DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the amendment filed May 12, 2026, claims 1, 2, 8, 12, 13, 22, 23, 27, and 28 are amended, claims 1 - 30 are currently pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
Regarding 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 applicant’s arguments, see page 12 paragraphs 3 - page 17, filed May 12, 2026, with respect to claims 1-2, 4-3, 15-23, 25-28 and 30 have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-2, 4-13, 15-23, 25-28 and 30 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Hence a new ground of rejection is further made in view of Park (US Pub. No.: 2020/0304232).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 1 has been amended to recite in lines 7-8, “transmitting, to a base station, capability signaling indicating a capability of the UE to communicate with the base station in accordance with a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports belonging to a same code-division multiplexing group to a same codeword”, lines 9-11 recites, “wherein, for each antenna port field value, the DMRS port mapping configuration comprises a first mapping between a first codeword corresponding to a first transmission-reception point and a first code-division multiplexing group”, and lines 12-13 recites, “a second mapping between a second codeword corresponding to a second transmission-reception point and a second code-division multiplexing group”. It is unclear the relationship between “a same codeword” and “a first codeword” and “a second codeword”.
Is “a first codeword”, “a second codeword” = “a same codeword”, the respective codes words are the same? Or either same as first or same as second? Thus the claim is indefinite.
Claim 1 has been amended to recite in lines 8-9, “receiving, from the base station based at least in part on the capability signaling”. It is unclear as to what is meant by “at least in part on the capability signaling”.
Claims 12, 22 and 27 are also rejected for the same reason as set forth above for claim 1.
Claims 2-11, 13-21, 23-26 and 28-30 are also rejected since they are dependent on the respective independent claims 1, 12, 22 and 27, respectively as set forth above.
For purpose of examination, the examiner interprets the limitation as best understood.
Notice re prior art available under both pre-AIA and AIA
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.
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 of this title, 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 1-2, 4-13, 15-23, 25-28 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao et al. (US Pub. No.: 2022/0150019), in view of Liu (US Pub. No.: 2024/0121061) and further in view of Park (US Pub. No.: 2020/0304232).
As per claim 1, Xiao disclose A method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (see Fig.4, UE 406), comprising:
receiving, from a base station (see Fig.4, a first TRP 402, a base station), based at least in part on a capability signaling (see para. 0084, receiving control signaling / a capability signaling, indicating a DMRS group), first control signaling that indicates a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration for a plurality of antenna port field values (see para. 0084, receiving control signaling indicating a DMRS group used to support multi-TRP, PDSCH and/or PUSCH transmission, the DMRS ports within a DMRS group is QCL/ port mapping configuration, and DMRS ports from different groups are not be QCL, the DMRS ports transmitted from a TRP as shown in Table 1 / a plurality of antenna port field values, see also para. 0053, 0140),
wherein, for each antenna port field value, the DMRS port mapping configuration comprises a first mapping between a first codeword corresponding to a first transmission-reception point and a first code-division multiplexing group, and a second mapping between a second codeword corresponding to a second transmission-reception point and a second code-division multiplexing group (see para. 0084, 0085, a DMRS ports within a DMRS group is QCL/a first codeword for a CDM group, and DMRS ports from different groups may not be QCL / a second codeword for a CDM group, and the DMRS ports transmitted from a TRP is selected from within one DMRS group, a DMRS group includes one or two CDM groups, two DMRS groups are used for two codewords transmitted from two TRPs , also per para. 0085, a first DMRS group contains a first CDM group used for the first TRP 402 and a second DMRS group contains a second CDM group used for the second TRP 404: receiving of a first/second DMRS comprising a first/second codeword via first/second DMRS ports/groups corresponding to a first/second CDM group);
receiving, from the base station, second control signaling that indicates an antenna port field value from the plurality of antenna port field values (see para. 0084, receiving the DMRS group used to support multi-TRP, PDSCH and/or PUSCH transmission, DMRS ports within a DMRS group are QCL / second control signaling, and DMRS ports from different groups are not QCL, the DMRS ports transmitted from a TRP is selected from within one DMRS group, indicating antenna port field values of DMRS ports);
receiving, from the base station and based at least in part on the antenna port field value, a first DMRS comprising the first codeword, wherein the first DMRS is received via a first set of DMRS ports corresponding to the first code-division multiplexing group in accordance with the first mapping (para. 0084, the DMRS ports transmitted/received/receiving from a TRP is selected from within one DMRS group, a DMRS group includes one or two CDM groups , two DRMS groups are used for two codewords transmitted from two TRPs, see also para. 0085, a first DMRS group contains a first CDM group used for the first TRP 402 and a second DMRS group contains a second CDM group used for the second TRP 404, receiving of a first/second DMRS comprising a first/second codeword via first/second DMRS ports/groups corresponding to a first/second CDM group); and
receiving, from the base station and based at least in part on the antenna port field value, a second DMRS comprising the second codeword, wherein the second DMRS is received via a second set of DMRS ports corresponding to the second code-division multiplexing group in accordance with the second mapping (para. 0084, 0085, receiving a second DMRS group containing a second CDM group used for the second TRP 404: receiving of a first/second DMRS comprising a first/second codeword via first/second DMRS ports/groups corresponding to a first/second CDM group).
Although Xiao disclose receiving, from a base station based at least in part on the capability signaling, first control signaling that indicates a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) the DMRS port mapping configuration for a plurality of antenna port field values;
Xiao however does not explicitly disclose transmitting, to a base station, capability signaling indicating a capability of the UE to communicate with the base station in accordance with a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports;
Liu however disclose transmitting, to a base station, capability signaling indicating a capability of the UE to communicate with the base station in accordance with a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports (see para. 0271-0275, send/sending/transmitting UE capability information to the base station, the information being used for indicating a capability of a UE to communicate with the base station base on DMRS port mapping configuration, see also para. 0253-0254);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of transmitting, to a base station, capability signaling indicating a capability of the UE to communicate with the base station in accordance with a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports, as taught by Liu, in the system of Xiao, so as to enable a UE to send capability information and enhance noise estimation, see Xiao, paragraphs 32-35.
The combination of Xiao and Liu however does not explicitly disclose a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports belonging to “a same code-division multiplexing group to a same codeword”;
Park however disclose a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports belonging to “a same code-division multiplexing group to a same codeword” (see Table 1, Table 2, para. 0028, 0033, 0090, one or more DMRS ports belonging to a same code-division multiplexing group to a same codeword, see also para. 0137, 0142-0146).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping configuration that assigns one or more DMRS ports belonging to “a same code-division multiplexing group to a same codeword”, as taught by Park, in the system of Xiao and Lu, so as to enable an antenna port mapping table includes a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port mapping table indicating a number of DMRS code division multiplexing groups and a set of DMRS port indices, see Xiao, paragraphs 15-19.
As per claim 2, the combination of Xiao, Lu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose wherein the second control signaling is received based at least in part on a capability signaling (see para. 0086, a corresponding DMRS group is configured to support up to four ports, capability base on link quality).
As per claim 4, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 2.
Xiao further disclose referencing one or more port mapping tables associated with the DMRS port mapping configuration based at least in part on the antenna port field value indicated via the second control signaling; and identifying the first set of DMRS ports and the second set of DMRS ports based at least in part on referencing the one or more port mapping tables (see para. 0088, 0089, identifying the first set of DMRS ports and the second set of DMRS ports based at least in part on referencing the one or more port mapping tables, see also para. 0069-0083).
As per claim 5, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose determining a first channel estimate associated with a first channel between the UE and the first transmission-reception point at the base station based at least in part on the first codeword and the first code-division multiplexing group associated with the first DMRS; and determining a second channel estimate associated with a second channel between the UE and the second transmission-reception point at the base station based at least in part on the second codeword and the second code-division multiplexing group associated with the second DMRS (see para. 0084-0086, for DMRS type 2 with three CDM groups and one symbol front-load DMRS, if a link quality between one TRP and one panel is good at a certain time/ a first channel estimate, a corresponding DMRS group is configured with two CDM groups to support up to four ports. However, if the link become bad / a second channel estimate, the DMRS group is configured with only one CDM group, for DMRS type 2, a DMRS group configuration is indicated in DCI).
As per claim 6, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 5.
Xiao further disclose wherein the first transmission-reception point and the second transmission-reception point are spatially separated at the base station, or wherein the first transmission-reception point and the second transmission-reception point are co-located at the base station (see para. 0047, 0048, the first and second TRP being spatially separated or co-located).
As per claim 7, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose wherein for each antenna port field value of the plurality of antenna port field values, the DMRS port mapping configuration includes at least one mapping for each of the first and second codewords such that DMRS ports corresponding to the respective first and second code-division multiplexing groups are associated with only one of the first or second codewords (see para. 0084-0090, here are two codewords of a PDSCH and each codeword is transmitted from one TRP, the DMRS configuration for the PDSCH transmission is type 2 and the maximum length of front-load DMRS is two, two DMRS groups are used for two codewords transmitted from two TRPs).
As per claim 8, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose wherein, for the antenna port field value, the DMRS port mapping configuration comprises a third mapping between a third code-division multiplexing group and the first codeword, the method further comprising: receiving the first DMRS comprising the first codeword via the first set of DMRS ports corresponding to the first code-division multiplexing group and the third set of DMRS ports corresponding to the third code-division multiplexing group in accordance with the first and third mappings, respectively (see para. 0084, a DMRS group is used to support multi-TRP , and a DMRS group includes one or two CDM groups, two DRMS groups are used for two codewords transmitted from two TRPs, a third CDM group in addition to the "one", see also para. 0086, one bit in DCI is used to indicate whether a third CDM group is in a first DMRS group or in a second DMRS group, two bits in DCI is used to indicate whether a third CDM group is in a first DMRS group, in a second DMRS group, or not in any DMRS group (e.g., in no DMRS group)).
As per claim 9, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose receiving, via the second control signaling, an indication of a set of resources for receiving the first DMRS, the second DMRS, or both, wherein the first DMRS, the second DMRS, or both, are received within the set of resources (see para. 0084-0086, the DMRS ports transmitted from a TRP is selected from within one DMRS group, a DMRS group includes one or two CDM groups, two DMRS groups are used for two codewords transmitted from two TRPs, receiving the DMRS within the set of resources, also per para. 0085, a first DMRS group contains a first CDM group used for the first TRP 402 and a second DMRS group contains a second CDM group used for the second TRP 404: receiving of a first/second DMRS comprising a first/second codeword via first/second DMRS ports/groups corresponding to a first/second CDM group).
As per claim 10, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose wherein the first DMRS is associated with a first set of wireless communication layers for the first codeword, and wherein the second DMRS is associated with a second set of wireless communication layers for the second codeword, wherein the first set of wireless communication layers are different from the second set of wireless communication layers (see para. 0089-0090, when the number of layers of the two codewords are two and two, respectively, then the gNB indicates to the UE 406 one of Values {0, 1, 2, 5} in Table 13, Value 1 indicated in the UL grant, then the UE 406 transmit using the DMRS ports in the first DMRS group (e.g., ports 1/4) with the same beam as the transmission of SRS resources from a first panel and transmit using the DMRS ports in the second DMRS group (e.g., ports 2/3) with the same beam as the transmission of SRS resources from a second panel).
As per claim 11, the combination Xiao, Xu and Park disclose the method of claim 1.
Xiao further disclose wherein the first control signaling comprises a radio resource control message, a medium access control-control element message, or both, and wherein the second control signaling comprises a downlink control information message (see para. 0095-0096, RRC configures a CDM group index and a total number of CDM groups for a TRP and/or panel to avoid a CDM group configured to more than one panel, see also para. 0086, for DMRS type 2, a DMRS group configuration is indicated in DCI).
As per claim 12, claim 12 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As per claim 13, claim 13 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
As per claim 14, claim 14 is rejected the same way as claim 3.
As per claim 15, claim 15 is rejected the same way as claim 4.
As per claim 16, claim 16 is rejected the same way as claim 6.
As per claim 17, claim 17 is rejected the same way as claim 7.
As per claim 18, claim 18 is rejected the same way as claim 8.
As per claim 19, claim 19 is rejected the same way as claim 9.
As per claim 20, claim 20 is rejected the same way as claim 10.
As per claim 21, claim 21 is rejected the same way as claim 11.
As per claim 23, claim 23 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
As per claim 24, claim 24 is rejected the same way as claim 3.
As per claim 25, claim 25 is rejected the same way as claim 4.
As per claim 26, claim 26 is rejected the same way as claim 5.
As per claim 22, claim 22 is rejected the same way as claim 1. Xiao also disclose An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (see Fig.2, a UE (e.g., a remote unit 102), para. 0048), comprising: a processor (see Fig.2, processor 202); memory (see Fig.2, memory 204) coupled with the processor (see para. 0039, the processor 202 is communicatively coupled to the memory); and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor (see para. 0039, the processor 202 includes any known controller capable of executing computer-readable instructions and/or capable of performing logical operations, the processor 202 a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a central processing unit (“CPU”), a graphics processing unit (“GPU”), an auxiliary processing unit, a field programmable gate array (“FPGA”), or similar programmable controller, the processor 202 executes instructions stored in the memory 204).
As per claim 27, claim 27 is rejected the same way as claim 1. Xiao also disclose An apparatus (see Fig.3, an apparatus 300) for wireless communication at a base station (see Fig.3, Network Unit 104 / a base station), comprising: a processor (see Fig.3, a processor 302); memory (see Fig.3, a memory 304) coupled with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor (see Fig.3, the processor 302 executes instructions stored in the memory 304, see para. 0047).
As per claim 28, claim 28 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
As per claim 29, claim 29 is rejected the same way as claim 3.
As per claim 30, claim 30 is rejected the same way as claim 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 14, 24 and 29 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.
Zhang (US Pub. No.:2022/0077982), see para. 0051, 0052, “if the set of PDSCH DM-RS ports allocated to a UE is associated with codeword-0 and codeword-1 and if the same PDSCH is associated with tci-StateId.sub.1 and tci-StateId.sub.2 (where tci-StateId.sub.1<tci-StateId.sub.2), the UE may assume that the PDSCH DM-RS ports associated with codeword-1 is associated with tci-StateId.sub.1 and the PDSCH DM-RS ports associated with codeword-1 is associated with tci-StateId.sub.2”.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 LAKERAM JANGBAHADUR whose telephone number is (571)272-1335. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7 am - 4 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian Moore can be reached on 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAKERAM JANGBAHADUR/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
Prosecution Insights