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 .
Claim 7, 9-11 have been amended.
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.
Claim(s) 7, 9- 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato (US20210368534) in view of 3GPP; TSG RAN; NR; Physical layer procedures for data (Release 15),2019, 3GPP TS 38.214 V15.6.0 (2019-07), pg. 84-86 (herein after 3GPP) further in view of Al-Imari et al.( US20200100279).
Regarding claim 7, Sato teaches A terminal comprising: a receiver ([0133] “The terminal device 20 and the base station device 10 include a higher layer processing unit (higher layer processing step) 102, a transmitting unit (transmitting step) 104, a transmitting antenna 106, a control unit (control step) 108, a receiving antenna 110, and a receiving unit (receiving step) 112.”) that receives information regarding a plurality of configured grant configurations ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303)”, [0167] “the RRC message includes BWP-UplinkDedicated, which is information individual set for each uplink BWP, and also includes information of the number of set BWPs. Each BWP-UplinkDedicated includes setting information of the configured uplink grant, which is ConfiguratedGrantConfig, and is set with the number of configured uplink grants set in each BWP. Here, BWP-UplinkDedicated (#1) is noted, which includes two ConfiguredGrantConfig (A) and ConfiguredGrantConfig (B).”)),
including a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling ([0062] “The PUSCH receives frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the RRC message, … periodicity of Configured Grant Type 1 and Type 2, and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant;”, [0164-165] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message … The terminal device starts a NACK detection timer, which is a configured grant timer, during data transmission using the configured grant setting information.);
and a processor ([0196] “The electronics designed for implementing the functions disclosed herein may include general processors … may be a microprocessor, or any present processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine”) that, when repetition is applied to an uplink shared channel transmission corresponding to each configured grant configuration ([0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.)”),
separately determines, based on the information regarding the plurality of configured grant configurations, a number of repetitions of a transport block corresponding to each uplink shared channel transmission, a redundancy version sequence to be applied to the repetition, and a transmission occasion at which an initial transmission starts (Fig. 19 “A#00”, “B#00”, [0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.)”, [0189] “FIG. 19 illustrates that the terminal device 20 allocates a transmission resource (transmission opportunity) with a plurality of configured uplink grants according to an RRC message of a plurality of Configured GrantConfigs included in one uplink BWP setting (BWP-UplinkDedicated) and a ConfiguredLength. FIG. 19 is an example that two configured uplink grants (CG) A and B are set. CG (A) is set with ConfiguredLength: 4, repK: 2, Periodicity: 5, and CG (B) is set with Configured Length: 6, repK: 4, Periodicity: 8. The squares represent each transmission opportunity, the white squares represent transmission opportunities actually used for transmission, and the black squares represent transmission opportunities not used for transmission. For convenience, the numbers in the squares are provided to identify each transmission opportunity. For example, “A #12” represents the second transmission opportunity of the transmission opportunities used for the first uplink data transmission of configured uplink grant A. As shown in FIG. 19, selection is performed appropriately to not create any conflicts between transmitting the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant A and the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant B that is actually used for uplink data transmission”, (Examiner’s Note: Separately determine is being interpreted as non overlapping uplink grants A and B so there is no conflict, and grant B start later then grant A as can be seen in Fig 19, number of repetition is equivalent to repK, redundancy is equivalent to RV)
wherein the processor determines the transmission occasion, at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts ([0090] : The transmission parameters and the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set at the same time, or, after the transmission parameter for the grant-free access is set, the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set with different timing”),
Sato does not teach determines the transmission occasion, at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts based on a rule selected from: a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence,
and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
3GPP teaches determines the transmission occasion, at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts based on a rule selected from: a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence (page 85 lines 1-5 “The initial transmission of a transport block may start at - the first transmission occasion of the K repetitions if the configured RV sequence is {0,2,3,1}”),
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sato to incorporate the teachings of 3GPP. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to minimize latency.
3GPP does not teach and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
Al-Imari teaches and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts ([0038] “In some implementations, the restriction may comprise starting the initial transmission of the TB at a first transmission occasion of configured repetitions (e.g., K repetitions). For example, processor 312 may be configured to always start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions regardless of a configured RV sequence. In other words, processor 312 may start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions for all the RV sequences”).
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Sato in view of 3GPP to incorporate the teachings of Al-Imari. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide proper schemes to handle multiple active configurations of configured grant ([0007]).
Regarding claim 9, Sato teaches A radio communication method for a terminal, comprising: receiving information regarding a plurality of configured grant configurations ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303)”, [0167] “the RRC message includes BWP-UplinkDedicated, which is information individual set for each uplink BWP, and also includes information of the number of set BWPs. Each BWP-UplinkDedicated includes setting information of the configured uplink grant, which is ConfiguratedGrantConfig, and is set with the number of configured uplink grants set in each BWP. Here, BWP-UplinkDedicated (#1) is noted, which includes two ConfiguredGrantConfig (A) and ConfiguredGrantConfig (B).”)),
including a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling ([0062] “The PUSCH receives frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the RRC message, DMRS configuration, MCS table, MCS table-transformed precoder, uci-onPUSCH, resource allocation type, RBG size, closed-loop transmission power control (powerControlLoopToUse), target receiving power and a set (p0-PUSCH-Alpha), TransformPrecoder (precoder), nrofHARQ (number of HARQ processes), number of retransmissions of the same data (repK), repK-RV (redundancy version mode for retransmission of the same data), periodicity of Configured Grant Type 1 and Type 2, and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant;” [0164-165] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message … The terminal device starts a NACK detection timer, which is a configured grant timer, during data transmission using the configured grant setting information.);
and when repetition is applied to an uplink shared channel transmission corresponding to each configured grant configuration ([0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.)”),
separately determining, based on the information regarding the plurality of configured grant configurations, a number of repetitions of a transport block corresponding to each uplink shared channel transmission, a redundancy version sequence to be applied to the repetition, and a transmission (Fig. 19 “A#00”, “B#00”, [0189] “FIG. 19 illustrates that the terminal device 20 allocates a transmission resource (transmission opportunity) with a plurality of configured uplink grants according to an RRC message of a plurality of Configured GrantConfigs included in one uplink BWP setting (BWP-UplinkDedicated) and a ConfiguredLength. FIG. 19 is an example that two configured uplink grants (CG) A and B are set. CG (A) is set with ConfiguredLength: 4, repK: 2, Periodicity: 5, and CG (B) is set with Configured Length: 6, repK: 4, Periodicity: 8. The squares represent each transmission opportunity, the white squares represent transmission opportunities actually used for transmission, and the black squares represent transmission opportunities not used for transmission. For convenience, the numbers in the squares are provided to identify each transmission opportunity. For example, “A #12” represents the second transmission opportunity of the transmission opportunities used for the first uplink data transmission of configured uplink grant A. As shown in FIG. 19, selection is performed appropriately to not create any conflicts between transmitting the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant A and the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant B that is actually used for uplink data transmission”, (Examiner’s Note: Separately determine is being interpreted as non overlapping uplink grants A and B so there is no conflict, and grant B start later then grant A as can be seen in Fig 19, number of repetition is equivalent to repK, redundancy is equivalent to RV).
and determining the transmission occasion, at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts ([0090] : The transmission parameters and the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set at the same time, or, after the transmission parameter for the grant-free access is set, the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set with different timing”).
Sato does not teach and determining the transmission occasion, at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts, based on a rule selected from:a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence, and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
3GPP teaches and determining the transmission occasion, at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts, based on a rule selected from:a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence (page 85 lines 1-5 “The initial transmission of a transport block may start at - the first transmission occasion of the K repetitions if the configured RV sequence is {0,2,3,1}”),
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sato to incorporate the teachings of 3GPP. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to minimize latency.
3GPP does not teach and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
Al-Imari teaches and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts ([0038] “In some implementations, the restriction may comprise starting the initial transmission of the TB at a first transmission occasion of configured repetitions (e.g., K repetitions). For example, processor 312 may be configured to always start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions regardless of a configured RV sequence. In other words, processor 312 may start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions for all the RV sequences”).
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Sato in view of 3GPP to incorporate the teachings of Al-Imari. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide proper schemes to handle multiple active configurations of configured grant ([0007]).
Regarding claim 10, Sato teaches A base station comprising: a transmitter ([0101] “The base station device 10 includes a receiving antenna 202, a receiving unit (receiving step) 204, a higher layer processing unit (higher layer processing step) 206, a control unit (control step) 208, a transmitting unit (transmitting step) 210, and a transmitting antenna 212. “) that transmits information regarding a plurality of configured grant configurations ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303)”, [0167] “the RRC message includes BWP-UplinkDedicated, which is information individual set for each uplink BWP, and also includes information of the number of set BWPs. Each BWP-UplinkDedicated includes setting information of the configured uplink grant, which is ConfiguratedGrantConfig, and is set with the number of configured uplink grants set in each BWP. Here, BWP-UplinkDedicated (#1) is noted, which includes two ConfiguredGrantConfig (A) and ConfiguredGrantConfig (B).”)),
including a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling ([0062] “The PUSCH receives frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the RRC message, DMRS configuration, MCS table, MCS table-transformed precoder, uci-onPUSCH, resource allocation type, RBG size, closed-loop transmission power control (powerControlLoopToUse), target receiving power and a set (p0-PUSCH-Alpha), TransformPrecoder (precoder), nrofHARQ (number of HARQ processes), number of retransmissions of the same data (repK), repK-RV (redundancy version mode for retransmission of the same data), periodicity of Configured Grant Type 1 and Type 2, and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant;” [0164-165] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message … The terminal device starts a NACK detection timer, which is a configured grant timer, during data transmission using the configured grant setting information.);
and a processor (Fig. 3 “Control Unit 208”) that, when repetition is applied to an uplink shared channel transmission corresponding to each configured grant configuration ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303). Here, the setting of configured grant may be the above-mentioned ConfiguredGrantConfig. The ConfiguredGrantConfig may or may not include rrc-ConfiguredGrant. Here, when the ConfiguredGrantConfig includes rrc-ConfiguredGrant, data transmission may be performed without the notification (activation) of the DCI format”, [0167] “([0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.)”),
separately configures a number of repetitions of a transport block corresponding to each uplink shared channel transmission, a redundancy version sequence to be applied to the repetition, and a transmission occasion at which an initial transmission starts (Fig. 19 “A#00”, “B#00”, [0189] “FIG. 19 illustrates that the terminal device 20 allocates a transmission resource (transmission opportunity) with a plurality of configured uplink grants according to an RRC message of a plurality of Configured GrantConfigs included in one uplink BWP setting (BWP-UplinkDedicated) and a ConfiguredLength. FIG. 19 is an example that two configured uplink grants (CG) A and B are set. CG (A) is set with ConfiguredLength: 4, repK: 2, Periodicity: 5, and CG (B) is set with Configured Length: 6, repK: 4, Periodicity: 8. The squares represent each transmission opportunity, the white squares represent transmission opportunities actually used for transmission, and the black squares represent transmission opportunities not used for transmission. For convenience, the numbers in the squares are provided to identify each transmission opportunity. For example, “A #12” represents the second transmission opportunity of the transmission opportunities used for the first uplink data transmission of configured uplink grant A. As shown in FIG. 19, selection is performed appropriately to not create any conflicts between transmitting the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant A and the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant B that is actually used for uplink data transmission”, (Examiner’s Note: Separately determine is being interpreted as non overlapping uplink grants A and B so there is no conflict, and grant B start later then grant A as can be seen in Fig 19, number of repetition is equivalent to repK, redundancy is equivalent to RV).
wherein the processor configures the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts ([0090] : The transmission parameters and the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set at the same time, or, after the transmission parameter for the grant-free access is set, the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set with different timing”).
Sato does not teach transmission occasion at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts, based on a rule selected from:a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence, and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
3GPP teaches transmission occasion at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts, based on a rule selected from:a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence (page 85 lines 1-5 “The initial transmission of a transport block may start at - the first transmission occasion of the K repetitions if the configured RV sequence is {0,2,3,1}”),
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sato to incorporate the teachings of 3GPP. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to minimize latency.
3GPP does not teach and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
Al-Imari teaches and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts([0038] “In some implementations, the restriction may comprise starting the initial transmission of the TB at a first transmission occasion of configured repetitions (e.g., K repetitions). For example, processor 312 may be configured to always start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions regardless of a configured RV sequence. In other words, processor 312 may start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions for all the RV sequences”).
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Sato in view of 3GPP to incorporate the teachings of Al-Imari. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide proper schemes to handle multiple active configurations of configured grant ([0007]).
Regarding claim 11, Sato teaches A system comprising a terminal and a base station,
wherein the terminal comprises: a receiver ([0133] “The terminal device 20 and the base station device 10 include a higher layer processing unit (higher layer processing step) 102, a transmitting unit (transmitting step) 104, a transmitting antenna 106, a control unit (control step) 108, a receiving antenna 110, and a receiving unit (receiving step) 112.”) that receives information regarding a plurality of configured grant configurations ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303)”, [0167] “the RRC message includes BWP-UplinkDedicated, which is information individual set for each uplink BWP, and also includes information of the number of set BWPs. Each BWP-UplinkDedicated includes setting information of the configured uplink grant, which is ConfiguratedGrantConfig, and is set with the number of configured uplink grants set in each BWP. Here, BWP-UplinkDedicated (#1) is noted, which includes two ConfiguredGrantConfig (A) and ConfiguredGrantConfig (B).”)) including a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling ([0062] “The PUSCH receives frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the RRC message, DMRS configuration, MCS table, MCS table-transformed precoder, uci-onPUSCH, resource allocation type, RBG size, closed-loop transmission power control (powerControlLoopToUse), target receiving power and a set (p0-PUSCH-Alpha), TransformPrecoder (precoder), nrofHARQ (number of HARQ processes), number of retransmissions of the same data (repK), repK-RV (redundancy version mode for retransmission of the same data), periodicity of Configured Grant Type 1 and Type 2, and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant;”, [0164-165] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message … The terminal device starts a NACK detection timer, which is a configured grant timer, during data transmission using the configured grant setting information”);
and a processor ([0196] “The electronics designed for implementing the functions disclosed herein may include general processors … may be a microprocessor, or any present processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine”) that, when repetition is applied to an uplink shared channel transmission corresponding to each configured grant configuration ([0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.)”),
separately determines, based on the information regarding the plurality of configured grant configurations, a number of repetitions of a transport block corresponding to each uplink shared channel transmission, a redundancy version sequence to be applied to the repetition, and a transmission occasion at which an initial transmission starts(Fig. 19 “A#00”, “B#00”, [0189] “FIG. 19 illustrates that the terminal device 20 allocates a transmission resource (transmission opportunity) with a plurality of configured uplink grants according to an RRC message of a plurality of Configured GrantConfigs included in one uplink BWP setting (BWP-UplinkDedicated) and a ConfiguredLength. FIG. 19 is an example that two configured uplink grants (CG) A and B are set. CG (A) is set with ConfiguredLength: 4, repK: 2, Periodicity: 5, and CG (B) is set with Configured Length: 6, repK: 4, Periodicity: 8. The squares represent each transmission opportunity, the white squares represent transmission opportunities actually used for transmission, and the black squares represent transmission opportunities not used for transmission. For convenience, the numbers in the squares are provided to identify each transmission opportunity. For example, “A #12” represents the second transmission opportunity of the transmission opportunities used for the first uplink data transmission of configured uplink grant A. As shown in FIG. 19, selection is performed appropriately to not create any conflicts between transmitting the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant A and the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant B that is actually used for uplink data transmission”, (Examiner’s Note: Separately determine is being interpreted as non overlapping uplink grants A and B so there is no conflict, and grant B start later then grant A as can be seen in Fig 19, number of repetition is equivalent to repK, redundancy is equivalent to RV),
wherein the processor determines the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts ([0090] : The transmission parameters and the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set at the same time, or, after the transmission parameter for the grant-free access is set, the grant start/end of the grant-free access data transmission may be set with different timing”),
and the base station comprises: a transmitter ([0101] “The base station device 10 includes a receiving antenna 202, a receiving unit (receiving step) 204, a higher layer processing unit (higher layer processing step) 206, a control unit (control step) 208, a transmitting unit (transmitting step) 210, and a transmitting antenna 212. “) that transmits the information regarding the plurality of configured grant configurations ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303)”, [0167] “the RRC message includes BWP-UplinkDedicated, which is information individual set for each uplink BWP, and also includes information of the number of set BWPs. Each BWP-UplinkDedicated includes setting information of the configured uplink grant, which is ConfiguratedGrantConfig, and is set with the number of configured uplink grants set in each BWP. Here, BWP-UplinkDedicated (#1) is noted, which includes two ConfiguredGrantConfig (A) and ConfiguredGrantConfig (B).”));
and a processor (Fig. 3 “Control Unit 208”) that, when repetition is applied to an uplink shared channel transmission corresponding to each configured grant configuration ([0164] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message, the SIB, and the like (S303). Here, the setting of configured grant may be the above-mentioned ConfiguredGrantConfig. The ConfiguredGrantConfig may or may not include rrc-ConfiguredGrant. Here, when the ConfiguredGrantConfig includes rrc-ConfiguredGrant, data transmission may be performed without the notification (activation) of the DCI format”, ([0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.)”), separately configures a number of repetitions of a transport block corresponding to each uplink shared channel transmission, a redundancy version sequence to be applied to the repetition, and a transmission occasion (Fig. 19 “A#00”, “B#00”, ([0167] “ConfiguredGrantConfig includes parameters of uplink data transmission using configured uplink grant (Periodicity: cycle, mcs-Table: MCS table, repK: number of retransmissions, repK-RV: RV (Redundancy Version) pattern during retransmission, etc.”,[0189] “FIG. 19 illustrates that the terminal device 20 allocates a transmission resource (transmission opportunity) with a plurality of configured uplink grants according to an RRC message of a plurality of Configured GrantConfigs included in one uplink BWP setting (BWP-UplinkDedicated) and a ConfiguredLength. FIG. 19 is an example that two configured uplink grants (CG) A and B are set. CG (A) is set with ConfiguredLength: 4, repK: 2, Periodicity: 5, and CG (B) is set with Configured Length: 6, repK: 4, Periodicity: 8. The squares represent each transmission opportunity, the white squares represent transmission opportunities actually used for transmission, and the black squares represent transmission opportunities not used for transmission. For convenience, the numbers in the squares are provided to identify each transmission opportunity. For example, “A #12” represents the second transmission opportunity of the transmission opportunities used for the first uplink data transmission of configured uplink grant A. As shown in FIG. 19, selection is performed appropriately to not create any conflicts between transmitting the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant A and the transmission opportunity of configured uplink grant B that is actually used for uplink data transmission”, (Examiner’s Note: Separately determine is being interpreted as non overlapping uplink grants A and B so there is no conflict, and grant B start later then grant A as can be seen in Fig 19, number of repetition is equivalent to repK, redundancy is equivalent to RV).
Sato does not teach determines the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts, based on a rule selected from:a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence, and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
3GPP teaches determines the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission of the transport block starts, based on a rule selected from:a first rule in which the transmission occasion is determined based on a type of the redundancy version sequence (page 85 lines 1-5 “The initial transmission of a transport block may start at - the first transmission occasion of the K repetitions if the configured RV sequence is {0,2,3,1}”).
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sato to incorporate the teachings of 3GPP. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to minimize latency.
3GPP does not teach and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts.
Al-Imari teaches and a second rule in which a first transmission occasion of repetitions is determined as the transmission occasion at which the initial transmission starts([0038] “In some implementations, the restriction may comprise starting the initial transmission of the TB at a first transmission occasion of configured repetitions (e.g., K repetitions). For example, processor 312 may be configured to always start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions regardless of a configured RV sequence. In other words, processor 312 may start the initial transmission of the TB at the first transmission occasion of K repetitions for all the RV sequences”).
It would have been obvious for one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination of Sato in view of 3GPP to incorporate the teachings of Al-Imari. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide proper schemes to handle multiple active configurations of configured grant ([0007]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s Argument
Applicant respectfully asserts that Sato, 3GPP, and Al-Imari, whether considered separately or in combination, fail to teach at least the above-mentioned limitations of amended independent claim 7, as explained below. The same is true for amended independent claims 9-11 which recite substantially similar limitations.
Sato relates to a processor that performs an uplink data transmission setting according to a radio resource control (RRC) message and a transmitter that transmits uplink data according to the uplink data transmission setting. See Sato, Abstract. Further, in the Office Action, the Examiner contends that paragraph [0062] of Sato describes that PUSCH receives frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the RRC message and a timer for receiving NACK or configured grant.
See Office Action, page 5. However, paragraph [0062] of Sato describes that the PUSCH receives a plurality of information "including frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the 7
RRC message, DMRS configuration, MCS table, MCS table-transformed precoder, uci-onPUSCH, resource allocation type, RBG size, closed-loop transmission power control (powerControlLoopToUse), target receiving power and a set (pO-PUSCH-Alpha), TransformPrecoder (precoder), nrofHARQ (number of HARQ processes), number of retransmissions of the same data (repK), repK-RV (redundancy version mode for retransmission of the same data), periodicity of Configured Grant Type 1 and Type 2, and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant." (Emphasis added.) However, while both the RRC message and the timer of Sato are being received by the PUSCH, Sato does not attempt to relate the timer with the RRC message. More specifically, Sato does not attempt to use any other higher layer signaling to configure the timer. As such, one skilled in the art would not combine an RRC message for transmitting frequency hopping and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant to arrive to a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling, as required by the above-mentioned limitation. Therefore, Sato fails to teach the above-mentioned limitation of amended independent claim 7.
Examiner’s Response
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Sato in view of 3GPP and further in view of AI-Imari teaches a receiver that receives information regarding a plurality of configured grant configurations, including a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling.
More specifically, Sato is relied upon to show a receiver that receives information regarding a plurality of configured grant configurations, including a configured grant timer configured by higher layer signaling. For example in [0062] “([0062] “The PUSCH receives frequency hopping performed by GrantConfig included in the RRC message… periodicity of Configured Grant Type 1 and Type 2, and a timer for receiving NACK of Configured Grant;”). Sato shows that the GrantConfig is included in the RRC message which is equivalent to higher layer signaling performing the configuring, furthermore Sato shows [0164-165] “The base station device 10 transmits the setting information related to the configured grant to each of the terminal device 20 using the RRC message … The terminal device starts a NACK detection timer, which is a configured grant timer, during data transmission using the configured grant setting information”).
Conclusion
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/K.T.F./Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411