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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
The structure described in the Specification at least in ¶0135- ¶0143 and Fig.8 is generally recognized in the electric art (such as a computer, processor, specialized hardware, specialized software, etc., to realize the invention). Therefore, Examiner finds the claims are reasonably supported by the structure described in the specification pertaining to 35 U.S.C. 112 (a) and (b) (or 35 U.S.C. 112, first and second paragraphs, pre-AIA ) whether 35 U.S.C. 112(f) is invoked or not.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is: “means for” in Claim 29 .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9, 12-20, 24, 27-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al (WO 2021109438) in view of Gong et al (US 20240214153).
As to claims 1 and 16 Gao discloses An apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), and a method, the apparatus (Gao Fig.12) comprising: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory (Gao pg. 21, lines 3-20) and configured to cause the apparatus to: receive, from a base station, control signaling indicating a plurality of port arrangements for transmitting one or more sounding reference signals to the base station (Gao pg.15, line 5-10- After the base station sends configuration information to the UE, the base station can trigger an SRS procedure using a signaling message, such as a Downlink Control Information (DCI) message, or medium access control –control element (MAC-CE));Gao pg. 8, lines 21- 31; pg. 9 lines, 1-2- FIG. 5B, at operation 560, transmitting, by a base station, a configuration parameter to a wireless device. The method 550 also includes, at operation 570, receiving, by the base station, a sounding reference signal (SRS) to the base station according to an SRS procedure in which one or more resource sets from multiple resource sets are determined according to the configuration parameter.,….In some embodiments, the configuration parameter extends to multiple parameters that indicate least one of: …, a number of antenna ports corresponding to resources in each of the one or more resource sets); select a port arrangement of the plurality of port arrangements based at least in part on a first quantity of ports available to the UE for transmitting the one or more sounding reference signals (Gao – pg.12, lines 13-21- the UE can indicate its capability for supporting different …panel (s) in an SRS resource set and/or an SRS resource. … The UE can also indicate the number of different ports or port groups for the same spatial relation/same panel that it can support. Alternatively, and/or additionally, the number of different ports or port groups under the same spatial relation/same panel is a pre-defined value.); transmit the SRS using a second quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement and using a third quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement.(Gao 600 Fig.6, pg.12, lines 6-21- An SRS procedure can use one or more SRS resource sets. Each of the resource set can include multiple SRS resources, and each of the SRS resources can have multiple configured ports or port groups. In some embodiments, the SRS resource sets can also be organized into one or more groups. When the UE tries to establish a connection with a base station, the UE reports its capability, including SRS-related information. For example, the UE can indicate its capability for supporting different spatial relation (s) , transmission state (s) , and/or panel (s) in an SRS resource set and/or an SRS resource. In some embodiments, the number of different spatial relation (s) , transmission state (s) , and/or panel (s) is a predefined number. In some embodiments, the number of different spatial relation (s) , transmission state (s) , and/or panel (s) is a predefined number is also a UE capability. The UE can also indicate the number of different ports or port groups for the same spatial relation/same panel that it can support. Alternatively, and/or additionally, the number of different ports or port groups under the same spatial relation/same panel is a pre-defined value).
Gao however does not explicitly recite transmitting multiple SRSs, i.e.- a first sounding reference signal; and a second sounding reference signal based at least in part on the selected port arrangement.
However, in an analogous art Gong remedies this deficiency: Gong Fig2, ¶0096- 3rd sentence-The network device sends configuration information to the terminal device, where the configuration information is used to configure a periodicity for sending the SRS by the terminal device to the network device,….Then, the terminal device periodically sends the SRS to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device periodically receives the SRS.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Gao with that of Gong for the purpose of multiple transmission of SRS resources for different numbers or quantities of transmission ports and reception ports, offering flexibility in SRS transmission approaches.
As to claims 2 and 17 the combined teachings of Gao an Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit a third sounding reference signal using a fourth quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement (Gong ¶0096-3rd sentence- Then, the terminal device periodically sends the SRS to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device periodically receives the SRS).
As to claims 3 and 18 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 2 and 17 respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit a fourth sounding reference signal using a fifth quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement (Gong ¶0096-3rd sentence).
As to claims 4 and 19 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit the first sounding reference signal in a first time resource and the second sounding reference signal in a second time resource, wherein the first time resource and the second time resource are separated by a third time resource (Gao, pg.5, lines 9-12- The time-domain behavior of the SRS transmission (307) . For example, the base station can indicate the time-domain behavior (e.g., aperiodic, semi-persistent, periodic) based on attributes such as resource type (s) ).
As to claims 5 and 20 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit the first sounding reference signal in a first time resource and the second sounding reference signal in a second time resource, wherein the first time resource and the second time resource are contiguous- in other words no guard symbols- Gao-pg. 7, lines 23-26- In some embodiments, resources in a resource set are positioned without any guard period between each other.
As to claims 9 and 24 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit a first indication of a port arrangement capability of the UE, wherein the port arrangement capability includes a second indication of the first quantity of ports (Gao pg. 14, lines 25-32- in some embodiments, UE can report its capability with respect to the number of different UE antenna ports/port groups or the number of SRS resources having the same spatial relation and/or same panel. For example, the number of UE antenna ports/port groups with the same spatial relation/or same panel that the UE supports can be a predefined value (e.g., 2 or 4) . As another example, the number of SRS resources with same spatial relation and/or same panel can also be a predefined value (e.g., 2 or 4) . In some embodiments, the predefined value is determined based on an antenna indicator, e.g., xTyR. In some embodiments, the UE can report its capability with respect to the number of SRS resources having different spatial relations and/or different panels. Alternatively, and/or additionally, the number of SRS resources having different spatial relations and/or different panels is a predefined value (e.g., 2 or 4).
As to claims 12 and 27 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to identify the first quantity of ports available to the UE for transmitting the one or more sounding reference signals, wherein selecting the port arrangement is based at least in part on identifying the first quantity of ports (Gao pg. 14, lines 25-32 In some embodiments, the predefined value is determined based on an antenna indicator, e.g., xTyR. In some embodiments, the UE can report its capability with respect to the number of SRS resources having different spatial relations and/or different panels. Alternatively, and/or additionally, the number of SRS resources having different spatial relations and/or different panels is a predefined value (e.g., 2 or 4).
As to claim 13 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second quantity of ports and the third quantity of ports are a same quantity. ( Gao pg.13, lines 15- 20 - In some embodiments, a rule can be specified to associate the one or more SRS resource sets. For example, the rule can specify that SRS resource sets are associated for antenna switching when one or more of the following conditions are satisfied: 2. Resources in the SRS resource sets are configured with the same number of SRS ports or port groups.).
As to claims 14 and 28 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, wherein: the second quantity of ports and the third quantity of ports are different quantities (Gao pg. 14, lines 25-32- the UE can report its capability with respect to the number of SRS resources having different spatial relations and/or different panels. Alternatively, and/or additionally, the number of SRS resources having different spatial relations and/or different panels is a predefined value (e.g., 2 or 4).
As to claim 15 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus of claim 1, wherein one or more ports of the second quantity of ports are also comprised in the third quantity of ports (Gao pg. 16, lines 18-25- FIG. 7, for inter-panel antenna switching (e.g., with physical radio frequency chain switching) , in which the SRS resource or resource sets are associated with different panels, different transmission states, and/or different spatial relations, there can a time-domain guard period 707 between neighboring SRS transmissions, in which no signal is transmitted, to prevent transmission overlaps and/or interferences).
As to claim 29 Gao discloses An apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (Gao Fig.12), comprising: means for receiving, from a base station, control signaling indicating a plurality of port arrangements for transmitting one or more sounding reference signals to the base station(Gao pg.15, line 5-10- Gao pg. 8, lines 21- 31; pg. 9 lines, 1-2- FIG. 5B,); means for selecting a port arrangement of the plurality of port arrangements based at least in part on a first quantity of ports available to the UE for transmitting the one or more sounding reference signals (Gao – pg.12, lines 13-21); means for transmitting sounding reference signal using a second quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement; and means for transmitting sounding reference signal using a third quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement(Gao 600 Fig.6, pg.12, lines 6-21).
Gao however does not explicitly recite means for transmitting a first sounding reference signal and means for transmitting a second sounding reference signal based at least in part on the selected port arrangement. However, in an analogous art Gong remedies this deficiency: Gong Fig2, ¶0096- 3rd sentence-The network device sends configuration information to the terminal device, where the configuration information is used to configure a periodicity for sending the SRS by the terminal device to the network device, and the configuration information does not need to be activated. Then, the terminal device periodically sends the SRS to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device periodically receives the SRS.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Gao with that of Gong for the purpose of multiple transmission of SRS resources for different numbers or quantities of transmission ports and reception ports, offering flexibility in SRS transmission approaches.
As to claim 30 Gao discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (Gao Fig.12, pg.22, lines 515) , the code comprising instructions executable by a processor to: receive, from a base station, control signaling indicating a plurality of port arrangements for transmitting one or more sounding reference signals to the base station (Gao pg.15, line 5-10- Gao pg. 8, lines 21- 31; pg. 9 lines, 1-2- FIG. 5B,); select a port arrangement of the plurality of port arrangements based at least in part on a first quantity of ports available to the UE for transmitting the one or more sounding reference signals(Gao – pg.12, lines 13-21); transmit a first sounding reference signal using a second quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement; and transmit a second sounding reference signal using a third quantity of ports of the first quantity of ports based at least in part on the selected port arrangement(Gao 600 Fig.6, pg.12, lines 6-21).
Gao however does not explicitly recite transmitting a first sounding reference signal; and a second sounding reference signal based at least in part on the selected port arrangement.
However, in an analogous art Gong remedies this deficiency: Gong Fig2, ¶0096- 3rd sentence-The network device sends configuration information to the terminal device, where the configuration information is used to configure a periodicity for sending the SRS by the terminal device to the network device, and the configuration information does not need to be activated. Then, the terminal device periodically sends the SRS to the network device. Correspondingly, the network device periodically receives the SRS.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Gao with that of Gong for the purpose of multiple transmission of SRS resources for different numbers or quantities of transmission ports and reception ports, offering flexibility in SRS transmission approaches.
Claim(s) 6-8, 10, 21-23, and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao in view of Gong and further in view of Wu et al (WO 2023011211).
As to claims 6 and 21 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, however silent wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to select one or more cyclic shift indices based at least in part on a rounding function applied to one or more cyclic shift parameters, wherein the one or more cyclic shift parameters comprise a quantity of ports, a quantity of sounding reference signal resource sets, an upper limit for a quantity of sounding reference signal resources sets, a port index, or any combination thereof, wherein transmitting the first sounding reference signal and the second sounding reference signal is based at least in part on the selected one or more cyclic shift indices. However, in an analogous art Wu remedies this deficiency: Wu ¶0013- ¶0019 and ¶0060-¶0066 -In a possible implementation manner, the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the first SRS satisfies: PCTCN2022107157-appb-000005.tif PCTCN2022107157-appb-000006.tif Among them, γ .sub.1 , γ .sub.2 , ..., γ .sub.N represent a given value, Ω .sub.m represents a set m, and the set satisfies: PCTCN2022107157-appb-000007.tif PCTCN2022107157-appb-000008.tif α .sub.i represents the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the antenna port i, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000009.tif Indicates the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the antenna port i, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000010.tif Indicates the maximum number of cyclic shifts, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000011.tif Indicates the cyclic shift offset value corresponding to the first SRS, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000012.tif Indicates the number of antenna ports corresponding to the first SRS, and p .sub.i indicates the serial number of the antenna port i.) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Gao and Gong with that of Wu for the purpose of resolving issues of uneven division in cyclic shift calculations.
As to claims 7 and 22 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, however silent wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to select one or more cyclic shift indices based at least in part on a floor function applied to one or more cyclic shift parameters, wherein the one or more cyclic shift parameters comprise a quantity of ports, a quantity of sounding reference signal resource sets, an upper limit for a quantity of sounding reference signal resources sets, a port index, or any combination thereof, wherein transmitting the first sounding reference signal and the second sounding reference signal is based at least in part on the selected one or more cyclic shift indices.
However, in an analogous art Wu remedies this deficiency: Wu- Table 3, the cyclic shift value when the antenna port is p1 and p3, the corresponding SRS is transmitted at different comb positions. However, in the original cyclic shift α i and antenna port pi mapping expression increasing operation of floor function,; Wu ¶0013- ¶0019 and ¶0060- ¶0066 -In a possible implementation manner, the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the first SRS satisfies: PCTCN2022107157-appb-000005.tif PCTCN2022107157-appb-000006.tif Among them, γ .sub.1 , γ .sub.2 , ..., γ .sub.N represent a given value, Ω .sub.m represents a set m, and the set satisfies: PCTCN2022107157-appb-000007.tif PCTCN2022107157-appb-000008.tif α .sub.i represents the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the antenna port i, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000009.tif Indicates the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the antenna port i, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000010.tif Indicates the maximum number of cyclic shifts, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000011.tif Indicates the cyclic shift offset value corresponding to the first SRS, PCTCN2022107157-appb-000012.tif Indicates the number of antenna ports corresponding to the first SRS, and p .sub.i indicates the serial number of the antenna port i.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Gao and Gong with that of Wu for the purpose of resolving issues of uneven division in cyclic shift calculations.
As to claims 8 and 23 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, however silent wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to select one or more cyclic shift indices based at least in part on a ceiling function applied to one or more cyclic shift parameters, wherein the one or more cyclic shift parameters comprise a quantity of ports, a quantity of sounding reference signal resource sets, an upper limit for a quantity of sounding reference signal resources sets, a port index, or any combination thereof, wherein transmitting the first sounding reference signal and the second sounding reference signal is based at least in part on the selected one or more cyclic shift indices. However, in an analogous art Wu remedies this deficiency Wu ¶0013- ¶0019 and ¶0060- ¶0066. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Gao and Gong with that of Wu for the purpose of purpose of resolving issues of uneven division in cyclic shift calculations.
As to claims 10 and 25 the combined teachings of Gao and Gong disclose the apparatus and method of claims 1 and 16 respectively, however silent wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to: map the second quantity of ports to a first pattern of frequency resources (transmission combs) for communicating sounding reference signals; calculate a cyclic shift for each port of the second quantity of ports; map the third quantity of ports to a second pattern of frequency resources for communicating the sounding reference signals; and calculate a cyclic shift for each port of the third quantity of ports. However in an analogous art Wu remedies this deficiency: (Wu¶0007- the terminal device determines the cyclic shift and/or comb position of the SRS sequence according to the new mapping rule, so that the SRS sequences of the same comb position are orthogonal, it can solve the problem that the sending of the SRS sequence is not orthogonal under the same comb position in the prior art, so as to improve the channel estimation precision, improve the coverage performance and system capacity. - Wu ¶0020- modifying the mapping expression of the cyclic shift of the antenna port and the SRS sequence, on the basis of the existing protocol mechanism, re-designing the mapping relationship of pi and α i. the terminal device determines the cyclic shift of the SRS sequence corresponding to the plurality of antenna ports in the same comb position according to the re-modified mapping expression…..Wu Table 3- the cyclic shift value when the antenna port is p1 and p3, the corresponding SRS is transmitted at different comb positions (frequency resource). However, in the original cyclic shift α i and antenna port pi mapping expression increasing operation of floor function, may cause the 4 antenna port distribution cyclic shift is not continuous)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Gao and Gong with that of Wu for the purpose of implementing multiplexing in the course of engaging SRS transmission schemes (Wu ¶0028- ¶0029).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 and 26 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DERRICK V ROSE whose telephone number is (571)270-7460. The examiner can normally be reached 9am- 6pm.
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/DERRICK V ROSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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