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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 9/17/24 and 8/21/25. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1 – 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 24 – 26, 49, 52 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (US Publication 2025/0080387) disclosed PCT/CN22/070762.
Regarding claims 1 and 49, Zhang teaches an apparatus and a reference signal transmission method, comprising: (fig. 1 shows a UE comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 44, 45)
generating, by a sending device, a sequence of demodulation reference signals; (fig. 8 shows transmission of a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) with a plurality of DMRS ports; see paragraphs 103, 104)
and
mapping, by the sending device, the sequence of the demodulation reference signals to time-frequency resources of the demodulation reference signals for transmission, wherein the time-frequency resources comprises time-frequency resources corresponding to a first code division multiplexing (CDM) group, the first CDM group corresponds to at most eight antenna ports, each of the at most eight antenna ports corresponds to at most four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings, wherein and antenna port weightings of a first antenna port and a second antenna port in the at most eight antenna ports are orthogonal. (i.e. fig. 8 shows mapping of DMRS to time-frequency resources corresponding to CDM port groups, see paragraphs 103 - 107)
(See Also: Table 1 showing a CDM port group comprising 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises two frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 5; paragraph 70) (see also; Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86)
Regarding claims 2, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein there is a corresponding relationship among an antenna port index corresponding to the demodulation reference signals, a CDM group subcarrier offset and antenna port weightings, and the antenna port weightings comprise four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings. (i.e. the antenna port index, the DMRS and a subcarrier offset between CDM groupings are related and indexed according to CDM port groups; see paragraphs 107 - 116) (See Also: Table 1 showing a CDM port group comprising 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises two frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 5; paragraph 70) (see also; Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86)
Regarding claims 3, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 2, wherein the eight antenna ports corresponding to the first CDM group comprise the first antenna port, the second antenna port, an third antenna port, to an eighth antenna port, and four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings respectively corresponding to the first antenna port to the eighth antenna port comprise: wherein (i.e. Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86) (see Also; Table 7; port group 1 (lambda = 0) and port group 2 (lambda = 1) correspond to the frequency and time domain weightings of table 1 and 2 as provided in the instant application; page 8; paragraph 86)
wf(k') is the frequency domain weighting, wₜ(l') is the time domain weighting, k' is a first weighting index of the demodulation reference signals, and l' is a second weighting index of the demodulation reference signals. (i.e. Table 7 shows W_f(k’) is frequency domain weighting and W_t(l’) is time domain weighting wherein k’ and l’ is the index of DMRS)
Regarding claims 4, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the first weighting index is used for determining a subcarrier position of the demodulation reference signals, and the second weighting index is used for determining a symbol position of the demodulation reference
signals. (i.e. k’ the reference point for subcarrier index and l’ is the reference point for symbol position; see paragraphs 60 - 64)
Regarding claims 6, Zhang teaches the method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 claim 3, wherein k₀ = 0, k₁ = 1, k₂ = 6, and k₃ = 7; or k₀ = 0, k₁ = 1, k₂ = 2, and k₃ = 3. (i.e. Table 7; paragraph 86; page 8 shows k0 = 0, k1 = 1, k2 = 2, k3 = 3)
Regarding claims 7, Zhang teaches the method according to any one of claim 1, wherein the time-frequency resources of the demodulation reference signals further comprise time-frequency resources corresponding to a second CDM group, the second CDM group corresponds to at most eight antenna ports, and each of the eight antenna ports corresponds to four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings. (i.e. Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86) (see Also; Table 7; port group 1 (lambda = 0) and port group 2 (lambda = 1; page 8; paragraph 86)
Regarding claims 10, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the time-frequency resources of the demodulation reference signals further comprise time-frequency resources corresponding to a second CDM group and time-frequency resources corresponding to a third CDM group, the second CDM group and the third CDM group respectively correspond to at most eight antenna ports, and each of the eight antenna ports corresponds to four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings. (i.e. Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86) (see Also; Table 7; port group 1 (lambda = 0) and port group 2 (lambda = 1and port group 3 (lambda - 2) ; page 8; paragraph 86)
Regarding claims 11, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 10, wherein the antenna ports corresponding to the first CDM group, the second CDM group and the third CDM group comprise: an index of the antenna ports corresponding to the first CDM group comprising: pb + {0,1,6,7,12,13,18,19}; an index of the antenna ports corresponding to the second CDM group comprising: pb + {2,3,8,9,14,15,20,21}; and an index of the antenna ports corresponding to the third CDM group comprising: Pb + {4,5,10,11,16,17,22,23}; (see Also; Table 7; port group 1 (lambda = 0) and port group 2 (lambda = 1and port group 3 (lambda - 2) wherein the first group (0) on port{0,1,6,7,12,13,18,19} the second group (1) on {2,3,8,9,14,15,20,21} and the third group (2) on port {4,5,10,11,16,17,22,23}; page 8; paragraph 86)
or, the antenna ports corresponding to the first CDM group, the second CDM
group and the third CDM group comprise: the index of the antenna ports corresponding to the first CDM group comprising: pb + {0,1,2,3,12,13,14,15};
the index of the antenna ports corresponding to the second CDM group comprising: Pb + {4,5,6,7,16,17,18,19}; and the index of the antenna ports corresponding to the third CDM group comprising: Pb + {8,9,10,11,20,21,22,23}, wherein when the demodulation reference signals are uplink signals, Pb = 0, and when the demodulation reference signals are downlink signals, Pb = 1000. (i.e. DMRS uplink and down link on p = 0 and 1000 respectively; see paragraphs 55, 56, 95, 96)
Regarding claims 24 and 52, Zhang teaches an apparatus and a reference signal transmission method, comprising: (fig. 1 shows a UE comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 44, 45)
receiving, by a receiving device, demodulation reference signals; (fig. 8 shows transmission of a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) with a plurality of DMRS ports; see paragraphs 103, 104)
and
sent, by a sending device on time-frequency resources of the demodulation reference signals for transmission, wherein the time-frequency resources comprises time-frequency resources corresponding to a first code division multiplexing (CDM) group, the first CDM group corresponds to at most eight antenna ports, each of the at most eight antenna ports corresponds to at most four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings, wherein and antenna port weightings of a first antenna port and a second antenna port in the at most eight antenna ports are orthogonal. (i.e. fig. 8 shows mapping of DMRS to time-frequency resources corresponding to CDM port groups, see paragraphs 103 - 107)
(See Also: Table 1 showing a CDM port group comprising 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises two frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 5; paragraph 70) (see also; Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86)
Regarding claims 25, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 24, wherein there is a corresponding relationship among an antenna port index corresponding to the demodulation reference signals, a CDM group subcarrier offset and antenna port weightings, and the antenna port weightings comprise four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings. (i.e. the antenna port index, the DMRS and a subcarrier offset between CDM groupings are related and indexed according to CDM port groups; see paragraphs 107 - 116) (See Also: Table 1 showing a CDM port group comprising 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises two frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 5; paragraph 70) (see also; Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86)
Regarding claims 26, Zhang teaches the method according to claim 25, wherein the eight antenna ports corresponding to the first CDM group comprise the first antenna port, the second antenna port, an third antenna port, to an eighth antenna port, and four frequency domain weightings and at most two time domain weightings respectively corresponding to the first antenna port to the eighth antenna port comprise: wherein (i.e. Table 7 showing 3 CDM port groups wherein each port group comprises 8 antenna ports, wherein each port comprises four frequency domain weightings and two time domain weightings each being orthogonal to each port; see page 8, paragraph 86) (see Also; Table 7; port group 1 (lambda = 0) and port group 2 (lambda = 1) correspond to the frequency and time domain weightings of table 1 and 2 as provided in the instant application; page 8; paragraph 86)
wf(k') is the frequency domain weighting, wₜ(l') is the time domain weighting, k' is a first weighting index of the demodulation reference signals, and l' is a second weighting index of the demodulation reference signals. (i.e. Table 7 shows W_f(k’) is frequency domain weighting and W_t(l’) is time domain weighting wherein k’ and l’ is the index of DMRS)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 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.
Claim 8 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.
Claim 9 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.
Claim 12 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.
Claim 13 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.
Claim 14 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.
Claim 15 objected to as being dependent upon a objected claim that would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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ROBERT J. LOPATA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/ROBERT J LOPATA/
August 25, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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