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/Arguments
With the reply filed 12/26/25, claims 1, 9 and 18 have been amended, and claims 2, 7, 11 and 15 have been canceled. In view of the claim amendment, the prior rejection of the claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102 is rendered moot, and a new ground of rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 103 is presented below in view of Zhang et al. in combination with a newly applied prior art reference to Amizur et al.
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.
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, 3-6, 8-10, 12-14, 16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2025/0031130 in view of Amizur et al. U.S. Pat. App. Pub. No. 2017/0215087.
Regarding claims 1 and 18, Zhang discloses a first apparatus comprising: at least one processor (i.e. 280); and at least one memory (i.e. 282) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus to perform method steps including: determining information related to antenna switching by a second apparatus within a subset of sub-band non-overlapping full duplex (SBFD) patterns of a set of SBFD patterns (see ¶¶ [0028], [0075]); and determining, at least based on the information related to the antenna switching, at least one time point for antenna switching, as a semi-static time and frequency configuration for SBFD operation is determined (Fig. 10, step 1010; ¶ [0130]). Zhang does not expressly disclose that at least one time point at which the second apparatus performs antenna switching is determined, and ceasing at least one of transmission or reception of the first apparatus during the at least one time point at which the second apparatus performs the antenna switching.
Amizur discloses that during an antenna switching period at a second device (i.e. device 140), a first device (i.e. device 102) determines information regarding a time point of the antenna switching as it is informed of such information (¶ [0192]), where the first apparatus ceases reception processing during that period by ignoring any non-valid signals that are transmitted during this time (see ¶¶ [0192]-[0193], [0196]-[0197], [0240]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to cease reception of signals during an antenna switching period of a second device, as suggested by Amizur, in the apparatus/method of Zhang, to prevent processing of signals that are subject to impairments during the switching period (see Amizur, ¶ [0190]).
Regarding claim 3, Zhang further discloses receiving, from the second apparatus, a configuration of an antenna switching pattern corresponding to the SBFD patterns, to indicate the antenna switching within the subset of SBFD patterns (Fig. 9: steps 910-920); and determine the information related to the antenna switching based on the configuration of the antenna switching pattern (¶¶ [0086]-[0095]).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang further discloses that the configuration of the antenna switching pattern includes an indication of the subset of SBFD patterns for antenna switching (¶ reference signal [0086]).
Regarding claim 5, Zhang further discloses that the apparatus determines a time point for the antenna switching based on the information related to the antenna switching and a configuration of the SBFD pattern (i.e. transition time for switching – ¶ [0086]).
Regarding claim 6, Zhang discloses that an SBFD pattern includes at least a first time point for antenna switching after an SBFD symbol and before a non-SBFD symbol or a second time point for the antenna switching after a non-SBFD symbol and before an SBFD symbol in the SBFD pattern (see Figs. 4-6; ¶¶ [0073]-[0087]).
Regarding claim 8, Zhang further discloses that the first apparatus receives reference signal configurations and may transmit reference signals in the subset of SBFD patterns based on the configuration of the reference signal (¶¶ [0083]-[0092], [0145]-[0146]).
Regarding claim 9, Zhang discloses a second apparatus comprising: at least one processor (i.e. 240); and at least one memory (i.e. 242) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second apparatus to: determine a configuration of an antenna pattern corresponding to a set of sub-band non-overlapping full duplex (SBFD) patterns, the configuration indicating antenna switching by the second apparatus within a subset of SBFD patterns of the set of SBFD patterns (see ¶¶ [0028], [0075]); and determine at least one time point for antenna switching based on the configuration of the antenna switching pattern (Fig. 10, step 1010; ¶ [0130]). Zhang does not expressly disclose ceasing at least one of transmission or reception of the second apparatus during the at least one time point at which the second apparatus performs the antenna switching.
Amizur discloses that during an antenna switching period at a second device (i.e. device 140), the second device 140 may cease/stop transmitting entirely during this time until the device completes the switching process (see ¶ [0192]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to cease transmission of signals during an antenna switching period of a second device, as suggested by Amizur, in the apparatus of Zhang, to prevent transmission of signals that are subject to impairments during the switching period (see Amizur, ¶ [0190]).
Regarding claim 10, Zhang discloses that the second apparatus transmits the configuration of the antenna switching pattern to the first apparatus (see abstract, ¶¶ [0028], [0048]-[0049]).
Regarding claim 12, Zhang further discloses that the configuration of the antenna switching pattern includes an indication of the subset of SBFD patterns for antenna switching (¶ reference signal [0086]).
Regarding claim 13, Zhang further discloses that a dynamic indication of updating SFBD configuration may be a results of changing channel conditions (¶ [0028]), where one skilled in the art would recognize that channel conditions change based on a moving speed of an apparatus.
Regarding claim 14, Zhang discloses that an SBFD pattern includes at least a first time point for antenna switching after an SBFD symbol and before a non-SBFD symbol or a second time point for the antenna switching after a non-SBFD symbol and before an SBFD symbol in the SBFD pattern (see Figs. 4-6; ¶¶ [0073]-[0087]).
Regarding claim 16, Zhang further discloses that the first apparatus receives reference signal configurations and may transmit reference signals in the subset of SBFD patterns based on the configuration of the reference signal (¶¶ [0083]-[0092], [0145]-[0146]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David B. Lugo whose telephone number is 571-272-3043. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-6.
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/DAVID B LUGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
4/22/2026
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