DETAILED ACTION
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The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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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.
Claim(s) 1, 7-9 and 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2024/0179640, “Liu”) in view of Khoshnevisan et al. (US 2020/0186304, “Khoshnevisan”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Liu unless otherwise mentioned.
Liu comprises the following features:
With respect to independent claims:
Regarding claim 1, a power headroom (PH) reporting method performed by a terminal device,
wherein the terminal device has a first panel and a second panel ([0075 and Fig. 4] “FIG. 4 illustrates a multi-TRP scenario in FR2, where a multi-panel UE is served by two TRPs (e.g. TRP #1 and TRP #2) of a serving cell in a same carrier. The serving cell is configured with two SRS resource sets used both for codebook based UL transmission or both for non-codebook based UL transmission. The UE is equipped with multiple panels and two (e.g. panel #1 and panel #2) out of the multiple panels are activated.”), the first panel and the second panel are capable of simultaneous uplink transmission in a first time unit ([0075 and Fig. 4] “Each activated panel can be used for DL reception as well as UL transmission for a certain TRP.” “Simultaneous uplink transmission” will be discussed in view of Khoshnevisan.), the uplink transmission of the first panel in the first time unit is intended for a first transmission and reception point (TRP) and/or a second TRP (See Fig. 4 for Panel #1 to TRP #1 for PUSCH transmission #1.), the uplink transmission of the second panel in a first time unit is intended for the first TRP and/or the second TRP (See Fig. 4 for Panel #2 to TRP #2 for PUSCH transmission #2.), and the method comprises:
calculating a first PH according to a first transmission power and a maximum transmission power of the terminal device, and calculating a second PH according to the maximum transmission power and a second transmission power ([0077] “the UE may use different transmit powers determined by different power control parameter sets for the transmission of PUSCH transmission #1 from panel #1 to TRP #1 and for the transmission of PUSCH transmission #2 from panel #2 to TRP #2. Therefore, the UE may have different PH values for different activated panels. For example, the UE has a PH value (e.g. PH value 1) for panel #1 (i.e. for the radio link between panel #1 and TRP #1), and has another PH value (e.g. PH value 2) for panel #2 (i.e. for the radio link between panel #2 and TRP #2).” See Fig. 3 for a maximum TX power.); and
sending control signaling, wherein the control signaling contains the first PH and the second PH ([0117] “one or two PH values (corresponding to one or two TRPs of a serving cell) may be reported for the serving cell if independent power control is configured for different panel-TRP links. The PHR MAC CE (Single Entry PHR MAC CE or Multiple Entry PHR MAC CE) is necessary to be enhanced to support reporting two PH values for one serving cell.”).
It is noted that while disclosing a multi-panel UE transmitting PUSCH, Liu does not specifically teach about concurrent transmission. It, however, had been known in the art before the effective date of the instant application as shown by Khoshnevisan as follows;
the first panel and the second panel are capable of simultaneous uplink transmission in a first time unit ([Khoshnevisan, 0092] “the UE 115-a may use two antenna panels for concurrent uplink transmissions”. Khoshnevisan teaches concurrent uplink transmission of multiple panels/TRPs, and a POSITA would understand that concurrence to occur within the same transmission occasion/slot/time unit.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify Liu by using the features of Khoshnevisan in order to provide enhanced capacity and reliability such that “Efficient techniques for communications between a UE and multiple TRPs that can accommodate ideal and non-ideal backhaul connections” [Khoshnevisa, 0004].
Regarding claim 15, it is a terminal claim corresponding to the method claim 1, except the limitations, “a transceiver; a processor; and a memory storing computer program codes which, when executed by the processor” (See Fig. 9, and [0146] “Referring to FIG. 9, the UE (i.e. the remote unit) includes a processor, a memory, and a transceiver. The processor implements a function, a process, and/or a method”), and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
With respect to dependent claims:
Regarding claim 7, the method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission power is an actual transmission power or a virtual transmission power, and the second transmission power is the actual transmission power or the virtual transmission power ([0129] “The V field set to 0 indicates real PUSCH or PUCCH or SRS transmission and the V field set to 1 indicates that a PUSCH or PUCCH or SRS reference format is used for Type 1 or Type 2 or Type 3 PH.”).
Regarding claim 8, the method of claim 1,further comprising: determining, according to a transmission state between the first panel or the second panel and the first TRP or the second TRP, that the first transmission power is an actual transmission power or a virtual transmission power and the second transmission power is the actual transmission power or the virtual transmission power ([0077] “Independent power controls (i.e. per TRP power control) for each of the panel-TRP radio links are maintained by the UE. It means that the UE may use different transmit powers determined by different power control parameter sets for the transmission of PUSCH transmission #1 from panel #1 to TRP #1 and for the transmission of PUSCH transmission #2 from panel #2 to TRP #2. Therefore, the UE may have different PH values for different activated panels.”).
Regarding claim 9, the method of claim 1,
wherein the control signaling is a media access control-control element (MAC-CE), wherein the MAC-CE contains two PH reports (PHRs), one of the two PHRs contains the first PH, and the other one of the two PHRs contains the second PH; or the MAC-CE contains one PHR, and the one PHR contains the first PH and the second PH ([0119] “Compared with legacy Single Entry PHR MAC CE illustrated in FIG. 1, additional T.sub.i field is introduced. In addition, up to two PH values (i.e. one or two PH values) can be reported for the PCell. The following fields are included in the Single Entry PHR MAC CE according to present disclosure:”, and [0120] “T.sub.i (i is from 0 to 1): This field indicates the present of the PH field for the i.sup.th panel-TRP link. The T.sub.ifield set to 1 indicates that a PH field for the i.sup.th panel-TRP link of the PCell is reported. The T.sub.ifield set to 0 indicates that a PH field for the i.sup.th panel-TRP link of the PCell is not reported.”).
Claim(s) 2-5 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2024/0179640, “Liu”) in view of Khoshnevisan et al. (US 2020/0186304, “Khoshnevisan”) and further in view of Huang et al. (US 2022/0225247, “Huang”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Liu unless otherwise mentioned.
Regarding claim 2, it is noted that while disclosing a multi-panel UE transmitting PUSCH, Liu does not specifically teach about two different transmission powers. It, however, had been known in the art before the effective date of the instant application as shown by Huang as follows;
the method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission power is a transmission power of a panel p for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit, and the second transmission power is a transmission power of the panel p for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit, wherein the panel p is the first panel or the second panel ([Huang, 0281] “a UE derives one or more PH (power headroom)/PHR (power headroom report) for one serving cell, at step 1002. The one or more PHR comprises a first PHR and a second PHR, at step 1004. The one or more PHR corresponds to one or more TRPs in the one serving cell or the one carrier, at step 1006. The first PHR corresponds to the first TRP in the one serving cell or the one carrier, and the second PHR corresponds to the second TRP in the one serving cell or the one carrier, at step 1008.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify Liu by using the features of Huang in order to improve network’s performances on power control on multiple TRPs such that “a device/UE is configured with a list of pairs of P0 and alpha for an uplink Bandwidth Part (BWP) of a first serving cell with multiple (TRPs) comprising at least a first TRP and a second TRP” [Huang, 0007].
Regarding claim 4, the method of claim 2, wherein
the panel p has a minimum or maximum panel identifier ([Huang, 0513] “the first specific SRS resource set is SRS resource set with lowest ID and with the one parameter indicative of the first TRP in the first set of SRS resource set.” Par. 0083 of the instant application defines “panel identifier” as ‘the panel identifier may be panel ID, or the panel can be identified through a beam ID or an SRS resource set ID’.); or
the panel p is a panel corresponding to a maximum or minimum transmission power for physical channel transmission to the first TRP; or the panel p is a panel corresponding to a maximum or minimum transmission power for physical channel transmission to the second TRP (These alternatives are not examined.).
Regarding claim 5, the method of claim 2, wherein the panel p is a specified panel ([Huang, 0018] “FIG. 11 is a diagram showing code-point indicated by SRI field in DCI format 0_1/0_2 can associate to one or more SRI-PUSCH-PowerControl_xi, wherein xi is index of SRI-PUSCH-PowerControl(_xi)”).
Regarding claim 3, the method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission power is a transmission power of a panel p for uplink sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit, and the second transmission power is a transmission power of the panel p for uplink SRS transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit, wherein the panel p is the first panel or the second panel (See [Huang, 0199-0207] for power control formulas that explicitly compute SRS transmission power per resource set with TRP-specific path loss reference RS and P0 parameters, meaning a single UE panel transmitting SRS to two different SRS resource sets (each tied to a different TRP) produce two distinct transmission powers.).
The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of Huang are the same as for claim 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 6 and 22 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The claims contain the following underlined features which, when combined with other features of the claim, prior art of record failed to anticipate or render obvious before the effective filing date of the instant application was filed:
6. The method of claim 1, wherein
the first transmission power is a sum of a transmission power of the first panel for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit and a transmission power of the first panel for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit, and
the second transmission power is a sum of a transmission power of the second panel for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit and a transmission power of the second panel for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit.
As claim 6 recites, the closest prior art of record includes Liu, Huang, Khoshnevisan, each of which discloses power headroom (PH) reporting mechanisms for multi-panel and/or multi-TRP uplink transmission. However these reference consistently calculate PH on a power-transmission-occasion, per-TRP, or per-SRS-resource-set basis, maintaining separate and independent PH values for two different TRPs in to a composite value. A supplemental search directed specifically to per-panel power summation across multiple TRPs did not identify any reference disclosing or suggesting this specific aggregation technique in the context of PH calculation.
22. The method of claim 1, wherein
the first transmission power is a sum of a transmission power of the first panel for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit and a transmission power of the second panel for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit, and
the second transmission power is a sum of a transmission power of the first panel for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit and a transmission power of the second panel for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit.
The limitations recited in claim 22 are similar to claim 6, but differs in that summation is performed across two panels for a common TRP, rather than across two TRPs for a common panel. The prior art of record does not disclose aggregating the transmission powers of two distinct panels directed to the same TRP into a single value used to calculate a power headroom for reporting.
Reasons for Allowance
Claims 10-14 and 23-25 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 10, the claimed invention discloses a PH reporting method performed by a terminal device with a first panel and second panel capable of simultaneous uplink transmission in a first time unit to a first TRP or a second TRP. The claimed invention calculates PH values relative to per panel maximum transmission powers – each panel gets its own reference maximum power for PH calculations. It requires first PH, second PH, third PH, and fourth PH.
First PH is calculated from a first transmission power (panel 1’s power to TRP1) and panel 1’s maximum transmission power.
Second PH is calculated from a second transmission power (panel 1’s power to TRP2) and panel 1’s maximum transmission power.
Third PH is calculated from a third transmission power (panel 2’s power to TRP1) and panel 2’s maximum transmission power.
Fourth PH is calculated from a fourth transmission power (panel 2’s power to TRP2) and panel 2’s maximum transmission power.
The claimed invention contains the following underlined features which, when combined with other features of the claim, prior art of record failed to anticipate or render obvious at the time of instant invention was filed:
10. A power headroom (PH) reporting method performed by to a terminal device,
wherein the terminal device has a first panel and a second panel, the first panel and the second panel are capable of simultaneous uplink transmission in a first time unit, the uplink transmission of the first panel in the first time unit is intended for a first transmission and reception point (TRP) and/or a second TRP, the uplink transmission of the second panel in the first time unit is intended for the first TRP and/or the second TRP, and
the method comprises:
calculating a first PH according to a first transmission power and a maximum transmission power of the first panel, and calculating a second PH according to a second transmission power and the maximum transmission power of the first panel,
wherein the first transmission power is a transmission power of the first panel for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit, and the second transmission power is a transmission power of the first panel for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit;
calculating a third PH according to a third transmission power and a maximum transmission power of the second panel, and calculating a fourth PH according to a fourth transmission power and the maximum transmission power of the second panel,
wherein the third transmission power is a transmission power of the second panel for physical channel transmission to the first TRP in the first time unit, and the fourth transmission power is a transmission power of the second panel for physical channel transmission to the second TRP in the first time unit; and sending control signaling, wherein the control signaling contains the first PH, the second PH, the third PH, and the fourth PH.
Regarding claims 11-14 and 23-25, these claims depend from claim 10 and thus are allowed for the same reason stated above for claim 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Harry H. Kim whose telephone number and email address are as follows; 571-272-5009, harry.kim2@uspto.gov.
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/HARRY H KIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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