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
Claims 1-13 received on 10/21/2024 have been examined, of which claims 1, 5 and 9 are independent.
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.
Claim 2, 6 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites “the first SRS resource”, “the last SRS resource”, followed by “within an SRS resource set”. The limitations are preceded by “first SRS resource in an SRS resource set” and “last SRS resource in the SRS resource set”. It is unclear if the SRS resource set recited in claim 2 is same or different than the SRS resource set in claim 1, while the first and last SRS resources in claim 2 refers to the limitations of claim 1. Claim 6 is rejected for similar reasons with respect to claim 5.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
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.
Claims 1-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 20200350970) in view of Nilsson et al. (WO 2022043970)
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a terminal device (wireless node 1600, fig 16 configured to perform operations in fig 13, para 153) comprising:
at least one processor (processor 1604, fig 16); and
at least one memory (memory 1612, fig 16) including computer program code (code, fig 16, para 154), the at least one memory and the computer program code that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig 13, 16, para 153-155), cause the terminal device to:
transmit a guard period pattern supported at the terminal device to a network device (fig 13, 1304: the UE transmits, to a base station (BS), capability information indicating the determined capability of the UE; para 135-139, 142-147: the capability information may include a reported transient time (e.g., time gap) for at least one of the antenna switching procedure, the capability information may indicate at least one SRS transmission pattern supported by the UE or not supported by the UE for at least one of the antenna switching procedure), said guard period pattern at least defining whether a guard period is placed before a first sounding reference signal (SRS) resource in an SRS resource set and/or whether a guard period is placed after a last SRS resource in the SRS resource set (para 150: if the UE transmits capability information indicating a capability to support the first pattern 1502 for FH, the BS may transmit the SRS configuration information configuring the UE with the first pattern 1502, the second pattern 1504, or the third pattern 1506 depending on the scheduling; as shown in fig 15 and described in para 143-148, the SRS pattern 1502 does not includes transient time between SRS, but does not require additional guard period symbol before, after or between the SRS, while pattern 1504 includes guard period symbols after and between SRS symbols, pattern 1506 includes the transient time within the repeated SRS symbol); and
receive an SRS resource set configuration from the network device (para 126: at 1306, the UE receives SRS configuration information, wherein the SRS configuration information is based, at least in part, on the capability information), the SRS resource set configuration including at least one SRS resource set (para 101-102: the network may configure the second SRS resource set with N symbols for SRS transmission by the UE, the network may select one of a plurality of predefined SRS transmission patterns and provides an indication of which pattern to use in the SRS configuration information).
Liu teaches the SRS configuration based on UE supported SRS and guard period pattern (fig 13-14). Liu also teaches that base station transmits first and second SRS resource sets to the UE (fig 7-8) and selecting SRS resource based on transmission pattern (para 101-102). However, reference is silent regarding SRS resource set based on/ according to the information from UE of supported SRS guard pattern. Nilsson is directed to enhanced guard period between Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources.
Nilsson further teaches to receive an SRS resource set configuration from the network device, the SRS resource set configuration including at least one SRS resource set configured according to said guard period pattern (1804, fig 18; para 77-79: the radio access node 1800 transmits or initiates transmission of an SRS configuration to the UE 1012 (step 1804), the SRS configuration includes a configuration of one or more SRS resource sets each including one or more SRS resources, the SRS configuration is such that the amount of time between adjacent SRS resources (in the same slot or same SRS resource set and/or in different SRS resource sets) is greater than or equal to a minimum guard period, the minimum guard period is a function of UE capabilities (e.g., the UE capabilities of step 1802)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine SRS configuration based on UE capability of SRS and guard period pattern as taught by Liu with SRS resource set configuration based on UE capability as taught by Nilsson for the benefit of providing improved SRS guard period specification as taught by Nilsson in para 56.
Regarding claim 5, Liu teaches a network device (wireless node 1700, fig 17 configured to perform operations in fig 14, para 156) comprising:
at least one processor (processor 1704, fig 17); and
at least one memory (memory 1712, fig 17) including computer program code (codes, fig 17, para 157), the at least one memory and the computer program code that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig 14, 17, para 156-158), cause the network device to:
receive a guard period pattern from a terminal device (1402, fig 14, receiving, from a user equipment (UE), capability information indicating a capability of the UE related to additional sounding reference signal (SRS) transmissions in a normal uplink (UL) subframe), said guard period pattern at least defining whether a guard period is placed before a first sounding reference signal (SRS) resource in an SRS resource set and/or whether a guard period is placed after a last SRS resource in the SRS resource set (para 150: if the UE transmits capability information indicating a capability to support the first pattern 1502 for FH, the BS may transmit the SRS configuration information configuring the UE with the first pattern 1502, the second pattern 1504, or the third pattern 1506 depending on the scheduling; as shown in fig 15 and described in para 143-148, the SRS pattern 1502 does not includes transient time between SRS, but does not require additional guard period symbol before, after or between the SRS, while pattern 1504 includes guard period symbols after and between SRS symbols, pattern 1506 includes the transient time within the repeated SRS symbol); and
transmit an SRS resource set configuration to the terminal device (para 131: at 1404, the BS transmits SRS configuration information to the UE, wherein the SRS configuration information is based, at least in part, on the received capability information), the SRS resource set configuration including at least one SRS resource set (para 101-102: the network may configure the second SRS resource set with N symbols for SRS transmission by the UE, the network may select one of a plurality of predefined SRS transmission patterns and provides an indication of which pattern to use in the SRS configuration information).
Liu teaches the SRS configuration based on UE supported SRS and guard period pattern (fig 13-14). Liu also teaches that base station transmits first and second SRS resource sets to the UE (fig 7-8) and selecting SRS resource based on transmission pattern (para 101-102). However, reference is silent regarding SRS resource set based on/ according to the information from UE of supported SRS guard pattern. Nilsson is directed to enhanced guard period between Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources.
Nilsson further teaches to transmit an SRS resource set configuration to the terminal device, the SRS resource set configuration including at least one SRS resource set configured according to said guard period pattern (1804, fig 18; para 77-79: the radio access node 1800 transmits or initiates transmission of an SRS configuration to the UE 1012 (step 1804), the SRS configuration includes a configuration of one or more SRS resource sets each including one or more SRS resources, the SRS configuration is such that the amount of time between adjacent SRS resources (in the same slot or same SRS resource set and/or in different SRS resource sets) is greater than or equal to a minimum guard period, the minimum guard period is a function of UE capabilities (e.g., the UE capabilities of step 1802)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine SRS configuration based on UE capability of SRS and guard period pattern as taught by Liu with SRS resource set configuration based on UE capability as taught by Nilsson for the benefit of providing improved SRS guard period specification as taught by Nilsson in para 56.
Regarding claim 9, Liu teaches a terminal device (wireless node 1600, fig 16 configured to perform operations in fig 13, para 153) comprising:
at least one processor (processor 1604, fig 16); and
at least one memory (memory 1612, fig 16) including computer program code (code, fig 16, para 154), the at least one memory and the computer program code that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig 13, 16, para 153-155), cause the terminal device to:
indicate to a network device that the terminal device supports a guard period placed before a first sounding reference signal (SRS) resource in an SRS resource set and/or after a last SRS resource in the SRS resource set (para 150: if the UE transmits capability information indicating a capability to support the first pattern 1502 for FH, the BS may transmit the SRS configuration information configuring the UE with the first pattern 1502, the second pattern 1504, or the third pattern 1506 depending on the scheduling; as shown in fig 15 and described in para 143-148, the SRS pattern 1502 does not includes transient time between SRS, but does not require additional guard period symbol before, after or between the SRS, while pattern 1504 includes guard period symbols after and between SRS symbols, pattern 1506 includes the transient time within the repeated SRS symbol);
receive, from the network device, information on uplink (UL) resource configuration including at least antenna ports (para 121: based on the UE capability (e.g., power change within a subframe to support intra-subframe SRS AS/FH, transient time, etc.), the network (e.g., a base station, eNB, etc.) may schedule intra-subframe SRS AS/FH to quickly achieve UL channel information across antennas/system bandwidth for DL/UL scheduling) for symbols before, after and/or within the SRS resource set as well as a request for a guard period position relative to respective SRS resources within the SRS resource set based on the information (para 149: the BS may determine which SRS transmission pattern to configure the UE with based on the capability information transmitted by the UE (e.g., capability related to transient time), for antenna switching, if the capability information indicates a small transient time (e.g., X2=2 μs for SRS FH) and there is a high SNR condition, the SRS configuration information may indicate the first pattern 1502 for SRS FH), for antenna switching, if the capability information indicates a medium transient time (e.g., X2=5 μs for SRS FH) and there is a high SNR condition, the SRS configuration information may indicate for the second pattern 1504 for SFS FH, otherwise, the SRS configuration information may indicate the third pattern 1506 for SFS FH);
transmit a guard period pattern for the UL resource configuration to the network device (fig 13, 1304: the UE transmits, to a base station (BS), capability information indicating the determined capability of the UE; para 135-139, 142-147: the capability information may include a reported transient time (e.g., time gap) for at least one of the antenna switching procedure, the capability information may indicate at least one SRS transmission pattern supported by the UE or not supported by the UE for at least one of the antenna switching procedure), the guard period pattern at least defining whether a guard period is placed before the first sounding reference signal (SRS) resource in the SRS resource set and/or whether a guard period is placed after the last SRS resource in the SRS resource set (para 150: if the UE transmits capability information indicating a capability to support the first pattern 1502 for FH, the BS may transmit the SRS configuration information configuring the UE with the first pattern 1502, the second pattern 1504, or the third pattern 1506 depending on the scheduling; as shown in fig 15 and described in para 143-148, the SRS pattern 1502 does not includes transient time between SRS, but does not require additional guard period symbol before, after or between the SRS, while pattern 1504 includes guard period symbols after and between SRS symbols, pattern 1506 includes the transient time within the repeated SRS symbol); and
receive an SRS resource set configuration from the network device (para 126: at 1306, the UE receives SRS configuration information, wherein the SRS configuration information is based, at least in part, on the capability information), the SRS resource set configuration including at least one SRS resource set (para 101-102: the network may configure the second SRS resource set with N symbols for SRS transmission by the UE, the network may select one of a plurality of predefined SRS transmission patterns and provides an indication of which pattern to use in the SRS configuration information).
Liu teaches the SRS configuration based on UE supported SRS and guard period pattern (fig 13-14). Liu also teaches that base station transmits first and second SRS resource sets to the UE (fig 7-8) and selecting SRS resource based on transmission pattern (para 101-102). However, reference is silent regarding SRS resource set based on/ according to the information from UE of supported SRS guard pattern. Nilsson is directed to enhanced guard period between Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources.
Nilsson further teaches to receive an SRS resource set configuration from the network device, the SRS resource set configuration including at least one SRS resource set configured according to said guard period pattern (1804, fig 18; para 77-79: the radio access node 1800 transmits or initiates transmission of an SRS configuration to the UE 1012 (step 1804), the SRS configuration includes a configuration of one or more SRS resource sets each including one or more SRS resources, the SRS configuration is such that the amount of time between adjacent SRS resources (in the same slot or same SRS resource set and/or in different SRS resource sets) is greater than or equal to a minimum guard period, the minimum guard period is a function of UE capabilities (e.g., the UE capabilities of step 1802)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine SRS configuration based on UE capability of SRS and guard period pattern as taught by Liu with SRS resource set configuration based on UE capability as taught by Nilsson for the benefit of providing improved SRS guard period specification as taught by Nilsson in para 56.
Regarding claim 2, 6 and 10, Liu further teaches wherein said guard period pattern includes at least one of the following patterns that: no guard period immediately before the first SRS resource nor immediately after the last SRS resource (1502, fig 15; para 144-145: the first pattern 1502 may configure the UE, when transmitting at least one SRS, with no additional gap/time (e.g., for the transient time associated with the switching procedure) between SRS symbols associated with the switching procedure), or at least one guard period immediately after the last SRS resource, within an SRS resource set (1504, fig 15; para 147: as illustrated in the second pattern 1504 of FIG. 15, the UE may transmit a first SRS (e.g., SRS #1) in symbol 0 of a subframe, after transmitting the first SRS, the UE may be configured to wait a one-symbol gap 1510 in symbol 1 of the subframe while performing the switching procedure (e.g., the transient time occurs during the one-symbol gap 1510)).
Regarding claim 3, 7 and 11, Liu further teaches wherein said guard period pattern further defines whether a guard period is placed, between the first SRS resource and the last SRS resource within the SRS resource set (para 144: the first pattern 1502 may configure the UE, when transmitting at least one SRS, with no additional gap/time (e.g., for the transient time associated with the switching procedure) between SRS symbols associated with the switching procedure), before and/or after respective SRS resources in the SRS resource set (para 146: the second pattern 1504 may configure, when transmitting at least one SRS, the UE with a gap of at least one symbol 1510 between SRS symbols associated with the switching procedure).
Regarding claim 4 and 8, Liu fails to teach, but Nilsson further teaches wherein when a guard period is placed between two adjacent SRS resources within the SRS resource set, a gap between the two adjacent SRS resources is wider than a minimum guard period (para 78: the SRS configuration is such that the amount of time between adjacent SRS resources (in the same slot or same SRS resource set and/or in different SRS resource sets) is greater than or equal to a minimum guard period). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine SRS configuration based on UE capability of SRS and guard period pattern as taught by Liu with SRS resource set configuration based on UE capability as taught by Nilsson for the benefit of providing improved SRS guard period specification as taught by Nilsson in para 56.
Regarding claim 13, Liu further teaches wherein said guard period pattern is represented by a bitmap (para 101: the network may indicate the number of SRS symbols and location in a subframe using a 13-symbol or 14-symbol bitmap within a subframe) including at least two bits indicating whether a guard period is placed before the first SRS resource and/or after the last SRS resource in the SRS resource set (para 103: when N=2 and fast switching for SRS is enabled (e.g., 1T2R or 2T4R), the second pattern may include transmitting SRSs according to the following pattern corresponding to symbols: SRS, X, SRS in the last 3-symbols of an sTTI slot, where X is the gap symbol for antenna transit time) and at least two additional bits indicating whether a guard period is placed, between the first SRS resource and the last SRS resource within the SRS resource set, before and/or after respective SRS resources in the SRS resource set (para 101: the network may indicate the number of SRS symbols and location in a subframe using a 13-symbol or 14-symbol bitmap within a subframe; para 103-104: indicating pattern of gap symbol between first and last SRS).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 20200350970) in view of Nilsson et al. (WO 2022043970) in further view of Xu et al. (US 20230328759)
Regarding claim 12, Liu in view of Nilsson teaches the limitations of the parent claim including requesting SRS guard period pattern capability to UE.
Liu in view of Nilsson fails to teach that the capability request is received via RRC. Xu is directed to design of NR sidelink transmission gap.
Xu further teaches wherein said request is received via at least one of RRC, MAC or L1 signaling from the network device (fig 4; para 70: base station 105 then responds to UE 115 to indicate whether an aperiodic TX/RX gap is allowed, this response may be implemented via an RRC-Reconfiguration message, an RRC-Reconfiguration message is utilized to indicate whether an aperiodic gap is allowed because the aperiodic gap is UE specific). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine SRS configuration based on UE capability of SRS and guard period pattern as taught by Liu and Nilsson with UE gap capability messaging via RRC as taught by Xu for the benefit of improving sidelink gap procedure as taught by Nilsson in para 56.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gao et al. (US 20210194737): abstract: in response to at least one set of SRS resources being configured for transmitting a SRS to a network device and antenna switching being enabled for the terminal device, the terminal device determines at least one guard period required for transmitting the SRS
Huang (US 20230299919): abstract: receiving, by the terminal, first information sent by the network device, where the first information is used to indicate that a first sounding reference signal (SRS) resource is used for multiple usages; and sending, by the terminal, an SRS corresponding to the first SRS resource to the network device according to the first information; para 385: when the UE transmits the SRS corresponding to the SRS resource set whose usage is “antennaSwitching”, if multiple SRS resources in the same SRS resource set are transmitted in the same slot, a guard period needs to be left between the multiple SRS resources
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RINA C PANCHOLI whose telephone number is (571)272-2679. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30am-4pm.
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/RINA C PANCHOLI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477 8/3/2026
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