DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This office action is a response to an application filed on 12/11/2024, in which claims 1-15 are pending and ready for examination.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted was filed before the mailing date of the Office Action on the merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim does not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the limitations that involve a computer-readable medium are directed to subject matter that covers both statutory and non-statutory embodiments under the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification and in view of one skilled in the art. Particularly, as disclosed in Para. [0126], the medium includes transitory and non-transitory medium such as transmitted signal over communication network. Thus, the medium under the broadest reasonable interpretation encompasses electrical, magnetic, or optical signal of transitory nature. Therefore, the limitations of the medium include non-statutory subject matter that is neither a process, nor a machine, nor a manufacture, nor a composition of matter of the four categories of statutory subject matter.
See MPEP 2106(I).
Non-limiting examples of claims that are not directed to one of the statutory categories:
i. transitory forms of signal transmission (for example, a propagating electrical or electromagnetic signal per se), In re Nuijten, 500 F.3d 1346, 1357, 84 USPQ2d 1495, (Fed. Cir. 2007).
iv. a computer program per se, Gottschalk v. Benson, 409 U.S. at 72, 175 USPQ at 676-77.
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 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.
Claims 1 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chendamarai (US Pub. 20210100006 A1) in view of Zeira (WO 03/096710 A2).
Regarding claim 1, Chendamarai discloses a method for Synchronization Signal/PBCH Block (SSB) beam resource configuration, applied to a network device, the method comprising (Chendamarai; Para. [0091]. A system/method for SSB configuration is used for a network.):
acquiring interference statuses of a plurality of SSB beams in a target area (Chendamarai; Para. [0091]. Interference statuses/interference groups are determined for a set of SSB beams in an area.);
sorting the plurality of SSB beams according to the interference statuses to obtain a time domain resource allocation order (Chendamarai; Para. [0091-92]. A set of SSB beams is sorted according to the interference level to determine a time domain/slot allocation order.);
traversing and collecting statistics on time domain resources in the target area (Chendamarai; Para. [0092-93]. Constraining statistics are collected and determined over a set of time domain resources/slots in an area.), and obtaining a plurality of time domain resource schedules according to the time domain resources, the interference statuses, and the time domain resource allocation order (Chendamarai; Para. [0092-93[. A set of time slot schedules is obtained in accordance with a set of time slots, interference statuses, and time slot order.), wherein each of the time domain resource schedule corresponds to one SSB beam (Chendamarai; Para. [0092-93]. Each time slot schedule corresponds to a SSB beam.); and
performing time domain resource allocation for the plurality of SSB beams according to the time domain resource schedule (Para. [0093]. Time slots are set/allocated for a set of SSB beams in accordance with time slot schedules.).
But Chendamarai does not specifically disclose obtaining a plurality of time domain resource sequences according to the time domain resources, the interference statuses, and the time domain resource allocation order, wherein each of the time domain resource sequences corresponds to one beam; and performing time domain resource allocation for the plurality of beams according to the time domain resource sequences.
However, Zeira teaches obtaining a plurality of time domain resource sequences according to the time domain resources, the interference statuses, and the time domain resource allocation order (Zeira; Fig. 8, Para. [0041-42]. A set of time domain resource sequences is determined according to time domain resources, interference, and time domain allocation order.), wherein each of the time domain resource sequences corresponds to one beam (Zeira; Fig. 8, Para. [0042-42]. Each of time domain resource sequence corresponds to a beam.); and
performing time domain resource allocation for the plurality of beams according to the time domain resource sequences (Zeira; Fig. 8, Para. [0039, 41]. Time domain resource allocation for a set of beams is assigned in accordance with time domain resource sequences.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the pertinent before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the wireless communication system of Chendamarai to adapt a time resource and transmission optimization approach, by incorporating Zeira’s teaching wherein time resource and transmission beam combinations are analyzed and optimized, for the motivation to perform time slot assignment for a multiple access communication system (Zeira; Abstract.).
Regarding claim 12, Chendamarai discloses a method for Synchronization Signal/PBCH Block (SSB) beam resource configuration, applied to a terminal device, the method comprising (Chendamarai; Para. [0089]. A system/method for SSB beam resource configuration is used for a terminal device.):
acquiring beam measurement information (Chendamarai; Para. [0089]. Beam measurement information is obtained.); and
reporting the beam measurement information to a network device, such that the network device obtains a plurality of first signal strengths and a plurality of second signal strengths according to the beam measurement information (Chendamarai; Para. [0092-93]. Beam measurement information is received at a network device, including a set of first signal strengths and a set of second signal strengths from different cells.), wherein each of the first signal strengths is a maximum signal strength among signal strengths of a plurality of SSB beams in a serving cell corresponding to a single terminal device, and each of the second signal strengths is a maximum signal strength among signal strengths of a plurality of SSB beams in a neighboring cell corresponding to the single terminal device (Chendamarai; Para. [0092-93]. Beam measurement information includes at least a set of first signal strength of maximum strength when being in a first cell and a set of second signal strengths of maximum strength when being in a second/neighboring cell.),
obtains time domain resource schedule according to the first signal strengths and the second signal strengths (Chendamarai; Para. [0092-93]. A time domain resource schedule is determined in accordance with a first signal strength and a second signal strength.), and
performs time domain resource allocation for the plurality of SSB beams in a target area according to the time domain resource schedule (Zeira; Fig. 8, Para. [0039, 41]. Time domain resource allocation for a set of beams is assigned in accordance with time domain resource schedule.).
But Chendamarai does not specifically disclose obtains time domain resource sequences according to the first signal strengths and the second signal strengths, and performs time domain resource allocation for the plurality of SSB beams in a target area according to the time domain resource sequences.
However, Zeira teaches obtains time domain resource sequences according to the first signal strengths and the second signal strengths (Zeira; Fig. 8, Para. [0041-42]. A set of time domain resource sequences is determined according to first and second signal strengths.); and
performing time domain resource allocation for the plurality of beams according to the time domain resource sequences (Zeira; Fig. 8, Para. [0039, 41]. Time domain resource allocation for a set of beams is assigned in accordance with time domain resource sequences.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the pertinent before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the wireless communication system of Chendamarai to adapt a time resource and transmission optimization approach, by incorporating Zeira’s teaching wherein time resource and transmission beam combinations are analyzed and optimized, for the motivation to perform time slot assignment for a multiple access communication system (Zeira; Abstract.).
Claim 13 directed to a network device, comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the method for SSB beam resource configuration of any of claims 1 to 11, and is non-patentable over the prior art for the same reason as previously indicated.
Claim 14 is directed to a terminal device, comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the method for SSB beam resource configuration of claim 12, and is non-patentable over the prior art for the same reason as previously indicated.
Claim 15 is directed to a computer-readable storage medium, storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method for SSB beam resource configuration of any of claims 1 to 12, and is non-patentable over the prior art for the same reason as previously indicated.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-11 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Viering (WO 2021009538 A1) teaches a communication system that performs SSB compatible interference coordination.
Chendamarai (WO 2021067253 A1) teaches a communication system that performs neighbor cell TCI signaling for interference coordination.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALBERT KIR whose telephone number is (571)272-6245. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jay Patel can be reached at (571) 272-2988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALBERT KIR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2485
Prosecution Insights