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 .
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 (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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 15, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Herath, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0146408 A1; note also PCT/CN2021/088542, attached with identical disclosure) in view of Yan, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2022/0390393; note also PCT/CN2020/141645, translation attached with identical disclosure).
Regarding claims 1 and 19, Herath discloses a channel estimation method, wherein the method comprises and a terminal, comprising a processor and a memory, (paragraph 0083) wherein the memory stores a program or instructions capable of running on the processor, and the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, causes the terminal to perform:
first target information, wherein the first target information is used to indicate parameters used when a backscatter communication (BSC) device sends a backscattered signal (The system of Herath discloses a backscatter communication system in which some UEs support channel estimation based on transmitted preambles, and, in the case they do, transmit to a backscatter receiver a pilot signal for channel estimation with the receiving device determining if performance of channel estimation is required based on presence of/support for pilot [paragraphs 0113, 0142, 0152 – dedicated carrier used for pilot transmission when backscatter device supports pilot transmission for channel estimation; fig. 7 – designated channels/dedicated carriers F1, F0, C1 are co-located with the data transmission channels, for example T1, F3, C1 and the estimation is therefore joint with the data transmission; 0089, 0169-0177 – OFDM type transmission for carriers indicating joint transmission.]. 0128 – backscatter receiver has knowledge of which backscatter transmission opportunities are assigned [i.e. knowledge of first target information].)
and determining, by the UE based whether to perform the joint channel estimation on the first signal (paragraphs 0113, 0142, 0152 – receiving backscatter device will determine if joint channel estimation is performed based on support by backscatter device and presence of pilot on the dedicated channel).
wherein the backscattered signal is obtained by the BSC device by modulating the first signal. (paragraph 0092 – BSC device modulates the first signal)
Herath fails to disclose receiving, by user equipment (UE) from a communication device the first target information or that the first target information explicitly determines whether to perform joint channel estimation. (i.e. Herath simply states that the receiving backscatter device somehow has knowledge of the pre-assigned transmission opportunities, but is lacking in details to how this is configured. Herath is also silent with respect to the target information directly indicating if joint channel estimation is performed, as the receiving backscatter device determines if channel estimation is performed, but it is not clear if this is by blind decoding of the dedicated carrier to see if a pilot is sent or some other mechanism such as direct indication of the BSC capabilities).
In the same field of endeavor, Yan discloses receiving, by user equipment (UE) from a communication device the first target information or that the first target information explicitly determines whether to perform joint channel estimation. (Yan discloses that the base station/exciter device sends a backscatter signal pattern/configuration information of the backscatter and excitation signal indicating the location of data and reference signal transmissions from the BSC [paragraph 0090-0091, 0094, 0099-0102]. Indications include the starting time [including slot – paragraph 0100], symbol length based on subcarrier spacing, etc [0011, 0090].)
Therefore, since Yan discloses backscatter signal patterns including data and pilot/reference signal locations, and Herath discloses including reference signals only if the UE supports joint channel estimation, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the backscatter signal patterns of Yan with the system of Herath by sending a backscatter signal pattern and configuration, including start time, symbol length, periodicity/periodic transmission time information etc. to the backscatter receiver of Herath indicating the location of the backscatter data transmissions and, if present, the location of the pilot/reference backscatter transmission so the backscatter receiver can determine if the pilot/reference signals are present and the BSC supports channel estimation. The motive to combine is to allow explicit configuration of the backscatter receiver to reduce overhead and the need for blind decoding to determine if the BSC supports/is sending the pilot reference signal.
Regarding claim 2, Herath as modified by Yan discloses he first target information is used to indicate parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal and the parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal comprise target time information about when the BSC device sends the backscattered signa, a symbol length of the backscattered signal (see combination with Yan in the independent claim, supra, Yan, paragraph 0090].)
Regarding claim 3, Herath as modified by Yan discloses the target time information comprises first time information, wherein the first time information comprises second time information, wherein the second time information comprises periodic transmission time information (see combination with Yan in the independent claim, supra, Yan, paragraph 0090 – periodicity of the backscatter transmission is included].)
Regarding claim 4, Herath as modified by Yan discloses the information related to synchronization of the BSC device comprises at least one of the following: a symbol or slot starting moment for the backscattered signal (see combination with Yan in the independent claim, supra, Yan, paragraph 0090 – starting time is indicated; 0100 – time is indicated in communication slot numbers]).
Regarding claim 5, Herath as modified by the Yan discloses information related to frequency shifting of the first signal by the BSC device comprises a center frequency after frequency shifting. (Herath discloses that the specified frequencies for transmission of the BSC backscatter communications are shifted center frequencies of the originally transmitted communication [paragraphs 0136, 0140]. Therefore, the specified frequencies/channels in the combination with Yan in the independent claim, supra, are center frequencies after sifting.)
Regarding claim 6, Herath as modified by Yan discloses the first target information comprises the target duration and the determining, by the UE based on the first target information, whether to perform the joint channel estimation on the first signal comprises determining, by the UE, to perform the joint channel estimation during the target duration, in a case that a target time-frequency resource used by the BSC device to send the backscattered signal overlaps with a time-frequency resource of the first signal wherein the target time-frequency resource is determined based on the first target information (As discussed with respect to Herath in the independent claim, the first signal/preamble/reference signal may overlap with the backscattered data signal [see fig. 7 of Herath– designated channels/dedicated carriers for the first singal/preamble/reference singal F1, F0, C1 are co-located and overlap with the data transmission channels, for example T1, F3, C1. This is the claimed “case that a target time-frequency resource used by the BSC device to send the backscattered signal overlaps with a time-frequency resource of the first signal wherein the target time-frequency resource is determined based on the first target information”. Furthermore, the a backscatter signal pattern/configuration information of Yan, as combined with Herath in the independent claim, supra, also discloses that the first target information includes a duration/length of the preamble/reference signal/first signal that matches the length of the data signal [Yan paragraph 0098, 0077 – K=1 is the duration/granularity of the first/reference signal indicated as the same as that of the data signal; 0090- the backscatter/excitation signal configuration indicates the signal granularity/length/first target information).
Regarding claim 7, Herath as modified by Yan discloses the determining, by the UE, to perform the joint channel estimation during the target duration comprises in a case that the target duration is greater than or equal to a length of N time units of the first signal, determining, by the UE, to perform the joint channel estimation within the N time units during the target duration; and the method further comprises: in a case that the target duration is less than a length of N time units of the first signal, determining, by the UE, not to perform the joint channel estimation within N time units during the target duration wherein N is a positive integer. (Claim interpretation note, note that claims only require that the determination is made “in a case that” the duration is greater/less than the time units, there is no requirement that the determination itself is based in any way on the time units or length comparison. Therefore, looking to Herath it is seen that the target duration [i.e. length of the preamble/reference signal] may be the same as the length of the first single [i.e. data portion of the signal/N time units] in which case the preamble is transmitted and estimated in the N time units [see fig. 7, designated channel, 906 is the same length as the data channels such as T1, f3, C1, etc.]. In the case of no preamble sent the target duration of the preamble is 0, which is less than the N time units of the first signal.)
Regarding claim 8, Herath as modified by Yan discloses the first target information is used to indicate whether to perform the joint channel estimation on the first signal and the first target information comprises second indication information, wherein the second indication information is used to indicate that the UE is to perform the joint channel estimation within the M time units on the first signal (As discussed with respect to Herath in the independent claim, the first signal/preamble/reference signal may overlap with the backscattered data signal [see fig. 7 of Herath– designated channels/dedicated carriers for the first singal/preamble/reference singal F1, F0, C1 are co-located and overlap with the data transmission channels, for example T1, F3, C1. Therefore the claimed “M Time units” are the M symbols in which the first signal/reference signal overlaps with the data signal. The “M time units” are signaled as “second information” when the duration/length/granularity of the reference single are indicated [Yan paragraph 0098, 0077 – K=1 is the duration/granularity of the first/reference signal indicated as the same as that of the data signal; 0090- the backscatter/excitation signal configuration indicates the signal granularity/length/second target information).
Regarding claim 9, Herath as modified by Yan discloses the determining, by the UE based on the first target information, whether to perform the joint channel estimation on the first signal comprises determining, by the UE, to perform the joint channel estimation within the M time units on the first signal, in a case that the first target information comprises the second indication information. (As discussed with respect to claim 8, supra, the UE determines to perform channel estimation of the first signal in the M time units indicated by the second information when the first signal and the length of the data signal are the same.)
Regarding claims 15, Herath discloses channel estimation method, wherein the method comprises
first target information, wherein the first target information is used to indicate parameters used when a backscatter communication (BSC) device sends a backscattered signal (The system of Herath discloses a backscatter communication system in which some UEs support channel estimation based on transmitted preambles, and, in the case they do, transmit to a backscatter receiver a pilot signal for channel estimation with the receiving device determining if performance of channel estimation is required based on presence of/support for pilot [paragraphs 0113, 0142, 0152 – dedicated carrier used for pilot transmission when backscatter device supports pilot transmission for channel estimation; fig. 7 – designated channels/dedicated carriers F1, F0, C1 are co-located with the data transmission channels, for example T1, F3, C1 and the estimation is therefore joint with the data transmission; 0089, 0169-0177 – OFDM type transmission for carriers indicating joint transmission.]. 0128 – backscatter receiver has knowledge of which backscatter transmission opportunities are assigned [i.e. knowledge of first target information].)
wherein the backscattered signal is obtained by the BSC device by modulating the first signal. (paragraph 0092 – BSC device modulates the first signal)
The UE determines whether to perform the joint channel estimation on the first signal (paragraphs 0113, 0142, 0152 – receiving backscatter device will determine if joint channel estimation is performed based on support by backscatter device and presence of pilot on the dedicated channel).
Herath fails to disclose sending, by a communication device, first target information to UE, wherein the first target information is used by the UE to determine whether to perform the joint channel estimation (i.e. Herath simply states that the receiving backscatter device somehow has knowledge of the pre-assigned transmission opportunities, but is lacking in details to how this is configured. Herath is also silent with respect to the target information directly indicating if joint channel estimation is performed, as the receiving backscatter device determines if channel estimation is performed, but it is not clear if this is by blind decoding of the dedicated carrier to see if a pilot is sent or some other mechanism such as direct indication of the BSC capabilities).
In the same field of endeavor, Yan disclose sending, by a communication device, first target information to UE, wherein the first target information is used by the UE to determine whether to perform the joint channel estimation (Yan discloses that the base station/exciter device sends a backscatter signal pattern/configuration information of the backscatter and excitation signal indicating the location of data and reference signal transmissions from the BSC [paragraph 0090-0091, 0094, 0099-0102]. Indications include the starting time [including slot – paragraph 0100], symbol length based on subcarrier spacing, etc [0011, 0090].)
Therefore, since Yan discloses backscatter signal patterns including data and pilot/reference signal locations, and Herath discloses including reference signals only if the UE supports joint channel estimation, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the backscatter signal patterns of Yan with the system of Herath by sending a backscatter signal pattern and configuration, including start time, symbol length, periodicity/periodic transmission time information etc. to the backscatter receiver of Herath indicating the location of the backscatter data transmissions and, if present, the location of the pilot/reference backscatter transmission so the backscatter receiver can determine if the pilot/reference signals are present and the BSC supports channel estimation. The motive to combine is to allow explicit configuration of the backscatter receiver to reduce overhead and the need for blind decoding to determine if the BSC supports/is sending the pilot reference signal.
Regarding claim 20, Herath discloses a network-side device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a program or instructions capable of running on the processor, and when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, the steps of the channel estimation method according to claim 15 are implemented (paragraph 0083).
Claim(s) 10 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Herath, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0146408 A1; note also PCT/CN2021/088542, attached with identical disclosure) in view of Yan, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2022/0390393; note also PCT/CN2020/141645, translation attached with identical disclosure) as applied to claim 9 and further in view of Xu, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0171269; note also PCT/CN2021/110488, with identical disclosure, translation attached)
Regarding claim 10, Herath discloses the first target information is determined by the communication device based on second target information wherein the second target information is used to indicate parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal. (Herath discloses that the system uses the capabilities of the BSC [i.e. second target information] to determine the transmission schedule/first target information, including if the BSC supports channel estimation and the channels used [paragraphs 0150-0153].)
Herath as previously modified by Yan fails to disclose the communication device comprises any one of the following a base station, the BSC device, and another UE wherein the first target information is determined by the communication device based on second target information. In the same field of endeavor, Yan discloses the communication device comprises any one of the following a base station, the BSC device, and another UE (Yan discloses the claimed UE receives the configuration/backscatter configuration information/first information determined by the controller/communication device [paragraph 0090-0091]. The controller/communication device may be the receiver, exciter or a third party control device/base station controller configuring via DCI [i.e. a base station transmission] [paragraphs 0092, 0066].)
Therefore, since Yan discloses the communication device determining the first target information may be a base station, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the communication device of Yan with the system Herath as previously modified by Yan by having the communication device/controller/base station determine the first target information based on second target information/capabilities of the BSC device. The motive to combine is to allow centralized control by a base station for better coordination.
Herath as modified by Yan fails to disclose the second target information is sent by a first device to the communication device. In the same field of endeavor, Xu discloses he second target information is sent by a first device to the communication device. (Xu dislcoses that a first device/zero power terminal sends capability information to a second device/base station [paragaprhs 0280, 0096-0097, 0081-0084].)
Therefore, since Xu discloses the first device/zero power terminal/BSC sends capability information to the communication device/base station, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the capability reporting of Xu with the system of Herath as modified by Yan by supplying the required capability/second target information of the first device/zero power terminal/BSC to the base station via reporting from the first device/zero power terminal/BSC. The motive to combine is to allow the base station to determine the capabilities of the first device/zero power terminal/BSC without needing to have them preconfigured, allowing for more dynamic deployments.
Regarding claim 16, Herath discloses the first target information is determined by the communication device based on second target information wherein the second target information is used to indicate parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal. (Herath discloses that the system uses the capabilities of the BSC [i.e. second target information] to determine the transmission schedule/first target information, including if the BSC supports channel estimation and the channels used [paragraphs 0150-0153].)
Herath as previously modified by Yan fails to disclose the communication device comprises any one of the following a base station, the BSC device, and another UE wherein the first target information is determined by the communication device based on second target information. In the same field of endeavor, Yan discloses the communication device comprises any one of the following a base station, the BSC device, and another UE (Yan discloses the claimed UE receives the configuration/backscatter configuration information/first information determined by the controller/communication device [paragraph 0090-0091]. The controller/communication device may be the receiver, exciter or a third party control device/base station controller configuring via DCI [i.e. a base station transmission] [paragraphs 0092, 0066].)
Therefore, since Yan discloses the communication device determining the first target information may be a base station, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the communication device of Yan with the system Herath as previously modified by Yan by having the communication device/controller/base station determine the first target information based on second target information/capabilities of the BSC device. The motive to combine is to allow centralized control by a base station for better coordination.
Herath as modified by Yan fails to disclose receiving, by the communication device from a first device, second target information. In the same field of endeavor, Xu discloses receiving, by the communication device from a first device, second target information. (Xu discloses that a first device/zero power terminal sends capability information to a second device/base station [paragraphs 0280, 0096-0097, 0081-0084].)
Therefore, since Xu discloses the first device/zero power terminal/BSC sends capability information to the communication device/base station, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the capability reporting of Xu with the system of Herath as modified by Yan by supplying the required capability/second target information of the first device/zero power terminal/BSC to the base station via reporting from the first device/zero power terminal/BSC. The motive to combine is to allow the base station to determine the capabilities of the first device/zero power terminal/BSC without needing to have them preconfigured, allowing for more dynamic deployments.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Herath, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0146408 A1; note also PCT/CN2021/088542, attached with identical disclosure) in view of Yan, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2022/0390393; note also PCT/CN2020/141645, translation attached with identical disclosure) as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Zhang, et al. (WIPO Publication No. WO 2021163971; note translation, attached)
Regarding claim 11, Herath as modified by Yan fails to disclose before the receiving, by UE from a communication device, first target information, the method further comprises sending, by the UE, a first request message to the communication device, wherein the first request message is used to request parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal. In the same field of endeavor, Zhang disclose before the receiving, by UE from a communication device, first target information, the method further comprises sending, by the UE, a first request message to the communication device, wherein the first request message is used to request parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal ([pages 8-10 steps 201-204, steps 202 – scheduling request for BSC/first target information to base station/communication device, first indication the terminal supports BSC reception; step 204 – third/fourth indication [i.e. first target information] from communication device/base station including the location of the signal used for BSC that is reflected;])
Therefore, since Zhang discloses requesting first target information, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the requests of Zhang with the system of Herath as modified by Yan by requesting the first target information from the base station. The motive to combine is to allow the UE to request the information required to perform the BSC, thereby improving flexibility by allowing on-demand use.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Herath, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0146408 A1; note also PCT/CN2021/088542, attached with identical disclosure) in view of Yan, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2022/0390393; note also PCT/CN2020/141645, translation attached with identical disclosure) and Xu, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0171269; note also PCT/CN2021/110488, with identical disclosure, translation attached) as applied to claim 16 and further in view of Zhang, et al. (WIPO Publication No. WO 2021163971; note translation, attached)
Regarding claim 17, Herath as modified by Yan and Xu fails to before the receiving, by the communication device from a first device, second target information, the method further comprises: sending, by the communication device, a fifth request message to the first device, wherein the fifth request message is used to request parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal.. In the same field of endeavor, Zhang disclose before the receiving, by the communication device from a first device, second target information, the method further comprises: sending, by the communication device, a fifth request message to the first device, wherein the fifth request message is used to request parameters used when the BSC device sends the backscattered signal. ([pages 8-10 steps 201-204, steps 202 – scheduling request for BSC/first target information to base station/communication device, first indication the terminal supports BSC reception; step 204 – third/fourth indication [i.e. first target information] from communication device/base station including the location of the signal used for BSC that is reflected;])
Therefore, since Zhang discloses requesting target information, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the requests of Zhang with the system of Herath as modified by Yan by sending a fifth request requesting the second target information from the base station. The motive to combine is to allow the UE to request the information required to perform the BSC, thereby improving flexibility by allowing on-demand use.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-14 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 12, the prior art fails to teach, suggest or disclose b Sending, by the UE, the first request message to the communication device in a case that the UE determines that a received signal is associated with the backscattered signal.
That is, no art in which the base statin/communication device requests the UE determine if a backscattered signal is received and then, in the case it is, the UE requests and is provided with the first target information. It is noted that this is an unusual way to provide the first information, as the first target information, necessary to decode the backscatter signal is only received after the UE receives the backscattered signal which would require the UE to buffer the backscattered signal until it could be later decoded, which is an unusual method of operation given the buffering and latency penalties it incurs. Therefore, no other art could be found teaching this element and the prior art fails to teach, suggest or disclose all elements of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 13, the prior art fails to teach, suggest or disclose before the receiving, by UE from a communication device, first target information, the method further comprises: receiving, by the UE from the communication device, a second request message, wherein the second request message is used to request the UE to determine whether a received signal is associated with the backscattered signal; and sending, by the UE, a first feedback message to the communication device in a case that the UE determines that the received signal is associated with the backscattered signal, wherein the first feedback message is used to indicate that the signal received by the UE is associated with the backscattered signal; wherein the first target information is sent by the communication device in a case that the communication device has received the first feedback message.
That is, no art in which the base statin/communication device requests the UE determine if a backscattered signal is received and then, in the case it is, the UE is provided with the first target information. It is noted that this is an unusual way to provide the first information, as the first target information, necessary to decode the backscatter signal is only received after the UE receives the backscattered signal which would require the UE to buffer the backscattered signal until it could be later decoded, which is an unusual method of operation given the buffering and latency penalties it incurs. Therefore, no other art could be found teaching this element and the prior art fails to teach, suggest or disclose all elements of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 14, the claim depends from claim 13 and is allowable for at least the reasons stated with respect to claims 13 supra.
Regarding claim 18, the claim mimics the limitations of claim 13 from the perspective of the communication device and is therefore allowable for the reasons stated with respect to claim 13, supra.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Liu, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2011/0156874) – disclosing backscatter transmission with channel estimation
Mahalingam, et al. (US Pre Grant Publication No. 2024/0106532) – disclosing backscatter transmission with channel estimation
Huynh, et al. (Huynh, Ambient Backscatter Communications: A Contemporary Survey, pages 1-34, 2018) – disclosing a survey of backscatter communications
Bharadi, et al. (Dinesh Bharadiay, Kiran Joshiy, Manikanta Kotaru, Sachin Katti, BackFi: High Throughput WiFi Backscatter, 2015) – disclosing backscatter transmission with channel estimation
Ahmad, et al. (Abeer Ahmady, Xiao Sha, Akshay Athalye, Samir Dasy, Petar Djuri´c and Milutin Stana´cevi´c, Collaborative Backscatter Based on Phase Channel Estimation in Passive RF Tag Networks, pages 1-4, 2021) – disclosing backscatter transmission with channel estimation
RWS-210453 (Author Unknown, RWS-210453, 5G evolution support of NR passive IoT, pages 1-9, 2 July 2021) – disclosing backscatter 5G communications
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD whose telephone number is (571)270-3989. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm M-F.
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, Faruk Hamza can be reached at (571) 272-7969. 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.
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights