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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/20/2024 and 4/20/2026 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
4. Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: The acronym PBCH must be defined before use. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-6, 9, 13, 15-20, and 32 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.
7. Claims 1-6, 9, 13, 15-20, and 32 recite the phrase “and/or.” For the purposes of examination, Examiner assumes “or.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
10. 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.
11. Claim(s) 1-6, 8-11,13-20 and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WO 2021/160647 by Davydov et al. (provided by applicant, hereafter referred to as Davydov).
Regarding claim 1, Davydov teaches A method performed by a wireless device in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving system information including a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) and/or Tracking Reference Signal (TRS) configuration (see at least pg. 27 lines 8-11; “CSI-RS/TRS, which are also referred to as “tracking reference signals”(TRS) or “CSI RS for tracking .”” and at least p. 30, lines 21-29; “In this exemplary timeline, the UE enters the non-connected state and receives SI with a TRS configuration”);
applying the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration (see at least p. 30 lines 21-29; “During the validity duration, the UE can receive TRS according to the previously received configuration.”);
receiving a system information change indication within a first modification period (see at least p.31 lines 20-26; “In one embodiment, the network can inform non0connected state UEs about changes in TRS configurations (e.g., broadcast in SI) through an SI update mechanism”);
considering that the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is invalid from a start of a second modification period (see at least p. 31 lines 27-31; “If a TRS configuration change triggers the SI update mechanism, the UE monitors the relevant SIB in the broadcast SI and, when found, receives […] the updated […]/deactivation status of the current TRS configuration.” And at least p. 34, lines 14-17; “Alternatively, if Code 2 is detected, the UE obtains information that TRS may be deactivated either immediately or after a specific time.”); and
performing synchronization based on at least one Synchronization Signal and Physical Broadcast CHannel (PBCH) block (SSB) (see at least p. 5 line 4; “synchronization signal/PBCH block (SSB),” and at least p. 32 lines 3-6, “In any event, upon obtaining a revised […]/deactivation status of the current TRS configuration […], the UE adapts the TRS utilization strategy (e.g., whether to […] use SSBs only) to match the obtained information.”).
Regarding claim 2, Davydov teaches the method of claim 1. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the method further comprises, performing time and/or frequency synchronization based on the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration (see at least p. 27, lines 8-11, “time and frequency synchronization”).
Regarding claim 3, Davydov teaches the method of claim 1. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the method further comprises, receiving a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1) after the time and/or frequency synchronization based on the SSB (see at least page 30 line 30 – page 31 line 6; re-activated configuration).
Regarding claim 4, Davydov teaches the method of claim 3. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the method further comprises, determining whether the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is valid or not based on the SIB1 informing the system information including the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is to be changed (see at least p. 29, lines 3-7, “TRS configuration [ … ] through SIB1”).
Regarding claim 5. The method of The method of wherein the SIB1 includes a value tag for the system information including the CSI- RS and/or TRS configuration (see Table 7).
Regarding claim 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises, determining that the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is valid based on the value tag included in the SIB 1 being same as a value tag stored in the wireless device (see Table 7).
Regarding claim 8. The method of The method of wherein the system information change indication informs whether at least one system information including the system information is to be changed (see at least p. 31, II. 27-31, “SI update mechanism”).
Regarding claim 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, receiving an availability indication for the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration (see at least p. 32, II. 14-15, “indicate the availability of TRS/CSI-RS in a subset”; p. 37, II. 20, “indication via the paging DCI.”).
Regarding claim 10. The method of The method of wherein the availability indication informs which TRS resource set group is available among TRS resource set groups included in the system information and available duration of the available TRS resource set group (see at least p. 32, II. 14-15, “indicate the availability of TRS/CSI-RS in a subset”; p. 37, II. 20, “indication via the paging DCI.”).
Regarding claim 11, Davydov teaches the method of claim 10. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the availability indication is transmitted via a Paging Early Indication (PEI) or a paging DCI (see at least page 28 lines 25-30; “3. Network indicating activation/deactivation of connected-state RS in UE non-connected states via DCI-based signaling, e.g., via paging DCI.”).
Regarding claim 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises, applying the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration based on receiving the availability indication for the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration (see at least Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 14, Davydov teaches the method of claim 1. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the wireless device is in communication with at least one of a user equipment, a network, or an autonomous vehicle other than the wireless device (see at least Fig. 18 ).
Regarding claim 15, Davydov teaches A wireless device in a wireless communication system (see at least Figs. 16-18) comprising:
a transceiver (see at least Fig. 16 (1640));
a memory (see at least Fig. 16 (1620, 1621, and 1630)); and
at least one processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory (see at least Fig. 16 (1610, 1620, 1621, and 1630)), and adapted to:
receive system information including a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) and/or Tracking Reference Signal (TRS) configuration (see at least pg. 27 lines 8-11; “CSI-RS/TRS, which are also referred to as “tracking reference signals”(TRS) or “CSI RS for tracking .”” and at least p. 30, lines 21-29; “In this exemplary timeline, the UE enters the non-connected state and receives SI with a TRS configuration”);
apply the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration (see at least p. 30 lines 21-29; “During the validity duration, the UE can receive TRS according to the previously received configuration.”);
receive a system information change indication within a first modification period (see at least p.31 lines 20-26; “In one embodiment, the network can inform non0connected state UEs about changes in TRS configurations (e.g., broadcast in SI) through an SI update mechanism”);
consider that the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is invalid from a start of a second modification period (see at least p. 31 lines 27-31; “If a TRS configuration change triggers the SI update mechanism, the UE monitors the relevant SIB in the broadcast SI and, when found, receives […] the updated […]/deactivation status of the current TRS configuration.” And at least p. 34, lines 14-17; “Alternatively, if Code 2 is detected, the UE obtains information that TRS may be deactivated either immediately or after a specific time.”); and
perform synchronization based on at least one Synchronization Signal and PBCH block (SSB) (see at least p. 5 line 4; “synchronization signal/PBCH block (SSB),” and at least p. 32 lines 3-6, “In any event, upon obtaining a revised […]/deactivation status of the current TRS configuration […], the UE adapts the TRS utilization strategy (e.g., whether to […] use SSBs only) to match the obtained information.”).
Regarding claim 16, Davydov teaches the wireless device of claim 15. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to, perform time and/or frequency synchronization based on the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration (see at least p. 27, lines 8-11, “time and frequency synchronization”).
Regarding claim 17, Davydov teaches the wireless device of claim 15. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to, receive a System Information Block Type 1 (SIB1) after the time and/or frequency synchronization based on the SSB (see at least page 30 line 30 – page 31 line 6; re-activated configuration).
Regarding claim 18, Davydov teaches the wireless device of claim 17. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to, determine whether the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is valid or not based on the SIB 1 informing the system information including the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is to be changed (see at least p. 29, lines 3-7, “TRS configuration [ … ] through SIB1”).
Regarding claim 19, Davydov teaches the wireless device of claim 17. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the SIB1 includes a value tag for the system information including the CSI- RS and/or TRS configuration (see Table 7).
Regarding claim 20, Davydov teaches the wireless device of claim 19. In addition, Davydov teaches wherein the at least one processor is further adapted to, determine that the CSI-RS and/or TRS configuration is valid based on the value tag included in the SIB 1 being same as a value tag stored in the wireless device (see Table 7).
Regarding claim 32, Davydov teaches A base station in a wireless communication system (see at least Figs. 16-18) comprising:
a transceiver (see at least Figs. 1740);
a memory (see at least Figs. 16-18); and
a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory, and adapted to: provide system information including a Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) and/or Tracking Reference Signal (TRS) configuration (see at least pg. 27 lines 8-11; “CSI-RS/TRS, which are also referred to as “tracking reference signals”(TRS) or “CSI RS for tracking .”” and at least p. 30, lines 21-29; “In this exemplary timeline, the UE enters the non-connected state and receives SI with a TRS configuration”);
provide system information change indication within a first modification period (see at least p.31 lines 20-26; “In one embodiment, the network can inform non0connected state UEs about changes in TRS configurations (e.g., broadcast in SI) through an SI update mechanism”); and
provide a system information block type 1 (SIB 1) (see at least p. 5 line 4; “synchronization signal/PBCH block (SSB),” and at least p. 32 lines 3-6, “In any event, upon obtaining a revised […]/deactivation status of the current TRS configuration […], the UE adapts the TRS utilization strategy (e.g., whether to […] use SSBs only) to match the obtained information.”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
12. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Davydov as applied to claim 1 above, in view of US 2019/0320455 A1 by Chen et al. (hereafter referred to as Chen).
Regarding claim 7, Davydov teaches the method claim 1.
Davydov does not appear to specifically disclose wherein the second modification period is a next modification period following the first modification period.
In the same field of endeavor, Chen teaches wherein the second modification period is a next modification period following the first modification period (see at least ¶ [0059]; “If the UE receives an SI change indication in the paging DCI, the UE may acquire the updated SI at the next modification period boundary, assuming that the NW broadcasts the updated SI.”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Davydov with Chen in order to provide an efficient SI modification and acquisition procedure.
Conclusion
16. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA W COSME whose telephone number is (571)270-7225. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman Abaza can be reached at 571-270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATASHA W COSME/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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