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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/08/2026 has been entered.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 15 are objected to because of the following informalities: the acronym “PCMAX” needs to be defined. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-11, 14-15, 17-8, and 2020 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YANG (US 2024/0172140).
Regarding claim 1, YANG teaches an apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processing system configured to: determine a power reduction value comprising a power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) value P-MPRf,c,x, or, for carrier aggregation, P-MPRx, associated with an identifier (ID) x of at least one of an antenna panel or a beam (i.e., a wireless terminal reports power reduction information called P-MPR to a network. P-MPR helps the terminal limit uplink transmit power when safety or exposure limits, such as maximum permissible exposure (MPE), may be reached. The apparatus includes a determination module, configured to determine at least one target power management maximum power reduction P-MPR value, where the P-MPR report carries the at least one target P-MPR value, and a target P-MPR value corresponds to at least one target identification information, and target identification information includes: at least one of beam identification information, antenna panel identification information, or group identification information of a beam group [0006]-[0008], [0034], [0036]); and calculate an output power threshold comprising PCMAXf,c,x or, for carrier aggregation, PCMAXx, associated with the ID x of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam based on the power reduction value, wherein the output power threshold PCMAXf,c,x or PCMAXx is calculated based on the P-MPR value P-MPRf,c,x or P-MPRx specific to the ID x, wherein each of the power reduction value and the output power threshold is specific to the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam (i.e., UE can determine the maximum output power based on the P-MPR and report it to the network device to ensure that it meets the available battery energy absorption requirement, where the P-MPR report carries the at least one target P-MPR value, and a target P-MPR value corresponds to at least one target identification information, and target identification information includes: at least one of beam identification information, antenna panel identification information, or group identification information of a beam group… the terminal may send the P-MPR report to the network device through a first command. The first command may be a medium access control element (MAC CE). The first command carries at least one of the following information: [0160] the at least one target P-MPR value; [0161] antenna panel identification information corresponding to at least one of the target P-MPR values; where the P-MPR value corresponding to each beam identification information corresponding to at least one of the antenna panels can be divided into one target group according to the description of step S502 in the embodiment of FIG. 5, and in this case, the antenna panel identification information is equivalent to the group identification information of the target group.. [0164] a maximum output power value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information; [0165] a power headroom (PH) value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information; [0166] a maximum output power value of the terminal; [0167] at least one target power value, where the target power value is a maximum output power minus the target P-MPR value); and a first interface configured to output data for transmission to a network node, the transmission being based on the output power threshold (i.e., the sending module 820 is configured to: in a case that the target condition is met, send a P-MPR report to the network device, where the target condition includes at least one of the following that: [0225] a maximum permissible exposure MPE event occurs; [0226] an equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0227] an equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds a first threshold; [0228] a maximum equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0229] a maximum equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds a second threshold; [0230] a transmit power reaches or exceeds a third threshold; [0231] a transmit power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0232] a maximum transmit power reaches or exceeds a fourth threshold; [0233] a maximum transmit power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0234] a radio frequency device is close to the human body).
Regarding claim 2, YANG teaches the output power threshold comprises a maximum output power threshold that is not exceeded by a transmission power of the transmission, and the power reduction value comprises a Power Management Maximum Power Reduction (P-MPR) value that is associated with reduction of the maximum output power threshold (i.e., in a case that the target condition is met, the terminal sends a P-MPR report to the network device… the target condition includes [0164] a maximum output power value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information; [0166] a maximum output power value of the terminal; [0167] at least one target power value, where the target power value is a maximum output power minus the target P-MPR value).
Regarding claim 3, YANG further teaches generate a report indicating at least one of the output power threshold or the power reduction value, and wherein the first interface is further configured to output the report for transmission to the network node (i.e., send a P-MPR report to the network device, where the target condition includes at least one of the following that: [0237] a power backoff value or a change value of power of a current panel or beam reaches or exceeds a sixth threshold; [0238] a P-MPR value or a change value of P-MPR value of a current panel or beam reaches or exceeds a seventh threshold; [0239] a link quality value or a change value of link quality of a current panel or beam is equal to or lower than an eighth threshold [0237]-[0242]).
Regarding claim 4, YANG further teaches configured to select the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam having the ID (i.e., send a P-MPR report to the network device, where the target condition includes at least one of the following that: [0242]-[0243]).
Regarding claim 5, YANG further teaches the report indicating at least one of the output power threshold or the power reduction value includes a power headroom report (PHR) associated with the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam ([0348] a power headroom PH value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information; [0349] a maximum output power value of the terminal; [0350] at least one target power value, where the target power value is a maximum output power minus the target P-MPR value; [0351] at least one target power value and antenna panel identification information corresponding to the target power value).
Regarding claim 7, YANG further teaches wherein the processing system is further configured to: detect a human body in proximity to the apparatus, wherein the power reduction value is determined after the detection and based on an electromagnetic power density exposure standard ([0330] a maximum transmit power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0331] a radio frequency device is close to the human body).
Regarding claim 8, YANG further teaches wherein each of the power reduction value and the output power threshold is further associated with a carrier and a serving cell ([0326]-[0339]]).
Regarding claim 9, YANG further teaches determine a plurality of carrier aggregation (CA) power reduction values that are respectively associated with a plurality of carriers and a plurality of serving cells, wherein the power reduction value is determined based on the plurality of CA power reduction values ([0311]-[0318]).
Regarding claim 10, YANG further teaches a second interface configured to obtain, from the network node, information indicating the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam ([0344] antenna panel identification information corresponding to at least one of the target P-MPR values; [0346] beam identification information corresponding to at least one of the target P-MPR values).
Regarding claim 11, YANG further teaches the information indicating the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam is obtained based on a user equipment (UE) capability associated with the apparatus ([0185], 0282]).
Regarding claim 13, YANG teaches the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam corresponds to at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB) resource indicator (RI) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) RI (i.e., the P-MPR report further includes at least one of the following: identification information of the at least one beam; a maximum output power value of the at least one beam; identification information of an antenna panel corresponding to the at least one beam [0032]-[0036])… the P-MPR report further includes at least one of the following: identification information of the at least one beam; a maximum output power value of the at least one beam; identification information of an antenna panel corresponding to the at least one beam [0032]-[0036]). In some embodiments, a downlink reference signal includes at least one of the following: an SSB or a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) [0051], [0057]).
Regarding claim 14, YANG further teaches a transmitter configured to transmit the data to the network node based on the output power threshold, wherein the apparatus is configured as a user equipment (UE) (i.e., the terminal may send the P-MPR report to the network device through a first command… [0164] a maximum output power value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information; [0165] a power headroom (PH) value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information; [0166] a maximum output power value of the terminal [0164]-[0166]).
Regarding claim 15, YANG teaches an apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: a processing system configured to determine an identifier (ID) x associated with limiting transmission output power of a transmission to be communicated with a user equipment (UE) via at least one of an antenna panel or a beam that corresponds to the ID x, wherein the limiting the transmission output power is based on an output power threshold and a power reduction value, wherein each of the power reduction value and the output power threshold is specific to the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam wherein the output power threshold comprises PCMAXf,c,x, or, for carrier aggregation, PCMAXx, specific to the ID x, and wherein the power reduction value comprises P-MPRf,c,x, or, for carrier aggregation, P-MPRx, specific to the ID x, and wherein the processing system is further configured to obtain, from the UE, a report indicating at least one of the output power threshold or the power reduction value associated with the ID x, and schedule another transmission by the UE based on the report (i.e., a wireless terminal reports power reduction information called P-MPR to a network. P-MPR helps the terminal limit uplink transmit power when safety or exposure limits, such as maximum permissible exposure (MPE), may be reached. The UE can determine the maximum output power based on the P-MPR and report it to the network device to ensure that it meets the available battery energy absorption requirement, where the P-MPR report carries the at least one target P-MPR value, and a target P-MPR value corresponds to at least one target identification information, and target identification information includes: at least one of beam identification information, antenna panel identification information, or group identification information of a beam group… the terminal may send the P-MPR report to the network device through a first command. The first command may be a medium access control element (MAC CE). The first command carries at least one of the following information: [0160] the at least one target P-MPR value; [0161] antenna panel identification information corresponding to at least one of the target P-MPR values; where the P-MPR value corresponding to each beam identification information corresponding to at least one of the antenna panels can be divided into one target group according to the description of step S502 in the embodiment of FIG. 5, and in this case, the antenna panel identification information is equivalent to the group identification information of the target group.. [0164] a maximum output power value corresponding to the antenna panel identification information or the group identification information of the beam group or the beam identification information, and [0084]-[0088]); and a first interface configured to output information indicating the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam for transmission to the UE (i.e., the sending module 820 is configured to: in a case that the target condition is met, send a P-MPR report to the network device, where the target condition includes at least one of the following that: [0225] a maximum permissible exposure MPE event occurs; [0226] an equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0227] an equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds a first threshold; [0228] a maximum equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0229] a maximum equivalent isotropically radiated power reaches or exceeds a second threshold; [0230] a transmit power reaches or exceeds a third threshold; [0231] a transmit power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0232] a maximum transmit power reaches or exceeds a fourth threshold; [0233] a maximum transmit power reaches or exceeds an MPE threshold; [0234] a radio frequency device is close to the human body).
Regarding claim 17, YANG further teaches a second interface configured to obtain, from the UE, a report indicating at least one of an output power threshold upon which the limiting of the transmission power is based or a power reduction value upon which the output power threshold is based, wherein the processing system is further configured to schedule another transmission by the UE based on the at least one of the output power threshold or the power reduction value (read on: a terminal sends a P-MPR report to a network side device in a case that a preset P-MPR report reporting condition is met, where the P-MPR report includes a P-MPR value of at least one beam. The network side device may send scheduling information to the terminal according to the P-MPR report, to perform channel scheduling and reference signal transmission. Technical solutions in the embodiments are applicable to a terminal with a plurality of antenna panels. After the terminal reports P-MPR values of beams, it is helpful for the terminal to select a better antenna panel and beam according to the P-MPR values of the beams, thereby ensuring correct transmission of data and optimizing transmission performance [0121]).
Regarding claim 18, YANG further teaches the report comprises a power headroom report (PHR) associated with the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam (i.e., the P-MPR report further includes at least one of the following: a power headroom value of the at least one beam; identification information of an antenna panel corresponding to the at least one beam [0032]-[0036]; the identification information of the at least one beam includes at least one of the following: identification information or index information or indication information of a first resource; or identification information or index information or indication information of a first resource set… the identification information of the antenna panel corresponds to the at least one beam [0058]-[0059]).
Regarding claim 20, YANG further teaches a transmitter configured to transmit the information indicating the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam to the UE, wherein the apparatus is configured as a network node (i.e., the P-MPR report further includes at least one of the following: identification information of the at least one beam; a maximum output power value of the at least one beam; identification information of an antenna panel corresponding to the at least one beam [0032]-[0036]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 12-13, 16, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YANG (US 2024/0172140) in view of Kwak et al. (US 2023/0216565).
Regarding claim 12, YANG teaches all the limitations above except the information indicating the ID of at least one the antenna panel or beam is obtained via RRC signaling.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Kwak teaches An indication of a spatial relation may be implicit, configured by radio resource control (RRC) signaling.. a spatial relation may be configured by RRC signaling for an SRI. A spatial relation may be referred to as a beam indication ([0101]). a WTRU may report one or more beam measurements and/or P-MPR, which may be related to an MPE/SAR triggered situation (e.g., an MPE/SAR triggered situation related to a panel or group of WTRU antenna panel(s)). Beam/beam group measurement report(s) and/or P-MPR for MPE-SAR related report(s) may be complementary and/or triggered by different factors ([0133]-[0134]). A WTRU may report beam group based measurements, which may be triggered by beam quality related events or MPE/SAR, reported through RRC (beam quality measurements), CSI feedback on UL physical channels, or MAC CE (PHR or P-MPR reports). A WTRU may follow different procedures according to the type of report (e.g., RRC, MAC or PHY) sent to a base station (e.g., a gNB), e.g., based on reported beam group based measurements ([0137]-[0138]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the RRC signaling used for measurement taught by Kwak within the system of YANG in order to optimize radio resource allocation and enhance connection reliability.
Regarding claim 13, YANG teaches all the limitations above except the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam corresponds to at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB) resource indicator (RI) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) RI.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Kwak teaches an association between TCI states, CORESETs and TCI state groups may be based on one or more of the following: a configuration of one or more TCI state IDs and/or CORESET IDs in a TCI state group (e.g., an indication of TCI state IDs and/or CORESET IDs may be based on at least one of a RRC message, a MAC-CE, or a DCI); a configuration of a cell ID (e.g., TCI states and TCI state group configured with (e.g., via configuration information) an identical cell ID (or no cell ID) may be associated); a configuration of a panel ID (e.g., TCI states and TCI state group configured with (e.g., via configuration information) an identical panel ID (or no panel ID) may be associated); a configuration of a CSI-RS resource set ID (e.g., TCI states and TCI state group configured with (e.g., via configuration information) an identical CSI-RS resource set ID (or no CSI-RS resource set ID) may be associated) [0114]). A WTRU may report one or more of M TCI state Indexes, CRIs and SSBRIs, for example, in a CSI report (e.g., to indicate best/worst M TCI states or worst M TCI states). The best M TCI states or the worst M TCI states may be determined, for example, based on one or more of following: L1-RSRP; L1-SINR; CQI;RI; PMI; or the like. A WTRU may report an absolute value for the best/worst TCI state/CRI/SSBRI and differential values for M-1 TCI states/CRIs/SSBRIs ([0175]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the technique of Kwak within the system of YANG in order to optimize radio resource allocation and enhance connection reliability.
Regarding claim 16, YANG teaches all the limitations above except the information indicating the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam is output for transmission to the UE via radio resource control (RRC) signaling based on a capability of the UE
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Kwak teaches An indication of a spatial relation may be implicit, configured by radio resource control (RRC) signaling.. a spatial relation may be configured by RRC signaling for an SRI. A spatial relation may be referred to as a beam indication ([0101]). a WTRU may report one or more beam measurements and/or P-MPR, which may be related to an MPE/SAR triggered situation (e.g., an MPE/SAR triggered situation related to a panel or group of WTRU antenna panel(s)). Beam/beam group measurement report(s) and/or P-MPR for MPE-SAR related report(s) may be complementary and/or triggered by different factors ([0133]-[0134]). A WTRU may report beam group based measurements, which may be triggered by beam quality related events or MPE/SAR, reported through RRC (beam quality measurements), CSI feedback on UL physical channels, or MAC CE (PHR or P-MPR reports). A WTRU may follow different procedures according to the type of report (e.g., RRC, MAC or PHY) sent to a base station (e.g., a gNB), e.g., based on reported beam group based measurements ([0137]-[0138]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the RRC signaling used for measurement taught by Kwak within the system of YANG in order to optimize radio resource allocation and enhance connection reliability.
Regarding claim 19, YANG teaches all the limitations above except the ID of the at least one of the antenna panel or the beam corresponds to at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB) resource indicator (RI) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) RI.
However, the preceding limitation is known in the art of communications. Kwak teaches an association between TCI states, CORESETs and TCI state groups may be based on one or more of the following: a configuration of one or more TCI state IDs and/or CORESET IDs in a TCI state group (e.g., an indication of TCI state IDs and/or CORESET IDs may be based on at least one of a RRC message, a MAC-CE, or a DCI); a configuration of a cell ID (e.g., TCI states and TCI state group configured with (e.g., via configuration information) an identical cell ID (or no cell ID) may be associated); a configuration of a panel ID (e.g., TCI states and TCI state group configured with (e.g., via configuration information) an identical panel ID (or no panel ID) may be associated); a configuration of a CSI-RS resource set ID (e.g., TCI states and TCI state group configured with (e.g., via configuration information) an identical CSI-RS resource set ID (or no CSI-RS resource set ID) may be associated) [0114]). A WTRU may report one or more of M TCI state Indexes, CRIs and SSBRIs, for example, in a CSI report (e.g., to indicate best/worst M TCI states or worst M TCI states). The best M TCI states or the worst M TCI states may be determined, for example, based on one or more of following: L1-RSRP; L1-SINR; CQI;RI; PMI; or the like. A WTRU may report an absolute value for the best/worst TCI state/CRI/SSBRI and differential values for M-1 TCI states/CRIs/SSBRIs ([0175]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, to have implemented the technique of Kwak within the system of YANG in order to optimize radio resource allocation and enhance connection reliability.
Conclusion
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/JEAN A GELIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
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