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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicants' communication filed on 08/5/2024. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-20 are currently presented in the instant application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 20250123387 (hereinafter referred to as Taghizadeh).
Consider claim 1, Taghizadeh teaches a method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) (see at least ¶ [0169], Figs. 10A, 10B, “…UEs 1008…”), the method comprising:
receiving a tracking activation command in association with tracking path information indicative of a reference signal path to be measured, and a tracking path identifier (and see at least ¶ [0134], “…the sensing measurement of a sensing node comprises an identification of one or multiple paths associated with a sensing target and/or a sensing target area of interest. Note that the path identification is useful for tracking…” and see at least ¶ [0180], “…communications of the SensMF/SF with the gNB/TRP nodes further includes the activation and/or de-activation of the sensing signal transmission (e.g., for a configured UL SRS resource)…”);
performing a set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path on respective predetermined measurement occasions by:
receiving a first sensing configuration indication (see at least ¶ [0004], “…sensing configuration for performing a sensing signal transmission and at least one sensing measurement…”);
on one of the predetermined measurement occasions, performing at least one sensing measurement of the set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path in accordance with the first sensing configuration (see at least ¶ [0051], “…a UE 104 (and/or NE 102) may perform sensing measurements based on the SSB transmission…” and see at least ¶ [0101], “…Performs or configures or requests computation of the sensing measurements and thereby determines the required sensing information based on the obtained sensing measurements…”);
transmitting a report of the at least one sensing measurement in association with the tracking path identifier (see at least ¶ [0119], “…four edges for which the Node j may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node i, the Node k may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node j, and the Node l may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node k., and the Node i may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node l…”);
receiving a second sensing configuration indication different from the first sensing configuration (see at least ¶ [0079], “…among multiple sensing measurements of different paths, different nodes and at different time instances etc., is utilized to reduce/compensate the error of the sensing measurements, wherein the sensing measurements are performed in the context of a wireless cellular networks and for the purpose of obtaining a desired sensing information of a target object and/or of radio node…”);
on a later one of the predetermined measurement occasions, performing at least one other sensing measurement of the set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path in accordance with the second sensing configuration (see at least ¶ [0079], “…among multiple sensing measurements of different paths, different nodes and at different time instances etc., is utilized to reduce/compensate the error of the sensing measurements, wherein the sensing measurements are performed in the context of a wireless cellular networks and for the purpose of obtaining a desired sensing information of a target object and/or of radio node…” and see at least ¶ [0080], “…the network configures the participating sensing entities, i.e., network and UE nodes acting as sensing Tx nodes, network and UE nodes acting as sensing Rx nodes, as well as the configuration of sensing RS and necessary measurements and reporting procedures from the nodes…”); and
transmitting a report of the at least one other sensing measurement in association with the tracking path identifier (see at least ¶ [0087], “…the Radio-based sensing transmission 434 using a sensing RS 436, … the Radio-based sensing transmission 434 may be a transmission of another RS…” and see at least ¶ [0124], “…Node i 702 transmits a first sensing RS (i.e., corresponding to a first measurement path), which sensing RS is received and measured by the Node j 704. Additionally, the Node j 704 transmits a second sensing RS (i.e., corresponding to a second measurement path)…” and see at least ¶ [0139], “…a path is identified according to the movement/mobility pattern associated with the propagation path, e.g., doppler frequency shift/difference of the path compared to a known frequency reference at the sensing node (e.g., according to another received signal or another measured path at the node) or according to a known doppler frequency/frequency shift of another path or measurement available at the sensing node…”).
Consider claim 11, Taghizadeh teaches a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) (see at least ¶ [0169], Figs. 10A, 10B, “…UEs 1008…” and see at least ¶ [0231], Figs. 13, “…UE 1300…”) comprising:
a processor (see at least ¶ [0233], Figs. 13, “…processor 1302…”), and a transceiver coupled to the processor (see at least ¶ [0269], “…the UE 1300 may include at least one transceiver 1308…, … The transceiver 1308 may include one or more receiver chains 1310, one or more transmitter chains 1312…”), wherein the WTRU is configured to:
receive a tracking activation command in association with tracking path information indicative of a reference signal path to be measured, and a tracking path identifier (and see at least ¶ [0134], “…the sensing measurement of a sensing node comprises an identification of one or multiple paths associated with a sensing target and/or a sensing target area of interest. Note that the path identification is useful for tracking…” and see at least ¶ [0180], “…communications of the SensMF/SF with the gNB/TRP nodes further includes the activation and/or de-activation of the sensing signal transmission (e.g., for a configured UL SRS resource)…”);
perform a set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path on respective predetermined measurement occasions by:
receiving a first sensing configuration indication (see at least ¶ [0004], “…sensing configuration for performing a sensing signal transmission and at least one sensing measurement…”);
on one of the predetermined measurement occasions, performing at least one sensing measurement of the set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path in accordance with the first sensing configuration (see at least ¶ [0051], “…a UE 104 (and/or NE 102) may perform sensing measurements based on the SSB transmission…” and see at least ¶ [0101], “…Performs or configures or requests computation of the sensing measurements and thereby determines the required sensing information based on the obtained sensing measurements…”);
transmitting a report of the at least one sensing measurement in association with the tracking path identifier (see at least ¶ [0119], “…four edges for which the Node j may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node i, the Node k may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node j, and the Node l may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node k., and the Node i may perform a sensing measurement via a sensing signal transmitted by the Node l…”);
receiving a second sensing configuration indication different from the first sensing configuration (see at least ¶ [0079], “…among multiple sensing measurements of different paths, different nodes and at different time instances etc., is utilized to reduce/compensate the error of the sensing measurements, wherein the sensing measurements are performed in the context of a wireless cellular networks and for the purpose of obtaining a desired sensing information of a target object and/or of radio node…”);
on a later one of the predetermined measurement occasions, performing at least one other sensing measurement of the set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path in accordance with the second sensing configuration (see at least ¶ [0079], “…among multiple sensing measurements of different paths, different nodes and at different time instances etc., is utilized to reduce/compensate the error of the sensing measurements, wherein the sensing measurements are performed in the context of a wireless cellular networks and for the purpose of obtaining a desired sensing information of a target object and/or of radio node…” and see at least ¶ [0080], “…the network configures the participating sensing entities, i.e., network and UE nodes acting as sensing Tx nodes, network and UE nodes acting as sensing Rx nodes, as well as the configuration of sensing RS and necessary measurements and reporting procedures from the nodes…”); and
transmitting a report of the at least one other sensing measurement in association with the tracking path identifier (see at least ¶ [0087], “…the Radio-based sensing transmission 434 using a sensing RS 436, … the Radio-based sensing transmission 434 may be a transmission of another RS…” and see at least ¶ [0124], “…Node i 702 transmits a first sensing RS (i.e., corresponding to a first measurement path), which sensing RS is received and measured by the Node j 704. Additionally, the Node j 704 transmits a second sensing RS (i.e., corresponding to a second measurement path)…” and see at least ¶ [0139], “…a path is identified according to the movement/mobility pattern associated with the propagation path, e.g., doppler frequency shift/difference of the path compared to a known frequency reference at the sensing node (e.g., according to another received signal or another measured path at the node) or according to a known doppler frequency/frequency shift of another path or measurement available at the sensing node…”).
Consider claims 2, 12 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches wherein the WTRU receives a sequence of configuration indications indicating the sequence of configurations to be used on future measurement occasions (see at least ¶ [0201], “…the configuration of the node i may indicate the transmission of sensing signal #i, e.g., wherein the sensing signals of different nodes may be multiplexed in time, in frequency, or in sequence/code domain, or via applying (time-dependent or frequency-dependent or joint time and frequency dependent with distinct rates for different sensing signal/nodes/transmissions) phase rotations over the REs or symbols carrying the sensing signal…”).
Consider claims 3, 12 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches wherein the first and second configuration indications are in Downlink Control Information (DCI) received by the WTRU (see at least ¶ [0183], “…the common information elements … are communicated via a group-common signaling (e.g., towards a group of UEs via a downlink control information (DCI) message…”).
Consider claims 4, 14 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches wherein each of the first and second sensing configurations comprises one or more of reference signal information, measurement configuration and reporting configuration (see at least ¶ [0033], “…sensing information may be obtained by means of combination of the one or multiple of: i) transmission of a sensing signal, e.g., a sensing reference signal (RS), from a network or UE entity…”).
Consider claims 5, 15 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches receiving assistance information for sensing a target object (see at least ¶ [0175], “…transmits measurement request and/or measurement assistance information to the selected UE(s) 1008 and/or other gNB…”);
determining, for each sensing measurement of the set of sensing measurements, based on the assistance information, an association condition between the sensing measurement and the tracking path identifier (see at least ¶ [0182], “…the sensing measurement configuration comprises a sensing path/target description, wherein the description of the at least one sensing path is shared/similar among the DL sensing measurement at a UE and an UL sensing measurement at a gNB…”); and
in response to the association condition being met, associating the sensing measurement with the tracking path identifier (see at least ¶ [0142], “…a path is identified according to an indication of a previously measured or identified path (e.g., a reported path measurement ID) or object (an object ID) or object type …”).
Consider claims 6, 16 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches wherein the assistance information comprises a range of angle of arrival of the reference signal path, and a threshold reference signal received path power, the association condition being met if the reference signal received path power on a path corresponding to the range of arrival of the reference signal exceeds a threshold (see at least ¶ [0063], “…the radio sensing measurement procedure is not restricted to the Tx-Rx scenarios with object/reflections, and may include the direct Tx/Rx line-of-sight (LoS) measurements, e.g., the LoS time-of-flight (ToF) or the LoS Angle-of-Arrival (AoA) estimation…” and see at least ¶ [0340], “…upon reception of the reporting configuration comprising a time pattern for possible reporting occasions and at least one reporting condition (e.g., the measured RSRPP of the detected path of the first sensing signal is above an indicated threshold to the radio node) the radio node determines the closest reporting occasion to the time instance that the satisfaction of the said one or more conditions are determined…”).
Consider claims 7, 17 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches in response to the association condition being met, reporting the sensing measurement of the reference signal path to a wireless network (see at least ¶ [0186], “…the path associated with the sensing target is detected by the UE based on the description of the target and/or the criteria/condition of the path parameters (e.g., a condition on the RSRPP of the path, AoA/ZoA of the path) received from the SF or the serving gNB of the sensing task…”).
Consider claims 8, 18 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches in response to the association condition not being met, determining a no association event, and terminating the performing of the set of sensing measurements in response to the number of no association events exceeding a threshold (see at least ¶ [0184], Table 1, “…reported by the UE and may include, e.g., an RSRPP value above a threshold, AoA/ZoA angular range of path reception by the UE according to a global or a known/local coordinate system by the UE, Relative path measurement description/configuration: description of a requested path measurement relative to a previously conducted/known measurement at the UE (e.g., difference of RSRPP of the path associated with a sensing target to a measurement reading at an earlier measurement instance of the same path, detecting a path within an indicated delay/doppler/angle range based on the measured RSRPP exceeds (is lower than) a corresponding RSRPP with an indicated threshold of a previous measurement instance…”).
Consider claims 9, 19 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches wherein the assistance information comprises one or more reference locations of a sensing object, at least some of the sensing measurements of the set of sensing measurements of the reference signal path being based on the reference locations (see at least ¶ [0138], “…a path is identified according to the propagation path direction, e.g., reflection point position information according to a known coordinate system or location reference by the node or angular information … according to a known coordinate system at the sensing node or according to a known reference direction at the sensing node…”).
Consider claims 10, 20 (depends on at least claims 1, 11), Taghizadeh discloses the limitations of claims 1, 11 as applied to claim rejection 1, 11 above and further discloses:
Taghizadeh teaches wherein the activation command further comprises tracking window information, the method further comprising terminating the performing of the set of sensing measurements in response to the expiry of the tracking window (see at least ¶ [0204], “…the controlling/configuring UE the sensing operation among multiple UEs (e.g., when the one or multiple of the UEs are out of network coverage) sensing signal transmission, reception, measurement, reporting a message contained in physical SL data/control channel…” and also see at least Table 6, “…target class/path group/label associated with a measurement TRP-j to TRP-i RSRPP, AoA, AOD, ZoA, ZoD, doppler shift of a detected path between TRP j and TRP i (e.g., according to an indicated condition, or association to a sensing target) If a reported measurement does not correspond to an explicitly configured resource ID, the resources/time-instance/time-window at which a measurement is generated…”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG A NGO whose telephone number is (571)270-7264. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday from 5:30AM-3:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony S Addy can be reached at (571) 272-7795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUONG A NGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645