www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/499,949
`
`10/01/2019
`
`SHOTARO MAKI
`
`731456.569USPC
`
`6241
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`LATORRE,IVAN O
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2414
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/03/2021
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-15 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`CC) Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected.
`S)
`) O Claim(s)___is/are objected to.
`C) Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11) The drawing(s) filed on October 1, 2019 is/are: a)(¥) accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`cc) None ofthe:
`b)LJ Some**
`a)Y) All
`1.4) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.4) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20210107
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/499,949
`MAKI etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`IVAN O LATORRE
`2414
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133}.
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on October 1, 2019.
`LC} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)(J This action is FINAL. 2b))This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\(Z Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`1.
`
`This office action is a response to the 371 application entering national stage from
`
`PCT/JP2018/015668 filed on April 16, 2018.
`
`2.
`
`3.
`
`Claims 1-15 are pending.
`
`Claims 1-15 are rejected.
`
`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
`
`4,
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined under the
`
`first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Priority
`
`5.
`
`Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119
`
`(a)-(d). The certified copy has beenfiled in the Instant Application.
`
`Information Disclosure Statement
`
`6.
`
`The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on October 1, 2019 is in
`
`compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly,
`
`the information disclosure
`
`statement is being considered by the examiner.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`7.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which formsthe basis for all obviousness
`
`rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent fora 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 theclaimed invention as a whole would have been obviousbefore the effective
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 3
`
`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.
`
`8.
`
`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-AJA 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 ofrejection if the prior art
`
`relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same undereither status.
`
`9.
`
`This application currently names jomt inventors. In considering patentability of the
`
`claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly
`
`ownedasof the effective filmg 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 eachclaim that was not commonly owned as ofthe 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.
`
`10.
`
`Claims 1 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable overLiet al.
`
`U.S. Patent Application Publication 2019/0312697, hereinafter Li, and Lee etal. U.S. Patent
`
`Application Publication 2019/0081844, hereinafter Lee’ 844.
`
`Regarding Claim 1, Li discloses a transmitter (Abstract; Figure 1, 2 and 7) comprising:
`
`assignment circuitry, which, in operation, maps a phase tracking reference signal onto a
`
`subcarrier (Paragraph [0011-0016] Mapping relationship is pre-agreed between the transmitter
`
`and the receiver, or the reference signal transmission method further includes receiving, by the
`
`receiver, the mapping relationship from the transmitter.; a precoding vector adopted by each
`
`phase-tracking reference signal is associated with a precoding vectorin the first precoding matrix
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 4
`
`adopted by the corresponding virtual data stream on a subcarrier where the phase-tracking
`
`referencesignal is located, and the virtual data stream corresponding to each phase-tracking
`
`reference signal corresponds to the demodulation reference signal corresponding to the phase-
`
`tracking reference signal);
`
`and transmitting circuitry, which, in operation, transmits a signal containing the phase
`
`tracking reference signal (204 of Figure 2; Paragraph [0052] transmitting, by the transmitter, M
`
`phase-tracking reference signals (PTRSs) to the receiver, the M phase-tracking reference signals
`
`being adopted to track phase changes in the T antenna groups caused by one or more phase noise
`
`sources, M being an integer greater than or equal to 1),
`
`wherein the phase tracking reference signal is mapped onto a different subcarrier for each
`
`cell, group, or mobile station (Paragraph [0012] In the mapping relationship between the
`
`demodulation reference signals and the phase-tracking reference signals, one phase-tracking
`
`reference signal at least corresponds to one demodulation reference signal, and each phase-
`
`tracking reference signal and the corresponding demodulation reference signal are transmitted
`
`via a same antenna group).
`
`Li readily discloses the limitations of claim 1 but fails to get into specific details
`
`regarding the mapping of phase tracking reference signals.
`
`However, Lee’844 more specifically teaches assignment circuitry, which, in operation,
`
`maps a phase tracking reference signal onto a subcarrier (Paragraph [0007-0009 and 0113-0115]
`
`A PTRSof a specific antenna port canbe mappedto a subcarrier to which a DMRS
`
`(Demodulation Reference Signal) of the specific antenna port is assigned. Processor configured
`
`to generate a PTRS (phase tracking reference signal) for estimating phase noise from a downlink
`
`signal, the processor configured to map the PTRS to a region to which a data channel is mapped
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 5
`
`with a prescribed OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
`
`symbol space in a
`
`downlink resource region, the processor configured to transmit the PTRS to a user equipment)
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li with the teachings of Lee’ 844.
`
`Lee’ 844 provides a solution which enables improving phase noise estimation procedure of the
`
`terminal and performing exact decoding of a reception signal. The method enables minimizing
`
`overhead of the signal transmitted by a base station even when phase noise estimated
`
`performanceof the terminal is improved so as to improve channel equalization and
`
`communication efficiency (Lee’844 Abstract; Paragraph [0001-0020)]).
`
`Regarding Claim 13, Li discloses a receiver (Abstract; Figure 1, 2 and 7) comprising:
`
`receiving circuitry, which, in operation, receives a signal containing a phase tracking
`
`reference signal (204 of Figure 2; Paragraph [0052] transmitting, by the transmitter, M phase-
`
`tracking reference signals (PTRSs) to the receiver, the M phase-tracking reference signals being
`
`adopted to track phase changes in the T antenna groups caused by one or more phase noise
`
`sources, M being an integer greater than or equal to 1),
`
`and demodulating circuitry, which, in operation, demodulates a data signal by using a
`
`phase noise estimated value calculated using the phase tracking reference signal (Paragraph
`
`[0011-0016] Mapping relationship is pre-agreed between the transmitter and the receiver, or the
`
`reference signal transmission method further includes receiving, by the receiver, the mapping
`
`relationship from the transmitter.; a precoding vector adopted by each phase-tracking reference
`
`signal is associated with a precoding vector in the first precoding matrix adopted by the
`
`corresponding virtual data stream on a subcarrier where the phase-tracking reference signalis
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 6
`
`located, and the virtual data stream corresponding to each phase-tracking reference signal
`
`corresponds to the demodulation reference signal corresponding to the phase-tracking reference
`
`signal),
`
`wherein the phase tracking reference signal is mapped onto a different subcarrier for each
`
`cell, group, or mobile station (Paragraph [0012] In the mapping relationship between the
`
`demodulation reference signals and the phase-tracking reference signals, one phase-tracking
`
`reference signal at least corresponds to one demodulation reference signal, and each phase-
`
`tracking reference signal and the corresponding demodulation reference signal are transmitted
`
`via a same antenna group).
`
`Li readily discloses the limitations of claim 13 but fails to get into specific details
`
`regarding the mapping of phase tracking reference signals.
`
`However, Lee’844 more specifically teaches assignment circuitry, which, in operation,
`
`maps a phase tracking reference signal onto a subcarrier (Paragraph [0007-0009 and 0113-0115]
`
`A PTRSof a specific antenna port can be mappedto a subcarrier to which a DMRS
`
`(Demodulation Reference Signal) of the specific antenna port is assigned. Processor configured
`
`to generate a PTRS (phase tracking reference signal) for estimating phase noise from a downlink
`
`signal, the processor configured to map the PTRS to a region to which a data channel is mapped
`
`with a prescribed OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing)
`
`symbol space in a
`
`downlink resource region, the processor configured to transmit the PTRS to a user equipment)
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li with the teachings of Lee’ 844.
`
`Lee’ 844 provides a solution which enables improving phase noise estimation procedure of the
`
`terminal and performing exact decoding of a reception signal. The method enables minimizing
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 7
`
`overhead of the signal transmitted by a base station even when phase noise estimated
`
`performanceof the terminal is improved so as to improve channel equalization and
`
`communication efficiency (Lee’844 Abstract; Paragraph [0001-0020)]).
`
`Regarding Claim 14, see the rejection of Claim 1. Claim 1 is an apparatus claim
`
`corresponding to the method of Claim 14 with the same features. Therefore the same rejection
`
`applies as the rejection of Claim 1.
`
`Regarding Claim 15, see the rejection of Claim 13. Claim 13 is an apparatus claim
`
`corresponding to the method of Claim 15 with the same features. Therefore the same rejection
`
`applies as the rejection of Claim 13.
`
`11.
`
`Claims 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view
`
`of Lee’ 844 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al. U.S. Patent Application
`
`Publication 2018/0359071, hereinafter Lee’071.
`
`Regarding Claim 2, Li in view of Lee’844 disclose the transmitter according to Claim 1.
`
`Li in view of Lee’ 844 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the phase tracking referencesignalis
`
`mapped onto a subcarrier determined by using either an index for identification of the cell,
`
`group, or mobile station or higher layer signaling.
`
`However, Lee’071 more specifically teaches wherein the phase tracking referencesignal
`
`is mapped onto a subcarrier determined by using either an index foridentification of the cell,
`
`group, or mobile station or higher layer signaling (Lee’071 Paragraph [0010, 0182, 0223 and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 8
`
`0235] RRC signaling of resources and parameters; PTRS precoding defined in the regions A and
`
`B is the same as DMRSprecoding defined in the respective regions. In the different cells, the
`
`shared PTRSlocation in the time domain maybe placed next to a DMRS. In addition, when the
`
`same precoding as that of the DMRSis used, the shared PTRSis defined on symbols with the
`
`same index in the time domain).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 with the teachings
`
`of Lee’071. Lee’071 provides techniques in which the reference signal (RS) for estimating and
`
`compensating a phase rotation caused by the phase noise is required. The evaluation results
`
`clearly show that code block spreading in the time domain is effective way to reduce phase noise
`
`impact. The communication performance can be considerably improved by estimating a phase
`
`noise based on a reference signal related to phase noise estimation in anenvironment
`
`(Lee’071
`
`Abstract; Paragraph [0003-0017]).
`
`Regarding Claim 12, Li in view of Lee’844 disclose the transmitter according to Claim
`
`1. Li in view of Lee’ 844 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation,
`
`maps the phase tracking reference signal onto any of subcarriers on which demodulating
`
`reference signals using a precoding whichis identical to that used by the phase tracking
`
`reference signal are mapped.
`
`However, Lee’071 more specifically teaches wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in
`
`operation, maps the phase tracking reference signal onto any of subcarriers on which
`
`demodulating reference signals using a precoding whichis identical to that used by the phase
`
`tracking reference signal are mapped (Lee’071 Paragraph [0223 and 0235] PTRSprecoding
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 9
`
`defined in the regions A and B is the same as DMRSprecoding defined in the respective regions.
`
`In the different cells, the shared PTRSlocation in the time domain maybeplaced next toa
`
`DMRS. In addition, when the same precoding as that of the DMRSis used, the shared PTRSis
`
`defined on symbols with the same index in the time domain).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effectivefiling
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 with the teachings
`
`of Lee’071. Lee’071 provides techniques in which the reference signal (RS) for estimating and
`
`compensating a phase rotation caused by the phase noise is required. The evaluation results
`
`clearly show that code block spreading in the time domain is effective way to reduce phase noise
`
`impact. The communication performance can be considerably improved by estimating a phase
`
`noise based on a reference signal related to phase noise estimation in anenvironment
`
`(Lee’071
`
`Abstract; Paragraph [0003-0017]).
`
`12.
`
`Claims 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of
`
`Lee’ 844 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Takeda et al. U.S. Patent Application
`
`Publication 2018/0183491, heremafter Takeda.
`
`Regarding Claim 3, Li in view of Lee’844 disclose the transmitter according to Claim 1.
`
`Li in view of Lee’ 844 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the phase tracking reference signalis
`
`subjected to frequency hopping every unit time.
`
`However, Takeda teaches wherein the phase tracking reference signal is subjected to
`
`frequency hopping every unit time (Paragraph [0085] The frequency hopping pattern thatis
`
`applied to the PDSCH from the frequency hopping patterns that are determined in advance
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 10
`
`amongaplurality of narrow bands that constitute the whole system band); Paragraph [0085] The
`
`frequency hopping pattern that is applied to the PDSCH from the frequency hopping patterns that
`
`are determined in advance amonga plurality of narrow bandsthat constitute the whole system
`
`band); Paragraph [0064-0068, 0139-0143 and 0157] Offsets applied to reference signals. Time
`
`offset with respect to subframe where the determined frequency hopping pattern starts and
`
`starting index).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 with the teachings
`
`of Takeda. Takeda provides techniques in which frequency diversity effect of the downstream
`
`signal can be acquired when the downstream signal with respect to the user terminal. The
`
`frequency diversity effect is improved. Since the frequency diversity effect is acquired, the
`
`decline in frequency usage efficiency can be suppressed (Takeda Abstract; Paragraph [0002-
`
`0014]).
`
`Regarding Claim 4, Li in view of Lee’844 and Takeda disclose the transmitter according
`
`to Claim 3. Li in view of Lee’844 and Takeda further disclose wherein the phase tracking
`
`reference signal is subjected to a hopping offset determined by using either an index for
`
`identification of the cell, group, or mobile station or a time-domain index (Takeda Paragraph
`
`[0064-0068, 0139-0143 and 0157] Offsets applied to reference signals. Time offset with respect
`
`to subframe where the determined frequency hopping pattern starts and starting index).
`
`Regarding Claim 5, Li in view of Lee’844 and Takeda disclose the transmitter according
`
`to Claim 4. Li in view of Lee’844 and Takeda further disclose wherein the time-domain index is
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 11
`
`a symbol number, a slot number, a minislot number, a subframe number, or a frame number
`
`(Takeda Paragraph [0064-0068, 0139-0143 and 0157] Time offset with respect to subframe
`
`where the determined frequency hopping pattern starts and starting index).
`
`Regarding Claim 6, Li in view of Lee’844 and Takeda disclose the transmitter according
`
`to Claim 4. Li in view of Lee’844 and Takeda further disclose wherein a plurality of the hopping
`
`offsets against a plurality of the phase tracking reference signals that are transmitted froma
`
`plurality of antenna ports, respectively, are identical (Li Abstract; Paragraph [0040-42, 0055 and
`
`0061] Phase tracking reference signals and antenna ports groupedto identical parameters).
`
`13.
`
`Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of
`
`Lee’ 844 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yokomakura etal. U.S. Patent
`
`Application Publication 2020/0008102, hereinafter Yokomakura.
`
`Regarding Claim 7, Li in view of Lee’844 disclose the transmitter according to Claim 1.
`
`Li in view of Lee’844 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation,
`
`maps, at regular spacings in a frequency domain, a plurality of the phase tracking reference
`
`signals transmitted ata given time.
`
`However, Yokomakura more specifically teaches wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in
`
`operation, maps, at regular spacings in a frequency domain,aplurality of the phase tracking
`
`referencesignals transmitted at a given time (Figure 6; Paragraph [0061, 0082-0084 and 0094]
`
`Regular spacing for time slot in which plurality of phase tracking reference signals are
`
`transmitted).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 12
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 with the teachings
`
`of Yokomakura. Yokomakura provides a solution in which a terminal device communicates
`
`efficiently. The performance of phase tracking is improved by increasing the number of resource
`
`elements with which PTRS is mapped (Yokomakura Abstract; Paragraph [0008-0015]).
`
`14.
`
`Claim 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view
`
`of Lee’ 844 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al. U.S. Patent Application
`
`Publication 2020/0008228, hereinafter Lee’228.
`
`Regarding Claim 8, Li in view of Lee’844 disclose the transmitter according to Claim 1.
`
`Li in view of Lee’844 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation,
`
`maps, at irregular spacings in a frequency domain,aplurality of the phase tracking reference
`
`signals transmitted ata given time.
`
`However, Lee’228 more specifically teaches wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in
`
`operation, maps, at irregular spacings in a frequency domain, a plurality of the phase tracking
`
`referencesignals transmitted at a given time (Paragraph [0079, 0142 and 0165] The WTRUs
`
`102a, 102b, 102c may communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, 180c using transmissions associated
`
`with a scalable numerology. For example, the OFDM symbol spacing and/or OFDM subcarrier
`
`spacing may vary for different transmissions, different cells, and/or different portions of the
`
`wireless transmission spectrum. The WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c may communicate with gNBs
`
`180a, 180b, 180c using subframe or transmission time intervals (TTIs) of various or scalable
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 13
`
`lengths (e.g., containng varying number of OFDM symbols and/or lasting varying lengths of
`
`absolute time).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 with the teachings
`
`of Lee’228. Lee’228 provides a solution which enables satisfying varying quality of service
`
`(QoS) requirements of data such as differing throughput requirements, latency requirements,
`
`error tolerance requirements, reliability requirements, data throughput requirements and mobility
`
`requirements in an effective manner. The method enable allowmng an Evolved node B (eNB) to
`
`perform phase tracking to correct for WTRU transmitter phase noise when the WTRU performs
`
`the PNRS transmissions in an Uplink (UL). The method enables attaching a Cyclic Prefix (CP)
`
`to beginning of a symbol in order to avoid inter-symbol interference (ISI), thus allowing single-
`
`tap frequency domain equalization (FDE) ata receiver in an effective manner (Lee’228 Abstract;
`
`Paragraph [0002-0003, 0059 and 0090]).
`
`Regarding Claim 11, Li in view of Lee’844 disclose the transmitter according to Claim
`
`1. Li in view of Lee’ 844 fail to explicitly disclose wherein in a case wherethere is coordination
`
`among cells, the assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation, maps, at regular spacings in a frequency
`
`domain, a plurality of the phase tracking reference signals that are transmitted at a given time
`
`and, in a case wherethere is no coordination among the cells, maps the plurality of phase
`
`tracking reference signals at irregular spacings in the frequency domain.
`
`However, Lee’228 more specifically teaches wherein in a case wherethere is
`
`coordination amongcells, the assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation, maps, at regular spacings in a
`
`frequency domain, a plurality of the phase tracking reference signals that are transmitted ata
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 14
`
`given time and, in a case where there is no coordination among the cells, maps the plurality of
`
`phase tracking reference signals at irregular spacings in the frequency domain (Paragraph [0079,
`
`0142 and 0165] The WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c may communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, 180c
`
`using transmissions associated with a scalable numerology. For example, the OFDM symbol
`
`spacing and/or OFDM subcarrier spacing may vary for different transmissions, different cells,
`
`and/or different portions of the wireless transmission spectrum. The WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c
`
`may communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, 180c using subframe or transmission time intervals
`
`(TTIs) of various or scalable lengths (e.g., containing varying number of OFDM symbols and/or
`
`lasting varying lengths of absolute time; Paragraph [0101] Subcarrier spacing may be used or
`
`configured for a unicast traffic (e.g., PDSCH, PUSCH). A set of subcarrier spacing may be used
`
`for a unicast traffic and one of the subcarrier spacings may be configured or used for a PDSCH
`
`or a PUSCHtransmission, e.g., the PNRS density may be determined based on the subcarrier
`
`spacing used or configured. A set of PNRSdensities may be used and a subset of PNRS densities
`
`may be determined based onasubcarrier spacing used.; That is regular spacing may be used for
`
`individual unicast traffic and irregular spacings when communicating to different devices).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 with the teachings
`
`of Lee’228. Lee’228 provides a solution which enables satisfying varying quality of service
`
`(QoS) requirements of data such as differing throughput requirements, latency requirements,
`
`error tolerance requirements, reliability requirements, data throughput requirements and mobility
`
`requirements in an effective manner. The method enable allowing an Evolved node B (eNB) to
`
`perform phase tracking to correct for WTRU transmitter phase noise when the WTRU performs
`
`the PNRStransmissions in an Uplink (UL). The method enables attaching a Cyclic Prefix (CP)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 15
`
`to beginning of a symbol in order to avoid inter-symbol interference (ISI), thus allowing single-
`
`tap frequency domain equalization (FDE) ata receiver in an effective manner (Lee’228 Abstract;
`
`Paragraph [0002-0003, 0059 and 0090]).
`
`15.
`
`Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view
`
`of Lee’844 and Lee’228 as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Takedaet al. U.S.
`
`Patent Application Publication 2018/0183491, hereinafter Takeda.
`
`Regarding Claim 9, Li in view of Lee’844 and Lee’228 disclose the transmitter
`
`according to Claim 8. Li in view of Lee’ 844 and Lee’228 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the
`
`assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation, performs frequency hopping in a whole band assigned to the
`
`mobile station and mapsthe plurality of phase tracking reference signals onto any subcarriers
`
`within the band.
`
`However, Takeda more specifically teaches wherein the assignment circuitry,
`
`in
`
`operation, performs frequency hopping in a whole band assigned to the mobile station and maps
`
`the plurality of phase tracking reference signals onto any subcarriers within the band (Paragraph
`
`[0085] The frequency hopping pattern that is applied to the PDSCH from the frequency hopping
`
`patterns that are determined in advance amongaplurality of narrow bands that constitute the
`
`whole system band).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 and Lee’228 with
`
`the teachings of Takeda. Takeda provides techniques in which frequency diversity effect of the
`
`downstream signal can be acquired when the downstream signal with respect to the user
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414
`
`Page 16
`
`terminal. The frequency diversity effect is improved. Since the frequency diversity effectis
`
`acquired, the decline in frequency usage efficiency can be suppressed (Takeda Abstract;
`
`Paragraph [0002-0014]).
`
`Regarding Claim 10, Li in view of Lee’844 and Lee’ 228 disclose the transmitter
`
`according to Claim 8. Li in view of Lee’ 844 and Lee’228 fail to explicitly disclose wherein the
`
`mobile station is assigned a band divided into a plurality of partial bands, the assignment
`
`circuitry,
`
`in operation, maps any one of the plurality of phase tracking reference signals onto a
`
`corresponding one of the plurality of partial bands and performs frequency hopping on the phase
`
`tracking reference signal within the corresponding partial band.
`
`However, Takeda more specifically teaches wherein the mobile station is assigned a band
`
`divided into a plurality of partial bands, the assignment circuitry,
`
`in operation, maps any one of
`
`the plurality of phase tracking reference signals onto a corresponding oneof the plurality of
`
`partial bands and performs frequency hopping on the phase tracking reference signal within the
`
`corresponding partial band (Paragraph [0037] Narrow bands comprised of partial bands in which
`
`frequency hopping is applied to downlink signals. The radio basestation includes a transmission
`
`section that transmits a downlink signal,
`
`in repetitions,
`
`in narrow bands that are subject to
`
`frequency hopping. The radio basestation includes acontrol section that controls transmission of
`
`the downlink signal based onastarting index and a frequency offset with respect to a narrow
`
`band. The starting index indicates the narrow band where the downlink signal starts beng
`
`allocated).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the effective filing
`
`date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Li in view of Lee’844 and Lee’228 with
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/499,949
`Art Unit: 2414