DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to the application filed on June 18, 2026
Claims 1-30 are under examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/20/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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)(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 1, 2, 5-8, 10, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by BAGHERI et al (WO 2021/161286 A1)
As per Claim 1 BAGHERIteaches a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving, from a base station, first control signaling configuring a plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states, the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states comprising at least a first trigger state corresponding to a first network power mode and a second trigger state corresponding to a second network power mode different from the first network power mode (Page 6 line 1-5; Page 7 line 1-6 Aperiodic CSI can be important for URLLC operation to provide timely feedback to adjust transmission parameters. As of now, ACSI can be triggered only by UL grant and would be transmitted on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) scheduled by uplink (UL) grant );
receiving, from the base station, second control signaling indicating a trigger state of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states, the indicated trigger state further indicating a current network power mode of the base station (Page 6 line 1-6, 10-20 Transmission power of a first and a second PUCCH transmissions corresponding to HARQ ACK ofscheduled PDSCH, and triggered ACSI by a DL grant ACSI can be triggered only by UL grant and would be transmitted on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) scheduled by uplink (UL) grant. It has been proposed to use DL grant to trigger CSI (to be transmitted on a PUCCH) to save control overhead in DL heavy operation (e.g., in case no PUSCH is to be scheduled) and/or if the UL grant triggers an ACSI
report for URLLC operation, such as if the DCI/radio resource control (RRC)
configuration indicates a high priority CSI report, such as by having a field in the DCI triggering the CSI report or in RRC configuration of the CSI report, the CSI report may need to be sent in a short time, and carrying on the PUSCH with multiple repetition may not satisfy the time the CSI report needs to be sent. ); and
transmitting, to the base station, a channel state information report based at least in part on the indicated trigger state and the current network power mode of the base station (Page 6 line 10-15, 20-24 Transmission power of a first and a second PUCCH transmissions corresponding to HARQ ACK ofscheduled PDSCH, and triggered ACSI by a DLgrant, report for URLLC operation, such as if the DCI/radio resource control (RRC) configuration indicates a high priority CSI report, such as by having a field in the DCI triggering the CSI report or in RRC configuration of the CSI report, the CSI report may need to be sent in a short time, and carrying on the PUSCH with multiple repetition may not satisfy the time the CSI report needs to be sent. ).
As per Claim 2 BAGHERIthe method of claim 1, further comprising: determining the current network power mode of the base station in response to receiving the second control signaling indicating the trigger state (Page 14 line 1-9 the UE receives a DL grant/assignment triggering an aperiodic CSI report and scheduling a PDSCH transmission. The UE determines a first PUCCH resource for ACSI transmission and a second PUCCH resource for HARQ-ACK transmission corresponding to the scheduled PDSCH. The UE determines a first PUCCH transmission power for the first PUCCH transmission and a second transmission power for the second PUCCH transmission based on the DCI oftheDL grant/assignment. ).
As per Claim 5 BAGHERIthe method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the base station, third control signaling indicating a subset of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states, wherein the second control signaling indicates the trigger state from the subset of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states (Page 14 line 5-8 The UE determines a first PUCCH transmission power for the first PUCCH transmission and a second transmission power for the second PUCCH transmission based on the DCI oftheDL grant/assignment.).
As per Claim 6 BAGHERI the method of claim 5, further comprising: determining the subset of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states based at least in part on a bit field of the third control signaling, wherein each trigger state of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states corresponds to a respective bit of the bit field (Page 10 line 10-15 Page 14, 20-24 the UE determines the first and the second PUCCH transmission powers based on a single field in the DCI (e.g., 2-bit TPC command for scheduled PUCCH as used in DCI format 1-1) e.g., the same TPC command is applied to both PUCCHs (1 PUCCH and 2nd PUCCH) The triggered CSI report size is smaller than certain number ofbits. The PUCCH resourceoccurs/ends earlier than the PUSCH In an example, illustrated in FIG. 2, the PUCCH is sent/scheduled on a first component carrier, and the PUSCH is sent/scheduled on a second component carrier ).
As per Claim 7 BAGHERI the method of claim 6, wherein: a first plurality of bits of the bit field correspond to a first plurality of trigger states of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states corresponding to a normal network power mode; and a second plurality of bits of the bit field correspond to a second plurality of trigger states of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states corresponding to one or more network power modes different from the normal network power mode (Page 15 line 17-22 significant bits of the field is for the second PUCCH TPC and the rest of the bits (a second number ofbits) are for the first PUCCH TPC. In an example, one or both of the first number of bits and the second number of bits are configured).
As per Claim 8 BAGHERI the method of claim 5, wherein the subset of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states comprises at least the first trigger state corresponding to the first network power mode and the second trigger state corresponding to the second network power mode (Page 6 line 10-15, Page 14 line 7-9 the UE determines a first PUCCH transmission power for the first PUCCH transmission and a second transmission power for the second PUCCH transmission based on the DCI oftheDL grant/assignment. Channel state information (CSI) is a feedback that a device can send to the network, which could help the network with selecting communication (such as scheduling) parameters for the device. Aperiodic CSI (A-CSI/ACSI) is a feedback provided by the device in response to a triggering event. A-CSI can be triggered by a DCI (control signal) sent by the network ).
As per Claim 10 BAGHERI the method of claim 1, wherein: the first control signaling comprises radio resource control signaling; and the second control signaling comprises downlink control information (Page 2 line 28-31, Page 3 line 21-23 a second transmission power for the HARQ ACK transmission was determined using the second PUCCH resource based on downlink control information (DCI) of the DL grant A first PUCCH transmission power for the ACSI transmission using the first PUCCH resource and a second transmission power for the HARQ ACK transmission using the second PUCCH resource are determined based on downlink control information (DCI) ofthe DL grant. ).
As per Claim 12 BAGHERI the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining one or more report configurations based at least in part on the indicated trigger state; determining one or more channel state information reference signal resource settings active for the one or more report configurations; determining one or more channel state information reference signal resource sets configured for the one or more channel state information reference signal resource settings; and selecting one or more channel state information reference signal resources of the one or more channel state information reference signal resource sets, wherein the channel state information report comprises a channel state information reference signal resource indicator indicating the selected one or more channel state information reference signal resources (Page 2 line 8-11, Page 7 line 9-12 An aperiodic CSI can be used to request a CSI report at a time that might not have been otherwise scheduled, and/or at a time that is separate from other communications, such as It has been proposed to use DL grant to trigger CSI (to be transmitted on PUCCH resource when CSI may consist one or more of (a) Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), (b) precoding matrix indicator (PMI), (c) CSI-reference signal (RS) resource indicator (CRI) ).
As per Claim 13 BAGHERI the method of claim 12, further comprising: measuring channel state information using the selected one or more channel state information reference signal resources, wherein the channel state information report indicates the measured channel state information (Page 9 line 1-6 Page 7 line 9-11The UE determines the Offset X between the slot containing the DCI that triggers a set of aperiodic NZP CSI-RS resources and the slot in which the CSI-RS resource set is transmitted based on the aperiodicTriggeringOffset associated with the triggered ACSI report CSI may consist one or more of (a) Channel Quality Indicator (CQI), (b)precoding matrix indicator (PMI), (c) CSI-reference signal (RS) resource indicator (CRI) ).
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 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 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.
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 3,4,9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BAGHERI et al (WO 2021/161286 A1) in view of Shin et al. (US 2021/0307042 A1).
As per Claim 3 BAGIIERI- Jeon the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a quantity of antenna ports active at the base station based at least in part on the current network power mode of the base station, wherein the channel state information report is based at least in part on the quantity of the antenna ports active at the base station (Page 28 line 10-14 Page 25 line 3-6 an antenna 1155 coupled to the transceiver 1150, determining a first PUCCH transmission power for the ACSI transmission using the first PUCCH resource and a second transmission power for the HARQ ACK transmission using the second PUCCHresource based on downlink control information (DCI) ofthe DL grant).
However BAGHERI does not explicitly disclose a lower power
Jeon disclose a lower power (Paragraph 0122, 0125, 0129, 0152, 0162 a lower transmission power level than its nominal operation, which may discourage UEs to select/reselect or handover to the corresponding cell, the MAC CE indicates the activation/deactivation status. Therefore, there is a need to define a mechanism to indicate that a cell is in NES mode and a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation and NES mode for cell a lower half of the 4-by-4 cross-polarized antenna system selection/reselection or for neighboring cell measurement. Antenna ports or antenna structure in general. CSI-RS resource is triggered by a “SP CSI-RS/CSI interference measurement (CSI-IM) Resource Set Activation/Deactivation” MAC CE that includes. The signaling for multi-CSI measurement and reporting can be via a PDCCH providing DCI, or via a PDSCH providing MAC-CE The RF characteristics, e.g., radiation power, beam pattern.. a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation, the true powerControlOffsetSS value that is linked to the actual transmission power of CSI-RS and a set of offset values relative to the true powerControlOffsetSS value for a number of hypothesis of adaptations. After scaling the measured CSI-RS channel coefficients accordingly ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAGHERI with the teachings of Jeon in order to the make the system more efficient. Because when the traffic load is low, the gNB 102 can turn off a subset of PAs or reduce the PA output power levels. For brevity, such operation is respectively referred to as spatial domain (SD) or power domain (PD) adaptation in this embodiment of the disclosure. (see Jeon Paragraph 0122).
As per Claim 4 BAGHERI- Jeon the method of claim 3, wherein the antenna ports active at the base station comprise a subset of antenna ports of the base station based at least in part on the current network power mode corresponding to a lower power than a normal network power mode of the base station (Page 13, 25-27, Page 14 line the PUCCH transmit power is determined according to the following formula wherein different elements of the formula are described in TSline which in turn may allow for the reliability ofthe messaging in support of an URLLC mode ofoperationto be enhanced ).
However BAGIIERI does not explicitly disclose a lower power
Jeon disclose a lower power (Paragraph 0122, 0125, 0129, 0152, 0162 a lower transmission power level than its nominal operation, which may discourage UEs to select/reselect or handover to the corresponding cell, the MAC CE indicates the activation/deactivation status. Therefore, there is a need to define a mechanism to indicate that a cell is in NES mode and a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation and NES mode for cell a lower half of the 4-by-4 cross-polarized antenna system selection/reselection or for neighboring cell measurement. Antenna ports or antenna structure in general. CSI-RS resource is triggered by a “SP CSI-RS/CSI interference measurement (CSI-IM) Resource Set Activation/Deactivation” MAC CE that includes. The signaling for multi-CSI measurement and reporting can be via a PDCCH providing DCI, or via a PDSCH providing MAC-CE The RF characteristics, e.g., radiation power, beam pattern.. a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation, the true powerControlOffsetSS value that is linked to the actual transmission power of CSI-RS and a set of offset values relative to the true powerControlOffsetSS value for a number of hypothesis of adaptations. After scaling the measured CSI-RS channel coefficients accordingly ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAGHERI with the teachings of Jeon in order to the make the system more efficient. Because when the traffic load is low, the gNB 102 can turn off a subset of PAs or reduce the PA output power levels. For brevity, such operation is respectively referred to as spatial domain (SD) or power domain (PD) adaptation in this embodiment of the disclosure. (see Jeon Paragraph 0122).
As per Claim 9 BAGHERI- Jeon the method of claim 5, However BAGIIERI does not explicitly disclose wherein the third control signaling comprises a medium access control element.
Jeon disclose wherein the third control signaling comprises a medium access control element (Paragraph 0122, 0125, 0129, 0152, 0162 the MAC CE indicates the activation/deactivation status. Therefore, there is a need to define a mechanism to indicate that a cell is in NES mode and a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation and NES mode for cell a lower half of the 4-by-4 cross-polarized antenna system selection/reselection or for neighboring cell measurement. Antenna ports or antenna structure in general. CSI-RS resource is triggered by a “SP CSI-RS/CSI interference measurement (CSI-IM) Resource Set Activation/Deactivation” MAC CE that includes. The signaling for multi-CSI measurement and reporting can be via a PDCCH providing DCI, or via a PDSCH providing MAC-CE The RF characteristics, e.g., radiation power, beam pattern.. a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation, the true powerControlOffsetSS value that is linked to the actual transmission power of CSI-RS and a set of offset values relative to the true powerControlOffsetSS value for a number of hypothesis of adaptations. After scaling the measured CSI-RS channel coefficients accordingly ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAGHERI with the teachings of Jeon in order to the make the system more efficient. Because when the traffic load is low, the gNB 102 can turn off a subset of PAs or reduce the PA output power levels. For brevity, such operation is respectively referred to as spatial domain (SD) or power domain (PD) adaptation in this embodiment of the disclosure. (see Jeon Paragraph 0122).
As per Claim 11 BAGHERI- Jeon the method of claim 1, wherein the current network power mode of the base station comprises a normal network power mode corresponding to a set of antenna ports active at the base station, a medium network power mode corresponding to a first subset of the set of antenna ports active at the base station, or a low network power mode corresponding to a second subset of the first subset of the set of antenna ports active at the base station (Page 25 line 2-4 Page 22 line 18-21 A first PUCCH transmission power for the ACSI transmission using the first PUCCH resource and a second transmission power for the HARQ ACK transmission using the second PUCCH resource can be determined 906 based on downlink control information (DCI) ofthe DL grant.a determined/indicated PUCCH resource if the DCI is received in a predetermined subset of search spaces/CORESETs. an antenna 1155 coupled to the transceiver 1150, a user interfacea DCI format if the DCI is received in a predetermined subset ofsearch spaces/CORESETs. ).
However BAGHERI does not explicitly disclose a lower power
Jeon disclose a lower power (Paragraph 0122, 0125, 0129, 0152, 0162 a lower transmission power level than its nominal operation, which may discourage UEs to select/reselect or handover to the corresponding cell, the MAC CE indicates the activation/deactivation status. Therefore, there is a need to define a mechanism to indicate that a cell is in NES mode and a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation and NES mode for cell a lower half of the 4-by-4 cross-polarized antenna system selection/reselection or for neighboring cell measurement. Antenna ports or antenna structure in general. CSI-RS resource is triggered by a “SP CSI-RS/CSI interference measurement (CSI-IM) Resource Set Activation/Deactivation” MAC CE that includes. The signaling for multi-CSI measurement and reporting can be via a PDCCH providing DCI, or via a PDSCH providing MAC-CE The RF characteristics, e.g., radiation power, beam pattern.. a potential power offset between its normal mode of operation, the true powerControlOffsetSS value that is linked to the actual transmission power of CSI-RS and a set of offset values relative to the true powerControlOffsetSS value for a number of hypothesis of adaptations. After scaling the measured CSI-RS channel coefficients accordingly ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify BAGHERI with the teachings of Jeon in order to the make the system more efficient. Because when the traffic load is low, the gNB 102 can turn off a subset of PAs or reduce the PA output power levels. For brevity, such operation is respectively referred to as spatial domain (SD) or power domain (PD) adaptation in this embodiment of the disclosure. (see Jeon Paragraph 0122).
Claims 14 – 30 are the methods and apparatus claims corresponding to the method claims 1-13 that have been rejected above. Applicant attention is directed to the rejection of claims 1-10. Claims 14-30 are rejected under the same rational as claims 1-13.
Response to Argument(s)
Applicant's argument(s) filed on June 18, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
In the remarks, at page 11 and 12 the Applicant argues in substance that:
Remark:
(A) “Bagheri does not disclose at least "receiving, from the base station, second control signaling indicating a trigger state of the plurality of aperiodic channel state information trigger states, the indicated trigger state further indicating a current network power mode of the base station," as recited in independent claim 1”
Response: In response, Examiner respectfully disagrees with applicant’s representative’s assertions. The Examiner has thoroughly reviewed Applicants' representative’s arguments but firmly believes that the cited references to reasonably and properly meet the claimed limitation. Applicant’s representative’s are reminded that the Examiner is entitled to give the broadest reasonable interpretation to the language of the claims. Examiner appreciates applicant’s representative’s explanation however, Bagheri explicitly states that a downlink grant triggering an aperiodic channel state information report and scheduling a physical downlink shared channel transmission. A first physical uplink control channel resource for ACSI transmission and a second PUCCH resource for hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgment transmission corresponding to the scheduled PDSCH are determined. A first PUCCH transmission power for the ACSI transmission using the first PUCCH resource and a second transmission power for the HARQ ACK transmission using the second PUCCH resource are determined based on downlink control information of the DL grant. Bagheri also clearly states that, the PUCCH transmit power is determined according to the a first PUCCH transmission power for the ACSI transmission was determined using the first PUCCH resource...... Example from Bagheri (Col. 14 line 5-20 The UE determines a first PUCCH transmission power for the first PUCCH transmission and a second transmission power for the second PUCCH transmission based on the DCI of the DL grant/assignment...)
Therefore Bagheri reference teaches the claim limitation as currently presented.
Examiner’s Note
Examiner is open for discussion if the applicant’s representative need further clarifications.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL
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 extension fee 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 SYED ALI whose telephone number is (571)270-3681. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Asad Nawaz can be reached on 571-272-3988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov . Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SYED ALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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