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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-3,9-15,21-26, and 28-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gunzelmann (US 20230370122).
Re claim 1:
Gunzelmann discloses a method of wireless communication performed at a network device, the method comprising: transmitting, to a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS), a plurality of reference signal beams in a plurality of directions (Fig.13 ref. 156 Transmit Radar Waveform Using Current AP Signal Beam and ref. 162 AP Beams Beams and ref. 164 Increment AP signal beam and re-configuration AP Antenna Array and Para.[0120] If AP beams in the set of formable AP beams (e.g., codebook 113) remain, processing may proceed to operation 164 via path 162. At operation 164, AP 6 may increment the AP beam and may re-configure (update) phased antenna array 88′ to form the incremented AP beam as the current AP beam. Processing may then loop back to operation 156 via path 166 (e.g., in an inner loop). The incremented (current) AP beam may be the next formable AP beam from codebook 113 or, if desired, the inner loop may perform a coarse beam search and then a fine beam search over the AP beams (e.g., a hierarchical AP beam search). Processing may loop through operations 156-160 (e.g., sweeping or searching through AP beams) until no AP beams remain for processing);
receiving, from the RIS, a plurality of reflection reference signal beams in the plurality of directions based on a plurality of backtracking reflection coefficients (Fig.13 ref. 160 and Para.[0118] At operation 158, the transmitted THF signals 32 may propagate through environment 90 (e.g., within the initial AP beam). None, some, or all of the THF signals 32 (the radar waveform) may reflect off RIS 96. Depending on the current setting for antenna elements 100 on RIS 96 (e.g., the current RIS-AP beam), none, some, or all of the reflected signals may be reflected back towards AP 6 and Para.[0081] At the same, RIS 96 may configure its own antenna elements 100 to perform beamforming with respective beamforming coefficients);
measuring a signal strength of each reflection reference signal beam in each direction of the plurality of directions for each backtracking reflection coefficient of the plurality of backtracking reflection coefficients (Fig.13 ref. 160 Received Reflected Signal (If Any), Measure and Store Wireless Performance Metric Data Associated with Received Reflected Signal and Para.[0119] The wireless performance metric data may include received signal strength values, error rate values, received power level values, signal-to-noise ratio values, and/or any other desired wireless performance metric data values indicative of the amount of the transmitted radar waveform reflected off of RIS 96 and received back at AP 6. AP 6 may store the wireless performance metric data as well as information identifying the current AP signal beam and RIS signal beam (e.g., settings for antenna elements 100) that were in use while the wireless performance metric data was measured); and
determining, based on measuring the signal strength, a selected beam direction from the plurality of directions and a selected backtracking reflection coefficient of the plurality of backtracking reflection coefficients (Fig. 13 ref. 176 Identify Optimal AP Signal Beam and Optimal RIS Signal Beam Based on Stored Wireless Performance Metric Data and Para.[0123] At operation 178, AP 6 may configure phased antenna array 88′ to form the optimal AP beam and/or may use the control RAT to configure RIS 96 to form the optimal RIS-AP beam and Para.[0007] One way of achieving the per-element phase and amplitude response of the antenna elements is by adjusting the impedance of the antenna elements, thereby controlling the complex reflection coefficient that determines the change in amplitude and phase of the re-radiated signal and Para.[0081] At the same, RIS 96 may configure its own antenna elements 100 to perform beamforming with respective beamforming coefficients).
Re claim 2:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the RIS, a beam sweeping message including an indication to apply a beam sweeping pattern using the plurality of backtracking reflection coefficients (Para.[0010] The method can include transmitting, using a transmitter, an instruction to the RIS that configures the RIS to sweep the first array of antenna elements over the first set of signal beams and Para.[0081] At the same, RIS 96 may configure its own antenna elements 100 to perform beamforming with respective beamforming coefficients and Fig.13 ref. 152).
Re claim 3:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising determining a position of the RIS using a reflection reference signal beam associated with the selected beam direction and the selected backtracking reflection coefficient (Para.[0089] Control signals V.sub.BIAS may configure output angle A.sub.R to be any desired angle within the field of view of RIS 96. For example, output angle A.sub.R may be oriented towards AP 6 so AP 6 receives reflected signals 32R. This may allow AP 6 to identify the position and orientation of RIS 96 and Para.[0081] At the same, RIS 96 may configure its own antenna elements 100 to perform beamforming with respective beamforming coefficients).
Re claim 9:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the RIS, a backtracking reflection coefficient message including an indication of the selected backtracking reflection coefficient (Para.[0123] At operation 178, AP 6 may configure phased antenna array 88′ to form the optimal AP beam and/or may use the control RAT to configure RIS 96 to form the optimal RIS-AP beam).
Re claim 10:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the network device is one of user equipment (UE) or a base station (Para.[0028] External communications equipment 6 may include one or more electronic devices and may be a wireless base station, wireless access point, or other wireless equipment for example).
Re claim 11:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 10, wherein the base station is a Next Generation Node B (gNB) (Para.[0034] 3GPP Fifth Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) protocols and Para.[0028] External communications equipment 6 may include one or more electronic devices and may be a wireless base station, wireless access point, or other wireless equipment for example).
Re claim 12:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reflection reference signal beams includes at least one of a sensing reference signal beam or a communication reference signal beam (Para.[0041] The sensing operations may, for example, involve the transmission of sensing signals (e.g., radar waveforms), the receipt of corresponding reflected signals (e.g., the transmitted waveforms that have reflected off of external objects), and the processing of the transmitted signals and the received reflected signals (e.g., using a radar scheme)).
Re claim 13: Claim 13 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1. Gunzelmann further discloses at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to at least one memory (Fig. 1).
Re claim 14: Claim 14 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2 from the perspective of the other device.
Re claim 15: Claim 15 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3.
Re claim 21: Claim 21 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 9.
Re claim 22: Claim 22 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 10.
Re claim 23: Claim 23 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 11.
Re claim 24: Claim 24 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 12.
Re claim 25: Claim 25 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the RIS. Gunzelmann further discloses at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to at least one memory (Fig. 1).
Re claim 26: Claim 26 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 28: Claim 14 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claims 10 and 11.
Re claim 29: Claim 29 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 12.
Re claim 30: Claim 30 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the RIS.
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.
Claim(s) 4 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunzelmann (US 20230370122) in view of Hija (US 20240429971).
Re claim 4:
As discussed above, Gunzelmann meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Gunzelmann does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 3, wherein determining the position of the RIS comprises determining at least one of a distance from the network device to the RIS or an angle of arrival (AoA) of the reflection reference signal beam from the RIS.
Haija discloses the method of claim 3, wherein determining the position of the RIS comprises determining at least one of a distance from the network device to the RIS or an angle of arrival (AoA) of the reflection reference signal beam from the RIS (Para.[0187] The base station 1010, or the network that the base station 1010 is a part of, may determine an angle of departure of a signal from the base station 1010 and/or an angle of arrival at the RIS 1030. Such information may be obtained by using sensing information that provides the UE location (with some ambiguity) or by using wide-beam sweeping measurements between the base station 1010, RIS 1030 and UE 1020 – Examiner Note: Gunzelmann discloses taking measurements from a reflection reference signal beam from the RIS).
Gunzelmann and Haija are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gunzelmann to include determining an AoA as taught by Haija in order to improve link quality (Haija Para.[0084]).
Re claim 16: Claim 16 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 4.
Claim(s) 5 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunzelmann (US 20230370122).
Re claim 5:
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 3, further comprising using the position of the RIS as a reference point for sensing one or more positions of one or more objects (Para.[0106] If desired, the beams may be updated based on the position and orientation of RIS 96 relative to AP 6 and/or relative to UE device 10 as discovered while processing operation 132. For example, if UE device 10 changes its location by a known or detected amount, the position and orientation of RIS 96 can be used to identify a new AP beam, RIS-UE beam, RIS-AP beam and/or UE beam that would allow RIS 96 to reflect THF signals 32 between AP 6 and UE device 10 at the new location and Para.[0041] The sensing operations may allow device 10 to detect (e.g., sense or identify) the presence, location, orientation, and/or velocity (motion) of objects external to device 10… The sensing operations may, for example, involve the transmission of sensing signals (e.g., radar waveforms), the receipt of corresponding reflected signals (e.g., the transmitted waveforms that have reflected off of external objects), and the processing of the transmitted signals and the received reflected signals (e.g., using a radar scheme)).
As discussed above, Gunzelmann discloses determining the position of the RIS and using sensing to detect objects. Gunzelmann does not explicitly state the position of the RIS can be a reference point for sensing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the position of the RIS can be used as a reference in order to determine how to steer a beam (Gunzelmann Para.[0041]).
Re claim 17: Claim 17 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 5.
Claim(s) 6,18, and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunzelmann (US 20230370122) in view of Choi (US 20230261376).
Re claim 6:
As discussed above, Gunzelmann meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Gunzelmann does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the RIS, a switching pattern message including an indication of a switching on-off pattern for each backtracking reflection coefficient of the plurality of backtracking reflection coefficients.
Choi discloses method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the RIS, a switching pattern message including an indication of a switching on-off pattern for each backtracking reflection coefficient of the plurality of backtracking reflection coefficients (Para.[0009] ending a beam to the reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface (RIS) by controlling the transmitter; and multi-focusing an electromagnetic wave signal incident on the reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface (RIS) on a plurality of receivers by setting an on/off state in each unit cell of the reconfigurable intelligent reflecting surface (RIS) based on the determined control parameter value and Para.[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment, the electronic device determines a reflection coefficient for each tile, and calculates a reflection coefficient acquired by applying a predetermined weight to an initial reflection coefficient of each beam, and determines a value acquired adding reflection coefficients acquired by applying respective weights to all beams formed by the tile as a final reflection coefficient).
Gunzelmann and Choi are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gunzelmann to include an on-off pattern as taught by Choi in order to perform adaptive multi-beam steering (Choi Para.[0016]).
Re claim 18: Claim 16 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 6.
Re claim 27: Claim 27 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 6.
Claim(s) 7,8,19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunzelmann (US 20230370122) in view of Svendsen (US 20250184189).
Re claim 7:
As discussed above, Gunzelmann meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Gunzelmann discloses method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a selected (Para.[0119] The wireless performance metric data may include received signal strength values, error rate values, received power level values, signal-to-noise ratio values, and/or any other desired wireless performance metric data values indicative of the amount of the transmitted radar waveform reflected off of RIS 96 and received back at AP 6.).
Gunzelmann does not explicitly disclose power delay profile.
Svendsen discloses power delay profile (Para.[0004] measure a power delay profile per symbol of the set of symbols).
Gunzelmann and Svendsen are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gunzelmann to include a power delay profile as taught by Svendsen in order to mitigate interference (Svendseni Para.[0002]).
Re claim 8:
As discussed above, Gunzelmann meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Gunzelmann discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising determining a power (Para.[0123] At operation 178, AP 6 may configure phased antenna array 88′ to form the optimal AP beam and/or may use the control RAT to configure RIS 96 to form the optimal RIS-AP beam and Para.[0119] The wireless performance metric data may include received signal strength values, error rate values, received power level values, signal-to-noise ratio values, and/or any other desired wireless performance metric data values indicative of the amount of the transmitted radar waveform reflected off of RIS 96 and received back at AP 6.).
Gunzelmann does not explicitly disclose power delay profile.
Svendsen discloses power delay profile (Para.[0004] measure a power delay profile per symbol of the set of symbols).
Gunzelmann and Svendsen are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gunzelmann to include a power delay profile as taught by Svendsen in order to mitigate interference (Svendseni Para.[0002]).
Re claim 19: Claim 19 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 7.
Re claim 20: Claim 20 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 8.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bayesteh (US 20210302561) shows a base station sending a reference signal, receiving a reflection of that reference signal from an RIS, and performing measurements on the received reflection signal.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy Kundu can be reached at (571) 272-8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
