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 .
Examiner’s Note
Claim 5 heaving feature of “a delay window for FD basis selection; and the CSI reports …for reporting the delay window for FD basis selection.
Here, claim 5 depends on claim 1, and claim 1 having feature at least one of:
a spatial domain SD basis selection,
a frequency domain FD basis selection or
a delay window for FD basis selection.
In rejection of claim 1, the examiner had not rejected a delay window for FD basis selection, accordingly claim 5 does not need any rejection.
Similar condition applies for claims 11 and 21.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
Claims 3, 9 and 19 having phrase, “the shared delay window” fails to provide antecedent basis.
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.
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.
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.
Claims 1 – 12 and 17 – 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Bhat US PGPub: US 2022/0231740 A1 Jul. 21, 2022 and in view of
Ahmed US PGPub: US 2025/0226865 A1 Jul. 10, 2025
Regarding claims 1, 17, Bhat discloses,
an apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment UE and a method of wireless communication by a user equipment UE (UE 211, 302 – Figs. 2/211, 3/302. A method of downlink channel state information DL CSI measurement and reporting is proposed in FR1 frequency division duplex FDD systems. CSI reference signal CSI-RS is directed towards dominant spatial domain SD, beam and frequency domain FD, delay components in the propagation environment. By partial channel reciprocity, angles and delays in the DL channel can be obtained by UL channel measurement. UE only needs to measure and feedback the DL CSI corresponding to the dominant angles and delays – ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006, 0007), comprising:
at least one memory comprising computer-executable instructions ((memory 212 – Fig. 2/212); and
one or more processors configured to execute the computer-executable instructions (processor 213 – Fig. 2/213) and cause the UE to:
receive configuration information indicating resources associated with one or more subsets of transmission reception point TRP (BS 301 precodes – i.e., pre-compensates, CSI-RS by the joint transformation vectors of antenna-to-beam domain and frequency-to-delay domain. BS 301 transmits the beamformed CSI-RS in the downlink to UE 302. It is seen that the BS 301 has estimated L dominant beams and M dominant delays and used them for CSI-RS precoding – Fig. 3/313, paragraph 0031),
wherein TRP of a given subset share at least one of:
a spatial domain SD basis selection (spatial domain SD – paragraphs 0006, 0019 – 0021, 0031. A first embodiment of channel reconstruction using the channel estimated on a few beamformed CSI-RS and signaled delay tap indices – Figs. 4, 5, paragraphs 0012, 0013. The gNB uses angle spatial domain, SD and delay frequency domain, FD reciprocity in the channel to derive the beamforming matrix W.sub.D – paragraph 0019. BS 301 precodes – i.e., pre-compensates CSI-RS by the joint transformation vectors of antenna-to-beam domain and frequency-to-delay domain – paragraph 0031),
a frequency domain FD basis selection (frequency domain FD – paragraphs 0006, 0007, 0017, 0031. A first embodiment of channel reconstruction using the channel estimated on a few beamformed CSI-RS and signaled delay tap indices – Figs. 4, 5, paragraphs 0012, 0013. The gNB uses angle spatial domain, SD and delay frequency domain, FD reciprocity in the channel to derive the beamforming matrix W.sub.D – paragraph 0019. BS 301 precodes – i.e., pre-compensates CSI-RS by the joint transformation vectors of antenna-to-beam domain and frequency-to-delay domain – paragraph 0031), or
a delay window for FD basis selection;
measure channel state information CSI reference signals CSI-RSs from the one or more subsets of TRPs (UE 302 measures the precoded CSI-RS and estimates the effective DL channel H – Fig. 3/321, paragraph 0032); and
transmit a CSI report indicating at least one of the one or more subsets of TRPs in accordance with the configuration information (UE 302 reports the channel state information in the beam-delay domain back to BS 301 – Fig. 3/322, paragraph 0033),
but, does not disclose, plurality of TRPs.
Ahmed teaches, port-group specific precoding parameters for CJT with M-TRP, where a terminal device includes means for: receiving, from a network device, a port group configuration indicating at least two groups of antenna ports in a channel state information reference signal, CSI-RS, resource set including one or more CSI-RS resources, the at least two CSI-RS port groups being associated with at least two respective transmission reception points, TRPs, using coherent joint transmission, CJT, for downlink, DL, communication; receiving the one or more CSI-RS resources from the at least two TRPs having antenna ports belonging to the at least two respective CSI-RS port groups; determining, based on the one or more received CSI-RS resources, precoding parameters for DL precoding by the at least two respective TRPs, wherein said determining includes a separate determination of at least two port group-specific sets of precoding parameters specific to the at least two respective CSI-RS port groups ABSTRACT, Figs. 1,2 ,4, paragraphs 0003 – 0005, 0024, 0025).
A bitmap B may be reported to indicate the position of the non-zero coefficients of W.sub.2 (paragraphs 0135, 0139, 0143).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of downlink channel state information DL CSI measurement and reporting is proposed in FR1 frequency division duplex FDD systems (Bhat, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006, 0007), wherein the system of Bhat, would have incorporated, port-group specific precoding parameters for CJT with M-TRP (Ahmed, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1,2 ,4, paragraphs 0003 – 0005, 0024, 0025, 0135) for the problem of improving channel estimation and reporting for CJT with M-TRPs (Ahmed, paragraph 0002).
Regarding claims 2, 8, 18, 24, Bhat discloses all the claimed features,
but, does not disclose, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more subsets of TRPs comprise subsets of a set of all coherent joint transmission CJT TRPs.
Ahmed teaches, port-group specific precoding parameters for CJT with M-TRP, where a terminal device includes means for: receiving, from a network device, a port group configuration indicating at least two groups of antenna ports in a channel state information reference signal, CSI-RS, resource set including one or more CSI-RS resources, the at least two CSI-RS port groups being associated with at least two respective transmission reception points, TRPs, using coherent joint transmission, CJT, for downlink, DL, communication; receiving the one or more CSI-RS resources from the at least two TRPs having antenna ports belonging to the at least two respective CSI-RS port groups; determining, based on the one or more received CSI-RS resources, precoding parameters for DL precoding by the at least two respective TRPs, wherein said determining includes a separate determination of at least two port group-specific sets of precoding parameters specific to the at least two respective CSI-RS port groups ABSTRACT, Figs. 1,2 ,4, paragraphs 0003 – 0005, 0024, 0025).
A bitmap B may be reported to indicate the position of the non-zero coefficients of W.sub.2 (paragraphs 0135, 0139, 0143).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of downlink channel state information DL CSI measurement and reporting is proposed in FR1 frequency division duplex FDD systems (Bhat, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006, 0007), wherein the system of Bhat, would have incorporated, port-group specific precoding parameters for CJT with M-TRP (Ahmed, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1,2 ,4, paragraphs 0003 – 0005, 0024, 0025, 0135) for the problem of improving channel estimation and reporting for CJT with M-TRPs (Ahmed, paragraph 0002).
Regarding claims 3, 9, 19, Bhat discloses,
apparatus of claim 1, wherein the shared delay window is determined based on whether a number of precoding matrix indicator PMI subbands is greater than a threshold value (the feedback is in terms of a precoder matrix i.e., precoding matrix indicator, PMI in the beam-delay domain. UE measures and reports CSI PMI, channel quality indicator CQI, for example, for subsets of the signaling bandwidth of the DL channel – paragraph 0006, 0007, 0021, 0023).
Regarding claims 4, 10, 20, Bhat discloses,
the apparatus of claim 3, wherein the configuration information indicates the threshold value (the estimated CSI comprises a rank indicator RI, a precoding matrix indicator PMI, and a channel quality indicator CQI – paragraphs 0007, 0032, 0050, 0052).
Regarding claims 5, 11, 21, Bhat discloses,
the apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the one or more subsets include at least two subsets that share a delay window for FD basis selection; and the CSI report includes at least two fields, wherein the at least two fields allocate different numbers of bits for reporting the delay window for FD basis selection.
Examiner’s Note
Claim 5 heaving feature of “a delay window for FD basis selection; and the CSI reports …for reporting the delay window for FD basis selection.
Here, claim 5 depends on claim 1, and claim 1 having feature at least one of:
a spatial domain SD basis selection,
a frequency domain FD basis selection or
a delay window for FD basis selection.
In rejection of claim 1, the examiner had not rejected a delay window for FD basis selection, accordingly claim 5 does not need any rejection.
Similar condition applies for claims 11 and 21.
Regarding claims 6, 12, 22, Bhat discloses,
the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configuration information indicates a non-zero coefficient associated with a subset of TRPs is limited within a corresponding subset of columns of a coefficient matrix (In multiple-input and multiple-output MIMO system with N.sub.T transmitter antennas and N.sub.R receiver antennas, the input-output relationship can be described as y=HWx+n, where y, x, n are the vectors of the received symbols, the transmitted symbols, and noise, H is the N.sub.RxN.sub.T matrix of channel coefficients, and W is the precoding matrix – paragraphs 0019, 0041, 0042. Base station can use the number of non-zero bits in the 5G NR RRC parameter “csi-ReportingBand” field – i.e., denote this number by N.sub.C, to compute the FD basis vectors – Fig. 6, paragraph 0044).
Regarding claims 7, 23, Bhat discloses,
an apparatus for wireless communication by a network entity and a method of wireless communication by a network entity (a base station 201, 301 – Figs. 2/201, 3/301. A method of downlink channel state information DL CSI measurement and reporting is proposed in FR1 frequency division duplex FDD systems. CSI reference signal CSI-RS is directed towards dominant spatial domain SD, beam and frequency domain FD, delay components in the propagation environment. By partial channel reciprocity, angles and delays in the DL channel can be obtained by UL channel measurement. UE only needs to measure and feedback the DL CSI corresponding to the dominant angles and delays – ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006, 0007):
at least one memory comprising computer-executable instructions (memory 212 – Fig. 2/202); and
one or more processors configured to execute the computer-executable instructions (processor 203 – Fig. 2/203) and cause the network entity to:
transmit configuration information indicating resources associated with one or more subsets of transmission reception point TRP (BS 301 precodes – i.e., pre-compensates, CSI-RS by the joint transformation vectors of antenna-to-beam domain and frequency-to-delay domain. BS 301 transmits the beamformed CSI-RS in the downlink to UE 302. It is seen that the BS 301 has estimated L dominant beams and M dominant delays and used them for CSI-RS precoding – Fig. 3/313, paragraph 0031),
wherein TRP of a given subset share at least one of:
a spatial domain SD basis selection (spatial domain SD – paragraphs 0006, 0019 – 0021, 0031. A first embodiment of channel reconstruction using the channel estimated on a few beamformed CSI-RS and signaled delay tap indices – Figs. 4, 5, paragraphs 0012, 0013. The gNB uses angle spatial domain, SD and delay frequency domain, FD reciprocity in the channel to derive the beamforming matrix W.sub.D – paragraph 0019. BS 301 precodes – i.e., pre-compensates CSI-RS by the joint transformation vectors of antenna-to-beam domain and frequency-to-delay domain – paragraph 0031),
a frequency domain FD basis selection (frequency domain FD – paragraphs 0006, 0007, 0017, 0031. A first embodiment of channel reconstruction using the channel estimated on a few beamformed CSI-RS and signaled delay tap indices – Figs. 4, 5, paragraphs 0012, 0013. The gNB uses angle spatial domain, SD and delay frequency domain, FD reciprocity in the channel to derive the beamforming matrix W.sub.D – paragraph 0019. BS 301 precodes – i.e., pre-compensates CSI-RS by the joint transformation vectors of antenna-to-beam domain and frequency-to-delay domain – paragraph 0031), or
a delay window for FD basis selection; and
receive a CSI report with CSI measurements taken by a user equipment UE in accordance with the configuration (UE 302 reports the channel state information in the beam-delay domain back to BS 301 – Fig. 3/322, paragraph 0033),
but, does not disclose, plurality of TRPs.
Ahmed teaches, port-group specific precoding parameters for CJT with M-TRP, where a terminal device includes means for: receiving, from a network device, a port group configuration indicating at least two groups of antenna ports in a channel state information reference signal, CSI-RS, resource set including one or more CSI-RS resources, the at least two CSI-RS port groups being associated with at least two respective transmission reception points, TRPs, using coherent joint transmission, CJT, for downlink, DL, communication; receiving the one or more CSI-RS resources from the at least two TRPs having antenna ports belonging to the at least two respective CSI-RS port groups; determining, based on the one or more received CSI-RS resources, precoding parameters for DL precoding by the at least two respective TRPs, wherein said determining includes a separate determination of at least two port group-specific sets of precoding parameters specific to the at least two respective CSI-RS port groups ABSTRACT, Figs. 1,2 ,4, paragraphs 0003 – 0005, 0024, 0025).
A bitmap B may be reported to indicate the position of the non-zero coefficients of W.sub.2 (paragraphs 0135, 0139, 0143).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of downlink channel state information DL CSI measurement and reporting is proposed in FR1 frequency division duplex FDD systems (Bhat, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006, 0007), wherein the system of Bhat, would have incorporated, port-group specific precoding parameters for CJT with M-TRP (Ahmed, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1,2 ,4, paragraphs 0003 – 0005, 0024, 0025, 0135) for the problem of improving channel estimation and reporting for CJT with M-TRPs (Ahmed, paragraph 0002).
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicants disclosure.
Park US PGPub: US 2022/0029682 A1 Jan. 27, 2022.
Method and apparatus for reporting channel state information for network cooperative communication. A communication technique for merging, with IoT technology, a 5G communication system or supporting a data transmission rate higher than that of a 4G system; and a system therefor is provided. The disclosure can be applied to intelligent services (for example, smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car or connected car, healthcare, digital education, retail, security, and safety-related services, and the like) on the basis of 5G communication technology and IoT-related technology.
Rahman US PGPub: US 2018/0145737 A1 May 24, 2018.
A method of user equipment (UE) for channel state information (CSI) feedback in a wireless communication system. The method comprises receiving, from a base station (BS), CSI feedback configuration information for a pre-coding matrix indicator (PMI) feedback indicating a linear combination (LC) pre-coding matrix that corresponds to a linear combination of a plurality of L beams and a plurality of coefficients, determining the first PMI (i.sub.1) and the second PMI (i.sub.2), and transmitting, to the BS, the CSI feedback including the first PMI (i.sub.1) and the second PMI (i.sub.2) over an uplink channel.
Muruganathan US PGPub: US 2024/0364400 A1 Oct. 31, 2024.
Frequency domain CSI compression for coherent joint transmission, where a method performed by a user equipment (UE) comprises receiving information that configures the UE with: (a) Non-Zero Power (NZP) Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) resources for channel measurement each associated with a different Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state or unified TCI state, (b) a single NZP CSI-RS resource for channel measurement comprising multiple sets of CSI-RS ports each associated with a different TCI state or unified TCI state, or both (a) and (b). The information further configures the UE with a parameter combination indicating at least a number of frequency domain (FD) basis vectors to be selected and reported per layer across the NZP CSI-RS resources or the sets of CSI-RS ports, or for each of the NZP CSI-RS resources or each of the of CSI-RS ports and a number of precoding matrix indicator (PMI) subbands. The method further comprises computing and reporting CSI accordingly.
Chou US PGPub: US PUB: US 2023/0088818 A1 Mar. 23, 2023.
A method of channel state information (CSI) report can include receiving a CSI report configuration at a user equipment (UE) from a base station. The CSI report configuration indicates CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources configured for transmitting CSI-RSs from multiple transmission and reception points (TRPs). An CSI-RS measurement process can be performed at the UE based on the CSI-RSs transmitted from the multiple TRPs using the CSI-RS resources indicated by the CSI report configuration. A CSI report can be transmitted from the UE to the base station based on the CSI report configuration. The CSI report includes information of one or more phase differences or one or more amplitude differences among the CSI-RSs transmitted from the multiple TRPs.
Hao US PGPub: US 2021/0328742 A1 Oct. 21, 2021.
Techniques for channel state information (CSI) for multiple transmission reception point (multi-TRP) transmission such as non-coherent joint transmission (NCJT), including determining subband sizes for CSI and rules for Part II CSI omission. A method that can be performed by a user equipment (UE) includes receiving a CSI report configuration. The CSI report configuration associated with one or more CSI reference signal (RS) resources, each CSI resource including a set of ports or port groups. The UE selects one or more CSI-RS resources for which to report CSI and determines a subband size for sending a CSI report based, at least in part, on payload of the CSI report. In an example method, the UE can determine whether the UE has sufficient resources for the CSI report and omit at least a portion of the CSI based on the determination.
Yerramalli US PGPub: US 2020/0028558 A1 Jan. 23, 2020.
a wireless device such as a user equipment (UE) may receive a downlink transmission from a base station over a wireless channel, select, based on the received downlink transmission, a channel state information (CSI) computation mode for the wireless channel, where the CSI computation mode is based on an effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) constraint, measure a set of one or more CSI reference signals (CSI-RSs) from the base station to obtain a CSI measurement, and transmit a CSI report to the base station based on the selected CSI computation mode and the CSI measurement.
Kim US PGPub: US 2023/0198594 A1 Jun. 22, 2023.
The method for transmitting channel state information (CSI) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, may comprise the steps of: receiving, from a base station, configuration information related to the CSI, wherein the configuration information includes information about a CSI-RS resource set; receiving a CSI-reference signal (CSI-RS) from the base station; and transmitting the CSI, to the base station, on the basis of the configuration information and the CSI-RS. The CSI-RS resource set may include M CSI-RS resource groups (M is a natural number), and the CSI may include N first CSI sets generated on the basis of a single CSI-RS resource in N mutually different CSI-RS resource groups (N≤M, N is a natural number) from among the M CSI-RS resource groups.
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/NIMESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
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