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 .
Claim Interpretation
MPEP §2111.04 recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met. For example, assume a method claim requires step A if a first condition happens and step B if a second condition happens. If the claimed invention may be practiced without either the first or second condition happening, then neither step A or B is required by the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim. If the claimed invention requires the first condition to occur, then the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim requires step A. If the claimed invention requires both the first and second conditions to occur, then the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim requires both steps A and B.”
Claim 3 is a method claim and contains contingent limitations. For method claims with contingent limitations, the broadest reasonable interpretation of a method (or process) claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met. The limitation starting with “determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell or the target TRP set serving the target terminal when the network side device detects the access request sequence carried by the reference signal; and/or determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell or the target TRP set serving the target terminal when the network side device detects the unique identifier information of the target terminal carried by the reference signal”. See MPEP 2111.04 subsection II.
Since this are contingent limitations not required to occur, they are not required by the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim. Applicant is encouraged to require the conditions of the limitation to occur within the claim language or otherwise rewrite the claim language to avoid using contingent claiming. The prior art mapping was mapped to address the claim language, including the contingent limitations, however the contingent limitations are not included in the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim scope, so they cannot be relied upon to distinguish the claim scope from the prior art.
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.
Claim 10 is 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recite “receiving, by the first TRP, the first information sent by each of the TRPs that belong to a first TRP set and are in a pre-configured TRP list; wherein the first TRP set is determined based on the first TRP” is unclear. It is unclear what “each of the TRPs” refer to, does “each of the TRPs” refer to an uplink TRP which a device report DL reference signal measurement, or a downlink TRP which carry DL reference signal, or a TRP which carry UL reference signal or some else.
It is also unclear “the first TRP set is determined based on the first TRP”, Claim 10 recite “wherein the network side device is a first TRP”. It is unclear how “the first TRP set is determined based on” a network side device.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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, 7-10, 14-15, 26 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C.102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kubota et al. (US 20170332283 A1, hereinafter Kubota).
Claim 1: Kubota teaches an information processing method ([0008], Fig. 6, 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B), comprising:
obtaining, by a network side device (Fig. 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, element RAN CU/ANC), first information (Fig. 8B, element 812, Fig. 9A, element 906, Fig.9B, element 914, [0071], disclose triggering an UL reference signal transmission when a DL measurement report
is sent, [0074], disclose UE perform measurements of the one or more DL reference
signals based on the DL configuration information received and transmits a DL measurement report related to the measurements to the serving TRP, and the serving
TRP may forward the DL measurement report to the network entity. wherein DL measurement report is reading as first information);
determining, by the network side device, a virtual cell (alternative) or a target Transmission Reception Point (TRP) set serving a target terminal based on the first information (Fig. 8B, element 812, Fig. 9b, element 916, [0075], “the network entity may determine a new serving target TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs”, [0081], The DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor
TRP list NTL including one or more TRP neighbors of the current serving TRP. The UE then performs measurements of the DL reference signals and transmits the DL measurement report related to the measurements to the serving TRP, which may forward the DL measurement report to the A network entity. The network entity may then determine a new serving target TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs).
Claim 15 is directed to the same method as claim 1, performed by a terminal, is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 1 and Kubota further teach a terminal (Fig. 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, element UE).
Claim 26 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 1 and Kubota further teaches a transceiver (Fig. 2, element 220, 238), a memory (Fig. 2, element 292), a processor (Fig. 2, element 240, 290), and a computer program stored in the memory and used to be executed by the processor ([0040], Memories 242 and 282 may store data and program codes for base station 110 and UE 120).
Claim 35 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 15 and Kubota further teaches a transceiver (Fig. 2, element 258, 264), a memory (Fig. 2, element 282), a processor (Fig. 2, element 280), and a computer program stored in the memory and used to be executed by the processor ([0040], Memories 242 and 282 may store data and program codes for base station 110 and UE 120).
Claim 7: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the network side device is a Central Unit (CU) (Fig. 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, element RAN CU/ANC); after determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell or the target TRP set serving the target terminal based on the first information, the information processing method further comprising:
notifying, by the CU, at least one TRP corresponding to the virtual cell (alternative) or the at least one TRP in the target TRP set to send a signal to the target terminal (Fig. 8B, element 814, Fig. 9B, element 918, [0075], the network entity may determine a new serving (target) TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the
TRPs. The network entity may initiate handover procedures and send to the target
TRP information related to handing over the UE, [0081], The network entity may then determine a new serving (target) TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs and initiate handover procedures, as shown at 916-920 of FIGS. 9A and 9B).
Claim 8: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 7, wherein the obtaining, by the network side device, the first information, comprising:
receiving, by the CU, the first information (Fig. 8B, element 812, Fig. 9A, element 906, Fig.9B, element 914, [0071], disclose triggering an UL reference signal transmission when a DL measurement report is sent, [0074], disclose UE perform measurements of the one or more DL reference signals based on the DL configuration information received and transmits a DL measurement report related to the measurements to the serving TRP, and the serving TRP may forward the DL measurement report to the network entity. wherein DL measurement report is reading as first information);
wherein the first information comprises: a first measurement result obtained by the target terminal through measuring a reference signal of a TRP in a pre-configured TRP list ([0081], The network entity, via the serving TRP, transmits to the UE, DL configuration information configuring the UE to measure DL reference signals, The DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor TRP list NTL including one or more TRP
neighbors of the current serving TRP, The UE then performs measurements of the DL reference signal and transmits the DL measurement report related to the measurements to the serving TRP, which may forward the DL measurement report to the A network entity),
and/or a second measurement result obtained by the TRP in the pre- configured TRP list through measuring a reference signal of the target terminal (Fig. 8A, element 808, Fig. 9B, element 914, [0081], the RAN may send to the UE UL reference signal configuration information to configure the UE to transmit UL reference signals, The RAN may configure the serving TRP for the UE along with all neighboring TRPs as the TRP monitoring set to monitor for the UL reference signal, The TRPs of the TRP monitoring set receive the UL reference signal and perform measurements, The TRP monitoring set may transmit these measurements to the network entity in an UL measurement report);
the determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set serving the target terminal based on the first information, comprising:
determining, by the CU, the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set based on the first information and the pre-configured TRP list (Fig. 9B, element 916, Fig. 8B, element 812,
[0081], the DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor TRP list NTL including one or more TRP neighbors of the current serving TRP, The network entity may then determine a new serving (target) TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs, [0070-0075], The DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor TRP list NTL including one or more TRP neighbors of the current serving TRP, The DL measurement report may contain measurement information related to the serving TRP along with measurement information related to neighboring TRPs. The serving TRP may forward the DL measurement report to the network entity, the network entity may determine a new serving (target) TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs).
Claim 9: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 8, wherein the reference signal of the TRP comprises one of the followings:
a reference signal sent by the TRP (alternative), or a reference signal associated with the TRP ([0081], the RAN may configure the serving TRP for the UE along with all neighboring TRPs as the TRP monitoring set to monitor for the UL reference signal, The UE may send one or more UL reference signals based on the based on the UL
reference signal configuration);
the reference signal of the target terminal comprises one of the followings:
a reference signal sent by the target terminal ([0081], The UE may send one or more UL reference signals based on the based on the UL reference signal configuration), or a reference signal associated with the target terminal (alternative).
Claim 10: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the network side device is a first TRP (Fig. 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, illustrate RAN CU/ANC can communicate with both RAN DU/TRP1 and RAN DU/TRP2 ); the obtaining, by the network side device, the first information, comprising:
receiving, by the first TRP, the first information sent by each of the TRPs that belong to a first TRP set and are in a pre-configured TRP list (Fig. 9A, element 906, Fig. 8B, element 812, [0068], a RAN, from a serving TRP, may configure the UE to measure one or more DL
reference signals and transmit an UL reference signal simultaneously so the RAN can make an immediate handover decision based on the UL and DL measurements, The RAN may configure the current serving TRP and the neighboring TRPs of the current
serving TRP to monitor for uplink signals the UE is configured to send, [0070], The DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor TRP list NTL including one or more TRP neighbors of the current serving TRP, [0074], The UE performs measurements, e.g., SINR, RSRQ of the one or more DL reference signals based on the DL configuration information received and transmits a DL measurement report related to the measurements to the serving TRP); wherein the first TRP set is determined based on the first TRP (Fig. 9A, element 904, 906, [0081], The DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor TRP list NTL including one or more TRP neighbors of the current serving TRP),
the first information comprises: a first measurement result obtained by the target terminal through measuring a reference signal of a TRP in the pre-configured TRP list ([0074], The UE may receive the one or more DL reference signals from the serving TRP, The UE performs measurements, e.g., SINR, RSRQ of the one or more DL reference signals based on the DL configuration information received and transmits a DL measurement report related to the measurements to the serving TRP),
and/or a second measurement result obtained by the TRP in the pre-configured TRP list through measuring a reference signal of the target terminal (alternative);
the determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set serving the target terminal based on the first information, comprising:
determining, by the first TRP, the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set based on the first information and the pre-configured TRP list ([0081], the DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor TRP list NTL including one or more TRP
neighbors of the current serving TRP, the network entity may then determine a new serving (target) TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs, [0070-0075], The DL measurement configuration may also include a neighbor
TRP list (NTL) including one or more TRP neighbors of the current serving TRP, The DL measurement report may contain measurement information related to the serving TRP
along with measurement information related to neighboring TRPs. The serving TRP may forward the DL measurement report to the network entity, the network entity may determine a new serving (target) TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs. Wherein serving TRP is reading as first TRP).
Claim 14: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 1, wherein after determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell or the target TRP set serving the target terminal based on the first information, the information processing method further comprises:
sending, by the network side device, first configuration information ([0071, 0079, 0081], In the UL reference signal configuration, the RAN may indicate to the UE to transmit UL reference signal using specific resources, including random access procedure RACH) and/or second configuration information to the target terminal (alternative); wherein the first configuration information is configuration information of an access channel opportunity for the target terminal to access the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set ([0082], UL
reference signals may include SRS or RACH signals, RACH may be sent to the UE to a specific TRP utilizing PRACH resources. RACH may contain limited control information and may be available at a configurable periodicity); the second configuration information is configuration information of a physical random access channel opportunity for the target terminal to initiate access to a physical cell (alternative).
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.
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 2, 3-5, 11-13, 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubota et al. (US 20170332283 A1, hereinafter Kubota) in view of Mitsuru et al. (US 20230180304 A1, hereinafter Mitsuru).
Claim 2: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the target TRP set is a dedicated TRP set of the target terminal (alternative), or the target TRP set is determined by the network side device in a semi-static (alternative) or dynamic manner (Fig. 8B, element 812, Fig. 9b, element 916, [0075], “the network entity may determine a new serving target TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs”, wherein target TRP is decided based on UL and DL measurement reports is reading as “dynamic manner”);
the virtual cell is determined by the dedicated TRP set of the target terminal (alternative);
a TRP set determined by the network side device in the semi-static or dynamic manner (Fig. 8B, element 812, Fig. 9b, element 916, [0075], “the network entity may determine a new serving target TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs”, wherein target TRP is decided based on UL and DL measurement reports is reading as “dynamic manner”).
However, Kubota does not explicitly teach the virtual cell is determined by a TRP set.
Mitsuru, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches the virtual cell is determined by a TRP set (Fig. 14, element ST1420, Fig. 16, element ST1504, Fig. 18, element ST1601, Fig. 20, element ST1701, Fig. 23, element ST2501, Fig. 25, element ST2611, Fig. 29, element ST3100, [0209-0210], disclose the identifier of the TRP may be uniquely given in the gNB. The identifier of the TRP may include a cell identifier, an identifier of the UE, a virtual cell identifier, the gNB becomes capable of selecting an optimal connection destination TRP and/or beam including the TRP and/or the beam currently connected by the UE).
Kubota and Mitsuru are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kubota and the features of determining the virtual cell by a TRP set as taught by Mitsuru, for the benefit for allowing the gNB to become capable of the TRP switch command for a different cells (paragraph [0204-205]).
Claim 3: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining, by the network side device, the first information, comprising:
receiving, by the network side device (Fig. 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, element RANCU/ANC), a reference signal sent by the target terminal, wherein the first information is carried by the reference signal ([0071], triggering an UL reference signal transmission when a DL measurement report is sent, [0068], a RAN, from a serving TRP, may configure the UE to measure one or more DL reference signals and transmit an UL reference signal
simultaneously so the RAN can make an immediate handover decision based on the UL and DL measurements, [0079], the UE may send one or more UL reference signals based on the UL reference signal configuration received to one or more TRPs of the TRP monitoring set);
the determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set serving the target terminal based on the first information ([0075], “the network entity may determine a new serving target TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs”, [0081], The network entity may then determine a new serving target TRP based on the UL and DL measurement reports received from the TRPs), comprising:
determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell or the target TRP set serving the target terminal when the network side device detects the access request sequence carried by the reference signal (alternative);
However, Kubota does not explicitly teach the first information comprises: unique identifier information of the target terminal and/or an access request sequence;
and/or determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell or the target TRP set serving the target terminal when the network side device detects the unique identifier information of the target terminal carried by the reference signal.
Mitsuru, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches unique identifier information of the target terminal and/or an access request sequence ([0210-0213], The report may include information related to the beam in the TRP, for example, a CSI-RS identifier, an SS block identifier in the beam, a sequence of the SRS, a sequence of a preamble of the RACH , the identifier of the beam, the identifier of the TRP, the identifier of the beam may be unique in the TRP);
and/or determining, by the network side device, the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set serving the target terminal when the network side device detects the unique identifier information of the target terminal carried by the reference signal ([0213], the identifier of the beam may be unique in the TRP. The UE may include the identifier of the TRP in the report of the measurement results and thereby notify the gNB of the identifier of the TRP, The gNB may perform broadcast or individual notification of information related to the identifier of the TRP to the UEs, [0211], which the SRS is used, the information related to the TRP and/or the beam as the measurement target may be included as a time and/or frequency resource of the SRS).
Kubota and Mitsuru are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kubota and the features of including the unique identifier information of the target terminal as taught by Mitsuru, for the benefit for allowing the gNB capable of selecting an optimal connection destination TRP and/or beam including the TRP and/or the beam currently connected by the UE. As a result, reliability of communication can be enhanced (paragraph [0210]).
Claim 16 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 15 and Claim 3.
Claim 4: The combination of Kubota and Mitsuru teaches the information processing method according to claim 3, Mitsuru additionally teaches wherein the reference signal is generated by a unique sequence ([0211], in which the SRS is used, the information related to the TRP and/or the beam as the measurement target may be included as a time and/or frequency resource of the SRS); the unique sequence is associated with the unique identifier information of the target terminal ([0213], the identifier of the beam may be unique in the TRP. The UE may include the identifier of the TRP in the report of the measurement results and thereby notify the gNB of the identifier of the TRP, The gNB may perform broadcast or individual notification of information related to the identifier of the TRP to the UEs), or the unique sequence is a function of the unique identifier information of the target terminal (alternative).
The motivation for combining Kubota and Mitsuru regarding to the claim 3 is also applied to claim 4.
Claim 17 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 16 and Claim 4.
Claim 5: The combination of Kubota and Mitsuru teaches the information processing method according to claim 3, Mitsuru additionally teaches wherein information sent to the target terminal by at least one TRP corresponding to the virtual cell (alternative) or the at least one TRP in the target TRP set is associated with the unique identifier information ([0213], the
identifier of the beam may be unique in the TRP. The UE may include the identifier of the TRP in the report of the measurement results and thereby notify the gNB of the
identifier of the TRP, The gNB may perform broadcast or individual notification of information related to the identifier of the TRP to the UEs ).
The motivation for combining Kubota and Mitsuru regarding to the claim 3 is also applied to claim 5.
Claim 18 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 16 and Claim 5.
Claim 11: Kubota does not explicitly teach the information processing method according to claim 8, wherein the reference signal transmission occasion is determined by the target terminal based on a preset rule ([0068], a RAN, from a serving TRP, may configure the UE to measure one or more DL reference signals and transmit an UL reference signal simultaneously so the RAN can make an immediate handover decision based on the UL and DL measurements. The UL reference signal may be transmitted in response to determining measurements of the one or more DL reference signals satisfy one or more criteria,[0069], In configuring the UE to measure the DL reference signals, the RAN may specify to the UE a measurement reporting trigger indicating when to perform DL measurement reporting, [0071], The RAN may also indicate when to transmit the UL reference signals, such as based on a periodicity, or based on detection of a triggering event);
or the information processing method further comprises (alternative):
sending, by the network side device, configuration information of the TRP list to the target terminal; wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of the followings: identifier information of each of the TRPs in the TRP list, the reference signal corresponding to each of the TRPs, or the reference signal transmission occasion corresponding to each of the TRPs.
However, Kubota does not explicitly teach wherein the pre-configured TRP list is determined by the target terminal based on the reference signal that is sent by the TRP and detected by the target terminal at a reference signal transmission occasion.
Mitsuru, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches wherein the pre-configured TRP list is determined by the target terminal based on the reference signal that is sent by the TRP and detected by the target terminal at a reference signal transmission occasion ([0214], the UE may notify the gNB of candidates of the TRP after switch, thus the gNB may determine the TRP after switch from candidates, [0217], disclose a predetermined number of TRPs and/or beams having the highest RSRP in descending order may be used as the candidates).
Kubota and Mitsuru are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kubota and the features of the pre-configured TRP list is determined by the target terminal as taught by Mitsuru, for the benefit for allowing the gNB capable of selecting the TRP after switch by using a load state of the TRP. As a result, the communication system can be efficiently operated (paragraph [0214]).
Claim 12: The combination of Kubota and Mitsuru teaches the information processing method according to claim 11, Mitsuru additionally teaches wherein the reference signal transmission occasion being determined by the target terminal based on the preset rule comprises:
the reference signal transmission occasion is determined by the target terminal based on a periodic predetermined pattern ([0217], predetermined number of TRPs and/or beams having the highest RSRP in descending order may be used as the candidates, or TRPs and/or beams having the RSRP equal to or more than or exceeding a predetermined threshold may be used as the candidates, [0215], the measurement may be periodically performed, or may be performed when a predetermined condition is satisfied, [0220], The UE may perform measurement of neighboring TRPs including the connection destination TRP. The measurement may be performed without the measurement command, for example periodically); wherein the predetermined pattern is used to indicate resource occupancy of the reference signal ([0529], information related to a type of the signal, for example, the SS block or the CSI-RS, may be information related to period and/or a timing offset in which the signal is transmitted, [0478], The UE performs measurement of each TRP by using a measurement gap. The UE may establish synchronization with the measurement target TRP in a period of the measurement gap).
The motivation for combining Kubota and Mitsuru regarding to the claim 11 is also applied to claim 12.
Claim 13: Kubota teaches the information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising:
wherein the processing related to the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set of the target terminal comprises at least one of the followings:
a processing for configuring the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set for the target terminal (Fig. 8B, element 814, Fig. 9B, element 918, [0075, 0080], the network entity transmits to the serving TRP a handover message indicating the target TRP and the serving TRP forwards this handover message to the UE);
or a processing for releasing the virtual cell or the target TRP set (alternative);
However, Kubota does not explicitly teach receiving, by the network side device, capability information sent by the target terminal;
performing, by the network side device, processing related to the virtual cell or the target TRP set of the target terminal based on the capability information;
wherein the capability information comprises at least one of the followings:
indication information indicating whether the target terminal supports to configure the virtual cell or the target TRP set; a message for requesting the virtual cell or the target TRP set; a message for releasing the virtual cell or the target TRP set; downlink control channel resource configuration information corresponding to the virtual cell or the target TRP set; or frequency domain related information corresponding to downlink transmission of the virtual cell or the target TRP set.
Mitsuru, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches receiving, by the network side device, capability information sent by the target terminal ([0301], The UE may notify the gNB of information related to a combination of TRPs to which the UE can simultaneously communicate. The UE may include the information in signaling of the measurement result report described above for notification);
performing, by the network side device, processing related to the virtual cell or the target TRP set of the target terminal based on the capability information ([0301], The gNB may use the information for judgement of the switch destination TRP in the UE.);
wherein the capability information comprises at least one of the followings:
indication information indicating whether the target terminal supports to configure the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set ([0301], The UE may notify the gNB of information related to a combination of TRPs to which the UE can simultaneously communicate, The UE may include the information in signaling of the measurement result report described above for notification, [0214], the UE may notify the gNB of candidates of the TRP after switch. The gNB may determine the TRP after switch from candidates.);
a message for requesting the virtual cell (alternative) or the target TRP set ([0214], the UE may notify the gNB of candidates of the TRP after switch. The gNB may determine the TRP after switch from candidates.);
a message for releasing the virtual cell or the target TRP set (alternative);
downlink control channel resource configuration information corresponding to the virtual cell or the target TRP set (alternative);
or frequency domain related information corresponding to downlink transmission of the virtual cell or the target TRP set (alternative).
Kubota and Mitsuru are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kubota and the features of capability information sent by the target terminal as taught by Mitsuru, for the benefit for allowing the gNB capable of easily judging the TRP to which the UE can simultaneously communicate. As a result, a communication rate between the UE and the gNB can be enhanced, and also reliability between the UE and the gNB can be enhanced (paragraph [0301]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kubota et al. (US 20170332283 A1, hereinafter Kubota) in view of Mitsuru et al. (US 20230180304 A1, hereinafter Mitsuru), and further in view of Wei et al. (US 20210320691 A1, hereinafter Wei).
Claim 6: The combination of Kubota and Mitsuru teaches the information processing method according to claim 5, wherein the information sent by the at least one TRP being associated with the unique identifier information (Kubota, [0073], the one or more DL reference signals may include a transmission reception point identifier (TRP-ID) identifying the TRP,[0075], the network entity transmits to the serving TRP a handover message indicating the target TRP and the serving TRP forwards this handover message to the UE. Mistsuru, [0213], the identifier of the beam may be unique in the TRP. The UE may include the identifier of the TRP in the report of the measurement results and thereby notify the gNB of the identifier of the TRP) comprises one of the followings:
the information sent by the at least one TRP uses the unique identifier information as a scrambling sequence (alternative);
However, Kubota does not explicitly teach the scrambling sequence in the information sent by the at least one TRP is a function of the unique identifier information.
Wei, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches the scrambling sequence in the information sent by the at least one TRP is a function of the unique identifier information ([0083], The TRP identifier information is determined based on the scrambling identifier of the CORESET corresponding to the target TRP,[0085], The scrambling identifier of the CORESET corresponding to the target TRP may be directly used as the TRP identifier information of the target TRP.).
Kubota and Wei are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kubota and the features of the scrambling sequence in the information sent by the at least one TRP is a function of the unique identifier information as taught by Wei, for the benefit of preventing control information of each TRP to be obfuscated in multi-TRP
transmission, via tie the control information with the TRP identifier (paragraph [0043]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form. The closest prior art reference is Neha et al. (US 20220302994 A1, hereinafter Neha), which describes a system for a Transmission Reception Point controller TRP-C is configured to determine the number of TRPs required for each cell of the plurality of cells to serve the UE.
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/Y.Z./Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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