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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an amendment filed on 03/28/2025 for non-provisional application Number 17/658,626. This claims benefit of provisional application No. 63/234,665 08/18/2021. Claims 7, 10, 13-14, 17, and 20-21 are amended. Claims 8 and 22 are cancelled. The allowable subject matter indicated for claims 1-6 in the previous office action is withdrawn based on further search and consideration. Claims 1-7, 9-21, and 23-27 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou et al. (US 20220322358 A1; hereinafter “Zhou”).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the memory, the at least one processor ([0071] and Fig. 3: wireless device 110 with code instructions 316 stored in non-transitory memory 315 and executable by the at least one processor 314) is configured to:
receive, from a network entity via medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), a mapping between a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) spatial relation information and a plurality of PUCCH resources associated with one or more component carriers (CCs) ([0248] a base station may transmit to a wireless device one or more RRC messages (e.g., PUCCH-Config) comprise configuration parameters of a plurality of PUCCH resources and a plurality of spatial relation information configurations. In an example, each PUCCH resource may be identified by a PUCCH resource index (or ID)… each spatial relation information configuration may be identified by a spatial relation information configuration index (or ID)… a spatial relation information configuration of PUCCH may indicate spatial setting of the PUCCH transmission; [0249] As shown in FIG. 25, the base station may transmit one or more MAC CEs activating a first spatial relation information configuration (from the plurality of spatial relation information configurations) for a first PUCCH resource (from the plurality of PUCCH resources). The one or more MAC CEs may activate a second spatial relation information configuration (from the plurality of spatial relation information configurations) for a second PUCCH resource (from the plurality of PUCCH resources).); and
transmit a PUCCH to the network entity based on the mapping ([0248] a spatial relation information configuration of PUCCH may indicate spatial setting of the PUCCH transmission; [0249] and Fig. 25: In an example, if a reference signal resource index of a spatial relation information configuration activated on a PUCCH (e.g., first PUCCH or second PUCCH) comprises an SSB index, the wireless device may transmit UCIs on the PUCCH with a same spatial domain transmission filter used for reception of an SSB identified by the SSB index.).
Regarding claim 2, Zhou discloses the limitations of claim 1 as set forth, and Zhou further discloses wherein each of the plurality of PUCCH resources is associated with a same PUCCH resource identifier (ID) ([0260] a PUCCH resource group may be identified by a group ID. The group ID may indicate a panel of a plurality of panels. A PUCCH resource group may comprise a plurality of PUCCH resources. A PUCCH resource of the plurality of PUCCH resources may be identified by a PUCCH resource index (or ID).), and
wherein each of the plurality of PUCCH resources is associated with a different CC of the one or more CCs ([0099] In an example, a gNB and a wireless device may communicate with multiple CCs when configured with CA. In an example, different component carriers may have different bandwidth (corresponding to a different PUCCH resource) and/or subcarrier spacing, if CA is supported).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou discloses the limitations of claim 2 as set forth, and Zhou further discloses wherein a plurality of CCs is configured by the network entity via radio resource control (RRC) ([0060] A carrier (downlink or uplink) may belong to one cell… a cell ID may be equally referred to a carrier ID, and a cell index may be referred to a carrier index… A cell index may be determined using RRC messages; [0061] A base station may transmit to a wireless device one or more messages (e.g. RRC messages) comprising a plurality of configuration parameters for one or more cells.).
Regarding claim 4, Zhou discloses the limitations of claim 2 as set forth, and Zhou further discloses wherein the plurality of PUCCH resources is associated with more than one PUCCH resource identifier (ID), and wherein the more than one PUCCH resource ID are associated with at least one group ([0260] a PUCCH resource group may be identified by a group ID. The group ID may indicate a panel of a plurality of panels. A PUCCH resource group may comprise a plurality of PUCCH resources. A PUCCH resource of the plurality of PUCCH resources may be identified by a PUCCH resource index (or ID).).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou discloses the limitations of claim 4 as set forth, and Zhou further discloses wherein each group of the at least one group is associated with one CC of the one or more CCs ([0060] A carrier (downlink or uplink) may belong to one cell… a cell ID may be equally referred to a carrier ID, and a cell index may be referred to a carrier index… A cell index may be determined using RRC messages;.[0267] In an example, a wireless device receives configuration parameters of PUCCH resources of a cell. The PUCCH resources are grouped into a plurality of PUCCH resource groups. The wireless device receives, via a control resource set, a DCI indicating an uplink grant of a PDSCH resource. The wireless device selects, based on the control resource set, a PUCCH resource group from the plurality of PUCCH resource groups.)
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses the limitations of claim 1 as set forth, and Zhou further discloses the apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor ([0071] and Fig. 3: wireless device 110 with Communication Interface 310.).
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 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 7, 14-15, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 11064434 B2; hereinafter “Lin”) in view of Xiong et al. (WO 2018/231971 A1; hereinafter “Xiong”), and further in view of Kim et al. ( US 20220022067 A1; hereinafter “Kim”) .
Regarding claim 7, Lin discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory (Col. 4, Lines 40-43, and Fig. 3: Communication device 300 with CPU 308 coupled to memory 310) and, based at least in part on information stored in the memory (Col. 4, Lines 44-45, and Fig. 3: program code in the memory 310), the at least one processor is configured to:
receive, from a network entity via radio resource control (RRC), a bandwidth part BWP for transmitting a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) including resources of a secondary cell (SCell) (Col. 15, Lines 15-17: The Radio Resource Control (RRC) can firstly configure/add several SCells (secondary cell) for a UE (configuration implies resource configuration). Depending on traffic demands of the UE, the SCell can be activated and/or deactivated; col. 17, line 29: PUCCH transmissions on the SCell; Col. 18, Lines 51-53: For an Scell, RRC signaling for Scell configuration/reconfiguration indicates the first active DL BWP and/or the first active UL BWP when the Scell is activated.);
receive, from the network entity via medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), a deactivation of the SCell indicated for transmitting the PUCCH (Col. 18, Lines 40-42: NR supports Scell activation/deactivation via MAC CE signalling,); and
adjust transmission of the PUCCH in the resources of the SCell based on the deactivation of the SCell (Col. 18, Lines 57-58: not transmit PUCCH on the SCell if the SCell is deactivated, see col. 17, lines 50-57; UL BWP is deactivated when the SCell is deactivated,).
But Lin does not explicitly disclose (a) receiving “a time pattern” for transmitting a PUCCH; and (b) adjust transmission of the PUCCH in the resources of the SCell based on the deactivation of the SCell by transmitting the PUCCH on a primary cell, a primary secondary cell, or a second SCell without using the time pattern.
However, Xiong teaches receiving “a time pattern” for transmitting a PUCCH ([0057] a BWP may be configured with a predetermined time pattern, which time pattern may be semi-statically configured via UE- specific RRC signaling to indicate the active BWP at a certain instance of time; [0067] BWPs can be carried by a single PUCCH on a BWP; [0204] configuring the plurality of BWPs to exhibit a predetermined time pattern.).
Furthermore, in the same field of endeavor, Kim discloses that when switching to dormant BWP of Scell, adjusting transmission of the PUCCH in the resources of the SCell based on the deactivation of the SCell by transmitting the PUCCH on a primary cell, a primary secondary cell, or a second SCell without using the time pattern ([0148] Upon receiving an indication to suspend or deactivate a cell group, a terminal may perform a channel measurement procedure in the cell group that is indicated to be suspended or deactivated, and may report a channel measurement result to a network (e.g., an MCG or an SCG), thereby supporting rapid activation of dual connectivity; [0194] When the terminal is indicated to switch to the dormant BWP or activate the dormant BWP for the SCell of the SCG through the PSCell, the terminal may perform a channel measurement procedure on the dormant BWP of the SCell, and may report a measured channel measurement result through a transmission resource of the PSCell of the SCG (e.g., through a PUCCH transmission resource of the PSCell) or through a transmission resource of the SCell configured with the PUCCH of the SCG (e.g., through a PUCCH transmission resource). Which cell or through which transmission resource (e.g., PUCCH or PUSCH) of which cell a channel measurement result for a BWP of which cell is reported may be configured in the terminal through the RRC message for each cell or each BWP.).
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 apparatus of Lin, based on the above teachings from Xiong and Kim, to derive the limitations of claim 7, because the modification uses prior art elements according to their established functions to produce a predictable result that is equivalent to the claimed limitations. This method of improving was well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art, who would have been motivated to perform this modification by including receiving “a time pattern” for transmitting a PUCCH so that the UE would use the time pattern to indicate the active BWP at a certain instance of time, and enable transmission of a PUCCH when the associated SCell is disabled.
Claim 14 is rejected following the same rationale as set forth in the rejection of claim 7. Claims 14 recites corresponding features to those in claim 7 from the perspective of an apparatus for a network entity.
Regarding claim 15, Lin, Xiong, and Kim disclose the limitations of claim 14 as set forth, and Lin further discloses the apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (Col. 4, Lines 40-43, and Fig. 3: Communication device 300 with transceiver 314)
Claims 21 is rejected on the same grounds set forth in the rejection of claim 7, respectively. Claim 21 recites the same features as in claim 7 from the perspective of a method for a UE.
Claims 9-12, 16-19, and 23-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Xiong, in view of Kim, and further in view of Pelletier et al. (US 20110134774 A1; hereinafter “Pelletier”) .
Regarding claim 9, Lin, Xiong, and Kim disclose the limitations of claim 7 as set forth. But Lin, Xiong, and Kim do not disclose wherein adjustment of the transmission of the PUCCH in the resources of the SCell includes the transmission of the PUCCH to the network entity based on a fallback pattern.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Pelletier discloses wherein adjustment of the transmission of the PUCCH in the resources of the SCell includes the transmission of the PUCCH to the network entity based on a fallback pattern ([0112] the control signaling may contain an indication of whether or not the WTRU may resume using previously configured UL/DL resources, e.g., PUCCH resources for ACK/NACK, PUCCH resources for CQI/PMI/RI/SR, SRS, SPS grant and/or assignment, and the like or portions thereof.).
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 apparatus of Lin, Xiong, and Kim as applied to claim 7, based on the above teachings from Pelletier, to derive the limitations of claim 9, because the modification uses prior art elements according to their established functions to produce a predictable result that is equivalent to the claimed limitations. This method of improving was well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art, who would have been motivated to perform this modification in order to continue transmission of PUCCH when the associated SCell is deactivated.
Regarding claim 10, Lin, Xiong, Kim, and Pelletier disclose the limitations of claim 9 as set forth, and Pelletier further discloses wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive a fallback pattern configuration from the network entity ([0112] the control signaling may contain an indication of whether or not the WTRU may resume using previously configured UL/DL resources, e.g., PUCCH resources for ACK/NACK, PUCCH resources for CQI/PMI/RI/SR, SRS, SPS grant and/or assignment, and the like or portions thereof.)..
Regarding claim 11, Lin, Xiong, Kim, and Pelletier disclose the limitations of claim 9 as set forth. But Lin, Xiong, Kim, and Pelletier do not explicitly disclose wherein the fallback pattern comprises a fallback time pattern.
However, Xiong further discloses receiving “a time pattern” for transmitting a PUCCH on a BWP ([0057] a BWP may be configured with a predetermined time pattern, which time pattern may be semi-statically configured via UE- specific RRC signaling to indicate the active BWP at a certain instance of time; [0067] BWPs can be carried by a single PUCCH on a BWP; [0204] configuring the plurality of BWPs to exhibit a predetermined time pattern.).
Furthermore, Pelletier discloses resuming transmission using previously configured UL/DL resources ([0112] the control signaling may contain an indication of whether or not the WTRU may resume using previously configured UL/DL resources (including the BWP), e.g., PUCCH resources for ACK/NACK, PUCCH resources for CQI/PMI/RI/SR, SRS, SPS grant and/or assignment, and the like or portions thereof.).
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 apparatus of Lin, Xiong, Kim, and Pelletier as applied to claim 9, based on the above further teachings from Xiong and Pelletier, to derive “wherein the fallback pattern comprises a fallback time pattern”, and thus obtain the limitations of claim 11, because the modification uses prior art elements according to their established functions to produce a predictable result that is equivalent to the claimed limitations. This method of improving was well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art, who would have been motivated to perform this modification in order to continue transmission of PUCCH according to a preconfigured time pattern.
Regarding claim 12, Lin, Xiong, Kim, and Pelletier disclose the limitations of claim 9 as set forth, and Pelletier further discloses wherein the fallback pattern defines a cell fallback list indicating one or more cells, and wherein the UE uses one cell of the one or more cells to transmit the PUCCH ([0057] a BWP may be configured with a predetermined time pattern, which time pattern may be semi-statically configured via UE- specific RRC signaling to indicate the active BWP at a certain instance of time… periodicity for the BWP may be configured in a semi-static manner by the gNodeB; [0058] certain time gap may be defined between the times when a BWP may be active. Further, the time gap can be defined as a function of physical or virtual cell ID (for a list of cells), UE ID (e.g., Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI)), etc.; [0112] the control signaling may contain an indication of whether or not the WTRU may resume using previously configured UL/DL resources (indicating resources corresponding to a list of cells), e.g., PUCCH resources for ACK/NACK, PUCCH resources for CQI/PMI/RI/SR, SRS, SPS grant and/or assignment, and the like or portions thereof.).
Claims 16-19 are rejected following the same rationale as set forth in the rejection of claims 9-12, respectively. Claims 16-19 recite corresponding features to those in claims 9-12, respectively, from the perspective of an apparatus for a network entity.
Claims 23-26 are rejected on the same grounds set forth in the rejection of claims 9-12, respectively. Claims 23-26 recite the same features as claims 9-12, respectively, from the perspective of a method for a UE.
Claims 13, 20, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Xiong, in view of Kim, and further in view of Pan et al. ( US 20190215848 A1; hereinafter “Pan”) .
Regarding claim 13, Lin, Xiong, and Kim disclose the limitations of claim 7 as set forth. But Lin, Xiong, and Kim do not disclose wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the network entity via an additional MAC-CE, a reactivation of the SCell indicated for transmitting the PUCCH; and transmit the PUCCH based on the time pattern after the reactivation of the SCell.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Pan discloses receiving, from the network entity via an additional MAC-CE, a reactivation of the SCell indicated for transmitting the PUCCH ([0096] the UE may deactivate the SCell (due to expiry of the SCell deactivation timer) while there is still ongoing downlink or uplink traffic waiting for reception/transmission. To avoid this, the network needs to send a dedicated signaling (e.g., SCell Activation/Deactivation MAC Control Element (CE)) to keep the UE to activate the SCell again.).
Furthermore, Kim discloses transmitting the PUCCH after the reactivation of the SCell ([0193] When the terminal is indicated to switch to the dormant BWP or activate the dormant BWP for the SCell of the MCG through the PCell, the terminal may perform a channel measurement procedure on the dormant BWP of the SCell, and may report a measured channel measurement result through a transmission resource of the PCell of the MCG (e.g., through a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission resource of the PCell) or a transmission resource of the SCell configured with the PUCCH of the MCG (e.g., through a PUCCH transmission resource).).
Still further Xing discloses transmitting the PUCCH based on the time pattern ([0057] a BWP may be configured with a predetermined time pattern, which time pattern may be semi-statically configured via UE- specific RRC signaling to indicate the active BWP at a certain instance of time; [0066] where a UE is configured with multiple UL BWPs, to reduce latency, a PUCCH carrying HARQ-ACK may be transmitted in a different UL BWP as compared with the BWP for monitoring and reception of PDCCH or PDSCH.).
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 apparatus of Lin, Xiong, and Kim as applied to claim 7, based on the above teaching from Pan and further teachings from Kim, and Xiong, to derive the limitations of claim 13, because the modification uses prior art elements according to their established functions to produce a predictable result that is equivalent to the claimed limitations. This method of improving was well within the ability of one of ordinary skill in the art, who would have been motivated to perform this modification in order to continue transmission of PUCCH when the associated SCell is reactivated.
Claim 20 is rejected following the same rationale as set forth in the rejection of claim 13. Claims 20 recites corresponding features to those in claim 13 from the perspective of an apparatus for a network entity.
Claims 27 is rejected on the same grounds set forth in the rejection of claim 13, respectively. Claim 27 recites the same features as in claim 13 from the perspective of a method for a UE.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been considered but are moot because the amendments necessitated new grounds of rejection, and the arguments do not apply to the combination of references being used in the current rejection.
Conclusion
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/SHAILENDRA KUMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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