DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-6, 8, 10-14, 17-22, 24, 26-30, and 33 are presented for examination.
Claims 4, 6, 8, 10-14, 20, 22, 24, 26-30 and 33 are amended.
Claims 7, 9, 15, 16, 23, 25, 31, 32, and 34 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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 06/19/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-6, 8, 10-14, 17-22, 24, 26-30, and 33 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the power of the best beam is extreme" in lines 7-8. The term “extreme” renders the claim indefinite because “extreme” is a relative term.
Claim 17 discloses similar limitation and is therefore rejected for the same reason as indicated above.
The dependent claims 2-6, 8, 10-14, 18-22, 24, 26-30, and 33, inherit the same deficiency and therefore are rejected for the same reason.
For the purpose of examination, examiner will interpret the claims as best understood.
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) 1-4, 6, 12, 13, 17-20, 22, 28, 29, and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nilsson et al., (hereinafter Nilsson), U.S. Publication No. 2019/0387417.
As per claim 1, Nilsson discloses an apparatus comprising:
a determiner configured to determine, subsequently for each of X beams, a characteristic of a power of a reference signal received on the respective beam over a respective period of time [fig. 5a, 5b, paragraphs 0008, 0045, 0046, 0075, 0076, 0089, a determiner configured to determine, subsequently for each of X beams, a characteristic of a power of a reference signal received on the respective beam over a respective period of time (performing beam management using sub-time units 410 (i.e., where more than one occurrence of the reference signal); measure an average received power over both polarizations and report back the best directional transmit beam(s) based on the averaged received power)]; and
one or more processors, and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors [fig. 6, 9, paragraphs 0094, 0095, 0099, 0106, 0109, 0110, one or more processors, and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (the storage medium may store the set of operations, and the processing circuitry 210 may be configured to retrieve the set of operations from the storage medium 230 to cause the first radio transceiver device 200a to perform the set of operations)], cause the apparatus to perform:
identifying a best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the characteristics of the power received on the X beams over the respective period of time [paragraphs 0008, 0045, 0046, identifying a best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the characteristics of the power received on the X beams over the respective period of time (inform the TRP which directional transmit beams that gave the largest measured received power; measure an average received power over both polarizations and report back the best directional transmit beam(s) based on the averaged received power)];
wherein X is an integer equal to or larger than 2 [fig. 5a, 5b, paragraphs 0009, 0046, 0047, 0060, 0077, 0088, wherein X is an integer equal to or larger than 2 (two directional transmit beams pointing in different directions can be transmitted simultaneously)];
each of the periods of time has a same duration denoted a slice duration [fig. 2, 5a, 5b, paragraphs 0044, 0045, 0053, 0065, 0088, 0089, 0091, each of the periods of time has a same duration denoted a slice duration (performing beam management using sub-time units 410 (i.e., where more than one occurrence of the reference signal is transmitted within one single OFDM symbol); four sub-time units are used per OFDM symbol)];
the slice duration is shorter than a duration of one symbol of the reference signal [fig. 2, paragraphs 0044, 0045, 0062, 0089, the slice duration is shorter than a duration of one symbol of the reference signal (sub-time units means that the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in which the reference signal is transmitted is divided in to shorter parts)].
As per claim 2, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, for each of the X beams, the characteristic of the power of the reference signal comprises at least one of
an integral of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time, an average of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time, and a maximum of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time; and the characteristic of the power of the best beam is maximum among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time [paragraphs 0008, 0046, an average of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time, and a maximum of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time (configured to measure an average received power; transmit beams that gave the largest measured received power)].
As per claim 3, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the characteristic of the reference signal comprises the integral of the power, and the determiner comprises an analogue circuit for integrating, for at least one of the X beams, the power of the reference signal received on the respective beam over the respective period of time [fig. 6, 9, paragraphs 0039, 0055, 0069, 0094, wherein the characteristic of the reference signal comprises the integral of the power, and the determiner comprises an analogue circuit for integrating, for at least one of the X beams, the power of the reference signal received on the respective beam over the respective period of time (a characteristic of a power of a reference signal received on the respective beam over a respective period of time; processing circuitry may further be provided as at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); analogue and digital components)].
As per claim 4, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving at least one symbol of the reference signal on the best beam after the best beam is identified [paragraphs 0044, 0046, receiving at least one symbol of the reference signal on the best beam after the best beam is identified (sub-time units means that the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in which the reference signal is transmitted; report back the best directional transmit beam(s) based on the averaged received power)];
determining at least one of a reference signal received power, a signal over interference and noise ratio, and a channel quality indicator based on the at least one symbol of the reference signal received on the best beam after the best beam is identified [paragraphs 0008, 0045, 0046, determining at least one of a reference signal received power, a signal over interference and noise ratio, and a channel quality indicator based on the at least one symbol of the reference signal received on the best beam after the best beam is identified (performs measurements, such as of reference signal received power (RSRP), and reports back the N best directional transmit beams)].
As per claim 6, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator is performed by a digital circuit [fig. 6, 9, paragraphs 0046, 0055, 0101, 0102, 0106, wherein the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, is performed by a digital circuit (radio transceiver device 200b, or its TRP 400b, could be configured to measure an average received power; the processing circuitry 310 is configured to cause the second radio transceiver device 200b to perform a set of operations, or steps)].
As per claim 12, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the slice duration is stored in the apparatus [table 1, paragraphs 0092, 0101, wherein the slice duration is stored in the apparatus (Table storing sub-time units within one single OFDM symbol)].
As per claim 13, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the slice duration is N/X times the duration of one symbol of the reference signal, N is an integer equal to or larger than 1, and N<X [fig. 2, paragraphs 0044, 0045, 0062, 0064, 0089, wherein the slice duration is N/X times the duration of one symbol of the reference signal, N is an integer equal to or larger than 1, and N<X (the reference signal is transmitted is divided in to shorter parts, OFDM symbol with n identical sub-time units can be generated by distributing a signal to every n-th sub-carrier; within the one single OFDM symbol 400, at least two occurrences of the reference signal are transmitted)].
As per claim 17, Nilsson discloses a method comprising:
determining, subsequently for each of X beams, a characteristic of a power of a reference signal received on the respective beam over a respective period of time [fig. 5a, 5b, paragraphs 0008, 0045, 0046, 0075, 0076, 0089, determining, subsequently for each of X beams, a characteristic of a power of a reference signal received on the respective beam over a respective period of time (performing beam management using sub-time units 410 (i.e., where more than one occurrence of the reference signal); measure an average received power over both polarizations and report back the best directional transmit beam(s) based on the averaged received power)]; and
identifying a best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the characteristics of the power received on the X beams over the respective period of time [paragraphs 0008, 0045, 0046, identifying a best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the characteristics of the power received on the X beams over the respective period of time (inform the TRP which directional transmit beams that gave the largest measured received power; measure an average received power over both polarizations and report back the best directional transmit beam(s) based on the averaged received power)];
wherein X is an integer equal to or larger than 2 [fig. 5a, 5b, paragraphs 0009, 0046, 0047, 0060, 0077, 0088, wherein X is an integer equal to or larger than 2 (two directional transmit beams pointing in different directions can be transmitted simultaneously)];
each of the periods of time has a same duration denoted a slice duration [fig. 2, 5a, 5b, paragraphs 0044, 0045, 0053, 0065, 0088, 0089, 0091, each of the periods of time has a same duration denoted a slice duration (performing beam management using sub-time units 410 (i.e., where more than one occurrence of the reference signal is transmitted within one single OFDM symbol); four sub-time units are used per OFDM symbol)];
the slice duration is shorter than a duration of one symbol of the reference signal [fig. 2, paragraphs 0044, 0045, 0062, 0089, the slice duration is shorter than a duration of one symbol of the reference signal (sub-time units means that the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in which the reference signal is transmitted is divided in to shorter parts)].
As per claim 18, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17, wherein, for each of the X beams, the characteristic of the power of the reference signal comprises at least one of
an integral of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time, an average of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time, and a maximum of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time; and the characteristic of the power of the best beam is maximum among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time [paragraphs 0008, 0046, an average of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time, and a maximum of the power on the respective beam over the respective period of time (configured to measure an average received power; transmit beams that gave the largest measured received power)].
As per claim 19, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 18,
wherein the characteristic of the reference signal comprises the integral of the power, and the determining is performed by a determiner comprising an analogue circuit for integrating, for at least one of the X beams, the power of the reference signal received on the respective beam over the respective period of time [fig. 6, 9, paragraphs 0039, 0055, 0069, 0094, wherein the characteristic of the reference signal comprises the integral of the power, and the determining is performed by a determiner comprising an analogue circuit for integrating, for at least one of the X beams, the power of the reference signal received on the respective beam over the respective period of time (a characteristic of a power of a reference signal received on the respective beam over a respective period of time; processing circuitry may further be provided as at least one application specific integrated circuit (ASIC); analogue and digital components)].
As per claim 20, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17, further comprising:
receiving at least one symbol of the reference signal on the best beam after the best beam is identified [paragraphs 0044, 0046, receiving at least one symbol of the reference signal on the best beam after the best beam is identified (sub-time units means that the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol in which the reference signal is transmitted; report back the best directional transmit beam(s) based on the averaged received power)];
determining at least one of a reference signal received power, a signal over interference and noise ratio, and a channel quality indicator based on the at least one symbol of the reference signal received on the best beam after the best beam is identified [paragraphs 0008, 0045, 0046, determining at least one of a reference signal received power, a signal over interference and noise ratio, and a channel quality indicator based on the at least one symbol of the reference signal received on the best beam after the best beam is identified (performs measurements, such as of reference signal received power (RSRP), and reports back the N best directional transmit beams)].
As per claim 22, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 20,
wherein the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator is performed by a digital circuit [fig. 6, 9, paragraphs 0046, 0055, 0101, 0102, 0106, wherein the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, is performed by a digital circuit (radio transceiver device 200b, or its TRP 400b, could be configured to measure an average received power; the processing circuitry 310 is configured to cause the second radio transceiver device 200b to perform a set of operations, or steps)].
As per claim 28, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17,
wherein the slice duration is stored in an apparatus performing the method [table 1, paragraphs 0092, 0101, wherein the slice duration is stored in an apparatus performing the method (Table storing sub-time units within one single OFDM symbol)].
As per claim 29, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17,
wherein the slice duration is N/X times the duration of one symbol of the reference signal, N is an integer equal to or larger than 1, and N<X [fig. 2, paragraphs 0044, 0045, 0062, 0064, 0089, wherein the slice duration is N/X times the duration of one symbol of the reference signal, N is an integer equal to or larger than 1, and N<X (the reference signal is transmitted is divided in to shorter parts, OFDM symbol with n identical sub-time units can be generated by distributing a signal to every n-th sub-carrier; within the one single OFDM symbol 400, at least two occurrences of the reference signal are transmitted)].
As per claim 33, Nilsson discloses a non-transitory computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed on an apparatus, is configured to
cause the apparatus to carry out the method according to claim 17 [fig. 8, paragraphs 0095, 0096, 0101, 0103, 0111, a non-transitory computer program product comprising a set of instructions which, when executed on an apparatus, is configured to cause the apparatus to carry out the method according to claim 17 (the processing circuitry is thereby arranged to execute methods; executing software instructions stored in a computer program product)].
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) 5, 8, 11, 14, 21, 24, 27, and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nilsson, in view of Zhu et al., (hereinafter Zhu), U.S. Publication No. 2021/0068123.
As per claim 5, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 4, Nilsson does not explicitly discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to perform: inhibiting the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator for each of the X beams while the best beam has not been identified.
However, Zhu teaches inhibiting the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator for each of the X beams while the best beam has not been identified [paragraphs 0075, 0076, 0107, 0115, 0130, 0182, 0186, 0384, inhibiting the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator for each of the X beams while the best beam has not been identified (select one or more that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power); measurement over the subset of beams out of all candidate beams in the first set could be based on received signal power, RSRP, RSRQ, SNR and/or SINR)].
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 apparatus described in Nilsson by inhibiting the determining as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's apparatus with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 8, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to perform:
determining a power of the reference signal received on one of the X beams [paragraphs 0008, 0046, 0055, 0089, determining a power of the reference signal received on one of the X beams (beams on which the terminal device performs measurements (based on transmitted reference signals), such as of reference signal received power (RSRP))];
determining, subsequently for each of the X beams, at least one of a respective signal to interference and noise ratio and a reference signal received power over a duration of at least one symbol of the reference signal [paragraphs 0008, 0065, 0089, determining, subsequently for each of the X beams, at least one of a reference signal received power over a duration of at least one symbol of the reference signal (symbol the next beam management procedure is to be performed; reference signal resource indicators (CRIs) to inform the TRP which directional transmit beams that gave the largest measured received power)].
Nilsson does not explicitly discloses checking whether the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is larger than a threshold stored in the apparatus; if the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is not larger than the stored threshold: identifying the best beam among the X beams such that at least one of the at least one of the signal to interference and noise ratio and the reference signal received power of the best beam is maximum among the determined signal to interference and noise ratios and the reference signal received powers; and inhibiting the identifying the best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time having the slice duration.
However, Zhu teaches checking whether the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is larger than a threshold stored in the apparatus [paragraphs 0075-0077, 0115, 0130, 0168, 0299, checking whether the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is larger than a threshold stored in the apparatus (selects the one that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power) to receive the data packets; performance metric could be based on received signal power, RSRP, RSRQ, SNR and/or SINR; the measurement beam that has the smallest metric would be ranked with the highest order)]; if the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is not larger than the stored threshold: identifying the best beam among the X beams such that at least one of the at least one of the signal to interference and noise ratio and the reference signal received power of the best beam is maximum among the determined signal to interference and noise ratios and the reference signal received powers [paragraphs 0075, 0107, 0168, identifying the best beam among the X beams such that at least one of the at least one of the signal to interference and noise ratio and the reference signal received power of the best beam is maximum among the determined signal to interference and noise ratios and the reference signal received powers (providing the transmit power amplification sufficient to overcome the higher signal propagation loss due to the usage of higher transmit signal carrier frequencies; beams to increase the signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) at the receiver; beam codebook and selects the one that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power))]; and inhibiting the identifying the best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time having the slice duration [paragraphs 0075, 0076, 0107, 0115, 0130, 0182, 0186, 0384, inhibiting the identifying the best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time having the slice duration (select one or more that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power); measurement over the subset of beams out of all candidate beams in the first set could be based on received signal power, RSRP, RSRQ, SNR and/or SINR)].
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 apparatus described in Nilsson by inhibiting the determining as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's apparatus with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 11, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, Nilsson does not explicitly discloses wherein the slice duration depends on a strength indicator of the reference signal such that if the strength indicator increases the slice duration does not increase.
However, Zhu teaches wherein the slice duration depends on a strength indicator of the reference signal such that if the strength indicator increases the slice duration does not increase [paragraphs 0004, 0077, 0107, 0115, 0131, 0168, 0336, 0365, 0377, 0387, wherein the slice duration depends on a strength indicator of the reference signal such that if the strength indicator increases the slice duration does not increase (period to take measurements and identify a different antenna panel with a better link quality; measurement beams are probed by the UE sequentially in time, from the highest order to the lowest)].
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 apparatus described in Nilsson by including a strength indicator of the reference signal as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's apparatus with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 14, Nilsson discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, Nilsson does not explicitly discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the apparatus to perform: receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel on the best beam; decoding the received signal of the physical downlink shared channel.
However, Zhu teaches receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel on the best beam; decoding the received signal of the physical downlink shared channel [paragraphs 0087, 0097, 0108, 0178, 0194, 0195, receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel on the best beam; decoding the received signal of the physical downlink shared channel (the UE measuring the signal quality on different beams; based on the UE's measurement report feedback, the gNB indicates the UE for reception of PDCCH and/or PDSCH; RRC parameter PDSCH-config; generates a processed baseband signal by decoding)].
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 apparatus described in Nilsson by receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's apparatus with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 21, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 20, Nilsson does not explicitly discloses further comprising: inhibiting the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator for each of the X beams while the best beam has not been identified.
However, Zhu teaches inhibiting the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator for each of the X beams while the best beam has not been identified [paragraphs 0075, 0076, 0107, 0115, 0130, 0182, 0186, 0384, inhibiting the determining the at least one of the reference signal received power, the signal over interference and noise ratio, and the channel quality indicator for each of the X beams while the best beam has not been identified (select one or more that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power); measurement over the subset of beams out of all candidate beams in the first set could be based on received signal power, RSRP, RSRQ, SNR and/or SINR)].
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 Nilsson by inhibiting the determining as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's method with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 24, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17, further comprising:
determining a power of the reference signal received on one of the X beams [paragraphs 0008, 0046, 0055, 0089, determining a power of the reference signal received on one of the X beams (beams on which the terminal device performs measurements (based on transmitted reference signals), such as of reference signal received power (RSRP))];
determining, subsequently for each of the X beams, at least one of a respective signal to interference and noise ratio and a reference signal received power over a duration of at least one symbol of the reference signal [paragraphs 0008, 0065, 0089, determining, subsequently for each of the X beams, at least one of a reference signal received power over a duration of at least one symbol of the reference signal (symbol the next beam management procedure is to be performed; reference signal resource indicators (CRIs) to inform the TRP which directional transmit beams that gave the largest measured received power)].
Nilsson does not explicitly discloses checking whether the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is larger than a threshold stored in the method; if the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is not larger than the stored threshold: identifying the best beam among the X beams such that at least one of the at least one of the signal to interference and noise ratio and the reference signal received power of the best beam is maximum among the determined signal to interference and noise ratios and the reference signal received powers; and inhibiting the identifying the best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time having the slice duration.
However, Zhu teaches checking whether the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is larger than a threshold stored in the apparatus [paragraphs 0075-0077, 0115, 0130, 0168, 0299, checking whether the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is larger than a threshold stored in the apparatus (selects the one that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power) to receive the data packets; performance metric could be based on received signal power, RSRP, RSRQ, SNR and/or SINR; the measurement beam that has the smallest metric would be ranked with the highest order)]; if the power of the reference signal received on the one of the X beams is not larger than the stored threshold: identifying the best beam among the X beams such that at least one of the at least one of the signal to interference and noise ratio and the reference signal received power of the best beam is maximum among the determined signal to interference and noise ratios and the reference signal received powers [paragraphs 0075, 0107, 0168, identifying the best beam among the X beams such that at least one of the at least one of the signal to interference and noise ratio and the reference signal received power of the best beam is maximum among the determined signal to interference and noise ratios and the reference signal received powers (providing the transmit power amplification sufficient to overcome the higher signal propagation loss due to the usage of higher transmit signal carrier frequencies; beams to increase the signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR) at the receiver; beam codebook and selects the one that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power))]; and inhibiting the identifying the best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time having the slice duration [paragraphs 0075, 0076, 0107, 0115, 0130, 0182, 0186, 0384, inhibiting the identifying the best beam among the X beams such that the characteristic of the power of the best beam is extreme among the powers received on the X beams over the respective period of time having the slice duration (select one or more that results in the best performance metric (e.g., the highest received signal power); measurement over the subset of beams out of all candidate beams in the first set could be based on received signal power, RSRP, RSRQ, SNR and/or SINR)].
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 Nilsson by inhibiting the determining as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's method with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 27, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17, Nilsson does not explicitly discloses wherein the slice duration depends on a strength indicator of the reference signal such that if the strength indicator increases the slice duration does not increase.
However, Zhu teaches wherein the slice duration depends on a strength indicator of the reference signal such that if the strength indicator increases the slice duration does not increase [paragraphs 0004, 0077, 0107, 0115, 0131, 0168, 0336, 0365, 0377, 0387, wherein the slice duration depends on a strength indicator of the reference signal such that if the strength indicator increases the slice duration does not increase (period to take measurements and identify a different antenna panel with a better link quality; measurement beams are probed by the UE sequentially in time, from the highest order to the lowest)].
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 Nilsson by including a strength indicator of the reference signal as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's method with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
As per claim 30, Nilsson discloses the method according to claim 17, Nilsson does not explicitly discloses further comprising: receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel on the best beam; decoding the received signal of the physical downlink shared channel.
However, Zhu teaches receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel on the best beam; decoding the received signal of the physical downlink shared channel [paragraphs 0087, 0097, 0108, 0178, 0194, 0195, receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel on the best beam; decoding the received signal of the physical downlink shared channel (the UE measuring the signal quality on different beams; based on the UE's measurement report feedback, the gNB indicates the UE for reception of PDCCH and/or PDSCH; RRC parameter PDSCH-config; generates a processed baseband signal by decoding)].
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 Nilsson by receiving a signal of a physical downlink shared channel as taught by Zhu because it would provide the Nilsson's method with the enhanced capability of optimizing certain performance metrics [Zhu, paragraphs 0075, 0179].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhou et al., U.S. Publication No. 2020/0396749 discloses fast beam selection based on a feedback beam sweep.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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/JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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