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
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP 2022-053612, filed on 29 March 2022 AD.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 26 September 2024 AD and 08 July 2025 AD were filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1, 11, 14, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20150282196 A1) or Kim in view of Metshkati et al. (US 20220330162 A1) or Metshkati.
Claim 1
Kim teaches,
A terminal device comprising:
a plurality of antennas;
(See Kim paragraph 0003, As electronic devices, such as smart phones, are developed, various services may be provided to a user. An electronic device may include two or more antennas…)
at least one processor;
(See Kim paragraph 0115, …the electronic device 900 may include at least one of an application processor (AP) 910…)
and at least one memory that stores a computer-readable instruction for causing, when executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor to:
(See Kim paragraph 0141, …according to various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented as instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium in the form of a programming module. In the case where the instructions are performed by at least one processor, e.g., the processor 910, the at least one processor may perform functions corresponding to the instructions. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, a memory 930.)
measure a signal transmitted from a base station device in a network to which the terminal device belongs, using each of the plurality of antennas;
(See Kim paragraph 0057, …the electronic device may measure characteristics of received signals of the first and second antennas.)
Shows the electronic device measuring characteristics of received signals of multiple antennas
(See Kim paragraph 0092, …a base station may transmit a hybrid automatic retransmit request (HARQ)—acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (HACK) value to an electronic device…)
Shows the base station transmitting a HARQ ACK or NACK to the electronic device
perform determination of whether or not a first antenna and a second antenna included in the plurality of antennas…
(See Kim paragraph 0061, …the electronic device determines whether the received signal characteristics of the second antenna, e.g., a characteristic 2, are better, or in other words greater, than the received signal characteristic of the first antenna, e.g., a characteristic 1,…)
Shows the determining if the second antenna possesses a higher quality of signal than the first antenna
…the predetermined characteristic being specified based on the measured signal; and…
(See Kim paragraph 0060, …the electronic device may compare characteristics of the received signals of the first and second antennas, which are measured in operation 230.)
However, Kim fails to explicitly teach,
…has a predetermined characteristic in common,…
…notify the network to which the terminal device belongs of information indicating a result of the determination.
Nevertheless, Meshkati, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…has a predetermined characteristic in common,…
(See Meshkati paragraph 0005, …the UE may keep a separate account of the energy contributions associated with SRS transmissions for each antenna and for each carrier frequency and may use the separate accounts along with an exposure limit associated with one or more antennas to determine a common backoff parameter for each antenna group that the UE uses to transmit SRS.)
Shows the determining of a common backoff parameter for each antenna group
…notify the network to which the terminal device belongs of information indicating a result of the determination.
(See Meshkati paragraph 0075, …a UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by the base station 105 in different directions and may report to the base station 105 an indication of the signal that the UE 115 received with a highest signal quality or an otherwise acceptable signal quality.)
Shows the UE transmitting a report to the base station of the result of the highest signal quality received by the base station
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine measuring a signal transmitted by a base station in the same network as a terminal to a terminal with multiple antennas, perform a determination between a first and second antenna with a characteristic specified based on the measured signal as disclosed by Kim with the characteristic between the two antennas being in common and notifying the network of the terminal indicating the result of a determination as disclosed by Meshkati to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the number of measurements required by the user equipment or UE to estimate antenna reception and transmission quality).
Claim 11
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 11. However, Meshkati, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 6, wherein the terminal device further notifies the network of information indicating whether or not two antennas included in one group among the plurality of groups have the predetermined characteristic in common.
(See Meshkati paragraph 109, ...the UE 115 may, in some implementations, determine a first common backoff parameter for antennas of the first antenna group for each carrier frequency of the one or more carrier frequencies based on a first exposure limit associated with the at least one first antenna and an energy contribution for that antenna and that carrier frequency.)
Shows the UE determining a common back parameter for antennas in a group of antennas
The motivation to combine Kim and Meshkati in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 14
Kim teaches,
A control method to be executed by a terminal device including a plurality of antennas, the control method comprising:
(See Kim paragraph 0003, As electronic devices, such as smart phones, are developed, various services may be provided to a user. An electronic device may include two or more antennas in order to transmit and receive signals on different frequency bands or improve receive sensitivity of a specific frequency band.)
measuring a signal transmitted from a base station device in a network to which the terminal device belongs, using each of the plurality of antennas;
(See Kim paragraph 0057, …the electronic device may measure characteristics of received signals of the first and second antennas.)
Shows the electronic device measuring characteristics of received signals of multiple antennas
(See Kim paragraph 0092, …a base station may transmit a hybrid automatic retransmit request (HARQ)—acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (HACK) value to an electronic device…)
Shows the base station transmitting a HARQ ACK or NACK to the electronic device
performing determination of whether or not a first antenna and a second antenna included in the plurality of antennas…
(See Kim paragraph 0061, …the electronic device determines whether the received signal characteristics of the second antenna, e.g., a characteristic 2, are better, or in other words greater, than the received signal characteristic of the first antenna, e.g., a characteristic 1,…)
Shows the determining if the second antenna possesses a higher quality of signal than the first antenna
…the predetermined characteristic being specified based on the measured signal; and…
(See Kim paragraph 0060, …the electronic device may compare characteristics of the received signals of the first and second antennas, which are measured in operation 230.)
However, Kim fails to explicitly teach,
…has a predetermined characteristic in common,…
…notifying a network to which the terminal device belongs of information indicating a result of the determination.
Nevertheless, Meshkati, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…has a predetermined characteristic in common,…
(See Meshkati paragraph 0005, …the UE may keep a separate account of the energy contributions associated with SRS transmissions for each antenna and for each carrier frequency and may use the separate accounts along with an exposure limit associated with one or more antennas to determine a common backoff parameter for each antenna group that the UE uses to transmit SRS.)
Shows the determining of a common backoff parameter for each antenna group
…notifying a network to which the terminal device belongs of information indicating a result of the determination.
(See Meshkati paragraph 0075, …a UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by the base station 105 in different directions and may report to the base station 105 an indication of the signal that the UE 115 received with a highest signal quality or an otherwise acceptable signal quality.)
Shows the UE transmitting a report to the base station of the result of the highest signal quality received by the base station
The motivation to combine Kim and Meshkati in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 15
Kim teaches,
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program for causing a computer included in a terminal device having a plurality of antennas to execute a control method, the control method comprising:
(See Kim paragraph 0140, …the electronic device 800 or 900 may include a plurality of antennas…)
Shows the electronic device with multiple antennas
(See Kim paragraph 0124, The internal memory 932 may include at least one selected from, for example, a volatile memory, e.g., a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), a static RAM (SRAM), a synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) etc., or a nonvolatile memory, e.g., a one time programmable read only memory (OTROM), a programmable ROM (PROM),…)
Shows examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium
(See Kim paragraph 0141, The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, a memory 930. At least a part of the programming module may be implemented, e.g., executed, by the processor 910.)
Shows the processor executing the programming module
(See Kim paragraph 0141, …instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium in the form of a programming module.)
Shows the instructions or programming module stored in the computer-readable storage medium
measuring a signal transmitted from a base station device in a network to which the terminal device belongs, using each of the plurality of antennas;
(See Kim paragraph 0057, …the electronic device may measure characteristics of received signals of the first and second antennas.)
Shows the electronic device measuring characteristics of received signals of multiple antennas
(See Kim paragraph 0092, …a base station may transmit a hybrid automatic retransmit request (HARQ)—acknowledgement (ACK)/negative ACK (HACK) value to an electronic device…)
Shows the base station transmitting a HARQ ACK or NACK to the electronic device
performing determination of whether or not a first antenna and a second antenna included in the plurality of antennas…
(See Kim paragraph 0061, …the electronic device determines whether the received signal characteristics of the second antenna, e.g., a characteristic 2, are better, or in other words greater, than the received signal characteristic of the first antenna, e.g., a characteristic 1,…)
Shows the determining if the second antenna possesses a higher quality of signal than the first antenna
…the predetermined characteristic being specified based on the measured signal; and…
(See Kim paragraph 0060, …the electronic device may compare characteristics of the received signals of the first and second antennas, which are measured in operation 230.)
Kim fails to explicitly teach,
…has a predetermined characteristic in common,…
…notifying a network to which the terminal device belongs of information indicating a result of the determination.
Nevertheless, Meshkati, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…has a predetermined characteristic in common,…
(See Meshkati paragraph 0005, …the UE may keep a separate account of the energy contributions associated with SRS transmissions for each antenna and for each carrier frequency and may use the separate accounts along with an exposure limit associated with one or more antennas to determine a common backoff parameter for each antenna group that the UE uses to transmit SRS.)
Shows the determining of a common backoff parameter for each antenna group
…notifying a network to which the terminal device belongs of information indicating a result of the determination.
(See Meshkati paragraph 0075, …a UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by the base station 105 in different directions and may report to the base station 105 an indication of the signal that the UE 115 received with a highest signal quality or an otherwise acceptable signal quality.)
Shows the UE transmitting a report to the base station of the result of the highest signal quality received by the base station
The motivation to combine Kim and Meshkati in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20150282196 A1) or Kim in view of Qin et al. (US 20190199496 A1) or Qin in further view of Chen et al. (US 20190349938 A1) or Chen.
Claim 2
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 2. However, Qin, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 1,… …the predetermined characteristic that the first antenna and the second antenna have in common.
(See Qin paragraph 0066, …existence of a QCL relationship means that a same parameter exists in reference signals corresponding to antenna ports, or existence of a QCL relationship means that the user equipment may determine, based on a parameter of an antenna port, a parameter of an antenna port having the QCL relationship with the antenna port, or existence of a QCL relationship means that two antenna ports have a same parameter,…)
Shows the terminal determining two antenna ports with a QCL relationship indicating the antenna ports possesses the same parameters
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine measuring a signal transmitted by a base station in the same network as a terminal to a terminal with multiple antennas, perform a determination between a first and second antenna with a characteristic specified based on the measured signal as disclosed by Kim with the common characteristic between a first and second antenna as disclosed by Qin to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to increase accuracy of transmission between the base station and UE).
Chen, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…wherein the terminal device further notifies the network of information indicating…
(See Chen paragraph 0105, the UE determines, according to the co-location rule, that the PRSs corresponding to the at least two pieces of sub-configuration information included in the configuration information are QCL. For each piece of configuration information, the UE may obtain one or more positioning measurements based on the at least two PRSs corresponding to the at least two pieces of sub-configuration information included in each piece of configuration information, and report the one or more positioning measurements to the E-SMLC.)
Shows a UE reporting QCL information to the E-SMLC
(See Chen paragraph 0101, …the network side device is an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC) device,…)
Shows the E-SMLC as a network device
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine measuring a signal transmitted by a base station in the same network as a terminal to a terminal with multiple antennas, perform a determination between a first and second antenna with a characteristic specified based on the measured signal as disclosed by Kim with a terminal transmitting to a network information as disclosed by Chen to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the probability of the base station conducting inaccurate measurements of downlink channel estimation).
Claim 3
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 3. However, Qin, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 2,… …of information according to which it is possible to specify whether or not the first antenna and the second antenna have one or more of the predetermined characteristics in common.
(See Qin paragraph 0066, …or existence of a QCL relationship means that a difference between parameters of two antenna ports is less than a threshold.)
Shows the QCL relationship defined by the difference between two antenna ports less than a threshold or specify if the two antenna ports possess a common characteristic
The motivation to combine Kim and Qin in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 2.
Chen, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…wherein the terminal device notifies the network…
(See Chen paragraph 0105, the UE determines, according to the co-location rule, that the PRSs corresponding to the at least two pieces of sub-configuration information included in the configuration information are QCL. For each piece of configuration information, the UE may obtain one or more positioning measurements based on the at least two PRSs corresponding to the at least two pieces of sub-configuration information included in each piece of configuration information, and report the one or more positioning measurements to the E-SMLC.)
Shows a UE reporting QCL information to the E-SMLC
(See Chen paragraph 0101, …the network side device is an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC) device,…)
Shows the E-SMLC as a network device
The motivation to combine Kim and Chen in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 2.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20150282196 A1) or Kim in view of Davydov (US 20200036555 A1) in further view of Chen et al. (US 20190349938 A1) or Chen.
Claim 4
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 4. However, Davydov, in the same field of endeavor, teaches
The terminal device according to claim 3, wherein the terminal device uses a Quasi Co-Location (QCL) type… …according to which it is possible to specify whether or not the first antenna and the second antenna have the one or more of the predetermined characteristics in common.
(See Davydov paragraph 0091, …the large-scale properties of the channels between a UE and two antenna ports can be assumed to be same, the antenna ports are said to be quasi-co-located (QCL-ed). According to the current LTE specifications, a UE may be configured with one of two quasi-co-location types for the serving cell by RRC signaling. In QCL type A, the UE may assume the cell-specific reference signal (CRS), DMRS, and CSI-RS antenna ports of a serving cell are quasi-co-located. That is, all ports are assumed to be QCL-ed. In QCL type B, the UE may assume the CSI-RS antenna ports corresponding to the CSI-RS resource configuration identified by the higher-layer signaling and the DMRS antenna ports associated with the PDSCH are quasi-co-located.)
Shows the common parameter between two antennas based on QCL type
(See Davydov paragraph 0092, For both QCL types it is assumed that all DM-RS antenna ports are QCL-ed with each other, which prevents use of the non-coherent joint transmission schemes where the DM-RS antenna ports are transmitted from different transmission points (TPs) and, therefore, should not be QCL-ed with each other. Therefore, a new QCL, assumption for DM-RS antenna ports, e.g. QCL type C, allowing non QCL-ed DM-RS antenna ports is proposed, referred to herein as QCL type C.)
Shows QCL type C specifying the antenna ports not possessing a QCL relationship or common parameters
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine measuring a signal transmitted by a base station in the same network as a terminal to a terminal with multiple antennas, perform a determination between a first and second antenna with a characteristic specified based on the measured signal as disclosed by Kim with a terminal using a quasi co-located or QCL type to specify whether or not a first and second antenna possess a common characteristic as disclosed by Davydov to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the probability of the base station incorrectly identifying two antennas with different characteristics as common characteristics).
Chen, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…to perform notification of the information…
(See Chen paragraph 0105, the UE determines, according to the co-location rule, that the PRSs corresponding to the at least two pieces of sub-configuration information included in the configuration information are QCL. For each piece of configuration information, the UE may obtain one or more positioning measurements based on the at least two PRSs corresponding to the at least two pieces of sub-configuration information included in each piece of configuration information, and report the one or more positioning measurements to the E-SMLC.)
Shows a UE reporting QCL information to the E-SMLC
(See Chen paragraph 0101, …the network side device is an enhanced serving mobile location center (E-SMLC) device,…)
Shows the E-SMLC as a network device
The motivation to combine Kim and Chen in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 2.
Claims 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20150282196 A1) or Kim in view of Gao et al. (US 20200120528 A1) or Gao.
Claim 5
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 5. However, Gao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the terminal device determines whether or not the first antenna and the second antenna have the predetermined characteristic in common by comparing a first feature amount indicating the predetermined characteristic for the first antenna and a second feature amount indicating the predetermined characteristic for the second antenna.
(See Gao paragraph 0069, ...it can be predefined that two channel properties are similar to each other when their respective parameter values are within 5% or 10% of each other. In certain embodiments, ports that are QCLed may share similar channel properties...)
Shows two channel properties associated with antenna ports possesses similar properties
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine measuring a signal transmitted by a base station in the same network as a terminal to a terminal with multiple antennas, perform a determination between a first and second antenna with a characteristic specified based on the measured signal as disclosed by Kim with comparing a first feature amount indicating a characteristic for the first antenna and a second feature amount indicating a characteristic for the second antenna as disclosed by Gao to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. increase the accuracy of identifying a common characteristic between two antennas).
Claim 6
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 6. However, Gao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas are classified into a plurality of groups, and the terminal device determines whether or not the first antenna and the second antenna have the predetermined characteristic in common by determining whether or not a first group to which the first antenna belongs and a second group to which the second antenna belongs among the plurality of groups have the predetermined characteristic in common.
(See Gao Table 1)
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256
936
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Greyscale
Shows at least one antenna for UE antenna group ID_L with the characteristic of RSRP Type-A common to for at least one antenna for UE antenna group ID_L+1 with the same characteristic of RSRP Type-A
The motivation to combine Kim and Gao in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 5.
Claim 9
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 4. However, Gao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instruction further causes, when executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor
to decide on the plurality of groups based on the predetermined characteristic for each of the plurality of antennas.
(See Gao paragraph 0055, Table 1 below shows a first beam reporting format wherein a RSRP Type A value may be determined for each Tx beam transmitted from a BS to a UE and evaluated by the UE on a per UE antenna group basis. Stated another way, a RSRP value is determined for each Tx beam (each having a logical beam index) received by a corresponding UE antenna group. In some embodiments, an antenna group may be a grouping of antennas (e.g., quasi co-located antennas), as dictated by similar characteristics (e.g., transmission and/or reception properties, etc.) between each constituent antenna of the antenna group.)
Shows the group of antennas grouped together by similar RSRP Type A value
The motivation to combine Kim and Gao in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 5.
Claim 10
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 10. However, Gao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 6, wherein the terminal device further notifies the network of the number of groups included in the plurality of groups.
(See Gao paragraph 0035, Robust beam reporting may include a feedback loop between BSs and UEs that provides sufficient communications details concerning a BS to a UE or, vice versa, concerning a UE to a BS.)
Shows the transmission of communication details between a base station and UE with the UE transmitting and the base station receiving or vice versa
(See Gao paragraph 0035, ...a number and/or layout of ports at either the UE or BS; port IDs (e.g., identity of ports) at either the UE or BS;)
Shows the number of antenna ports UE
The motivation to combine Kim and Gao in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 5.
Claim 12
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 12. However, Gao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristic includes at least one of transmission path loss, Doppler shift, Doppler spread, average delay, and delay spread.
(See Gao paragraph 0069, Channel properties for determining whether two or more resources should be QCLed can include one or more of the following properties: (1) Doppler spread; (2) Doppler shift; (3) delay spread; (4) average delay; (5) average gain; and (6) Spatial parameter.)
The motivation to combine Kim and Gao in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 5.
Claim 13
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 12. However, Gao, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the computer-readable instruction further causes, when executed by the at least one processor, the at least one processor to acquire, from the network, a predetermined value to serve as a criterion to be used in determining whether or not the first antenna and the second antenna have the predetermined characteristic in common.
(See Gao paragraph 0065, ...a BS may instruct the UE to determine RSRP on a per port group basis (where the number of ports within one port group is K, and K is positive integer). For example, if K=1, RSRP may be measured per one BS port.)
Shows the base station instructing the UE to determine RSRP on a specified number of antenna ports per antenna group
(See Gao paragraph 0064, ...in Type-A embodiments, RSRP values may be determined at receipt and be based on the receiving antenna of a UE (e.g., be evaluated based on the signals received at a UE antenna group).)
Shows RSRP values utilized to calculate the QCL Type-A common characteristics between antenna ports
The motivation to combine Kim and Gao in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 5.
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20150282196 A1) or Kim in view of Zhang et al. (US 20210367719 A1) or Zhang.
Claim 7
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 7. However, Zhang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 6, wherein the terminal device determines whether or not the first group and the second group have the predetermined characteristic in common by comparing a first statistical value of a feature amount indicating the predetermined characteristic for one or more antennas included in the first group and a second statistical value of a feature amount indicating the predetermined characteristics for one or more antennas included in the second group.
(See Zhang paragraph 0120, One port group may belong to one or more QCL port groups, and this port group and all ports in the one or more QCL port groups have channel characteristics in a QCL parameter set corresponding to the one or more QCL port groups. For example, an N-th type of port respectively corresponds to a QCL signal set 2 and the QCL signal set J, that is, the N-th type of port has correspondences with the QCL characteristic parameter set 2 and the QCL characteristic parameter set I.)
Shows multiple port groups may belong to multiple QCL port groups possesses a common QCL parameter set
(See Zhang paragraph 0116, The characteristic parameters are used for determining the channel information corresponding to the current transmit signal and/or the current antenna port, and the characteristic parameters in X characteristic parameter groups are configured as follows. When X=1, the characteristic parameter group includes the average delay, the average gain, the frequency offset, the frequency offset spread and the delay spread.)
Shows characteristic parameters include statistical average delay and average gain
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine measuring a signal transmitted by a base station in the same network as a terminal to a terminal with multiple antennas, perform a determination between a first and second antenna with a characteristic specified based on the measured signal as disclosed by Kim with determining whether or not a first and second group possess a common characteristic by comparing a first statistical value of a feature amount indicating characteristic for at least one antenna in the first group and a second statistical value of a feature amount indicating a characteristic for at least one antenna in the second group as disclosed by Zhang to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the transmission power of the UE).
Claim 8
Kim fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 8. However, Zhang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The terminal device according to claim 6, wherein the terminal device determines whether or not the first group and the second group have the predetermined characteristic in common by comparing a first feature amount indicating the predetermined characteristic for each of one or more antennas included in the first group and a second feature amount indicating the predetermined characteristic for each of one or more antennas included in the second group.
(See Zhang paragraph 0152, ...the first type reference signals may be divided into two subtypes (that is, a first group of first type signals and a second group of first type signals) according to different frequency domain positions occupied by the first type reference signals.)
Shows a first and second subtype group of type signals
(See Zhang paragraph 0152, ...the two subtypes also belong to a same QCL reference signal group (a QCL group 1).)
Shows the two subtypes belong to the same QCL group 1
Shows two groups possesses a common feature belonging to QCL group 1
(See Zhang paragraph 0070, ...according to X characteristic parameter groups, all transmit signals are divided into X signal groups each group having a QCL relationship or all antenna ports are divided into X antenna port groups each group having a QCL relationship, where X is a positive integer.)
Shows the antenna port groups with a QCL relationship
The motivation to combine Kim and Zhang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li et al. (US 20230224134 A1) or Li teaches a user equipment or UE receiving reference signals or RSs from a base station, generate channel state information or CSI for a set of antennas based on the received RSs, and transmit to the base station a CSI report with the association between the antennas.
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/SAMUEL ROBERGE BETTENDORF/Examiner, Art Unit 2414
/EDAN ORGAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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