DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
First, the examiner does not agree that the transmission gap in Khan is for “a switch of gateway”. (page 19 last paragraph line 8) Khan teaches [0069] Additional or alternative embodiments include mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period.
Khan earlier teaches “[0057] There currently exist certain challenge(s). Exemplary problems may arise in at least two scenarios. In the first scenario the moving RAN means essentially that the sat-gateway, which is the ground station for the satellite, switches as the satellite moves. This is illustrated in FIG. 4 where the satellite 450 is switching from a first gateway 460 to a second gateway 462.”
“[0060] In the second scenario, the moving RAN refers to a deployment where there will be a switch in time of satellite serving a certain area, or cell. This typically happens when the currently camped-on satellite disappears beneath the horizon and a new satellite emerges as the node serving the cell.”
Therefore, the transmission gap taught in [0069] is for both sat-gateway switching and satellite switching, the latter of which is one of the problems the instant application trying to solve.
Second, examiner disagrees that Khan’s “enabling a transmission gap” does not anticipate “determining the configurable gap”. This is not persuasive.
Khan teaches [0069] If such a transmission gap is configured, in some embodiments, the receiver behavior may consider the received signals following the transition as a resumption of the previous transmission (unless indicated not to do so, e.g., via new data indicator (NDI) field).
A person with ordinary skill in the art would understand that the receiver changes behavior that “consider the received signal following the transition as a resumption of the previous transmission” in response to a transmission gap would teach “determining the configuration gap, wherein the configurable gap is configured to interrupt or postpone a portion of the narrowband downlink communication,
As for argument against reference Park, One cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). Here, the office action admits only that Dai and Khan do no teach wherein the portion (of the narrowband downlink communication) comprises a plurality of slots of the narrowband downlink communication. The office action elsewhere laid out rejected of the limitation “interrupt or postpone a portion of narrowband downlink communication” b DAI and Khan.
For the reasons above, the argument is not persuasive.
Response to Amendment
Objections to typos in claims are withdrawn .
Rejection to Claim 32 based on 35 USC 112 is withdrawn in light of the amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, and 26-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI; Jianqiang et al. US PGPUB 20220182961 A1, further in view of Khan; Talha et al. US 20210399797 A1, further in view of PARK; Kyujin et al. US PGPUB 20170230961 A1.
Regarding claim 1. DAI teaches A wireless node, comprising: at least one transceiver, (Fig. 2, 230) one or more memories comprising instructions; and one or more processors, (Fig. 2, 204, UE Processor 236 and UE Memory 234) configured execute the instructions to cause the wireless node to:
determine that a narrowband downlink communication is to be transmitted to the wireless node, ([0020] FIG. 1 illustrates an example wireless communication network, and/or system, 100 in which techniques disclosed herein may be implemented, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In the following discussion, the wireless communication network 100 may be any wireless network, such as a cellular network or a narrowband Internet of things (NB-IoT) network, and is herein referred to as “network 100.”
[0051] The UL time gap length may determine the available downlink (“DL”) resources, such as the narrowband reference signal (“NRS”), and the synchronization signal.)
wherein the narrowband downlink communication comprises a configurable gap within the downlink communication ([0075] In some embodiments, a base station may configure a time gap, between two DL transmissions. The first transmission may last for a first period of time. The first period of time may be determined by evaluating when an amount of frequency offsets at a UE receiver satisfies a threshold.)
determine the configurable gap; ([0076] A base station may inform the UE the configuration of the time gap. The gap configuration information may be transmitted before the first transmission. In another embodiment, for a class of UE capability, there may be a default configuration of time gap. i.e., the duration of the time gap is a fixed value.
[0069] If such a transmission gap is configured, in some embodiments, the receiver behavior may consider the received signals following the transition as a resumption of the previous transmission (unless indicated not to do so, e.g., via new data indicator (NDI) field).) and
receive, via the at least one transceiver, the narrowband downlink communication based at least in part on the configurable gap. ([0075-0076] defines a period of first DL transmission, a period of time gap, a person with ordinary skill in the art would understand the obtaining of second DL transmission is based at least in part on the period of time gap in [0076])
DAI does not teach
wherein the configurable gap is configured to interrupt or postpone a portion of the narrowband downlink communication, wherein the portion comprises a plurality of slots of the narrowband downlink communication;
However, Khan teaches
wherein the configurable gap is configured to interrupt or postpone a portion of the narrowband downlink communication, ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission. … in some embodiments, the receiver behavior may consider the received signals following the transition as a resumption of the previous transmission (unless indicated not to do so, e.g., via new data indicator (NDI) field).]
see also teaching of narrowband downlink communication at [0303] the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. )
in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period. ([0069])
Dai and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Dai with the technique of DCI configured measurement gap in Khan in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period.
Dai and Khan do no teach
wherein the portion comprises a plurality of slots of the narrowband downlink communication;
However, Park teaches
wherein the portion comprises a plurality of slots of the narrowband downlink communication;
([0088] Referring to FIG. 2, the NB-IoT UE 200 receives a downlink control channel (NPDCCH) including downlink control information from the base station 209 in 5210. The NPDCCH may be repeatedly received in one or more sub-frames or slots.)
In order to improve the coverage of the NB-IoT UE ([0116])
Dai and Park are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Dai with the technique of repeated NPDCCH transmission over multiple slots in order to improve the coverage of NB-IoT UEs.
Regarding claim 2. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, and DAI teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to: receive, from a network node via the at least one transceiver, one or more of an indication of a dynamic configuration and activation of the configurable gap, or an indication of a dynamic configuration of a time duration of the configurable gap is dynamically configured for the configurable gap. ([0076] A base station may inform the UE the configuration of the time gap. The gap configuration information may be transmitted before the first transmission. In another embodiment, for a class of UE capability, there may be a default configuration of time gap. i.e., the duration of the time gap is a fixed value.)
Regarding claim 4. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, and DAI teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to
receive, via the at least one transceiver, an indication that the narrowband downlink communication is to be transmitted to the UE; ([0076] A base station may inform the UE the configuration of the time gap. The gap configuration information may be transmitted before the first transmission.) and
the one or more processors, to cause the wireless node to determine that the narrowband downlink communication is to be transmitted to the wireless node based on the indication, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the wireless node to: receive the narrowband downlink communication, are configured to cause the wireless node to obtain the narrowband downlink communication based on the indication. ([0075-0076] defines a period of first DL transmission, a period of time gap, a person with ordinary skill in the art would understand the obtaining of second DL transmission is based at least in part on the period of time gap in [0076])
Regarding claim 5. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, and DAI teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, via the at least one transceiver, an explicit indication of the configurable gap; wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to: determine the configurable gap based at least in part on the explicit indication of the configurable gap; ([0076] A base station may inform the UE the configuration of the time gap. The gap configuration information may be transmitted before the first transmission.) and wherein the explicit indication of the configurable gap identifies at least one of: one or more starting locations of the configurable gap, one or more ending locations of the configurable gap, or one or more time durations of the configurable gap. and wherein the one or more processors, to cause the wireless node to obtain the narrowband downlink communication, are configured to cause the wireless node to obtain the narrowband downlink communication based on the explicit indication. ([0075-0076] defines a period of first DL transmission, a period of time gap, a person with ordinary skill in the art would understand the obtaining of second DL transmission is based at least in part on the period of time gap in [0076])
Regarding claim 8. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, and DAI teaches wherein the one or more processors, to receive the narrowband downlink communication, are configured to cause the wireless node to:
receive the narrowband downlink communication from a satellite of the non-terrestrial network; ([0033] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an example non-terrestrial communication network 300 including at least one unmanned aerial system based wireless communication nodes.. The UE 304 and the BS on the satellite 302 can communicate over a communication link 310, and the BS on the satellite 302 and the gateway 306 can communicate over a feeder link 312. The gateway 306 can communicate with the data network 308 over a data link 314.)
wherein one or more parameters associated with the configurable gap within the received narrowband downlink communication are different than a parameter associated with a fixed transmission gap for terrestrial networks ([0076] In another embodiment, for a class of UE capability, there may be a default configuration of time gap. i.e., the duration of the time gap is a fixed value.)
Regarding claim 10. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, and DAI teaches wherein the one or more processors, to receive the narrowband downlink communication based at least in part on the configurable gap, are configured to: receive a first portion of the downlink communication prior to the configurable gap; refrain from receiving the narrowband downlink communication during the configurable gap; and receive a second portion of the downlink communication after the configurable gap. (see [0075-0076))
Regarding claim 11. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, but Dai and Park doenot teach wherein the configurable gap includes an amount of time or a set of one or more time-domain resources in which the wireless node is to refrain from receiving the downlink communication.
However, Khan teaches
wherein the configurable gap includes an amount of time or a set of one or more time-domain resources in which the wireless node is to refrain from receiving the downlink communication. ([0070] With the proposed transmission/reception gap, the transmitter temporarily halts its transmission to resume it after the transition. Similarly, the receiver aware of the transmission gap will know when to receive and combine repetitions after the switch.)
in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period. ([0069])
Dai and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Dai with the technique of DCI configured measurement gap in Khan in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period.
Regarding claim 26-28, DAI and Khan and Park teach a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising the steps performed in claims 1-3 above. They are rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 3, 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI and Khan and Park as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of DAI; Jianqiang et al. US PGPUB 20230140371 A1. (hereinafter DAI-2023) .
Regarding claim 3. DAI and Khan and Park and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, but it does not teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to:receive, from a network node via the at least one transceiver, an indication at least one of a time-domain location of the configurable gap relative to a transmission time of the downlink communication or a time duration of the configurable gap.
However, DAI-2023 teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to:receive, from a network node via the at least one transceiver, an indication at least one of a time-domain location of the configurable gap relative to a transmission time of the downlink communication or a time duration of the configurable gap. (claim 10… configuring, by the wireless communication node, a plurality of extended uplink gaps or a plurality of extended downlink gaps in time-domain.)
In order to improve system efficiency and reduce power consumption. ([0047])
DAI and DAI-2023 are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the wireless node in DAI with the technique of time-domain location configuration in DAI-2023 in order to improve system efficiency and reduce power consumption.
Regarding claim 7. Dai and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, but it does not teach wherein the downlink communication spans a plurality of subframes or slots; wherein at least a portion of the plurality of subframes or slots are postponed based at least in part the configurable gap; wherein the plurality of subframes or slots are based at least in part on at least one of: a quantity of slots aggregated for the downlink communication, a quantity of repetitions of the downlink communication, or a quantity of subframes of the downlink communication.
However, DAI-2023 teaches
wherein the downlink communication spans a plurality of subframes or slots; ([0035] a single frequency band may be employed for UL and DL information, but the transmissions are scheduled to occur during different time slots. )
wherein at least a portion of the plurality of subframes or slots are postponed based at least in part the configurable gap; ([0060] In some embodiments, a first UL gap and a second UL gap may be inserted into a single UL gap such that at least one of PUSCH, PUCCH, or PRACH transmission is postponed.) and
wherein the plurality of subframes or slots are based at least in part on at least one of: a quantity of slots aggregated for the downlink communication, a quantity of repetitions of the downlink communication, or a quantity of subframes of the downlink communication. ([0035] a single frequency band may be employed for UL and DL information, but the transmissions are scheduled to occur during different time slots. )
In order to improve system efficiency and reduce power consumption. ([0047])
DAI and DAI-2023 are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the wireless node in DAI with the technique of time-domain location configuration in DAI-2023 in order to improve system efficiency and reduce power consumption.
Regarding claim 9. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, but it does not teach wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to: determine the configurable gap based at least in part on a timing misalignment between an uplink timeline associated with the UE and a downlink timeline associated with the UE.
However, DAI-2023 teaches wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to: determine the configurable gap based at least in part on a timing misalignment between an uplink timeline associated with the UE and a downlink timeline associated with the UE. ([0048] To compensate for Doppler frequency offsets and propagation delay offsets based on the distance of a UE from a BS and the speed at which the BS may be moving, a UE may insert a UL gap or DL gap between UL or DL transmissions. During the gap, the timing and/or frequency re-synchronization may occur between the UE and the BS. The UL and/or DL gap may be called a compensation gap.)
In order to improve system efficiency and reduce power consumption. ([0047])
DAI and DAI-2023 are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the wireless node in DAI with the technique of time-domain location configuration in DAI-2023 in order to improve system efficiency and reduce power consumption.
Claims 6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI and Khan as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of Seo; Dongyoun et al. US 20160219547 A1.
Regarding claim 6. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, but it does not teach wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to: identify one or more time-domain resources in which transmission of an uplink communication is to at least partially overlap with reception of the downlink communication; and determine the one or more time-domain resources as the configurable gap based at least in part on determining that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted over the one or more time-domain resources; and identify at least one of one or more guard-interval time-domain resources, prior to the one or more time-domain resources or after the one or more time-domain resources, as being included in the configurable gap.
However, Seo teaches
wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to: identify one or more time-domain resources in which transmission of an uplink communication is to at least partially overlap with reception of the downlink communication; ([0262] In TDD, since a downlink and an uplink use the same frequency band, a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe may overlap due to TA assignment. To avoid subframe overlapping, a gap as a guard interval may be applied to a portion which changes from the downlink to the uplink.) and determine the one or more time-domain resources as the configurable gap based at least in part on determining that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted over the one or more time-domain resources; (Id.) and identify at least one of one or more guard-interval time-domain resources, prior to the one or more time-domain resources or after the one or more time-domain resources, as being included in the configurable gap. (Id.)
in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs ([0213])
Dai and Seo are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the UE in Seo with the technique of gap configuration based on overlapping transmission in Seo in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs.
Regarding claim 12. DAI and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 1, but it does not teach
wherein the one or more processors, to determine that the narrowband downlink communication is to be transmitted to the UE with the configurable gap, are configured to: receive the narrowband downlink communication based on determine that the narrowband downlink communication is to span a plurality of subframes or slots; receive the narrowband downlink communication based on determine that reception of the narrowband downlink communication is to overlap at least one of transmission of an uplink communication or one or more guard intervals for the narrowband uplink communication in a subset of the plurality of subframes or slots; and receive the narrowband downlink communication based on determining that reception of the narrowband downlink communication is to overlap at least one of the transmission of the narrowband uplink communication or the one or more guard intervals in the subset of the plurality of subframes or slots.
or a combination thereof.
However, Seo teaches
wherein the one or more processors, to determine that the narrowband downlink communication is to be transmitted to the UE with the configurable gap, are configured to: receive the narrowband downlink communication based on determine that the narrowband downlink communication is to span a plurality of subframes or slots; receive the narrowband downlink communication based on determine that reception of the narrowband downlink communication is to overlap at least one of transmission of an uplink communication or one or more guard intervals for the narrowband uplink communication in a subset of the plurality of subframes or slots; and receive the narrowband downlink communication based on determining that reception of the narrowband downlink communication is to overlap at least one of the transmission of the narrowband uplink communication or the one or more guard intervals in the subset of the plurality of subframes or slots. ([0262] In TDD, since a downlink and an uplink use the same frequency band, a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe may overlap due to TA assignment. To avoid subframe overlapping, a gap as a guard interval may be applied to a portion which changes from the downlink to the uplink.)
in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs ([0213])
Dai and Seo are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the UE in Seo with the technique of gap configuration based on overlapping transmission in Seo in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs.
Claims 13-16, 19-23, 25, 29-30, and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI; Jianqiang et al. US PGPUB 20230140371 A1. (hereinafter DAI-2023), further in view of Khan; Talha et al. US 20210399797 A1, further in view of Park.
Regarding claim 13. DAI-2023 teaches A wireless node, comprising: at least one transceiver; one or more memories comprising instructions; (Fig. 2,UE processor module 236 and Memory module 234) and one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to cause the wireless node to:
determine that a narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted to the UE, wherein the narrowband uplink communication comprises a configurable gap; ([0048] To compensate for Doppler frequency offsets and propagation delay offsets based on the distance of a UE from a BS and the speed at which the BS may be moving, a UE may insert a UL gap or DL gap between UL or DL transmissions.)
determine the configurable gap, ([0049] In some embodiments, the compensation gap may be inserted at the end of a maximum continuous UL transmission. In other embodiments, the compensation gap may occur after Physical Random Access Channel (“PRACH”) transmission, Physical Uplink Shared Channel (“PUSCH”) transmissions, and Physical Uplink Control Channel (“PUCCH”) transmission. The gap may be inserted and/or interrupt a transmission periodically. For example, the gap may be inserted every 256 ms. In some embodiments, the gap may be 40 ms long. )
and transmit, via the transceiver, the narrowband uplink communication based at least in part on the configurable gap. ([0073] DL and UL transmission between satellites and users can be very lengthy because there may be a need to repeat the transmission various times. In some embodiments, a UE may transmit control information in an UL or DL compensation gap such that the repeated transmission schedule may be adjusted.)
But it does not teach
wherein the configurable gap is configured to interrupt or postpone plurality of slots within the narrowband uplink communication.
dynamically configure and activate the configuration gap for the narrowband uplink communication
However, Khan teaches
wherein the configurable gap is configured to interrupt or postpone the narrowband uplink communication. . ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission. … in some embodiments, the receiver behavior may consider the received signals following the transition as a resumption of the previous transmission (unless indicated not to do so, e.g., via new data indicator (NDI) field).]
see also teaching of narrowband downlink communication at [0303] the WD may be a UE implementing the 3GPP narrow band internet of things (NB-IoT) standard. )
dynamically configure and activate the configuration gap for the narrowband uplink communication ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission. The periodicity and duration of the proposed transmission gap can be aligned with the occurrence and duration of the transition.)
in order to mitigate interruption of non-terrestrial communication (see mitigate switching problem in [0004] and [0069])
DAI-2023 and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the wireless node in DAI-2023 with the technique of dynamically configured gap value in Khan in order to mitigate interruptions in non-terrestrial communication.
DAI-2023 and Khan do not teach
a plurality of slots within the narrowband uplink communication.
However, Park teaches
a plurality of slots within the narrowband uplink communication. ([0168] The receiver 730 may receive an uplink signal including HARQ ACK/NACK information for downlink data through the NPUSCH or NPUCCH. The uplink signal may be repeatedly received by one or more sub-frames or slots.)
In order to improve the coverage of the NB-IoT UE ([0116])
Dai and Park are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Dai with the technique of repeated NPDCCH transmission over multiple slots in order to improve the coverage of NB-IoT UEs.
Regarding claim 14. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 does not teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to: receive from a network node via the at least one transceiver, an indication of a dynamic configuration of a time duration.
However, Khan teaches receive from a network node via the at least one transceiver, an indication of a dynamic configuration of a time duration. ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission. The periodicity and duration of the proposed transmission gap can be aligned with the occurrence and duration of the transition.)
in order to mitigate interruption of non-terrestrial communication (see mitigate switching problem in [0004] and [0069])
DAI-2023 and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the wireless node in DAI-2023 with the technique of dynamically configured gap value in Khan in order to mitigate interruptions in non-terrestrial communication.
Regarding claim 15. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to
receive, via the at least one transceiver, an indication of at least one of a time-domain location of the configurable gap relative to a transmission time of the narrowband uplink communication or a time duration of the configurable gap is configured for the configurable gap. (Fig. 7)
Regarding claim 16. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, but DAI-2023 and Park does not teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured cause the wireless node to receive, via the at least one receiver, an indication that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap; and the one or more processors, to determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node: determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap based at least in part on the indication.
However, Khan teaches
to receive, via the at least one receiver, an indication that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap; ([0115] Embodiment 9: The method of any of Embodiments 1-8, further including receiving downlink control information from the network node in the communications network. Adjusting a PHY layer procedure can include configuring a transmission gap during uplink and/or downlink data transmission, the transmission gap being greater than or equal to the transition period.) and
the one or more processors, to determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node: determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted to the wireless node with the configurable gap based at least in part on the indication. ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission)
in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period. ([0069])
Dai-2023 and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Da-2023i with the technique of DCI configured measurement gap in Khan in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period.
Regarding claim 19. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teaches The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the narrowband uplink communication spans a plurality of subframes or slots; wherein at least a portion of the plurality of subframes or slots are postponed based on the configurable gap; ([0060] In some embodiments, a first UL gap and a second UL gap may be inserted into a single UL gap such that at least one of PUSCH, PUCCH, or PRACH transmission is postponed.) and
wherein the plurality of subframes or slots are based at least in part on at least one of: a quantity of slots aggregated for the narrowband uplink communication, a quantity of repetitions of the narrowband uplink communication, or a quantity of subframes of the narrowband uplink communication. . ([0035] a single frequency band may be employed for UL and DL information, but the transmissions are scheduled to occur during different time slots. )
Regarding claim 20. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the wireless node communicates over a non-terrestrial network; ([0036] FIG. 3 shows a communication network 300 including a satellite or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) 302, UE 304, a gateway 306 and a data network 308. The satellite 302 can serve as a platform for a base station, such as, for example, the BS 102 and 202 discussed above in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2, and the UE 304 can be similar to the UE 104 and 204 discussed above in relation to FIGS. 1 and 2. The UE 304 and the BS on the satellite 302 can communicate over a communication link 310, )
wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the narrowband uplink communication, are configured to cause the wireless node to: transmit the narrowband uplink communication to a satellite in the non-terrestrial network; ([0044] DL and UL transmission between satellites and users can be very lengthy)
and wherein one or more parameters associated with the configurable gap within the transmitted narrowband communication are different than parameters associated with a fixed transmission gap for terrestrial networks. ([0048] To compensate for Doppler frequency offsets and propagation delay offsets based on the distance of a UE from a BS and the speed at which the BS may be moving, a UE may insert a UL gap or DL gap between UL or DL transmissions. During the gap, the timing and/or frequency re-synchronization may occur between the UE and the BS. The UL and/or DL gap may be called a compensation gap.
A person with ordinary skill in the art would understand the doppler effect of a moving satellite base station is different from a stationary base station.)
Regarding claim 21. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node to:
determine the configurable gap based on a timing misalignment between an uplink timeline associated with the wireless node and a downlink timeline associated with the wireless node. ([0048] To compensate for Doppler frequency offsets and propagation delay offsets based on the distance of a UE from a BS and the speed at which the BS may be moving, a UE may insert a UL gap or DL gap between UL or DL transmissions. During the gap, the timing and/or frequency re-synchronization may occur between the UE and the BS. The UL and/or DL gap may be called a compensation gap.)
Regarding claim 22. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the one or more processors, to transmit the narrowband uplink communication based at least in part on the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node to:
transmit a first portion of the narrowband uplink communication prior to the configurable gap; refrain from transmitting the narrowband uplink communication during the configurable gap; and transmit a second portion of the narrowband uplink communication after the configurable gap. (Fig. 6, UL PUSCHs are on both side of UL Gap)
Regarding claim 23. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the configurable gap includes an amount of time or a set of one or more time-domain resources in which the wireless node is to refrain from transmitting, via the transceiver, the narrowband uplink communication. (Fig. 7, PUSCH and UL Gap see [0054] Thus, UL PUSCH 703 may be repeated n times, where each UL PUSCH 703 other than the first UL PUSCH 703 may be preceded by a compensation gap 704.)
Regarding claim 25. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, and DAI-2023 teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the wireless node to: monitor for downlink transmissions during the configurable gap. ([0062] UE 802 receiving the control information at UL Gap 807.)
Regarding claim 29-30, DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach a method of wireless communication performed by wireless node, comprising the steps performed in claim 13-15 above. They are rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding claim 32, DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The method of claim 29, DAI-2023 and Khan does not teach further comprising, receiving, from a network node, one or more of an indication of a dynamic configuration wherein the configurable gap is dynamically configured and activated for the narrowband downlink communication, or an indication of a dynamic configuration of a time duration of the configurable gap.
However, Khan teaches
receiving, from a network node, one or more of an indication of a dynamic configuration wherein the configurable gap is dynamically configured and activated for the narrowband downlink communication, or an indication of a dynamic configuration of a time duration of the configurable gap. ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission. The periodicity and duration of the proposed transmission gap can be aligned with the occurrence and duration of the transition.)
in order to mitigate interruption of non-terrestrial communication (see mitigate switching problem in [0004] and [0069])
DAI-2023 and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the wireless node in DAI-2023 with the technique of dynamically configured gap value in Khan in order to mitigate interruptions in non-terrestrial communication.
Claims 17-18, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI-2023 ,and Khan and Park as applied to claims 13 above, and further in view of Seo; Dongyoun et al. US 20160219547 A1.
Regarding claim 17. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, but DAI-2023 does not teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, via the at least one receiver, an explicit indication of the configurable gap; wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node to to: determine the configurable gap based at least in part on the explicit indication of the configurable gap; and wherein the explicit indication of the configurable gap identifies at least one of: one or more starting locations of the configurable gap, one or more ending locations of the configurable gap, or one or more time durations of the configurable gap.
However, Khan teaches
wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, via the at least one receiver, an explicit indication of the configurable gap; ; ([0069] In one embodiment, new downlink control information (DCI) formats enable a configurable transmission gap during uplink or downlink data transmission.)
wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node to: determine the configurable gap based at least in part on the explicit indication of the configurable gap; ([0070] In another embodiment, the transmission gap may be indicated by repurposing existing DCI fields. Using RRC signaling, the network may communicate to the UE how to interpret new/repurposed DCI fields to set a transmission gap configuration. )and wherein the explicit indication of the configurable gap identifies at least one of: one or more starting locations of the configurable gap, one or more ending locations of the configurable gap, or one or more time durations of the configurable gap. ([0069] The periodicity and duration of the proposed transmission gap can be aligned with the occurrence and duration of the transition.)
in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period. ([0069])
Dai-2023 and Khan are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Dai with the technique of DCI configured measurement gap in Khan in order to mitigating switching problems by initiating a transmission gap during the transition period.
Regarding claim 18. DAI-2023 and Khan and Park teach The wireless node of claim 13, DAI-2023 and Khan does not teach wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to cause the wireless node to: identify one or more time-domain resources in which reception of a downlink communication is to at least partially overlap with transmission of the narrowband uplink communication; and determine the one or more time-domain resources as the configurable gap based at least in part on determining that the downlink communication is to be transmitted over the one or more time-domain resources; and identify at least one of one or more guard-interval time-domain resources, prior to the one or more time-domain resources or after the one or more time-domain resources, as being included in the configurable gap.
However, Seo teaches
wherein the one or more processors, to determine the configurable gap, are configured to: identify one or more time-domain resources in which reception of an downlink communication is to at least partially overlap with transmission of the narrowband uplink communication; ([0262] In TDD, since a downlink and an uplink use the same frequency band, a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe may overlap due to TA assignment. To avoid subframe overlapping, a gap as a guard interval may be applied to a portion which changes from the downlink to the uplink.) and determine the one or more time-domain resources as the configurable gap based at least in part on determining that the downlink communication is to be transmitted over the one or more time-domain resources; (Id.) and identify at least one of one or more guard-interval time-domain resources, prior to the one or more time-domain resources or after the one or more time-domain resources, as being included in the configurable gap. (Id.)
in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs ([0213])
Dai-2023 and Seo are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the UE in Seo with the technique of gap configuration based on overlapping transmission in Seo in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs.
Regarding claim 24. DAI-2023 and Khan The wireless node of claim 13, but they do not teach wherein the one or more processors, to cause the wireless node to determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap, are configured to: transmit the narrowband uplink communication based on determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to span a plurality of subframes or slots; transmit the narrowband uplink communication based on determine that transmission of the narrowband uplink communication is to overlap at least one of reception of a downlink communication or one or more guard intervals for the downlink communication in a subset of the plurality of subframes or slots; transmit the narrowband uplink communication based on based at least in part on determining that transmission of the narrowband uplink communication is to overlap at least one of the reception of the downlink communication or the one or more guard intervals in the subset of the plurality of subframes or slots, or a combination thereof
However Seo teaches
wherein the one or more processors, to cause the wireless node to determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to be transmitted by the wireless node with the configurable gap, are configured to: transmit the narrowband uplink communication based on determine that the narrowband uplink communication is to span a plurality of subframes or slots; transmit the narrowband uplink communication based on determine that transmission of the narrowband uplink communication is to overlap at least one of reception of a downlink communication or one or more guard intervals for the downlink communication in a subset of the plurality of subframes or slots; transmit the narrowband uplink communication based on based at least in part on determining that transmission of the narrowband uplink communication is to overlap at least one of the reception of the downlink communication or the one or more guard intervals in the subset of the plurality of subframes or slots, or a combination thereof. ([0262] In TDD, since a downlink and an uplink use the same frequency band, a downlink subframe and an uplink subframe may overlap due to TA assignment. To avoid subframe overlapping, a gap as a guard interval may be applied to a portion which changes from the downlink to the uplink.)
in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs ([0213])
Dai and Seo are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the UE in Seo with the technique of gap configuration based on overlapping transmission in Seo in order to avoid collision between uplink / downlink transmission of UEs.
Conclusion
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/ZHAOHUI YANG/ Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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