanis et al. (US 2016/0249350).
Regarding claim 21, Koutsimanis discloses a method, comprising: determining, by a terminal device, information about at least one parameter of signals based on the information about the at least one parameter (step 220 and figs. 6-7; paras. 36, 40, 42-43 and 50; note: a UE sends a particular reference signal to the network node based on the received indicator).
Regarding claim 22, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 21, wherein sending, by the terminal device, the one or more reference signals based on the information about the at least one parameter comprises: sending, by the terminal device, the one or more reference signals based on a correspondence and the information about the at least one parameter (figs. 4 and 6-7; paras. 36, 40, 42-43 and 50; note: a correspondence (mapping) between a particular reference signal and a received indicator (value of the indicator as information - para. 43, fourth sentence, bits for an indicator); note: mapping in paras. 40 and 42 (fourth through last sentences)), wherein the correspondence is between P reference signals and Q pieces of information, and P and Q are positive integers (paras. 40 and 42), wherein the one or more reference signals belong to the P reference signals, the information about the at least one parameter belongs to the Q pieces of information, and the Q pieces of information comprise information about at least one of:
Regarding claim 23, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein the terminal device does not support transmitting at least one of the Q pieces of information using a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (fig. 4; note: the UE only receives the value of indicator and only transmits the reference signal).
Regarding claim 24, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein the P reference signals comprise a first reference signal, the Q pieces of information comprise first information, the first reference signal corresponds to the first information, and the first information indicates information about at least one of:
Regarding claim 25, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein the P reference signals comprise a second reference signal (fig. 6 and paras. 42-43), the Q pieces of information comprise second information (fig. 6 and paras. 42-43; note: a second value of the indicator that corresponds to the second reference signal), the second reference signal corresponds to the second information (note: value of the indicator as information - para. 43, fourth sentence, bits for an indicator), and the second information indicates information about at least two of:
Regarding claim 26, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 25, wherein the second information indicating information about the at least two of
Regarding claim 27 Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein any two of the P reference signals are different in at least one of: a sending period (fig. 6-7 and paras. 43 and 50; note: time period or resource for sending the reference signal), a reference signal pattern (paras. 4 and 50; note: standardized reference signals having different formats), or a reference signal sequence (paras. 4 and 50; note: standardized reference signals having different formats as bit sequences).
Regarding claim 28, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 22, further comprising: receiving, by the terminal device, configuration information of the P reference signals, wherein the configuration information comprises the correspondence (paras. 40 and 42; note: signaling from a network node for mapping the indicator to the reference signal).
Regarding claim 29, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 28, wherein the configuration information further comprises a reporting condition of one or more of the Q pieces of information (paras. 40 and 42; note: report as sending a reference signal in response to the indicator), and the reporting condition of the one or more pieces of information comprises one or more of:
Regarding claim 30, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein at least one of the P reference signals is used for positioning (para. 28, last sentence; para. 63, second sentence; note: positioning reference signal).
Regarding claim 31, Koutsimanis discloses the method according to claim 21, wherein: .
Claims 32-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (2) as being anticipated by Poitau et al. (US 2016/0249350).
Regarding claim 32, Poitau discloses a method, comprising: receiving, by a first device, one or more reference signals from a terminal device (paras. 524-526 and table 7; note: a WTRU receiving a power update as an SRS from another WTRU); and determining, by the first device, information about at least one parameter of a power consumption parameter,
Regarding claim 33, Poitau discloses the method according to claim 32, wherein: the power consumption parameter comprises one or more of: a power level, or an energy consumption state (paras. 524-526 and table 7; a power update value as a power level and energy consumption state of discovery signal transmissions - paras. 335-336).
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 34-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Poitau in view of Yerramalli et al. (US 2023/0087450). For dependent claims herein, the motivation to combine is the same as the parent claim unless otherwise noted.
Regarding claim 34, Poitau discloses the method according to claim 32, wherein determining, by the first device, the information about at least one parameter of the power consumption parameter, the motion parameter, the notification parameter, and the requirement parameter of the terminal device based on the one or more reference signals comprises: determining, by the first device, the information about the at least one parameter of the power consumption parameter,
Poitau discloses SRS for conveying a parameter but fails to disclose wherein at least one of the P reference signals is used for positioning. Yerramalli discloses an SRS used for positioning and power determinations (para. 115; note: signal strength of an SRS for positioning). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have at least one of the P reference signals used for positioning in the invention of Poitau. The motivation to have the modification and/or well-known benefits of the modification include, but are not limited to, using a reference signal for optimizing communication based on a positioning or location as is known in the art (Yerramalli, para. 115; MPEP 2143(I)(A)(B)(C)(D) - note: e.g., applying known techniques having predictable results).
Regarding claim 35, Poitau in view of Yerramalli teaches and makes obvious the method according to claim 34, wherein the P reference signals comprise a first reference signal, the Q pieces of information comprise first information, the first reference signal corresponds to the first information, and the first information indicates information about the power consumption parameter,
Regarding claim 36, Poitau in view of Yerramalli teaches and makes obvious the method according to claim 34, wherein the P reference signals comprise a second reference signal (Poitau, para. 314; note: periodic discovery signals), the Q pieces of information comprise second information (Poitau, paras. 524-526 and table 7; note: different values of an indicated power level), the second reference signal corresponds to the second information, and the second information indicates information about at least two of: the power consumption parameter; the notification parameter; or the requirement parameter (Poitau, paras. 524-526 and table 7; note: cyclic shift of the SRS indicating a power update level as a power consumption parameter and a notification parameter, and a requirement parameter for optimal power levels for communication - paras. 335-336).
Regarding claim 37. Poitau in view of Yerramalli teaches and makes obvious the method according to claim 36, wherein the second information indicating information about at least two of the power consumption parameter,
Regarding claim 38, Poitau in view of Yerramalli teaches and makes obvious the method according to claim 34, wherein any two of the P reference signals are different in at least one of:
Regarding claim 39, Poitau in view of Yerramalli teaches and makes obvious the method according to claim 34, further comprising: sending, by the first device, configuration information of the P reference signals to the terminal device, wherein the configuration information comprises the correspondence (Poitau, paras. 222, 238 and 512; note: RRC as higher layer signaling mapping from an eNB).
Regarding claim 40, Poitau in view of Yerramalli teaches and makes obvious the method according to claim 39, wherein the configuration information further comprises a reporting condition of one or more of the Q pieces of information (Poitau, para. 526 and table 7; note: a power level update for a transmitted discovery signal), and the reporting condition of the one or more pieces of information comprises one or more of:
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Kevin Harper whose telephone number is 571-272-3166. The examiner can normally be reached weekdays from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM ET.
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, Yemane Mesfin, can be reached at 571-272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. For non-official communications, the examiner’s e-mail address is kevin.harper@uspto.gov (MPEP 502.03 – A copy of all received emails relating to an application including proposed amendments and excluding scheduling information for interviews will be placed informally into the application file).
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Kevin C. Harper/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
Prosecution Insights