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
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-11, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 7, 18, it is not clear what i1,7,l, i2,4,l, i2,5,l with higher priority for group 1, i1,7,l, i2,4,l, i2,5,l with lower priority for group 2 as cited in the claim. The applicant must define what the “i” and the three lower subscripts stand for and why three ‘i” group.
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) 1-6, 12, 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by WEI et al. (US 2025/0211378 A1), hereinafter WEI.
Regarding claim 1, WEI discloses an apparatus (a user equipment (UE), see 0006) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the apparatus to:
receive a configuration signaling for one or more Channel State Information (CSI) reports for coherent joint transmission (CJT) with a plurality of transmitting-receiving identities (determining that a quantity of resources allocated for channel state information (CSI) reporting via the PUSCH is insufficient for transmitting a CSI report for a CJT associated with a group of TRPs, see ¶ 0006);
determine a portion of the CSI reports that is to be omitted in transmission based on a CSI omission scheme (prioritizing the group of CSI components based on a TRP priority rule. The method also includes omitting one or more CSI components from the prioritized group of CSI components based on determining the quantity of resources is insufficient, see ¶ 0006); and
transmit the CSI reports with the portion being omitted (transmitting, to one or more TRPs, the CSI report comprising remaining CSI components of the group of CSI components based on omitting the one or more CSI components, see ¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 2, WEI discloses the CSI omission scheme comprises a plurality of priority reporting levels for CSI bits on the transmitting-receiving identities; the portion of the CSI reports to be omitted being determined based on the priority reporting levels (omitting one or more CSI components from the prioritized group of CSI components based on determining the quantity of resources is insufficient. The method further includes transmitting, to one or more TRPs, the CSI report comprising remaining CSI components of the group of CSI components based on omitting the one or more CSI components, see ¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 3, WEI discloses the CSI bits on one priority reporting level comprise group 1 bits or group 2 bits of a CSI report for one transmitting-receiving identity (some CSI reports, such as an eType II CSI report, CSI components are partitioned into groups and the groups are prioritized in descending order. That is, CSI parameters (e.g., UCI parameters), or individual bits of CSI parameters, in CSI Part 2 may be grouped into two or more CSI omission groups. Each group has a certain priority level and CSI parameters of the different groups are omitted according to the priority level of the group as part of the CSI omission procedure, see ¶ 0070).
Regarding claim 4, WEI discloses the priority reporting levels are sorted as an ordered list of group 1 bits for each one of the transmitting-receiving identities, followed by an ordered list of group 2 bits for each one of the transmitting-receiving identities; or wherein the priority reporting levels are sorted as an ordered list of group 1 bits and group 2 bits for a first one of the transmitting-receiving identities, followed by an ordered list of group 1 bits and group 2 bits for each subsequent one of the transmitting-receiving identities (the CSI components associated with the highest priority group (e.g., group 0) may be omitted last and the CSI components associated with the lowest priority components may be omitted first. In such examples, an entire group, such as each CSI component associated with group 2, may be omitted during a process for omitting CSI components, see ¶ 0072).
Regarding claim 5, WEI discloses the CSI bits on priority reporting level 0 comprise group 0 bits from all CSI reports for transmission; and the priority reporting level 0 includes group 0 bits for all transmitting-receiving identities that are cooperative for CJT; and the transmitting-receiving identities cooperative for CJT are configured or UE selected (the CSI components associated with the highest priority group (e.g., group 0) may be omitted last and the CSI components associated with the lowest priority components may be omitted first, see ¶ 0072).
Regarding claim 6, WEI discloses the CSI bits on one priority reporting level comprise group 1 bits or group 2 bits of CSI report for one transmitting-receiving identity; wherein co-phasing or co-amplitude bits are included in group 1 bits or group 2 bits (the groups are prioritized in descending order and include a high priority group (shown as group 1) and a low priority group (shown as group 2). Although not shown in FIG. 6, a highest priority group (group 0) may include an SD basis and SCI, similar to group 0 shown in FIG. 4…. In the example 600 of FIG. 6, the one or more first CSI components include a frequency domain (FD) basis associated with TRPs in the first TRP set, a reference inter-TRP co-amplitude associated with TRPs in the first TRP set, a first half of non-zero coefficients (NZCs) associated with the first TRP set, and a first half of NZC selection bits associated with the first TRP, see ¶ 0082); or wherein the CSI bits on one priority reporting level comprise group 3 bits; the priority reporting levels comprise additional levels defined for group 3 bits following group 2 bits; and co-phasing or co-amplitude bits are included in group 3 bits.
Regarding claim 12, WEI inherently discloses the CSI reports are configured with a restriction that a CSI report with larger index (ID) is configured for CJT, and a CSI report with lower ID is configured for transmission with a single transmitting-receiving identity, or that a CSI report with larger index (ID) is configured for higher order CJT, and a CSI report with lower ID is configured for lower order CJT (inherent feature: each of the TRPs (TRP 0…N) have unique (ID) and arranged in pecking order (see figure 6), determining that a quantity of resources allocated for channel state information (CSI) reporting via the PUSCH is insufficient for transmitting a CSI report for a CJT associated with a group of TRPs. Each TRP of the group of TRPs may be associated with a set of CSI components from a number of CSI components of the CSI report. The method still further includes prioritizing the group of CSI components based on a TRP priority rule, see ¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 14, WEI discloses an apparatus (network node, see ¶ 0013) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory, and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the apparatus to:
transmit a configuration signaling for one or more Channel State Information (CSI) reports for coherent joint transmission (CJT) with a plurality of transmitting-receiving identities (transmitting one or more CSI-RSs associated with a CJT for a group of TRPs, the network node is one TRP of the group of TRPs, see ¶ 0010);
determine a portion of the CSI reports that is to be omitted in transmission based on a CSI omission scheme (determining that a quantity of resources allocated for CSI reporting via the PUSCH was insufficient for the CSI report. The method further includes determining one or more CSI components from a prioritized group of CSI components were omitted from the CSI report based on determining the quantity of resources was insufficient, the group of CSI components being prioritized based on a TRP priority rule, see ¶ 0010); and
receive the CSI reports with the portion being omitted (receiving, at one or more TRPs, the CSI report comprising remaining CSI components of the group of CSI components based on omitting the one or more CSI components, see ¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 15, WEI discloses a method, comprising:
receiving a configuration signaling for one or more Channel State Information (CSI) reports for coherent joint transmission (CJT) with a plurality of transmitting-receiving identities (determining that a quantity of resources allocated for channel state information (CSI) reporting via the PUSCH is insufficient for transmitting a CSI report for a CJT associated with a group of TRPs, see ¶ 0006);
determining a portion of the CSI reports that is to be omitted in transmission based on a CSI omission scheme (prioritizing the group of CSI components based on a TRP priority rule. The method also includes omitting one or more CSI components from the prioritized group of CSI components based on determining the quantity of resources is insufficient, see ¶ 0006); and
transmitting the CSI reports with the portion being omitted (transmitting, to one or more TRPs, the CSI report comprising remaining CSI components of the group of CSI components based on omitting the one or more CSI components, see ¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 16, WEI discloses a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to:
receive a configuration signaling for one or more Channel State Information (CSI) reports for coherent joint transmission (CJT) with a plurality of transmitting-receiving identities (determining that a quantity of resources allocated for channel state information (CSI) reporting via the PUSCH is insufficient for transmitting a CSI report for a CJT associated with a group of TRPs, see ¶ 0006);
determine a portion of the CSI reports that is to be omitted in transmission based on a CSI omission scheme (prioritizing the group of CSI components based on a TRP priority rule. The method also includes omitting one or more CSI components from the prioritized group of CSI components based on determining the quantity of resources is insufficient, see ¶ 0006); and
transmit the CSI reports with the portion being omitted (transmitting, to one or more TRPs, the CSI report comprising remaining CSI components of the group of CSI components based on omitting the one or more CSI components, see ¶ 0006).
Regarding claim 17, WEI discloses the CSI omission scheme comprises a plurality of priority reporting levels for CSI bits on the transmitting-receiving identities; the portion of the CSI reports to be omitted being determined based on the priority reporting levels (omitting one or more CSI components from the prioritized group of CSI components based on determining the quantity of resources is insufficient. The method further includes transmitting, to one or more TRPs, the CSI report comprising remaining CSI components of the group of CSI components based on omitting the one or more CSI components, see ¶ 0006).
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) 7-9, 11, 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WEI in view of SUN et al. (US 2025/0293735 A1), hereinafter SUN.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, WEI fails to disclose the CSI omission scheme comprises a plurality of priority reporting levels for CSI bits; the portion of the CSI reports to be omitted is determined based on priority reporting levels with higher priority for group 1 bits and lower priority for group 2 bits; and the CSI bits in group 1 or group 2 include CSI bits from the plurality of transmitting-receiving identities, including: i1,7,l, i2,4,l, i2,5,l with higher priority for group 1, i1,7,l, i2,4,l, i2,5,l with lower priority for group 2.
In the same field of endeavor, SUN discloses an equation such as the following may be used to calculate the priorities: Pri(l, i, ƒ, t) = 2L*RI*Tπ(ƒ)+RI*T*i+T*l+t, where a smaller value has a higher priority, and where l=0, . . . , RI−1 is the layer index, i=0, . . . , 2L−1 is the spatial basis index, ƒ=0, . . . , M−1 is the frequency basis index, and t=0, . . . , T−1 is the TRP index (see ¶ 0123).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement SUN’s teaching in the network taught by WEI to determine CSI group priority –thus the network can better serve the service based on determined priority.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, SUN discloses an enhanced bit priority is used for determining i.sub.1,7,l, i.sub.2,4,l, i.sub.2,5,l bits from the plurality of transmitting-receiving identities in group 1 or group 2, where total number of non-zero coefficients for the plurality of transmitting-receiving identities is determined by configured parameters (the non-zero entries of the W2 matrices may be divided into two halves based on their determined priorities, where the lower priority half is classified as CSI part 2 group 2 and the higher priority half is classified as CSI part 2 group 1, see ¶ 0123- 0125).
Regarding claim 9, SUN discloses the enhanced bit priority is defined as: Pri(l,i,f,n) = 2 * N * L * v * π(f) + N * v * I + N * (l-1) + n; or Pri (l,i,f,n) = 2 * n * L * v * Mv + 2 * L * v * π(f) + v* I + l; where N is cooperative transmitting-receiving identity number for CJT; L is selected beam number for CJT; υ is layer number for CJT; M.sub.υ is selected basis number for CJT; n denotes transmitting-receiving identity index; l denotes layer index; i denotes beam index, f denotes basis index in transform domain (an equation such as the following may be used to calculate the priorities: Pri(l, i, ƒ, t) = 2L*RI*Tπ(ƒ)+RI*T*i+T*l+t, where a smaller value has a higher priority, and where l=0, . . . , RI−1 is the layer index, i=0, . . . , 2L−1 is the spatial basis index, ƒ=0, . . . , M−1 is the frequency basis index, and t=0, . . . , T−1 is the TRP index, see ¶ 0123).
Regarding claims 11 and 20, WEI discloses the CSI bits on priority reporting level 0 comprise group 0 bits from all CSI reports for transmission; and the priority reporting level 0 includes group 0 bits for all transmitting-receiving identities that are cooperative for CJT; and the transmitting-receiving identities cooperative for CJT are configured or UE selected (the CSI components associated with the highest priority group (e.g., group 0) may be omitted last and the CSI components associated with the lowest priority components may be omitted first, see ¶ 0072).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WEI in view of HUANG et al. (US 2025/0183961 A1), hereinafter HUANG.
Regarding claim 13, WEI fails to explicitly disclose each of the transmitting-receiving identities is implicitly linked with a configured CSI-RS resource or a CSI-RS port group in one CSI-RS resource, each transmitting-receiving identity with an ID determined by configuration order of configured CSI-RS resource or CSI-RS port group index in one CSI-RS resource.
In the same filed of endeavor, HUANG discloses that the method performed by a UE may include receiving a CSI reporting configuration indicating a plurality of port groups, each port group of the plurality of port groups comprising one or more ports of a plurality of ports associated with a multi-port CSI-RS resource for reporting mTRP CJT CSI, and indicating a plurality of CBSRs associated with the multi-port CSI-RS resource, each CBSR of the plurality of CBSRs associated with a port group of the plurality of port groups. The method may include receiving a multi-port CSI-RS communication (see ¶ 0007).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement HUANG’s teaching in the network taught by WEI for by assigning subsets of antenna ports to different transmission points, the network achieves higher aggregate beamforming gains, superior spatial diversity, and maximized signal-to-interference ratio (SINR) for cell-edge users. Grouping CSI-RS ports per TRP allows the UE to accurately process and feed back highly specific spatial-domain (SD) beam angles for each TRP, while sharing common frequency-domain (FD) parameters. This intelligent separation minimizes feedback overhead.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 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.
Claim 10 is considered allowable over the prior art of record since the prior art of record fails to show or fairly suggest, wherein CSI bits in group 1 or group 2 with legacy bit priority are concatenated at first level on CSI fields, and at second level on transmitting-receiving identities from smaller ID to larger ID; or wherein CSI bits in group 1 or group 2 with legacy bit priority are concatenated at first level on transmitting-receiving identities from smaller ID to larger ID, and at second level on CSI fields.
Conclusion
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bob A. Phunkulh whose telephone number is (571) 272-3083. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (first week of the bi-week) and Monday-Friday (for second week of the bi-week).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor CHARLES C. JIANG can be reach on (571) 270-7191.
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/BOB A PHUNKULH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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