DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-18 are presented for examination.
Claims 1 and 7 are amended.
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).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/02/2025 and 09/15/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 11/15/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-9, 11-15, 17, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu, U.S. Publication No. 2016/0192229.
As per claim 1, Liu discloses a channel measurement method performed by an apparatus [claim 1, paragraphs 0006, 0069, 0094, 0125, a channel measurement method performed by an apparatus (channel measurement method; terminal measures the channel)] comprising:
obtaining a first reference signal set and a second reference signal set, wherein the first reference signal set comprises N first reference signals, the second reference signal set comprises M second reference signals [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0018, 0094-0096, 0197, 0198, 0201, 0214, obtaining a first reference signal set and a second reference signal set, wherein the first reference signal set comprises N first reference signals, the second reference signal set comprises M second reference signals (a pattern of a first channel measurement reference pilot; pattern of the second channel measurement reference pilot is a subset of the pattern of the first channel measurement reference; the 16 ports of the first CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped; the 4 ports of the second CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped in a subset of the first pattern; and the 4 ports of the third CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped to locations in the subset of the first pattern)], and M and N are positive integers greater than or equal to 1 [fig. 5, paragraphs 0099, 0100, 0197, 0198, M and N are positive integers greater than or equal to 1 (N pieces of configuration information (CSI-RS patterns) are configured; N is a positive integer greater than 1)];
performing channel measurement based on the first reference signal set to obtain first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the first channel information is less than a quantity of transmit antennas of a first device [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0047, 0056, 0064, 0067, 0193-0195, 0197, 0201, 0214, 0215, 0224, 0323, 0341, performing channel measurement based on the first reference signal set to obtain first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the first channel information is less than a quantity of transmit antennas of a first device (measurement on, or a feedback to three groups of channel information corresponds to three CSI processes; first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)]; and
obtaining second channel information based on the second reference signal set and the first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the second channel information is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0047, 0056, 0064, 0067, 0193-0195, 0197, 0201, 0214, 0215, 0224, 0323, 0341, obtaining second channel information based on the second reference signal set and the first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the second channel information is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device (measurement on, or a feedback to three groups of channel information corresponds to three CSI processes; first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 2, Liu discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining first information, wherein the first information comprises a first value, the first value is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device, and the first dimension is less than or equal to the first value [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, obtaining first information, wherein the first information comprises a first value, the first value is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device, and the first dimension is less than or equal to the first value (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 3, Liu discloses the method according to claim 2,
wherein the first value is less than or equal to N [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, wherein the first value is less than or equal to N (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 5, Liu discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
sending the first channel information and the second channel information [fig. 1, 4, 5, 18, paragraphs 0046, 0055, 0067, 0101, 0125, 0480, 0489, sending the first channel information and the second channel information (receiving, by the terminal, measurement configuration information sent by a base station; after measuring channel information, the terminal reports measured channel information to the base station; performing measurement and reporting separately in a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension)].
As per claim 6, Liu discloses the method according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:
obtaining a feedback periodicity of the first channel information and/or a feedback periodicity of the second channel information [paragraphs 0101, 0183-0186, 0199, 0200, 0467, 0588, obtaining a feedback periodicity of the first channel information (sending period of the first channel measurement)].
As per claim 7, Liu discloses a channel measurement method performed by an apparatus [claim 1, paragraphs 0006, 0069, 0094, 0125, a channel measurement method performed by an apparatus (channel measurement method; terminal measures the channel)], comprising:
sending a first reference signal set and a second reference signal set, wherein the first reference signal set comprises N first reference signals, the second reference signal set comprises M second reference signals [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0018, 0094-0096, 0197, 0198, 0201, 0214, sending a first reference signal set and a second reference signal set, wherein the first reference signal set comprises N first reference signals, the second reference signal set comprises M second reference signals (a pattern of a first channel measurement reference pilot; pattern of the second channel measurement reference pilot is a subset of the pattern of the first channel measurement reference; the 16 ports of the first CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped; the 4 ports of the second CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped in a subset of the first pattern; and the 4 ports of the third CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped to locations in the subset of the first pattern)], and M and N are positive integers greater than or equal to 1 [fig. 5, paragraphs 0099, 0100, 0197, 0198, M and N are positive integers greater than or equal to 1 (N pieces of configuration information (CSI-RS patterns) are configured; N is a positive integer greater than 1)]; and
receiving first channel information and second channel information, wherein a first dimension of the first channel information is less than a quantity of antennas of a first device, and a first dimension of the second channel information is less than the quantity of antennas of the first device; or receiving third channel information, wherein the third channel information is determined based on the first channel information and the second channel information, and a first dimension of the third channel information is less than a quantity of antennas of the first device [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0047, 0056, 0064, 0067, 0193-0195, 0197, 0201, 0214, 0215, 0224, 0323, 0341, receiving first channel information and second channel information, wherein a first dimension of the first channel information is less than a quantity of antennas of a first device, and a first dimension of the second channel information is less than the quantity of antennas of the first device (measurement on, or a feedback to three groups of channel information corresponds to three CSI processes; first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 8, Liu discloses the method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:
sending first information, wherein the first information comprises a first value, the first value is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device, and the first dimension is less than or equal to the first value [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, sending first information, wherein the first information comprises a first value, the first value is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device, and the first dimension is less than or equal to the first value (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 9, Liu discloses the method according to claim 8,
wherein the first value is less than or equal to N [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, wherein the first value is less than or equal to N (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 11, Liu discloses the method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:
sending at least one of a feedback periodicity of the first channel information, a feedback periodicity of the second channel information, and a feedback periodicity of the third channel information [paragraphs 0101, 0183-0186, 0199, 0200, 0467, 0588, sending at least one of a feedback periodicity of the first channel information (sending period of the first channel measurement)].
As per claim 12, Liu discloses the method according to claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:
sending second information, wherein the second information comprises at least one of a value of N, resource information of the first reference signal, and a sending periodicity of the first reference signal [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, sending second information, wherein the second information comprises at least one of a value of N (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 13, Liu discloses a channel measurement apparatus, comprising at least one processor, and one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor to perform operations [claim 10, 24, paragraphs 0006, 0069, 0094, 0125, channel measurement apparatus, comprising at least one processor, and one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor and storing programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor to perform operations (device, comprising: a processor and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprises a program stored therein, and when the program is executed; terminal measures the channel)] comprising:
obtaining a first reference signal set and a second reference signal set, wherein the first reference signal set comprises N first reference signals, the second reference signal set comprises M second reference signals [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0018, 0094-0096, 0197, 0198, 0201, 0214, obtaining a first reference signal set and a second reference signal set, wherein the first reference signal set comprises N first reference signals, the second reference signal set comprises M second reference signals (a pattern of a first channel measurement reference pilot; pattern of the second channel measurement reference pilot is a subset of the pattern of the first channel measurement reference; the 16 ports of the first CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped; the 4 ports of the second CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped in a subset of the first pattern; and the 4 ports of the third CSI-RS pattern are separately mapped to locations in the subset of the first pattern)], and M and N are positive integers greater than or equal to 1 [fig. 5, paragraphs 0099, 0100, 0197, 0198, M and N are positive integers greater than or equal to 1 (N pieces of configuration information (CSI-RS patterns) are configured; N is a positive integer greater than 1)];
performing channel measurement based on the first reference signal set to obtain first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the first channel information is less than a quantity of transmit antennas of a first device [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0047, 0056, 0064, 0067, 0193-0195, 0197, 0201, 0214, 0215, 0224, 0323, 0341, performing channel measurement based on the first reference signal set to obtain first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the first channel information is less than a quantity of transmit antennas of a first device (measurement on, or a feedback to three groups of channel information corresponds to three CSI processes; first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)]; and
obtaining second channel information based on the second reference signal set and the first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the second channel information is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device [Abstract, fig. 5, paragraphs 0047, 0056, 0064, 0067, 0193-0195, 0197, 0201, 0214, 0215, 0224, 0323, 0341, obtaining second channel information based on the second reference signal set and the first channel information, wherein a first dimension of the second channel information is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device (measurement on, or a feedback to three groups of channel information corresponds to three CSI processes; first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 14, Liu discloses the channel measurement apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining first information, wherein the first information comprises a first value, the first value is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device, and the first dimension is less than or equal to the first value [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, obtaining first information, wherein the first information comprises a first value, the first value is less than the quantity of transmit antennas of the first device, and the first dimension is less than or equal to the first value (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 15, Liu discloses the channel measurement apparatus according to claim 14,
wherein the first value is less than or equal to N [fig. 5, Abstract, paragraphs 0018, 0046, 0055, 0197, 0198, 0341-0343, wherein the first value is less than or equal to N (measurement on the channel corresponds to a partial antenna, for example, an antenna in a dimension (a vertical dimension, a horizontal dimension, or the like); first CSI process corresponds to an antenna pattern, corresponds to the first CSI-RS pattern (an antenna quantity is X(1)); the second CSI process corresponds to a pattern with one row of horizontal antennas (an antenna quantity is X(2); less than or equal to a transmit antenna quantity; subsets of a CSI-RS pattern of a whole antenna and a CSI-RS pattern of a partial antenna are configured and feedbacks to quality information of a whole channel and quality information of a partial channel are combined)].
As per claim 17, Liu discloses the channel measurement apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:
sending the first channel information and the second channel information [fig. 1, 4, 5, 18, paragraphs 0046, 0055, 0067, 0101, 0125, 0480, 0489, sending the first channel information and the second channel information (receiving, by the terminal, measurement configuration information sent by a base station; after measuring channel information, the terminal reports measured channel information to the base station; performing measurement and reporting separately in a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension)].
As per claim 18, Liu discloses the channel measurement apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:
obtaining a feedback periodicity of the first channel information and/or a feedback periodicity of the second channel information [paragraphs 0101, 0183-0186, 0199, 0200, 0467, 0588, obtaining a feedback periodicity of the first channel information (sending period of the first channel measurement)].
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.
Claim(s) 4, 10, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in view of Ko et al., (hereinafter Ko), U.S. Publication No. 2015/0207547.
As per claim 4, Liu discloses the method according to claim 2, Liu does not explicitly discloses wherein the method further comprises: sending an updated first value.
However, Ko teaches sending an updated first value [paragraphs 0062, 0152, 0178, sending an updated first value (method for supporting codebook selection/update/modification, minimization of CSI payload size increase, etc.) of CSI feedback method of the UE)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to improve upon the method described in Liu by sending an updated first value as taught by Ko because it would provide the Liu's method with the enhanced capability of improving efficiency in data transmission [Ko, paragraphs 0002, 0064].
As per claim 10, Liu discloses the method according to claim 8, Liu does not explicitly discloses wherein the method further comprises: receiving an updated first value.
However, Ko teaches receiving an updated first value [paragraphs 0062, 0152, 0178, receiving an updated first value (method for supporting codebook selection/update/modification, minimization of CSI payload size increase, etc.) of CSI feedback method of the UE)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to improve upon the method described in Liu by sending an updated first value as taught by Ko because it would provide the Liu's method with the enhanced capability of improving efficiency in data transmission [Ko, paragraphs 0002, 0064].
As per claim 16, Liu discloses the channel measurement apparatus according to claim 14, Liu does not explicitly discloses wherein the operations further comprise: sending an updated first value.
However, Ko teaches sending an updated first value [paragraphs 0062, 0152, 0178, sending an updated first value (method for supporting codebook selection/update/modification, minimization of CSI payload size increase, etc.) of CSI feedback method of the UE)].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to improve upon the apparatus described in Liu by sending an updated first value as taught by Ko because it would provide the Liu's apparatus with the enhanced capability of improving efficiency in data transmission [Ko, paragraphs 0002, 0064].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Faxer et al., U.S. Publication No. 2017/0288751 teaches the wireless device can estimate the channel from up to eight transmit antennas.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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/JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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