DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The instant application No. 18689743 has claims 16-35 are pending.
2 The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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 nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 16-18, 20, 23, 25-27, 29, 31, and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (WO 2021/031028 A1; hereinafter Liu) in view of Yang et al. (Pub. No. US 2019/0349066 A1; hereinafter Yang).
Regarding claims 16 and 25, Liu discloses an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, , (Page 19, processor and memory; the processor is used to read and run the computer program stored in the memory) cause the apparatus at least to perform: receiving, from a network node, a first configuration for at least one uplink reference signal to be transmitted through at least one respective antenna port of the apparatus, (WO 2021031028 A1-Page 12, the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource are configured by the network device for terminal device; antenna port correspond to the first resource and the antenna port corresponding to second srs resource are configured by the network device for the terminal device) wherein the first configuration comprises a first set of resource over which the at least one uplink reference signal is to be transmitted; (WO 2021031028 A1-Page 12, the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource are configured by the network device for terminal device; antenna port correspond to the first resource and the antenna port corresponding to second srs resource are configured by the network device for the terminal device) determining whether sufficient power headroom is available at the apparatus to compensate for at least one first insertion loss to be incurred within the apparatus by the at least one respective uplink reference signal transmitted according to the first configuration; (Page 15, indicate whether the transmission power corresponding to all SRS resources is compensated by applying the corresponding interpolation loss value, for example, 1 represents compensation, and 0 represents no compensation. The indication information may also be 1 bit of information for each SRS resource, which is used to indicate whether the transmission power corresponding to each SRS resource is compensated by applying the corresponding interpolation loss value, for example, 1 means compensation is carried out; and 0 means no compensation is carried out) if it is determined that sufficient power headroom to compensate for the at least one first insertion loss is not available, transmitting, to the network node, a re-configuration request for the at least one uplink reference signal; (Page 15, indicate whether the transmission power corresponding to all SRS resources is compensated by applying the corresponding interpolation loss value, for example, 1 represents compensation, and 0 represents no compensation. The indication information may also be 1 bit of information for each SRS resource, which is used to indicate whether the transmission power corresponding to each SRS resource is compensated by applying the corresponding interpolation loss value, for example, 1 means compensation is carried out; and 0 means no compensation is carried out) receiving, from the network node in response to the re-configuration request, a second configuration for the at least one uplink reference signal associated with a second set of resource over which the at least one uplink reference signal is to be transmitted; (Page 15, the power adjustment information may be sent separately for multiple SRS resources, so as to adjust the transmission power corresponding to the multiple SRS resources.) and transmitting, to the network node, the at least one uplink reference signal according to the second configuration through the at least one respective antenna port. (Page 15, he terminal device transmits the SRS according to the determined transmission power of each SRS resource; Page 11, the antenna port associated with an SRS resource may specifically refer to antenna port used for transmitting the SRS on the SRS resource)
However, Liu fails to disclose the resources are resource blocks
Yang discloses the resources are resource blocks (See ¶0089, the UE may configure the multiple uplink transmissions based at least in part on the configuration; the SRS and DMRS can be transmitted on different sets of resource blocks (RBs))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify resources are utilized to transmit SRS signals to include the specific resource used to transmit the srs are resource blocks. The motivation to combine is may reduce and/or eliminate dropped transmissions of a UE (e.g., dropping of an uplink transmission that is scheduled to collide with another uplink transmission) (See ¶0082).
Regarding claim 31, Liu discloses an apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, (Page 19, processor and memory; the processor is used to read and run the computer program stored in the memory) cause the apparatus at least to perform: transmitting, to a user equipment, a first configuration for at least one uplink reference signal to be transmitted through at least one respective antenna port of the user equipment, (WO 2021031028 A1-Page 12, the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource are configured by the network device for terminal device; antenna port correspond to the first resource and the antenna port corresponding to second srs resource are configured by the network device for the terminal device) wherein the first configuration comprises a first set of resource over which the at least one uplink reference signal is to be transmitted; (Page 12, the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource are configured by the network device for terminal device) receiving, from the user equipment, a re-configuration request for the at least one uplink reference signal, (Page 15, he terminal device sends second indication information, the second indication information is used to indicate that the first transmission power is determined according to the first insertion loss value, and/or the second indication information is used to indicate that the second transmission power is according second interpolation loss value is determined) if it is determined by the user equipment that sufficient power headroom to compensate for at least one first insertion loss to be incurred within the user equipment by the at least one respective uplink reference signal transmitted according to the first configuration is not available at the user equipment; (Page 15, indicate whether the transmission power corresponding to all SRS resources is compensated by applying the corresponding interpolation loss value, for example, 1 represents compensation, and 0 represents no compensation. The indication information may also be 1 bit of information for each SRS resource, which is used to indicate whether the transmission power corresponding to each SRS resource is compensated by applying the corresponding interpolation loss value, for example, 1 means compensation is carried out; and 0 means no compensation is carried out) transmitting, to the user equipment in response to the re-configuration request, a second configuration for the at least one uplink reference signal associated with a second set of resource over which the at least one uplink reference signal is to be transmitted; (Page 15, the power adjustment information may be sent separately for multiple SRS resources, so as to adjust the transmission power corresponding to the multiple SRS resources.) and receiving, from the user equipment, the at least one uplink reference signal transmitted according to the second configuration through the at least one respective antenna port. (Page 15, he terminal device transmits the SRS according to the determined transmission power of each SRS resource.)
However, Liu fails to disclose the resources are resource blocks
Yang discloses the resources are resource blocks (See ¶0089, the UE may configure the multiple uplink transmissions based at least in part on the configuration; the SRS and DMRS can be transmitted on different sets of resource blocks (RBs))
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify resources are utilized to transmit SRS signals to include the specific resource used to transmit the srs are resource blocks. The motivation to combine is may reduce and/or eliminate dropped transmissions of a UE (e.g., dropping of an uplink transmission that is scheduled to collide with another uplink transmission) (See ¶0082).
Regarding claims 17 and 26, Liu discloses sufficient power headroom is available at the apparatus to compensate for at least one second insertion loss incurred (Page 15, he terminal device sends second indication information, the second indication information is used to indicate that the first transmission power is determined according to the first insertion loss value, and/or the second indication information is used to indicate that the second transmission power is according second interpolation loss value is determined) within the apparatus by the at least one respective uplink reference signal transmitted according to the second configuration. (WO 2021031028 A1-Page 12, the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource are configured by the network device for terminal device)
Regarding claims 18 and 27, Liu discloses determining whether sufficient power headroom is available at the apparatus to compensate for the at least one first insertion loss is at least based on a first required transmission power for the at least one uplink reference signal (Page 15, he terminal device sends second indication information, the second indication information is used to indicate that the first transmission power is determined according to the first insertion loss value, and/or the second indication information is used to indicate that the second transmission power is according second interpolation loss value is determined) according to the first configuration, (WO 2021031028 A1-Page 12, the first SRS resource and the second SRS resource are configured by the network device for terminal device) a maximum output power, (Page 14, As described in formula (1), the terminal device determines P .sub.CMAX_L,f,c according to the ΔTRxSRS of different antenna ports, and then determines the transmission power for sending the SRS on the SRS resource .sub.according to PCMAX_L,f,c.) and the at least one first insertion loss. (Page 15, he terminal device sends second indication information, the second indication information is used to indicate that the first transmission power is determined according to the first insertion loss value, and/or the second indication information is used to indicate that the second transmission power is according second interpolation loss value is determined)
Regarding claims 20 and 29, Liu discloses the apparats is further caused to at least perform one or more of: determining a first required transmission power for the at least one uplink reference signal according to the first configuration; (Page 14, As described in formula (1), the terminal device determines P .sub.CMAX_L,f,c according to the ΔTRxSRS of different antenna ports, and then determines the transmission power for sending the SRS on the SRS resource .sub.according to PCMAX_L,f,c.) determining a second required transmission power for the at least one uplink reference signal according to the second configuration; obtaining or determining a maximum output power; or obtaining or determining the at least one first insertion loss or the at least one second insertion loss.
Regarding claim 23, Liu discloses the apparatus is further caused to at least perform: transmitting, to the network node, the at least one uplink reference signal according to the first configuration through the at least one respective antenna port, (page 11, he terminal device 100 may obtain multiple SRS resources, and/or obtain antenna information or antenna port information antenna 141, 142, antenna port information) corresponding to each of the multiple SRS resources; understood as the insertion loss value corresponding to the transmitted SRS. The antenna port associated with an SRS resource may specifically refer to the antenna port used for transmitting the SRS on the SRS resource.) if it is determined that sufficient power headroom to compensate for the at least one first insertion loss is available. (Page 15, he terminal device sends second indication information, the second indication information is used to indicate that the first transmission power is determined according to the first insertion loss value, and/or the second indication information is used to indicate that the second transmission power is according second interpolation loss value is determined)
Regarding claim 35, Liu discloses the second configuration comprises one or more of the following: information indicative of the second set of resource blocks; a permission for modifying the first set of resource blocks; a permission for applying the second set of resource blocks. (Page 15, the power adjustment information may be sent separately for multiple SRS resources, so as to adjust the transmission power corresponding to the multiple SRS resources.)
Claim(s) 21, 30 and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Yang, and further in view of Elshafie et al. (Pub. No. US 2023/0055394 A1; hereinafter Elsha).
Regarding claim 21, 30 and 33, the re-configuration request for the second configuration comprises one or more of:information indicating that sufficient power headroom to compensate for the at least one first insertion loss is not available; information indicative of the second set of resource blocks; a request for modifying the first set of resource blocks; or a request for applying the second set of resource blocks.
Elsha discloses the re-configuration request for the second configuration comprises one or more of: information indicating that sufficient power headroom to compensate for the at least one first insertion loss is not available; (20230055394-See ¶0140, he UE 115-a may communicate the second message 220-b based on communicating the first message 220-a via the first antenna configuration and/or first set of resources, transmitting the capability signaling 225, receiving the control signaling 230-a, 230-b, identifying the channel unreliability event, changing the antenna configuration and/or set or resources; See ¶0112, it may be undesirable for the UE 115-a to always communicate using large quantities of antennas, and to perform SRS sounding across large quantities of antennas. Further, some UEs 115 with large quantities of antennas (e.g., 6Rx, 8Rx) may not sound all antennas due to the large power consumption and insertion loss.) information indicative of the second set of resource blocks; a request for modifying the first set of resource blocks; or a request for applying the second set of resource blocks. (See ¶0140, identifying the channel unreliability event, changing the antenna configuration and/or set or resources; See ¶0135, UE 115-b may switch to a second antenna configuration which is associated with full resource block or full antenna sounding (or another defined resource block pattern or sounding pattern with larger quantities of resource blocks) for SRS)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify transmit an indication to the base station to include request the change of the resource set. The motivation to combine is the UE 115-a may be configured to switch to more efficient and reliable (but more power intensive) antenna configurations in cases where the UE 115-a experiences interference or identifies that the channel between the UE 115-a and the base station 105-a is unreliable (e.g., upon identification of a channel unreliability event) (See ¶0113).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19, 22, 24, 28, 32 and 34 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhou et al. (Pub. No. US 2020/0351674 A1)-See ¶0100, The phase shifter 614 could be a passive phase shifter not directly connected to a power supply. Passive phase shifters might introduce some insertion loss. The second amplifier 616 could boost the signal to compensate for the insertion loss. The phase shifter 614 could be an active phase shifter connected to a power supply such that the active phase shifter provides some amount of gain or prevents insertion loss. The settings of each of the phase shifters 614 are independent meaning that each can be set to provide a desired amount of phase shift or the same amount of phase shift or some other configuration. The modem 602 and/or the communications manager 634 may have at least one control line connected to each of the phase shifters 614 and which may be used to configure the phase shifters 614 to provide a desired amounts of phase shift or phase offset between antenna elements 620.
Elshafie et al. (Pub. No. US 2022/0014313 A1)-See ¶0106, In some cases, UE 115-a may be scheduled to send an SRS in a same slot as CSI and HARQ ACK feedback. SRS transmission may be power consuming, however, and an SRS antenna switch to perform the SRS transmission may cause some insertion loss. SRS may be used by base station 105-a to estimate the uplink channel. However, some of the channel information indicated by an SRS may also be indicated by the CSI, so reporting SRS and CSI may, in some cases, have some redundancy. Transmitting both SRS and HARQ ACK feedback with CSI may be complex and consume significant power at UE 115-a when UE 115-a is scheduled for both in the same slot. Some example slots where a UE 115 is scheduled for both SRS transmission and HARQ ACK feedback with CSI are described with reference to FIG. 4.
Farajidana et al. (Pub. No. US 2010/0255790 A1)-See ¶0054, antenna switching of the sounding reference signal (SRS) 226 is possible. However, it is not a mandatory feature and may be undesirable in some wireless communication device 201b implementations. For example, antenna switching of the sounding reference signal (SRS) 226 may introduce an insertion loss. By using antenna switching of the sounding reference signal (SRS) 226, the base station 201a may obtain knowledge of the downlink channel 217 for all of the receive antennas 216 used by the wireless communication device 201b.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEJIS DAYA whose telephone number is (571)270-7817. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicholas Jensen can be reached at 571-270-5443. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Tejis Daya/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472