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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement(s) submitted on December 14, 2024 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
Specification
4. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 of this title, 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.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5-13, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pawar et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2020/0287761 A1) in view of Ganesan et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0163834 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Pawar et al. teach a method, performed by a first node (Fig.1 @ 110), for communication with a plurality of second nodes (Fig.1 @ 120) via respective channels (read as communication channel (Fig(s).1 @ 132, 134; Paragraph [0135])), the method comprising:
transmitting, to at least two second nodes of the plurality of second nodes (Fig.1 @ 120), control signalling (read as RRC signaling) associated with one or more data sets is used for the communication between the first node (Fig.1 @ 110) and one or both of the at least two second nodes (Fig.1 @ 120). (read as base station capable of generating and transmitting downlink “signaling of the PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, and/or RRC layers.” (Fig(s).1, 8, 12 @ 1230; Paragraph [0064]))
However, Pawar et al. fail to explicitly teach control signalling indicating that a frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with one or more data sets is used for the communication between the first node and one or both of the at least two second nodes.
Ganesan et al. teach a network device capable of transmitting a control signalling (read as configuration for transmission) indicating that a frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with one or more data sets (read as Zadoff-Chu sequence for a frequence domain repetition) is used for the communication between the first node and one or both of the at least two second nodes.(read as “transmitting 802, from a network device, a configuration for transmission of at least one positioning reference signal (PRS) type.”(Fig(s).1, 7 and 8; Paragraph [0090]) Also, “The configuration includes at least one parameter including: a PRS bandwidth; a number of time domain symbol for PRS transmission in a slot; a mapping type comprising at least one Zadoff-chu sequence length for: at least one frequency domain repetition; a number of repetitions; a cyclic shift; or some combination thereof; or some combination thereof. ”(Paragraph [0090]) Also, “… radio resource control (“RRC”) may be used to signal one or more parameters to receive (“RX”) UEs.”(Paragraph [0060]))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the function for generating and transmitting a configuration comprising a mapping type of one Zadoff-Chu sequence length for one frequency domain repetition as taught by Ganesan et al. with the base station as taught by Pawar et al. for the purpose of improving retransmissions by devices in a communication network.
Regarding claim 13, Pawar et al. teach a method, performed by a second node, for communication with a first node, the method comprising:
receiving, from the first node (Fig.1 @ 110), control signalling associated with one or more data sets is used for communication between the first node (Fig.1 @ 110) and the second node (Fig.1 @ 120) (read as base station capable of generating and transmitting downlink “signaling of the PHY, MAC, RLC, PDCP, and/or RRC layers.” (Fig(s).1, 8, 12 @ 1230; Paragraph [0064])),
wherein the second node (Fig.1 @ 120) is part of a plurality of second nodes. (Fig.1 @ 120)
However, Pawar et al. fail to explicitly teach control signalling indicating that a frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with one or more data sets is used for communication between the first node and the second node.
Ganesan et al. teach a UE capable of receiving a control signalling (read as configuration for transmission) indicating that a frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with one or more data sets (read as Zadoff-Chu sequence for a frequence domain repetition) is used for the communication between the first node and the second node.(read as “a remote unit 102 may receive, at a user equipment (UE), a configuration for transmission of at least one positioning reference signal (PRS) type.”(Fig(s).1, 7 and 8; Paragraph [0038]) Also, “The configuration includes at least one parameter including: a PRS bandwidth; a number of time domain symbol for PRS transmission in a slot; a mapping type comprising at least one Zadoff-chu sequence length for: at least one frequency domain repetition; a number of repetitions; a cyclic shift; or some combination thereof; or some combination thereof. ”(Paragraph [0038]) Also, “… radio resource control (“RRC”) may be used to signal one or more parameters to receive (“RX”) UEs.”(Paragraph [0060]))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the function for generating and transmitting a configuration comprising a mapping type of one Zadoff-Chu sequence length for one frequency domain repetition as taught by Ganesan et al. with the UE as taught by Pawar et al. for the purpose of improving retransmissions by devices in a communication network.
Regarding claim 3, and as applied to claim 1 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
receiving, from at least one second node of the plurality of second nodes (Fig.1 @ 120), capability signalling indicative of a capability of the at least one second node to support the frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with a plurality of data sets. (read as UE receiving an RRC signaling from a base station(Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claim 5, and as applied to claim 1 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
transmitting, to each second node (Fig.1 @ 120), information indicative of allocation of respective resources to each corresponding second node (Fig.1 @ 120), wherein the respective resources are in a time domain. (read as a base station transmitting an RRC signaling in a downlink direction to UE(s) (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claim 16, and as applied to claim 13 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
receiving, from the first node (Fig.1 @ 110), information indicative of allocation of a resource for the second node (Fig.1 @ 120), wherein the resource is in a time domain. (read as a base station transmitting an RRC signaling in a downlink direction to UE(s) (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claims 6 and 17, and as applied to claims 5 and 16 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method wherein the information comprises a time-domain reference signal. (read as generate a DMRS (Fig(s).10-11; Paragraph [0026]))
Regarding claims 7 and 18, and as applied to claims 6 and 13 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method wherein the time-domain reference signal comprises a time-domain demodulation reference signal (TD-DMRS). (read as a DMRS (Fig(s).10-11; Paragraph [0026]))
Regarding claim 8, and as applied to claim 1 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method
comprising:
transmitting, to each second node of the plurality of second nodes (Fig.1 @ 120), a first time-domain signal including the frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with the data sets. (read as a base station transmitting an RRC signaling in a downlink direction to UE(s) (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claim 9, and as applied to claim 1 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
receiving, from the at least one second node (Fig.1 @ 120), a second time-domain signal including the frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with the data set. (read as UE(s) transmitting an RRC signaling in a uplink direction to a base station (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claim 10, and as applied to claim 1 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method wherein the communication is over a bandwidth (read as downlink/uplink data channel resources ()) that is based on the number of second nodes in the plurality of second nodes (Fig.1 @ 120), and wherein the control signalling comprises information indicative of the bandwidth. (read as a base station transmitting an RRC signaling in a downlink direction to UE(s) (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]) For example, “The control circuitry is also configured to perform a minimum mean squares estimation (MMSE) channel estimation on the resulting signal.”(Abstract))
Regarding claim 11, and as applied to claim 1 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
determining if a channel parameter of at least one of the respective channels meets a criterion (read as MMSE channel estimation (Abstract)),
wherein the transmission of the control signalling is performed upon determining that the channel parameter meets the criterion. (read as an RRC signaling (Fig(s).1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claim 12, and as applied to claim 11 above, teach a method wherein the criterion comprises a type of channel.(read as a communication resource (downlink/uplink data channel) (Fig.1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0096]))
Regarding claim 19, and as applied to claim 13 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
receiving, from the first node (Fig.1 @ 110), a first time-domain signal including the frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with the plurality of data sets. (read as a base station transmitting an RRC signaling in a downlink direction to UE(s) (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Regarding claim 20, and as applied to claim 13 above, Pawar et al., as modified by Ganesan et al., teach a method comprising:
transmitting, to the first node (Fig.1 @ 110), a second time-domain signal including the frequency domain cyclic sequence associated with the data set. (read as UE(s) transmitting an RRC signaling in a uplink direction to a base station (Fig(s)1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0064]))
Claims 2, 4, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pawar et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2020/0287761 A1), in view of Ganesan et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0163834 A1), and Tang et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2020/0329483 A1).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, and as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, Pawar et al. teach “user equipment and base stations configured to use demodulation reference signals (DMRS) for wireless communications.”(1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0002])
Ganesan et al. teach “Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for configuring a positioning reference signal type.”(Fig(s).1, 7, and 8; Abstract)
However, Pawar et al. and Ganesan et al. fail to explicitly teach wherein the control signalling comprises
static signalling and/or
semi-static signalling, and/or
dynamic signalling;
wherein the control signalling is part of Radio Resource Control layer and/or
Medium Access Control layer and/or
Physical layer.
Tang et al. teach a method wherein the control signalling comprises
static signalling and/or
semi-static signalling (read as “… the semi-static UL/DL configuration signaling is RRC signaling or SI.”(Paragraph [0048])), and/or
dynamic signalling (read as “… the dynamic scheduling signaling is DCI and/or a MAC CE.”(Paragraph [0048]));
wherein the control signalling is part of Radio Resource Control layer (read as RRC signaling (Paragraph [0048])) and/or
Medium Access Control layer (read as MAC CE (Paragraph [0049])) and/or
Physical layer.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the function for generating and exchanging RRC signaling and/or MAC CE as taught by Tang et al. and the function for generating and transmitting a configuration comprising a mapping type of one Zadoff-Chu sequence length for one frequency domain repetition as taught by Ganesan et al. with the UE as taught by Pawar et al. for the purpose of improving retransmissions by devices in a communication network.
Regarding claim 4, and as applied to claim 3 above, Pawar et al. teach “user equipment and base stations configured to use demodulation reference signals (DMRS) for wireless communications.”(1, 8, and 12; Paragraph [0002])
Ganesan et al. teach “Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for configuring a positioning reference signal type.”(Fig(s).1, 7, and 8; Abstract)
However, Pawar et al. and Ganesan et al. fail to explicitly teach scheduling, based on the capability signalling, resources for serving the plurality of second nodes using a joint frequency domain cyclic sequence.
Tang et al. teach a method wherein scheduling, based on the capability signalling, resources for serving the plurality of second nodes using a joint frequency domain cyclic sequence.(read as “Dynamic scheduling signaling is used to implement dynamically scheduled data transmission.”(Paragraph [0037]))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the function for generating and exchanging dynamic scheduling signaling (e.g.: MAC CE) signaling as taught by Tang et al. and the function for generating and transmitting a configuration comprising a mapping type of one Zadoff-Chu sequence length for one frequency domain repetition as taught by Ganesan et al. with the UE as taught by Pawar et al. for the purpose of improving retransmissions by devices in a communication network.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure:
Boldi et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2017/0150497 A1) teach “[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the generating the second control data comprises [0033] generating primary synchronization data from a frequency-domain Zadoff-Chu sequence depending on a first parameter identifying the cell within a given cells group, …”(Paragraph [0032]-[0033])
Malladi (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2014/0241325 A1) teach a “method generally includes spreading an uplink control signal from a first user in a first group of users across frequency, wherein the spreading includes spreading the uplink control signal from the first user based on one of a plurality of cyclic shifts of a Zadoff-Chu sequence to achieve code division multiplexing (CDM) of signals from different users in the first group of users in frequency domain, and spreading the uplink control signal from the first user across time.”(Paragraph [0010])
Any response to this Office Action should be faxed to (571) 273-8300 or mailed to:
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or early communications from the Examiner should be directed to Salvador E. Rivas whose telephone number is (571) 270-1784. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 7:00AM to 3:30PM.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Un C. Cho can be reached on (571) 272- 7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/SALVADOR E RIVAS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
July 11, 2026
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