DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an application filed on 02/22/2024.
Claims 1- 10 are pending for examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application.
Drawings
The Examiner contends that the drawings submitted on 02/22/2024 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 1-2, 5- 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song (CN 109660473 B), hereinafter “Song”; and in further view of Wu (KR 20190025230 A), hereinafter “WU”.
Regarding claim 1, Song teaches A signal detection method, comprising:
dividing nodes in a MT-th transmitting layer into M blocks, wherein MT represents a number of transmitting layers, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 2 [Song: Abstract; claim 1, 8 teaches all the top nodes are divided into Na groups];
searching for a path corresponding to a central node of each block to obtain M paths, wherein the central node of each block is a node corresponding to a path with a smallest Euclidean distance among all nodes of the block [Song; claim 1 teaches path search is performed for each representative point;
searching for paths corresponding to all nodes of blocks where N nodes respectively corresponding to the N paths are located to obtain P paths [Song: claim 1; Pg. 4; Path search is performed on the selected extension point adjacent to the representative point] and
selecting a path with a smallest Euclidean distance from the P paths [Song: Pg. 4; claim 1; teaches Nc branches with relatively small metrics are selected as the retention path].
However, Song does not teach selecting N paths with smallest Euclidean distances from the M paths, wherein N is an integer less than M;
Nevertheless, WU, in the similar filed of endeavor, teaches selecting N paths with smallest Euclidean distances from the M paths, wherein N is an integer less than M [WU: Abstract; Pg. 2;3 teaches selecting a candidate having minimum Euclidean distance value].
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to utilize the teachings of WU for detecting and selecting candidate for having minimum Euclidean distance value. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of WU in the Song system in order to provide selecting and eliminating of other paths [WU: Pg. 3].
Regarding claim 2, the combined Song in view of WU teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Song in view of WU further teaches sorting Euclidean distances of the M paths by a bitonic sorting algorithm to obtain a first sorting result [Song: step 1037: sorting the complete Euclidean distances of all the branches from small to large, selecting the branch with the minimum Euclidean distance as an ML path]; and
selecting the N paths with the smallest Euclidean distances from the first sorting result [WU: Abstract; Pg. 2;3 teaches selecting a candidate having minimum Euclidean distance value].
Regarding claim 5, the combined Song in view of WU teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Song in view of WU further teaches comparing Euclidean distances of any two paths among the P paths to obtain a path with a smaller Euclidean distance [WU: Abstract; Pg. 2;3 teaches selecting a candidate out of different candidates with different paths having minimum Euclidean distance value]; and
continuing the comparing of Euclidean distances of any two paths among the obtained paths to obtain a path with a smaller Euclidean distance, until two final paths are obtained, and comparing Euclidean distances of the two final paths to obtain the path with the smallest Euclidean distance [WU: Abstract; Pg. 2;3 teaches selecting a candidate out of different candidates with different paths having minimum Euclidean distance value];
Regarding claim 6, the combined Song in view of WU teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Song in view of WU further teaches wherein in a process of searching for the path corresponding to the central node of each block to obtain the M paths or in a process of searching for the paths corresponding to all the nodes of the blocks where the N nodes respectively corresponding to the N paths are located to obtain the P paths, a last column of a used Q matrix is a column with minimum energy [Song: Abstract reaches of using Q matrix to obtain an equalized/ balance signal].
Regarding claim 7, the combined Song in view of WU teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Song in view of WU further teaches wherein M and N are determined according to computational complexity and accuracy [Song: Abstract teaches method for reduces the overall search complexity].
Regarding claim 8, the combined Song in view of WU teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Song in view of WU further teaches at least one processor; and a memory having stored thereon at least one program which, when executed by the at least one processor, implements the signal detection method of claim 1 [Song: Pg. 15 teaches of including memory, processor].
Regarding claim 9, the combined Song in view of WU teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Song in view of WU further teaches A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored there on a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements the signal detection method of claim 1 [Song: Abstract].
Regarding claim 10, Song teaches A signal detection apparatus, comprising:
a division module configured to divide nodes in a MT-th transmitting layer into M blocks; wherein MT represents a number of transmitting layers, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 2 [Song: Abstract; claim 1, 8 teaches all the top nodes are divided into Na groups];
a first path search module configured to search for a path corresponding to a central node of each block to obtain M paths, wherein the central node of each block is a node corresponding to a path with a smallest Euclidean distance among all nodes of the block [Song; claim 1 teaches path search is performed for each representative point;
a second path search module configured to search for paths corresponding to all nodes of blocks where N nodes respectively corresponding to the N paths are located to obtain P paths [Song: claim 1; Pg. 4; Path search is performed on the selected extension point adjacent to the representative point] and
a second path selection module configured to select a path with a smallest Euclidean distance from the P paths [Song: Pg. 4; claim 1; teaches Nc branches with relatively small metrics are selected as the retention path].
However, Song does not teach a first path selection module configured to select N paths with smallest Euclidean distances from the M paths, wherein N is an integer less than M;
Nevertheless, WU, in the similar filed of endeavor, teaches a first path selection module configured to select N paths with smallest Euclidean distances from the M paths, wherein N is an integer less than M [WU: Abstract; Pg. 2;3 teaches selecting a candidate having minimum Euclidean distance value].
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to utilize the teachings of WU for detecting and selecting candidate for having minimum Euclidean distance value. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of WU in the Song system in order to provide selecting and eliminating of other paths [WU: Pg. 3].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowable subject matter:
A full search was conducted and the features of the instant claims 3- 4 were not found to be in any reasonable combination of the closest prior art in combination of Song in view of WU.
With respect to exemplary, the prior arts in above teach of method and devices for dividing nodes and search for path with smallest Euclidean distance among nodes [Song: Abstract, Pg. 2-4] in view of [WU. Pg. 2-3].
However, the combined Song in view of WU does not disclose, suggest or render obvious the limitations of the instant claim 3 reciting;
“dividing the M blocks into L groups, wherein L is an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to M;
for each group, searching for a path corresponding to a central node of each block included in the group to obtain paths corresponding to the group;
for each group, sorting Euclidean distances of the paths corresponding to the group by a bitonic sorting algorithm to obtain a second sorting result of the group;
dividing the L groups into A parts, wherein A is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to L;
for each part, sorting Euclidean distances of paths corresponding to all groups included in the part by the bitonic sorting algorithm to obtain a third sorting result of the part, based on the second sorting result of each group included in the part;
selecting N paths with smallest Euclidean distances corresponding to each part from the third sorting result of each part, to obtain AN paths; and
selecting the N paths with the smallest Euclidean distances from the AN paths”
In addition, the combined Song in view of WU does not disclose, suggest or render obvious the limitations of the instant claim 4 reciting;
“wherein, for each part, sorting the Euclidean distances of the paths corresponding to all the groups included in the part to obtain the third sorting result of the part, based on the second sorting result of each group included in the part, comprises:
for a k2-th group included in the part, selecting paths from the second sorting result of the k2-th group, and sorting, by the bitonic sorting algorithm, the paths selected from the second sorting result of the k2-th group and paths selected from a previous sorting result to obtain a current sorting result; and
adding k2 by 1, continuing to execute the operations of selecting the paths from the second sorting result of the k2-th group and sorting, by the bitonic sorting algorithm, the paths selected from the second sorting result of the k2-th group and paths selected from the previous sorting result to obtain the current sorting result until all the groups in the part are traversed, and outputting a final sorting result as the third sorting result corresponding to the part,
wherein k2 is an integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to a number of the groups included in the part, and the previous sorting result is the second sorting result of a first group of the part when k2 is 2,
wherein, in a case where a number of paths corresponding to the k2-th group is greater than N, the paths selected from the second sorting result of k2-th group are N paths with smallest Euclidean distances in the second sorting result of the k2-th group; and in a case where the number of the paths corresponding to the k2-th group is less than or equal to N, the paths selected from the second sorting result of the k2-th group are all paths corresponding to the k2-th group, and
in a case where a number of paths in the previous sorting result is greater than N, the paths selected from the previous sorting result are N paths with smallest Euclidean distances in the previous sorting result: and in a case where the number of the paths in the previous sorting result is less than or equal to N, the paths selected from the previous sorting result are all paths in the previous sorting result”.
Therefore, Claims 3- 4 are indicated as containing allowable subject matter and allowed over the closest Prior Art references of Song in view of WU.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record (see attached PTO-892) and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
A shortened statutory period for reply to this action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of the action. An extension of time may be obtained under 37 CFR 1.136(a). However, in no event, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYAW Z SOE whose telephone number is (571)270-0304. The examiner can normally be reached on 9am-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C 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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/KYAW Z SOE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412