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 .
Response to Amendment
The preliminary amendment filed on 07/24/2024 is received prior to the examination of the instant application and has not introduced any new matter, thus, has been entered and is examined on the merits.
Claim Objections
Claims 4, 12, 21 and 27 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claim recites the abbreviations “SRS transmission". For clarity, it is suggested to fully describe an acronym when reciting for the first time in the claim.
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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 6 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson).
Regarding claims 1 and 18, Jakobsson teaches a method of radio frequency (RF) sensing performed by a base station (a method performed by a transmitter, paragraphs [39-40, 45-47, 55], wherein the transmitter is a base station, paragraphs [44, 45, 56, 92-94]) comprising a first antenna panel (comprising a first antenna panel, paragraphs [7, 10, 44, 45]) and a second antenna panel (comprising a second antenna panel, paragraphs [7, 10, 44, 45]) and operating in a time division duplex (TDD) mode (wherein the antenna panels are operated in TDD mode, paragraphs [44-45]), an a base station (BS) (a transmitter is a base station/radio node for performing the method, paragraphs [44, 45, 56, 92-94]), comprising:
a first antenna panel (comprising a first antenna panel, paragraphs [7, 10, 44, 45]);
a second antenna panel (comprising a second antenna panel, paragraphs [7, 10, 44, 45]);
a memory (comprising a memory, paragraphs [55, 56, 82]);
at least one transceiver (comprising a radio circuitry which provides transceiver functionality, paragraph [56]); and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver (comprising a processing circuitry coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, paragraphs [56]), the at least one processor configured to (wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the method, paragraphs [56, 81, 95]):
configure the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel in a first sensing and DL communication mode in which the first antenna panel transmits DL symbols and the second antenna panel receives (configuring a radar/sensing mode, during a particular time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, paragraphs [44-45]), as RF sensing signals, reflections of the DL symbols transmitted by the first antenna panel (another one panel is configured to receive RF sensing signals, reflection of the sensing signaling, paragraphs [44-46], wherein the sensing signaling comprises OFDM symbols, paragraph [54], which is a reference signaling transmitted as a DL signaling, paragraphs [21, 25, 75, 77, 101]);
perform RF sensing and DL communication in the first sensing and DL communication mode (the transmitter performs RF sensing by transmitting sensing signaling including DL signaling and receiving reflection signaling of the sensing signaling, using the panels configured for the sensing mode, paragraphs [44-46, 54]);
configure the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel in a second sensing and DL communication mode (configuring another radar/sensing mode, during other time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, paragraphs [44-45]) in which the second antenna panel transmits DL symbols and the first antenna panel receives, as RF sensing signals, reflections of the DL symbols transmitted by the second antenna panel (another one panel is configured to receive RF sensing signals, reflection of the sensing signaling, paragraphs [44-46], wherein the sensing signaling comprises OFDM symbols, paragraph [54], which is a reference signaling transmitted as a DL signaling, paragraphs [21, 25, 75, 77, 101], wherein during a particular time interval, each panel is configured to perform function of transmitting or receiving in the sensing mode, paragraphs [10-11, 15, 44]); and
perform RF sensing and DL communication in the second sensing and DL communication mode (the transmitter performs RF sensing by transmitting sensing signaling including DL signaling and receiving reflection signaling of the sensing signaling, using the panels configured for the sensing mode, paragraphs [44-46, 54]).
Regarding claims 2 and 19, Jakobsson further teaches determining a characteristic of a channel based on both a first transmission by the base station in the first sensing and DL communication mode and a second transmission by the base station in the second sensing and DL communication mode (determining a surrounding environment by using the sensing signals to determine bandwidth for communication and which signals to use, paragraphs [8, 26 27, 41, 46-47], and furthermore, the sensing signals are comprising channel state reference signals, i.e. CSI-RS, which further used for determining channel characteristic, paragraphs [21, 25, 75-78]).
Regarding claim 6, Jakobsson further teaches:
configuring the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel in an uplink (UL) mode in which both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel operate in receive mode (configuring each of the panels in an receiving mode, i.e. uplink mode, paragraphs [10-11, 15, 40, 44-45]);
performing an UL transmission in the UL mode (performing receiving when configured for uplink mode, paragraphs [7, 8, 40, 45, 62, 65, 71]);
configuring the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel in a downlink (DL) mode in which both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel operate in transmit mode (configuring each of the panels in a sensing mode which including transmitting DL symbols, paragraphs [10-11, 15, 40, 44-46, 54, 75, 77]); and
measuring a DL transmission in the DL mode (performing measuring of the DL transmission in the DL mode by sensing the reflection of the DL signaling, paragraphs [44-46, 54]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 3-4 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2021/0143870 A1 to Faxer et al. (hereafter refers as Faxer).
Regarding claims 3 and 20, Jakobsson further teaches wherein the channel comprises a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (wherein the channel comprises PDSCH, paragraphs [76, 110]), wherein the first transmission comprises a first channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) for the PDSCH transmission, wherein the second transmission comprises a second CSI-RS for the PDSCH transmission (wherein the sensing signals comprise the CSI-RS for the PDSCH transmission, paragraphs [74-77]), and wherein determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based on CSI reports, received from a user equipment (determining the channel characteristic(s) based on CSI report(s) from a user equipment/wireless device, paragraphs [65, 68, 75-77, 152-153]).
However, Jakobsson does not explicitly teach reports “associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS”.
Faxer teaches determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based on CSI reports, received from a user equipment (determining channel characteristics, i.e. CQI(s), based on CSI reports, received from a wireless device, Fig. 9A-9B and paragraphs [126, 138, 164, 169, 171, 180, 181, 186]), associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS (wherein the CSI reports associated with first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS, paragraphs [126, 138, 164, 169, 171, 180, 181, 186], which are transmitted from different panels, paragraphs [67, 80, 90, 123-125]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based on CSI reports, received from a user equipment, associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS as taught by Faxer, with the teachings of determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based on CSI reports as taught by Jakobsson, for a purpose of increase efficiency in channel characteristic determination in the multi-panels system by using CSI reports associated with multiple CSI-RSs from multiple panels (see Faxer, paragraphs [67, 80, 90, 123-125]).
Regarding claims 4 and 21, Jakobsson further teaches wherein the channel comprises a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (wherein the channel is a PUSCH, paragraphs [125, 130, 147, 154]), wherein the first transmission comprises a first channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) for the PUSCH transmission, wherein the second transmission comprises a second CSI-RS for the PUSCH transmission (wherein the sensing signals comprise the CSI-RS for the PUSCH transmission, paragraphs [74-77, 125, 130, 147, 154]), and wherein determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based on an SRS transmission, received from a user equipment (determining the channel characteristic(s) based on SRS from a user equipment/wireless device, paragraphs [75, 77, 154]).
However, Jakobsson does not explicitly teach transmission “associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS”.
Faxer teaches determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based transmission, received from a user equipment (determining channel characteristics, i.e. CQI(s), based on CSI reports, received from a wireless device, Fig. 9A-9B and paragraphs [126, 138, 164, 169, 171, 180, 181, 186]), associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS (wherein the CSI reports associated with first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS, paragraphs [126, 138, 164, 169, 171, 180, 181, 186], which are transmitted from different panels, paragraphs [67, 80, 90, 123-125]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of determining the characteristic of the channel comprises determining the characteristic of the channel based on transmission, received from a user equipment, associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS as taught by Faxer, with the teachings of SRS transmission as taught by Jakobsson, for a purpose of increase efficiency in channel characteristic determination in the multi-panels system by using transmission associated with multiple CSI-RSs from multiple panels (see Faxer, paragraphs [67, 80, 90, 123-125]).
Claims 5 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US Patent No. 10,608,678 B1 to Hormis et al. (hereafter refers as Hormis).
Regarding claims 5 and 22, Jakobsson teaches the first sensing and DL communication mode and the second sensing and DL communication mode (configuring a radar/sensing mode, during a particular time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, paragraphs [44-45]).
However, Jakobsson does not explicitly teach configuring “a switch gap as a duration of time during which no DL symbols are transmitted by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel; and transitioning to or from the first mode or the second mode according to the switch gap”.
Hormis teaches configuring a switch gap as a duration of time during which no DL symbols are transmitted by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel (configuring a switch gap/guard period during which the antenna array(s) is switch from transmission mode to receiving mode or vice versa, col. 18, lines 15-27, wherein the guard period including transmitting to uplink period, thus no transmission of DL symbols is occurred, col. 19, lines 15-50); and
transitioning to or from the first sensing and DL communication mode or the second sensing and DL communication mode according to the switch gap (transitioning to or from transmission mode or receiving mode during the guard period, col. 18, lines 15-27, col. 19, lines 15-50).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of configuring a switch gap as a duration of time during which no DL symbols are transmitted by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel; and transitioning to or from the first mode or the second mode according to the switch gap as taught by Hormis, with the teachings of the first sensing and DL communication mode and the second sensing and DL communication mode as taught by Jakobsson, for a purpose of increase efficiency in switching/transitioning to or from the first sensing and DL communication mode and the second sensing and DL communication mode by provide appropriate time to the switching (see Hormis, col. 18, lines 15-27, col. 19, lines 15-50).
Claims 7, 8 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2024/0022386 A1 to Bhamri et al. (hereafter refers as Bhamri).
Regarding claims 7 and 23, Jakobsson teaches first sensing and DL communication mode or the second sensing and DL communication mode (configuring a radar/sensing mode, during a particular time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, paragraphs [44-45]) and first sensing and communication TDD configuration (configuration for sensing and communication TDD, paragraphs [25, 40, 46]).
However, Jakobsson does not explicitly teach “configuring a flexible symbol type that represents a symbol, transmitted in the UL mode or the DL mode, that can be overridden to be transmitted in sensing mode via downlink control information (DCI); configuring a first sensing and communication TDD configuration comprising at least one symbol of the flexible symbol type; and operating according to the f first sensing and communication TDD and a first DCI”.
Bhamri teaches a method comprising:
configuring a flexible symbol type that represents a symbol, transmitted in the UL mode or the DL mode, that can be overridden to be transmitted in a sensing mode (configuring a flexibility symbol type presents a symbol, transmitted in a UL mode or a DL mode, to be overridden for sensing mode, paragraphs [74, 96, 99, 135-136, 212]) via downlink control information (DCI) (via DCI, paragraphs [134, 136, 137]);
configuring a first sensing configuration comprising at least one symbol of the flexible symbol type (configuring a sensing configuration comprising at least one symbol of flexible symbol type, paragraphs [134, 136, 137]); and
operating according to the first sensing and communication TDD configuration and a first DCI (operating based on sensing TDD configuration and based on DCI, paragraphs [223-226]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of configuring a flexible symbol type that represents a symbol, transmitted in the UL mode or the DL mode, that can be overridden to be transmitted in sensing mode via downlink control information (DCI); configuring a first sensing and communication TDD configuration comprising at least one symbol of the flexible symbol type; and operating according to the f first sensing and communication TDD and a first DCI as taught by Bhamri, with the teachings of Jakobsson, for a purpose of increase flexibile in performing the sensing and DL communication by providing the flexibility symbol, which can be overridden for sensing and DL communication mode when needed (see Bhamri, paragraphs [17, 96, 134-137, 223-226]).
Regarding claim 8, Bhamri further teaches wherein the first DCI comprises a slot format indicator (SFI) DCI (wherein the DCI comprises a slot format indicator, paragraphs [89, 94, 96, 134-136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein the first DCI comprises a slot format indicator (SFI) DCI as taught by Bhamri, with the teachings of Jakobsson, for a purpose of clearly specifying the format of each symbols (see Bhamri, paragraphs [89, 94, 96, 134-136]).
Claims 9-12, 14, 17 and 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson) in view of US 2021/0143870 A1 to Faxer et al. (hereafter refers as Faxer).
Regarding claim 9 and 24, Jakobsson teaches a method of radio frequency (RF) communication performed by a user equipment (UE) (a method performed by a receiver, paragraphs [39-40, 45-47, 55], wherein the receiver is a UE/terminal, paragraphs [44, 45, 55, 92-94]) operating in a time division duplex (TDD) mode (operated in TDD mode, paragraphs [44-45]), and a user equipment (UE), comprising:
a memory (the UE comprises a memory, paragraph [55]);
at least one transceiver (the UE comprises a node with transceiver functionality, paragraphs [55-56]); and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to (the UE comprises at last one processor coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, wherein the processor configured to perform the method, paragraphs [55, 158]):
receive, via the at least one transceiver, from a network node, configuration information (receive, via the transceiver, from a network node, configuration information, paragraphs [25, 46, 77]) that includes a first sensing and DL communication mode configuration in which a first antenna panel of a base station transmits DL symbols and a second antenna panel of the base station receives (configuring a radar/sensing mode, during a particular time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, paragraphs [44-45]), as RF sensing signals, reflections of the DL symbols transmitted by the first antenna panel of the base station (another one panel is configured to receive RF sensing signals, reflection of the sensing signaling, paragraphs [44-46], wherein the sensing signaling comprises OFDM symbols, paragraph [54], which is a reference signaling transmitted as a DL signaling, paragraphs [21, 25, 75, 77, 101]) and also includes a second sensing and DL communication mode (configuring another radar/sensing mode, during other time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, paragraphs [44-45]) configuration in which the second antenna panel of the base station transmits DL symbols and the first antenna panel of the base station receives, as RF sensing signals, reflections of the DL symbols transmitted by the second antenna panel of the base station (another one panel is configured to receive RF sensing signals, reflection of the sensing signaling, paragraphs [44-46], wherein the sensing signaling comprises OFDM symbols, paragraph [54], which is a reference signaling transmitted as a DL signaling, paragraphs [21, 25, 75, 77, 101], wherein during a particular time interval, each panel is configured to perform function of transmitting or receiving in the sensing mode, paragraphs [10-11, 15, 44]).
However, Jakobsson does not explicitly teach “perform RF communication according to the configuration information”.
Faxer teaches a method of radio frequency (RF) communication performed by a user equipment (UE) (a method performed by UE/wireless device, paragraphs [172-174]), and a user equipment (UE), comprising:
a memory (the UE comprises a memory, paragraph [172]);
at least one transceiver (the UE comprises a transceiver, paragraphs [172-173]); and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to (the UE comprises at last one processor coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, wherein the processor configured to perform the method, paragraphs [172-174]):
receive, via the at least one transceiver, from a network node, configuration information (receive, via the transceiver, from a network node, configuration information, paragraphs [153-154]) that includes a configuration in which a first antenna panel of a base station transmits DL symbols (specifying a first antenna panel for transmitting DL symbols, paragraphs [124-126, 154-158]), and configuration in which the second antenna panel of the base station transmits DL symbols (and specifying a second antenna panel for transmitting DL symbols, paragraphs [124-126, 154-158]); and
perform RF communication according to the configuration information (the UE perform the RF receiving of the DL symbols from first and second antenna panels based on the configuration information, paragraphs [157-159] and Fig. 9A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of perform RF communication according to the configuration information as taught by Faxer, with the teachings of Jakobsson, for a purpose of increase efficiency performing RF communication by enabling the user equipment to perform the RF communication based on the configuration, as such, the user equipment is able to perform the functions as configured by the network node/base station (see Faxer, paragraphs [124-126, 154-159] and Fig. 9A).
Regarding claims 10 and 25, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches determining a characteristic of a channel based on both a first transmission by the base station in the first sensing and DL communication mode and a second transmission by the base station in the second sensing and DL communication mode (determining channel characteristics based on the sensing signals comprising channel state reference signals, i.e. CSI-RS, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [21, 25, 75-78], see Faxer, paragraphs [154-159]).
Regarding claims 11 and 26, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches wherein the channel comprises a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (wherein the channel comprises PDSCH, paragraphs [76, 110], see Faxer, paragraphs [143-146]), wherein the first transmission comprises a first channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) for the PDSCH transmission (wherein the sensing signals comprise the CSI-RS for the PDSCH transmission, paragraphs [74-77], see Faxer, paragraphs [143-146]), wherein the second transmission comprises a second CSI-RS for the PDSCH transmission (wherein the channel comprises PDSCH, paragraphs [76, 110], see Faxer, paragraphs [143-146]), and wherein determining the characteristic of the channel comprises sending, to the base station, CSI reports associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS (sending to the base station, CSI reports associated with first and second CSI-RS, see Faxer, paragraphs [126, 138, 164, 169, 171, 180, 181, 186]).
Regarding claims 12 and 27, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches wherein the channel comprises a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (wherein the channel is a PUSCH, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [125, 130, 147, 154], see Faxer, paragraphs [9, 215]), wherein the first transmission comprises a first channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) for the PUSCH transmission, wherein the second transmission comprises a second CSI-RS for the PUSCH transmission (wherein the sensing signals comprise the CSI-RS for the PUSCH transmission, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [74-77, 125, 130, 147, 154]), and wherein determining the characteristic of the channel comprises transmitting, to the base station, an SRS transmission associated with the first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS (determining the channel characteristic(s) based on SRS from a user equipment/wireless device, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [75, 77, 154], associated with first CSI-RS and the second CSI-RS, see Faxer, paragraphs [126, 138, 164, 169, 171, 180, 181, 186], which are transmitted from different panels, see Faxer, paragraphs [67, 80, 90, 123-125]).
Regarding claim 14, Jakobsson further teaches wherein receiving the configuration information comprises receiving configuration information indicating that the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel are configured in an uplink (UL) mode in which both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel operate in receive mode (specifying each of the panels in an receiving mode, i.e. uplink mode, paragraphs [10-11, 15, 40, 44-45]) and information indicating that the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel are configured in a downlink (DL) mode in which both the first antenna panel and the second antenna panel operate in transmit mode (specifying the panels in a sensing mode for transmitting DL symbols or in a transmission mode for transmitting DL, paragraphs [10-11, 15, 40, 44-46, 54, 75, 77]).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches receiving the configuration information from a network node comprises receiving the configuration information from a base station (receiving configuration from the base station, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [25, 46, 77], see Faxer, paragraphs [153-154, 116, 182]).
Claims 13 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson) in view of US 2021/0143870 A1 to Faxer et al. (hereafter refers as Faxer) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US Patent No. 10,608,678 B1 to Hormis et al. (hereafter refers as Hormis).
Regarding claims 13 and 28, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches the first sensing and DL communication mode or the second sensing and DL communication mode (paragraphs [44-45]).
However, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer does not expliclty teach receiving information “indicating a switch gap as a duration of time during which no DL symbols are transmitted by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel while transitioning to or from communication mode, and wherein performing RF communication according to the configuration information comprises ignoring or not measuring DL symbols that occur during switch gaps”.
Hormis teaches information indicating a switch gap as a duration of time during which no DL symbols are transmitted by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel while transitioning to or from communication mode (configuring a switch gap/guard period during which the antenna array(s) is switch from transmission mode to receiving mode or vice versa, col. 18, lines 15-27), and wherein performing RF communication according to the configuration information comprises ignoring or not measuring DL symbols that occur during switch gaps (wherein a UE does not receives DL symbols during the switch gaps, Fig. 8 and col. 19, lines 15-50, col. 24, line 58 – col. 24, line 35).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of a switch gap as a duration of time during which no DL symbols are transmitted by the first antenna panel or the second antenna panel while transitioning to or from communication mode, and wherein performing RF communication according to the configuration information comprises ignoring or not measuring DL symbols that occur during switch gaps as taught by Hormis, with the teachings of the first sensing and DL communication mode and the second sensing and DL communication mode as taught by Jakobsson, for a purpose of increase efficiency in switching/transitioning to or from the first sensing and DL communication mode and the second sensing and DL communication mode by provide appropriate time to the switching (see Hormis, col. 18, lines 15-27, col. 19, lines 15-50).
Claims 15-16 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2025/0063553 A1 to Jakobsson et al. (hereafter refers as Jakobsson) in view of US 2021/0143870 A1 to Faxer et al. (hereafter refers as Faxer) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2024/0022386 A1 to Bhamri et al. (hereafter refers as Bhamri).
Regarding claims 15 and 29, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches a first sensing and DL communication mode or the second sensing and DL communication mode (configuring a radar/sensing mode, during a particular time interval, wherein one panel is transmitting sensing signaling and another one is configured as receiving, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [44-45]) and first sensing and communication TDD configuration (configuration for sensing and communication TDD, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [25, 40, 46]).
However, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer does not explicitly teach
receiving information “configuring a flexible symbol type that represents a symbol, transmitted in the UL mode or the DL mode, that can be overridden to be transmitted in the sensing mode via downlink control information (DCI), and wherein the configuration information comprises a first sensing configuration comprising at least one symbol of the flexible symbol type, and wherein performing RF communication according to the configuration information comprises operating according to the first sensing and configuration and a first DCI”.
Bhamri teaches receiving information (receiving configuration, Fig. 10) configuring a flexible symbol type that represents a symbol, transmitted in the UL mode or the DL mode, that can be overridden to be transmitted in a sensing mode (configuring a flexibility symbol type presents a symbol, transmitted in a UL mode or a DL mode, to be overridden for sensing mode, paragraphs [74, 96, 99, 135-136, 212]) via downlink control information (DCI) (via DCI, paragraphs [134, 136, 137]), and wherein the configuration information comprises a first sensing and communication TDD configuration comprising at least one symbol of the flexible symbol type (a sensing configuration comprising at least one symbol of flexible symbol type, paragraphs [134, 136, 137]), and wherein performing RF communication according to the configuration information comprises operating according to the first sensing and communication TDD configuration and a first DCI (operating based on sensing TDD configuration and based on DCI, paragraphs [223-226]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of receiving information configuring a flexible symbol type that represents a symbol, transmitted in the UL mode or the DL mode, that can be overridden to be transmitted in the sensing mode via downlink control information (DCI), and wherein the configuration information comprises a first sensing configuration comprising at least one symbol of the flexible symbol type, and wherein performing RF communication according to the configuration information comprises operating according to the first sensing and configuration and a first DCI as taught by Bhamri, with the teachings of combination of Jakobsson and Faxer, for a purpose of increase flexible in performing the sensing and DL communication by providing the flexibility symbol, which can be overridden for sensing and DL communication mode when needed (see Bhamri, paragraphs [17, 96, 134-137, 223-226]).
Regarding claim 16, Bhamri further teaches wherein the first DCI comprises a slot format indicator (SFI) DCI (wherein the DCI comprises a slot format indicator, paragraphs [89, 94, 96, 134-136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein the first DCI comprises a slot format indicator (SFI) DCI as taught by Bhamri, with the teachings of combination of Jakobsson and Faxer, for a purpose of clearly specifying the format of each symbols (see Bhamri, paragraphs [89, 94, 96, 134-136]).
Regarding claim 30, the combination of Jakobsson and Faxer further teaches receiving the configuration information from a network node comprises receiving the configuration information from a base station (receiving configuration from the base station, see Jakobsson, paragraphs [25, 46, 77], see Faxer, paragraphs [153-154, 116, 182]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2023/0366972 A1 discloses a communication apparatus transmitting sensing signal via first antenna panel and receiving a reflection of the sensing signal via second antenna panel (Fig. 4-5 and paragraphs [65-66, 81-86]).
US 2023/0275631 (same assignee) A1 discloses a first antenna panel and a second antenna panel are operated in TDD mode (paragraph [112]) and are configured to transmit CSI-RSs (paragraphs [118-120]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG B. HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian N. Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 August 1, 2026
Prosecution Insights