DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/738,551 filed on 06/10/2024 is presented for examination by the examiner.
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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1, 20 and 21 are amended. Claim 8 is cancelled. Claims 1-7 and 9-21 are pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on October 16, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, see Remarks, filed on 10/16/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1-7 and 9-21 have been considered but are not persuasive because the arguments do not apply to the references as used in the current rejection. Examiner provides a new ground(s) of rejections to address Applicant’s arguments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-4, 6, 7 and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (Pub. No. 2020/0374809 A1 hereinafter Zhou) in view of Choi et al. (Pub. No. 2021/0036825 A1 hereinafter Choi), and further view of Gou et al. (Pub. No. 2014/0064213 A1 hereinafter Guo).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou teaches “a user equipment (UE),” as [(Para. 0162), user equipment: UE] “comprising: one or more memories;” [(Para. 0342), According to various embodiments, a device such as, for example, a wireless device, off-network wireless device, a base station, and/or the like, may comprise one or more processors and memory.] “one or more transceivers;” [(Para. 0139), According to some of the various aspects of embodiments, transceiver(s) may be employed] “and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and the one or more transceivers,” [(Para. 0342), According to various embodiments, a device such as, for example, a wireless device, off-network wireless device, a base station, and/or the like, may comprise one or more processors and memory.] “the one or more processors configured to: receive, via one or more transceivers, a sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration,” [(Para. 0213), A base station (e.g., a gNB) may transmit to a wireless device one or more RRC messages comprising one or more SRS configurations] “the SRS configuration including one or more parameters defining an SRS resource” [(Para. 0213), At least one of the one or more SRS configuration may comprise one or more SRS resources. At least one of the one or more SRS resources may comprise a SRS resource index (SRI), a set of resource elements (RE) within a time duration and/or frequency span, and N antenna ports (e.g., where N≥1). At least one of the one or more SRS resources may be used for aperiodic transmission] “and transmit, via the one or more transceivers, an SRS on the SRS resource” [(Para. 0219), The wireless device 2201 may transmit one or more SRSs using the SRS parameters configured by an RRC message and/or indicated by a DCI.].
However, Zhou does not specifically disclose a cyclic shift hopping parameter for SRS transmissions; wherein the cyclic shift hopping parameter indicates a hopping pattern of a cyclic shift of the SRS, and wherein the cyclic shift changes across SRS symbols within a slot; the SRS configured according to at least the cyclic shift hopping parameter.
In an analogous art, Choi teaches “a cyclic shift hopping parameter for SRS transmissions;” as [(Para. 0007), a cyclic shift (CS) hopping pattern for the SRS] “wherein the cyclic shift hopping parameter indicates a hopping pattern of a cyclic shift of the SRS” as [(Para. 0007), wherein the configuration information includes one or more SRS resources for the transmission of the SRS, a cyclic shift (CS) hopping pattern for the SRS, and CS relation information for whether or not there is a relation in a CS hopping pattern between the SRS and a PUCCH] “the SRS configured according to at least the cyclic shift hopping parameter” [(Para. 0299), the UE may receive, from the base station, configuration information for transmission of the SRS in S1505… The corresponding configuration information may include one or more SRS resources (e.g., SRS resource set) for the transmission of the SRS, a cyclic shift (CS) hopping pattern for the SRS…].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the technique of Zhou with the modified system of Choi to provide a method for effectively configuring a cyclic shift (CS) value and/or a hopping pattern to be applied to SRS and/or other uplink transmission with regard to SRS transmission/reception [Choi: Para. 0005].
However, the combination of Zhou and Choi does not specifically disclose wherein the cyclic shift changes across SRS symbols within a slot.
In an analogous art, Guo teaches “wherein the cyclic shift changes across SRS symbols within a slot” as [(Para. 0044), FIG. 7B is substantially similar to FIG. 7A, except that different cyclic shift configurations are used in the two SRS transmission slots (SRS1 and SRS2].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the technique of Zhou and Choi with the modified system of Guo for effectively choose a particular cyclic shift configuration for transmission of the SRS in order to convey desired feedback information to the base station [Guo: Para. 0036].
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Zhou, Choi and Guo, specifically Choi teaches discloses “wherein the cyclic shift hopping parameter indicates: values for a cyclic shift hopping pattern of the SRS transmissions, or an index to the values for the cyclic shift hopping pattern in a table of cyclic shift hopping patterns” as [(Para. 0197), the corresponding CS hopping pattern may be configured for each SRS resource, or configured for each SRS resource set, or configured for each UE to which SRS resources or SRS resource sets are configured. That is, the CS hopping pattern for the port allocation of SRS resources may be configured for each SRS resource, each SRS resource set, or each UE. The CS hopping pattern may be configured or indicated via signalling between the base station and the UE, or pre-defined on the system.].
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Zhou, Choi and Guo, specifically Zhou teaches “wherein the SRS resource is persistent, semi-persistent, or aperiodic” as [(Para. 0207), A wireless device may receive an indication to transmit at least one of three types of SRS: periodic SRS transmission (e.g., type 0), aperiodic SRS transmission (e.g., type 1), semi-persistent SRS transmission (e.g., type 2).].
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Zhou, Choi and Guo, specifically Choi teaches “wherein: the SRS resource is configured with one or more antenna ports, and the cyclic shift hopping parameter is associated with one port of the one or more antenna ports” as [(Para. 0176), the number of ports in one SRS resource may be configured up to four…. (Para. 0148), A cyclic shift (CS) αi for an antenna port pi may be given by the following Equation 4…].
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Zhou, Choi and Guo, specifically Zhou teaches “wherein the SRS transmissions are repetitions that span multiple symbols of at least one slot” as [(Para. 0132), Slot aggregation may be supported, e.g., data transmission may be scheduled to span one or multiple slots.].
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Zhou, Choi and Guo, specifically Guo teaches “wherein the cyclic shift hopping parameter indicates that a different cyclic shift is used for different SRS symbols of the multiple symbols” as [(Para. 0044), FIG. 7B is substantially similar to FIG. 7A, except that different cyclic shift configurations are used in the two SRS transmission slots (SRS1 and SRS2].
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Zhou, Choi and Guo, specifically Choi teaches “wherein: the SRS configuration is received via RRC signaling,” as [(Para. 0299), First, the UE may receive, from the base station, configuration information for transmission of the SRS in S1505. The corresponding configuration information may be transmitted via higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signalling, MAC-CE, etc.)] “the cyclic shift hopping parameter is received in one or more of a medium access control element (MAC-CE), downlink control information (DCI), or both,” [(Para. 0299), First, the UE may receive, from the base station, configuration information for transmission of the SRS in S1505. The corresponding configuration information may be transmitted via higher layer signaling (e.g., RRC signalling, MAC-CE, etc.) and/or lower layer signaling (e.g., DCI). The corresponding configuration information may include one or more SRS resources (e.g., SRS resource set) for the transmission of the SRS, a cyclic shift (CS) hopping pattern for the SRS, CS relation information (e.g., configuration, parameter, etc. for PUCCH-SRS CS linkage) about whether or not there is a relation in a CS hopping pattern between the SRS and a PUCCH, and the like] “and the cyclic shift hopping parameter enables, disables, or updates another cyclic shift hopping pattern indicated by the one or more parameters of the SRS configuration” [(Para. 0215), In the Equation 19, nSRS cs(x) denotes the CS hopping pattern for SRS, nPUCCH cs(ns,l) denotes the CS hopping pattern for PUCCH, and β0 denotes a shifted value (e.g., natural number). That is, according to the Equation 19, the CS hopping pattern for SRS may be shifting the CS hopping pattern for PUCCH by β0.].
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claim 21, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matters
Claims 5, 9 and 14-16 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. Claims 10-13 and 17-18 are also objected since they depend claims 9 and 16 respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATALI N PASCUAL PEGUERO whose telephone number is (571)272-4691. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11AM-9PM.
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, ASAD M NAWAZ can be reached at (571)272-3988. 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.
/NATALI PASCUAL PEGUERO/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463