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 .
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.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because the first letter of the first limitation (after the preamble) is capitalized. Appropriate correction is required.
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 4 and 15-16 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.
Claims 4 and 15-16 recites multiple “wherein” clauses without a conjunction connecting them, and thus it isn’t clear whether the limitations should be taken in the alternative or in the conjunctive. Examiner has interpreted these claim limitations as in the alternative.
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, 13-16, and 27-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gao (US 20220337344 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Gao discloses:
“A transmission mode indication method, performed by a network device, comprising:
sending indication information, wherein the indication information is used to indicate at least one transmission mode supported by a user equipment (UE)” ([¶ 0174]: “Through higher layer signaling, the network directly indicates that the current multiplexing mode of PDSCH transmission is one of SDM, or FDM, or TDM3, or TDM4, to perform switching between these transmission modes.”)
“in an uplink transmission for a coordinated transmission from multiple panels (MPs) to multiple transmission reception points (MTRPs).” ([¶ 0042]: “The application of multi-TRP or PANEL in a base station is mainly to improve coverage of a cell edge, provide a more balanced quality of service in the service area, and coordinate data transmission among multi-TRP or PANEL in different ways… In the high frequency band, an antenna array of each TRP can be divided into several relatively independent antenna panels, and the shape and number of ports of the entire array panel can be flexibly adjusted based on deployment scenarios and business requirements.”)
Regarding claim 2, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “wherein the at least one transmission mode comprises at least one of a space division multiplexing (SDM) transmission mode or a frequency division multiplexing (FDM) transmission mode,” ([¶ 0174]: “Through higher layer signaling, the network directly indicates that the current multiplexing mode of PDSCH transmission is one of SDM, or FDM, or TDM3, or TDM4, to perform switching between these transmission modes.”)
“wherein the SDM transmission mode comprises at least one of a single frequency network coherent joint transmission (SFN-CJT) transmission mode, a single frequency network non-coherent joint transmission (SFN-NC-JT) transmission mode, a single-redundancy version (RV) SDM transmission mode, or a multi-RV SDM transmission mode; and the FDM transmission mode comprises at least one of a single-RV FDM transmission mode or a multi-RV FDM transmission mode.” ([¶¶ 0180-0182]: “For the multi-TRP coordinated SDM or FDM transmission mode, the RV configuration indicates a single RV or a combination of RVs, that is, the different multiplexing modes of a and b: if the RV configuration indicates a single RV, it indicates the SDM-a, or FDM-a transmission mode; and if the RV configuration indicates a combination of RV, it indicates the SDM-a, or FDM-a transmission mode; and two RV values included in the RV configuration may be the same or different, and which have one-to-one correspondence to the TCI state.”)
Regarding claim 3, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “sending a radio resource control (RRC) signaling carrying the indication information, wherein the indication information is used to indicate that one of the at least one transmission mode is supported.” (See Fig. 6)
Regarding claim 4, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “sending a radio resource control (RRC) signaling carrying the indication information, wherein the indication information is used to indicate that one of the at least one transmission mode is supported.” (See Fig. 6)
Regarding claim 13, Gao discloses:
“A transmission mode indication method, performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving indication information; and determining at least one transmission mode supported by the UE in an uplink transmission” ([¶ 0174]: “Through higher layer signaling, the network directly indicates that the current multiplexing mode of PDSCH transmission is one of SDM, or FDM, or TDM3, or TDM4, to perform switching between these transmission modes.”)
“for a coordinated transmission from multiple panels (MPs) to multiple transmission reception points (MTRPs) based on the indication information.” ([¶ 0042]: “The application of multi-TRP or PANEL in a base station is mainly to improve coverage of a cell edge, provide a more balanced quality of service in the service area, and coordinate data transmission among multi-TRP or PANEL in different ways… In the high frequency band, an antenna array of each TRP can be divided into several relatively independent antenna panels, and the shape and number of ports of the entire array panel can be flexibly adjusted based on deployment scenarios and business requirements.”)
Regarding claim 14, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “wherein the at least one transmission mode comprises at least one of a space division multiplexing (SDM) transmission mode or a frequency division multiplexing (FDM) transmission mode,” ([¶ 0174]: “Through higher layer signaling, the network directly indicates that the current multiplexing mode of PDSCH transmission is one of SDM, or FDM, or TDM3, or TDM4, to perform switching between these transmission modes.”)
“wherein the SDM transmission mode comprises at least one of a single frequency network coherent joint transmission (SFN-CJT) transmission mode, a single frequency network non-coherent joint transmission (SFN-NC-JT) transmission mode, a single-redundancy version (RV) SDM transmission mode, or a multi-RV SDM transmission mode; and the FDM transmission mode comprises at least one of a single-RV FDM transmission mode or a multi-RV FDM transmission mode.” ([¶¶ 0180-0182]: “For the multi-TRP coordinated SDM or FDM transmission mode, the RV configuration indicates a single RV or a combination of RVs, that is, the different multiplexing modes of a and b: if the RV configuration indicates a single RV, it indicates the SDM-a, or FDM-a transmission mode; and if the RV configuration indicates a combination of RV, it indicates the SDM-a, or FDM-a transmission mode; and two RV values included in the RV configuration may be the same or different, and which have one-to-one correspondence to the TCI state.”)
Regarding claim 15, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “wherein the receiving the indication information comprises receiving a radio resource control (RRC) signaling carrying the indication information, wherein the determining the at least one transmission mode supported by the UE in the uplink transmission for the coordinated transmission from the MPs to the MTRPs comprises: determining one of the at least one transmission mode supported by the UE in the uplink transmission based on the one of the at least one transmission mode indicated in the indication information.” (See Fig. 6)
Regarding claim 16, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “wherein the receiving the indication information comprises receiving an RRC signaling carrying the indication information, wherein the transmission mode indication method comprises receiving a media access control-control element (MAC-CE) signaling, wherein the determining the at least one transmission mode supported by the UE in the uplink transmission for the coordinated transmission from the MPs to the MTRPs comprises: determining one of the at least one transmission mode supported by the UE in the uplink transmission from the at least one transmission mode configured as indicated in the indication information based on the MAC-CE signaling.” (See Fig. 6)
Claims 27 is substantially similar to claims 1, with the differences amounting to that claim 1 is directed towards a method while claim 27 is directed towards an apparatus containing generic hardware. Such hardware is taught by Gao in paragraph 19. Thus, claim 27 is rejected for similar reasons to claim 1.
Regarding claim 28, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing therein a computer-executable program” ([¶ 0275]: “Therefore, the above solutions can be embodied in the form of software products, which can be stored in a storage medium such as ROM, or RAM, magnetic Discs, optical discs, etc., including several instructions to cause a computer device (for example, a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to perform various embodiments or a part of the methods described in various embodiments.”)
Claims 29 is substantially similar to claims 1, with the differences amounting to that claim 1 is directed towards a method while claim 29 is directed towards an apparatus containing generic hardware. Such hardware is taught by Gao in paragraph 22. Thus, claim 29 is rejected for similar reasons to claim 1.
Regarding claim 30, Gao discloses all the features of the parent claim.
Gao further discloses “A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing therein a computer-executable program” ([¶ 0275]: “Therefore, the above solutions can be embodied in the form of software products, which can be stored in a storage medium such as ROM, or RAM, magnetic Discs, optical discs, etc., including several instructions to cause a computer device (for example, a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to perform various embodiments or a part of the methods described in various embodiments.”)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5-7, 12, 17-19, and 24 are 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. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5, of the closest prior arts Gao (US 20220337344 A1) discloses all the features of the parent claim and further discloses “wherein the DCI comprises at least one of a first type of information field or a second type of information field; the first type of information field is used to indicate that an SDM transmission or an FDM transmission mode is supported; the second type of information field is used to indicate that a single-RV FDM transmission mode or a multi-RV FDM transmission mode is supported; the single-RV transmission mode comprises the single-RV SDM transmission mode or the single-RV FDM transmission mode; and the multi-RV transmission mode comprises the multi-RV SDM transmission mode or the multi-RV FDM transmission mode.” However, Gao does not disclose “in response to the indication information not indicating a SFN transmission mode, sending downlink control information (DCI), wherein the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” While other prior art (such as US 20230239025 A1 in paragraphs 372 and 358) discloses “downlink control information (DCI), wherein the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode,” the prior art does not disclose that this is in response to the indications information (that is “used to indicate at least one transmission mode supported by a user equipment (UE) in an uplink transmission for a coordinated transmission from multiple panels (MPs) to multiple transmission reception points (MTRPs)” as recited in the parent claim) not “not indicating a SFN transmission mode… wherein the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” The cited references fail to anticipate or render the above limitations in combination with all the recited limitations of claims 5 obvious, over any of the prior art of record, alone or in combination. Claims 6-7 depend on claim 5 and contain allowable subject matter based on their dependence.
Regarding claim 12, of the closest prior arts Gao (US 20220337344 A1) discloses all the features of the parent claim and further discloses “and the MAC-CE signaling is used to indicate that an SDM transmission mode or a FDM transmission mode is supported.” However, Gao does not disclose “in response to the indication information not indicating a SFN transmission mode, sending a MAC-CE signaling, wherein the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” While other prior art (such as US 20230239025 A1 in paragraph 372 and 358) discloses “sending a MAC-CE signaling, wherein the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode,” the prior art does not disclose that this is in response to the indications information (that is “used to indicate at least one transmission mode supported by a user equipment (UE) in an uplink transmission for a coordinated transmission from multiple panels (MPs) to multiple transmission reception points (MTRPs)” as recited in the parent claim) not “indicating a SFN transmission mode, sending a MAC-CE signaling, wherein the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” The cited references fail to anticipate or render the above limitations in combination with all the recited limitations of claims 12 obvious, over any of the prior art of record, alone or in combination.
Regarding claim 17, of the closest prior arts Gao (US 20220337344 A1) discloses all the features of the parent claim and further discloses “determining that the transmission mode for the UE is an SDM transmission mode or a FDM transmission mode based on the first type of information field in the DCI; or determining that the transmission mode for the UE is a single-RV transmission mode or a multi-RV transmission mode based on the second type of information field in the DCI, wherein the single-RV transmission mode comprises a single-RV SDM transmission mode or a single-RV FDM transmission mode, and the multi-RV transmission mode comprises a multi-RV SDM transmission mode or a multi-RV FDM transmission mode.” However, Gao does not disclose “[r]eceiving downlink control information (DCI), wherein the DCI is sent by a network device in a case that the indication information does not indicate a single frequency network (SFN) transmission mode, the DCI comprises at least one of a first type of information field or a second type of information field, and the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” While other prior art (such as US 20230239025 A1 in paragraphs 372 and 358) discloses “[r]eceiving downlink control information (DCI), wherein … the DCI comprises at least one of a first type of information field or a second type of information field, and the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” the prior art does not disclose that this is in response to the indications information (that is “used to indicate at least one transmission mode supported by a user equipment (UE) in an uplink transmission for a coordinated transmission from multiple panels (MPs) to multiple transmission reception points (MTRPs)” as recited in the parent claim) does not “indicate a single frequency network (SFN) transmission mode.” The cited references fail to anticipate or render the above limitations in combination with all the recited limitations of claims 17 obvious, over any of the prior art of record, alone or in combination. Claims 18-19 depend on claim 17 and contain allowable subject matter based on their dependence.
Regarding claim 24, of the closest prior arts Gao (US 20220337344 A1) discloses all the features of the parent claim and further discloses “determining that the transmission mode for the UE is an SDM transmission mode or a FDM transmission mode based on the MAC-CE signaling.” However, Gao does not disclose “receiving a MAC-CE signaling, wherein the MAC-CE signaling is sent by a network device in a case that the indication information does not indicate a SFN transmission mode, and the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” While other prior art (such as US 20230239025 A1 in paragraph 372 and 358) discloses “receiving a MAC-CE signaling, wherein … the SFN transmission mode comprises at least one of an SFN-CJT transmission mode or an SFN-NC-JT transmission mode.” the prior art does not disclose that this is in response to the indications information (that is “used to indicate at least one transmission mode supported by a user equipment (UE) in an uplink transmission for a coordinated transmission from multiple panels (MPs) to multiple transmission reception points (MTRPs)” as recited in the parent claim) does not “does not indicate a SFN transmission mode.” The cited references fail to anticipate or render the above limitations in combination with all the recited limitations of claims 24 obvious, over any of the prior art of record, alone or in combination.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAAD KHAWAR whose telephone number is (571)272-7948. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm.
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/SAAD KHAWAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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