DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-3, 9-14, 16-23, 25, 44, and 45 are presented for examination.
Claims 3, 9, 10, 12-14, 16, 17, 21-23, 25, 44, and 45 are amended.
Claims 4-8, 15, 24, 26-43, and 46-49 are canceled.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 05/16/2024, 02/20/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 05/16/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 9-11, 16-19, 23, 25, 44, and 45 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sun et al., (hereinafter Sun), U.S. Publication No. 2021/0021314.
As per claim 1, Sun discloses a method for channel measurement, performed by a terminal device [paragraphs 0007, 0085, 0087, 0129, a method for channel measurement, performed by a terminal device (a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment; determine channel conditions for a channel between the base station and a UE)], comprising:
obtaining one or more unavailable subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time- frequency resource [fig. 3, 5, paragraphs 0038, 0084, 0085, 0099, 0119, 0120, 0140, obtaining one or more unavailable subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time- frequency resource (obtain configuration information for a CSI-RS, where the configuration information indicates that the CSI-RS is configured on a plurality of sub-bands; a UE is configured with multiple sub-bands in the unlicensed spectrum, not all sub-bands may be available at all times)]; and
transmitting indication information to a network device, wherein the indication information is configured to report the one or more unavailable subbands to the network device [paragraphs 0085, 0087, 0104, 0124, 0130, 0140, transmitting indication information to a network device, wherein the indication information is configured to report the one or more unavailable subbands to the network device (the UE may determine CSI feedback, such as a CSI report, that indicates the channel conditions between the base station and the UE; the UE 120 may selectively transmit CSI feedback to the BS 110; the UE 120 may determine whether a CSI-RS is present on a sub-band based on a measurement performed by the UE 120; enabling the UE 120 to determine which sub-bands are available)].
As per claim 2, Sun discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining the one or more unavailable subbands in the time-frequency resource comprises:
receiving reference signals on the plurality of subbands [fig. 3-5, paragraphs 0013, 0017, 0119, 0120, 0124, receiving reference signals on the plurality of subbands (the CSI-RS is received on a subset of sub-bands of the plurality of sub-bands)]; and
measuring the reference signals transmitted on the plurality of subbands, to obtain the one or more unavailable subbands [fig. 3-5, paragraphs 0120, 0125, 0126, 0129, 0130, 0136, measuring the reference signals transmitted on the plurality of subbands, to obtain the one or more unavailable subbands (the UE 120 may determine whether a CSI-RS is present on a sub-band based on a measurement performed by the UE 120; the UE 120 may determine the punctured sequence without determining or receiving sub-band usage information (such as by performing per-sub-band processing of the CSI-RS to determine which sub-bands are used for the CSI-RS))].
As per claim 9, Sun discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting the indication information to the network device comprises:
obtaining a first starting subband number of the one or more unavailable subbands and a first subband quantity of the one or more unavailable subbands; determining the first starting subband number and the first subband quantity as the indication information; and transmitting the indication information to the network device; or generatinq a first bitmap according to the one or more unavailable subbands, and transmitting the first bitmap as the indication information to the network device, wherein in the first bitmap, a value for at least one of -the one or more unavailable subbands is a first bit value, and a value for an available subband is a second bit value [fig. 3, paragraphs 0116, 0117, 0120, 0136, 0140, 0141, obtaining a first starting subband number of the one or more unavailable subbands and a first subband quantity of the one or more unavailable subbands; determining the first starting subband number and the first subband quantity as the indication information; and transmitting the indication information to the network device (reference number 330, in some cases, not all sub-bands, of the group of sub-bands, may be available for the CSI-RS; the configuration information indicates a plurality of sub-bands; transmitting a trigger that indicates a particular subset of sub-bands, of the multiple different subsets of sub-bands)]; and
the method further comprises: transmittinq channel state information, CSI, of one or more available subbands in the plurality of subbands to the network device [paragraphs 0016, 0040, 0085, 0118, 0120, 0125, transmittinq channel state information, CSI, of one or more available subbands in the plurality of subbands to the network device (the CSI feedback based on all sub-bands; transmitting, if the CSI-RS is received (by the base station), CSI feedback based on the configuration information)].
As per claim 10, Sun discloses the method according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein the transmitting the indication information to the network device comprises:
obtaining a first resource indication value for the one or more unavailable subbands; determining the first resource indication value as the indication information [fig. 6, paragraphs 0116, 0120, 0140, 0141, 0146, 0199, obtaining a first resource indication value for the one or more unavailable subbands; determining the first resource indication value as the indication information (one or more values of the sequence that correspond to an unavailable sub-band; a base station may transmit sub-band usage information indicating sub-band availability; the BS 110 may provide the sub-band valid indication via DCI)]; and
transmitting the indication information to the network device [fig. 8, paragraphs 0085, 0124, 0130, transmitting the indication information to the network device (the UE 120 may selectively transmit CSI feedback to the BS 110)].
As per claim 11, Sun discloses the method according to claim 10, wherein the obtaining the first resource indication value for the one or more unavailable subbands comprises:
obtaining a first starting subband number of the one or more unavailable subbands and a first subband quantity of the one or more unavailable subbands [paragraphs 0076, 0116, 0120, 0137, 0140-0142, 0150, obtaining a first starting subband number of the one or more unavailable subbands and a first subband quantity of the one or more unavailable subbands (configuration in which a CSI-RS is transmitted on available sub-bands and not on unavailable sub-bands; a sub-band valid indication may include a bitmap indicating sub-bands, LBT bandwidths; the configuration information shown by reference number 410 may configure some CSI-RS parameters, and the trigger may indicate a bandwidth of the CSI-RS, a set of sub-bands used for the CSI-RS)];
obtaining a second subband quantity comprised in a measurement bandwidth [paragraphs 0076, 0116, 0120, 0137, 0140-0142, 0150, obtaining a second subband quantity comprised in a measurement bandwidth (configuration in which a CSI-RS is transmitted on available sub-bands and not on unavailable sub-bands; a sub-band valid indication may include a bitmap indicating sub-bands, LBT bandwidths; the configuration information shown by reference number 410 may configure some CSI-RS parameters, and the trigger may indicate a bandwidth of the CSI-RS, a set of sub-bands used for the CSI-RS)]; and
determining the first resource indication value according to the first starting subband number, the first subband quantity, and the second subband quantity, wherein the first subband quantity is greater than 1 and less than a difference between the second subband quantity and the first starting subband number [paragraphs 0044, 0116, 0118, 0136, 0144, 0188, 0214, determining the first resource indication value according to the first starting subband number, the first subband quantity, and the second subband quantity, wherein the first subband quantity is greater than 1 and less than a difference between the second subband quantity and the first starting subband number (the BS 110 may transmit the trigger when a subset of sub-bands of the group of sub-bands are available; the BS 110 may transmit the trigger when less than all sub-bands, of the group of sub-bands; the subset of sub-bands includes less than all sub-bands of the plurality of sub-bands; the BS 110 may transmit the trigger when less than all sub-bands, of the group of sub-bands, are available for the CSI-RS)].
As per claim 16, Sun discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting the indication information to the network device comprises:
determining one or more available subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time-frequency resource according to the one or more unavailable subbands, determining the indication information according to the one or more available subbands, and transmitting the indication information to the network device; or determining one or more available subbands in the plurality of subbands according to measurement for reference signals [paragraphs 0125, 0126, determining one or more available subbands in the plurality of subbands according to measurement for reference signals (a CSI-RS is present using measurements on the sub-bands; a CSI-RS is present on a sub-band based on a measurement performed by the UE 120)].
As per claim 17, Sun discloses the method according to claim 16, wherein the determining the indication information according to the one or more available subbands, and transmitting the indication information to the network device comprises:
obtaining a second starting subband number of the one or more available subbands and a third subband quantity of the one or more available subbands; and determining the second starting subband number and the third subband quantity as the indication information; and transmitting the indication information to the network device [fig. 3, paragraphs 0116, 0117, 0120, 0136, 0140, 0141, obtaining a second starting subband number of the one or more available subbands and a third subband quantity of the one or more available subbands; and determining the second starting subband number and the third subband quantity as the indication information; and transmitting the indication information to the network device (reference number 330, in some cases, not all sub-bands, of the group of sub-bands, may be available for the CSI-RS; the configuration information indicates a plurality of sub-bands; transmitting a trigger that indicates a particular subset of sub-bands, of the multiple different subsets of sub-bands)].
As per claim 18, Sun discloses the method according to claim 16, wherein the transmitting the indication information to the network device comprises:
obtaining a second resource indication value for the one or more available subbands; determining the second resource indication value as the indication information [fig. 6, paragraphs 0116, 0120, 0140, 0141, 0146, 0199, obtaining a second resource indication value for the one or more available subbands; determining the second resource indication value as the indication information (one or more values of the sequence that correspond to an unavailable sub-band; a base station may transmit sub-band usage information indicating sub-band availability; the BS 110 may provide the sub-band valid indication via DCI)]; and
transmitting the indication information to the network device [fig. 8, paragraphs 0085, 0124, 0130, transmitting the indication information to the network device (the UE 120 may selectively transmit CSI feedback to the BS 110)].
As per claim 19, Sun discloses the method according to claim 18, wherein the obtaining the second resource indication value for the one or more available subbands comprises:
obtaining a second starting subband number of the one or more available subbands and a third subband quantity of the one or more available subbands [paragraphs 0076, 0116, 0120, 0137, 0140-0142, 0150, obtaining a second starting subband number of the one or more available subbands and a third subband quantity of the one or more available subbands (configuration in which a CSI-RS is transmitted on available sub-bands and not on unavailable sub-bands; a sub-band valid indication may include a bitmap indicating sub-bands, LBT bandwidths; the configuration information shown by reference number 410 may configure some CSI-RS parameters, and the trigger may indicate a bandwidth of the CSI-RS, a set of sub-bands used for the CSI-RS)];
obtaining a second subband quantity comprised in a measurement bandwidth [paragraphs 0076, 0116, 0120, 0137, 0140-0142, 0150, obtaining a second subband quantity comprised in a measurement bandwidth (configuration in which a CSI-RS is transmitted on available sub-bands and not on unavailable sub-bands; a sub-band valid indication may include a bitmap indicating sub-bands, LBT bandwidths; the configuration information shown by reference number 410 may configure some CSI-RS parameters, and the trigger may indicate a bandwidth of the CSI-RS, a set of sub-bands used for the CSI-RS)]; and
determining the second resource indication value according to the second starting subband number, the third subband quantity, and the second subband quantity, wherein the third subband quantity is greater than 1 and less than a difference between the second subband quantity and the second starting subband number [paragraphs 0044, 0116, 0118, 0136, 0144, 0188, 0214, determining the second resource indication value according to the second starting subband number, the third subband quantity, and the second subband quantity, wherein the third subband quantity is greater than 1 and less than a difference between the second subband quantity and the second starting subband number (the BS 110 may transmit the trigger when a subset of sub-bands of the group of sub-bands are available; the BS 110 may transmit the trigger when less than all sub-bands, of the group of sub-bands; the subset of sub-bands includes less than all sub-bands of the plurality of sub-bands; the BS 110 may transmit the trigger when less than all sub-bands, of the group of sub-bands, are available for the CSI-RS)].
As per claim 23, Sun discloses the method according to claim 16, wherein the transmitting the indication information to the network device comprises:
generating a second bitmap according to the one or more available subbands, and transmitting the second bitmap as the indication information to the network device, wherein in the second bitmap, a value for at least one of the one or more unavailable subbands is a third bit value, and a value for an available subband is a fourth bit value [paragraphs 0040, 0076, 0140, 0150, generating a second bitmap according to the one or more available subbands, and transmitting the second bitmap as the indication information to the network device, wherein in the second bitmap, a value for at least one of the one or more unavailable subbands is a third bit value, and a value for an available subband is a fourth bit value (a sub-band valid indication associated with the plurality of sub-bands; a sub-band valid indication may include a bitmap indicating sub-bands; indicate that Sub-bands 0, 2, and 3 are available and Sub-band 1 is unavailable)].
As per claim 25, Sun discloses a method for channel measurement, performed by a network device [paragraphs 0007, 0085, 0087, 0129, a method for channel measurement, performed by a network device (a method of wireless communication determine channel conditions for a channel between the base station and a UE)], comprising:
transmitting reference signals for measurement and receiving indication information transmitted by a terminal device [paragraphs 0085, 0087, 0104, 0124, 0130, 0140, transmitting reference signals for measurement and receiving indication information transmitted by a terminal device (the UE may determine CSI feedback, such as a CSI report, that indicates the channel conditions between the base station and the UE; the UE 120 may selectively transmit CSI feedback to the BS 110; the UE 120 may determine whether a CSI-RS is present on a sub-band based on a measurement performed by the UE 120; enabling the UE 120 to determine which sub-bands are available)], wherein the indication information indicates one or more unavailable subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time-frequency resource, wherein the one or more unavailable subbands is determined by the terminal device [fig. 3, 5, paragraphs 0038, 0084, 0085, 0099, 0119, 0120, 0140, wherein the indication information indicates one or more unavailable subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time-frequency resource, wherein the one or more unavailable subbands is determined by the terminal device (obtain configuration information for a CSI-RS, where the configuration information indicates that the CSI-RS is configured on a plurality of sub-bands; a UE is configured with multiple sub-bands in the unlicensed spectrum, not all sub-bands may be available at all times)].
As per claim 44, Sun discloses a communication device, comprising one or more processors and one or more memories, wherein a computer program is stored in the one or more memories, and the one or more processors collectively execute the computer program stored in the one or more memories which causes the communication device to execute a method for channel measurement [fig. 2, 8, paragraphs 0039, 0103, 0104, 0146-0148, a communication device, comprising one or more processors and one or more memories, wherein a computer program is stored in the one or more memories, and the one or more processors collectively execute the computer program stored in the one or more memories which causes the communication device to execute a method for channel measurement (medium may store one or more instructions for wireless communication. The one or more instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a UE; determine channel conditions for a channel between the base station and a UE)], comprising:
obtaining one or more unavailable subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time- frequency resource [fig. 3, 5, paragraphs 0038, 0084, 0085, 0099, 0119, 0120, 0140, obtaining one or more unavailable subbands in a plurality of subbands in a time- frequency resource (obtain configuration information for a CSI-RS, where the configuration information indicates that the CSI-RS is configured on a plurality of sub-bands; a UE is configured with multiple sub-bands in the unlicensed spectrum, not all sub-bands may be available at all times)]; and
transmitting indication information to a network device, wherein the indication information is configured to report the one or more unavailable subbands to the network device [paragraphs 0085, 0087, 0104, 0124, 0130, 0140, transmitting indication information to a network device, wherein the indication information is configured to report the one or more unavailable subbands to the network device (the UE may determine CSI feedback, such as a CSI report, that indicates the channel conditions between the base station and the UE; the UE 120 may selectively transmit CSI feedback to the BS 110; the UE 120 may determine whether a CSI-RS is present on a sub-band based on a measurement performed by the UE 120; enabling the UE 120 to determine which sub-bands are available)].
As per claim 45, Sun discloses a communication device, comprising one or more processors and one or more memories, wherein a computer program is stored in the one or more memories, and the one or more processors collectively execute the computer program stored in the one or more memories which causes the communication device to execute the method according to claim 25 [fig. 2, 8, paragraphs 0039, 0103, 0104, 0146-0148, a communication device, comprising one or more processors and one or more memories, wherein a computer program is stored in the one or more memories, and the one or more processors collectively execute the computer program stored in the one or more memories which causes the communication device to execute the method (medium may store one or more instructions for wireless communication. The one or more instructions, when executed by one or more processors of a UE; determine channel conditions for a channel between the base station and a UE)].
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.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun, in view of Dong et al., (hereinafter Dong), U.S. Publication No. 2022/0086807.
As per claim 3, Sun discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the receiving the reference signals on the plurality of subbands comprises:
simultaneously receiving the reference signals respectively transmitted by the plurality of subbands; or receiving the reference signals respectively transmitted by the plurality of subbands at different times [fig. 3, 5, paragraphs 0084, 0085, 0089, 0116, 0121, 0144, simultaneously receiving the reference signals respectively transmitted by the plurality of subbands (the CSI-RS is transmitted on the subset of sub-bands of the plurality of sub-bands; a sub-band for a length of time, the sub-band for a time window)]:
the method further comprises: transmitting the reference signals by a time- frequency resource configured by a first signaling or agreed on by a protocol [paragraphs 0084-0086, 0096, 0099, transmitting the reference signals by a time- frequency resource configured by a first signaling (a wireless communication network with a scheduled access to time-frequency resources; transmitting the reference signals by a time- frequency resource configured by a first signaling)];
the measuring the reference signals to obtain the one or more unavailable subbands comprises: obtaining values of a target measurement for the reference signals on the plurality of subbands [fig. 5, paragraphs 0038, 0118-0120, 0140, obtaining values of a target measurement for the reference signals on the plurality of subbands (the BS 110 may transmit the CSI-RS on the three-sub-bands and not on the one unavailable sub-band)];
the method further comprises: configuring, by a second signaling, the target signal quality, or agreeing, by a protocol, on the target signal quality; and/or configuring, by a third signaling, the target measurement, or agreeing, by a protocol, on the target measurement [paragraphs 0087, 0102, 0116, 0119, configuring, by a second signaling, the target signal quality, or agreeing, by a protocol, on the target signal quality (ensure that the UE estimates and reports an accurate channel estimate/channel quality indication to the base station)];
wherein the target measurement comprises at least one of: a reference signal receiving power, RSRP; a reference signal receiving quality, RSRQ; a signal to interference plus noise ratio, SINR; or a received signal strength indication, RSSI [paragraphs 0103, 0104, wherein the target measurement comprises at least one of: a reference signal receiving power, RSRP; a reference signal receiving quality, RSRQ; a signal to interference plus noise ratio, SINR; or a received signal strength indication, RSSI (determine reference signal received power (RSRP), received signal strength indicator (RSSI), reference signal received quality (RSRQ), channel quality indicator (CQI); control information (for example, for reports including RSRP, RSSI, RSRQ, CQI, etc.))].
Sun does not explicitly discloses the measuring the reference signals to obtain the one or more unavailable subbands comprises: determining one or more target subbands, wherein the value of the target measurement of each of the one or more target subbands is less than a target signal quality, and the one or more target subbands are the one or more unavailable subbands.
However, Dong teaches the measuring the reference signals to obtain the one or more unavailable subbands comprises: determining one or more target subbands, wherein the value of the target measurement of each of the one or more target subbands is less than a target signal quality, and the one or more target subbands are the one or more unavailable subbands [fig. 6A, paragraphs 0222, 0228-0230, 0285, 0303, 0306, 0324, 0354, the measuring the reference signals to obtain the one or more unavailable subbands comprises: determining one or more target subbands, wherein the value of the target measurement of each of the one or more target subbands is less than a target signal quality, and the one or more target subbands are the one or more unavailable subbands (the second terminal device is less than or equal to the first threshold, the terminal device may determine the unavailable time-frequency resource; an RSRP value that corresponds to the terminal device 2 and that is obtained by the terminal device 1 through measurement is small, and may be less than a threshold)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the method described in Sun by the one or more target subbands is less than a target signal quality as taught by Dong because it would provide the Sun's method with the enhanced capability of improving transmission efficiency [Dong, paragraphs 0289, 0300, 0353].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-14 and 20-22 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.
Baghel et al., U.S. Publication No. 2021/0352679 discloses indicating the available and unavailable resources (e.g., subband).
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/JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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