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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-7, 20-21, 26-27, 29, 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690) and Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795).
Regarding claim 1, Zheng teaches a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to:
receive a configuration associated with the multicast PDCCH communication; receive the multicast PDCCH communication in accordance with the configuration(item 100 in Fig. 9; also P[0038-0039]); and
receive the multicast PDSCH communication in the inactive mode based at least in part on the multicast PDCCH communication, wherein the configuration, is based at least in part on the capability information(item 105 in Fig. 9; P[0039], MBS services received; PDCCH/PDSCH; inactive).
Zheng did not teach specifically transmit capability information regarding a multicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communication for an inactive mode, wherein the capability information indicates a capability relating to a control resource set (CORESET) for the inactive mode, and wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is received in the CORESET. However, Chen teaches in an analogous art transmit capability information regarding a multicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communication for an inactive mode, wherein the capability information indicates a capability relating to a control resource set (CORESET) for the inactive mode, and wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is received in the CORESET(P[0071, 0072], UE capability message of supporting MBS in RRC_INACTIVE state; P[0099], RRC_INACTIVE STATE , PDSCH may be used for MBS data reception). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the inventio to use the method of transmitting capability information regarding a multicast physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) communication for an inactive mode in order to have improved efficiency.
The combinations of Zheng and Chen did not teach explicitly capability information indicates a CORESET that the UE is capable of monitoring. However, Zhang teaches in an analogous art capability information indicates a CORESET that the UE is capable of monitoring(P[0121], message may include information to configure PDCCH for downlink monitoring based on the UE capability where the information may include CORESET when the UE is in inactive state; P[0074], UE capability associated with set of resources over which UE is to monitor; P[0116], UE report its capability; UE in inactive state with the appropriate resources for monitoring based on UE capability; P[0137], UE notifies the network its capability and in response the network transmits to UE an indication of resource configuration to be used by the UE for downlink notification monitoring). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the inventio to use the method wherein the capability information indicates a CORESET that the UE is capable of monitoring in order to have improved power saving.
Regarding claim 2, Zheng teaches, wherein the configuration associated with the multicast PDCCH communication indicates a configuration of a control resource set (CORESET) configured in a multicast common frequency resource (CFR), and wherein the one or more processors are configured to: monitor, in the inactive mode, the CORESET in the multicast CFR and at least one CORESET selected from: a CORESET zero for system information, paging, or broadcast, or a CORESET configured by a system information block 1 (SIB 1), or a CORESET configured for broadcast(P[0036], CORESET #0; SIB1; monitoring; CFR).
Regarding claim 3, Zheng teaches the UE of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors, to monitor the CORESET in the multicast CFR, are configured to monitor the CORESET in the multicast CFR, the CORESET zero, and at least one other CORESET in the inactive mode(P[0036-0038], CFR CORESET design for RRC inactive).
Regarding claim 5, Zheng teaches, wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication, are configured to monitor for downlink control information (DCI) having a format for scheduling multicast PDSCH communications(P[0040], the group common PDCCH/PDSCH for MBS services may be monitored and received; downlink control information(DCI) for a MBS service using G-RNTI which enables UE to understand that the scheduling information corresponds to the MBS service that the UE is interested is monitored; associated with G-RNTI configuration ).
Regarding claim 6, Zheng teaches wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication, are configured to monitor for downlink control information (DCI) having a format for scheduling multicast PDSCH communications, and for DCI having a format for scheduling PDSCH communications and associated with a group radio network temporary identifier for multicast(P[0040], the group common PDCCH/PDSCH for MBS services may be monitored and received; downlink control information(DCI) for a MBS service using G-RNTI which enables UE to understand that the scheduling information corresponds to the MBS service that the UE is interested is monitored; associated with G-RNTI configuration ).
Regarding claim 7, Zheng teaches, wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication, are configured to monitor for downlink control information (DCI) having a format for scheduling broadcast PDSCH communications and associated with a group radio network temporary identifier for multicast(P[0040], NR broadcast services may be configured or monitored; the group common PDCCH/PDSCH for MBS services may be monitored and received; downlink control information(DCI) for a MBS service using G-RNTI which enables UE to understand that the scheduling information corresponds to the MBS service that the UE is interested is monitored; associated with G-RNTI configuration).
Claims 20-21, 26-27, 29 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 1-2, 1-2 and 1 respectively.
Claim(s) 4, 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Seo et al. (hereinafter Seo)(US 2020/0045709).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claim wherein the configuration indicates a common search space set configured for multicast, and wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication in the inactive mode, are configured to monitor the common search space for the multicast PDCCH communication. However, Seo teaches in an analogous art wherein the configuration indicates a common search space set configured for multicast, and wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication in the inactive mode, are configured to monitor the common search space for the multicast PDCCH communication(P[0136], broadcast PDCCH, whether to monitor the common search space based on which SSB in all of the connection mode, the inactive mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the configuration indicates a common search space set configured for multicast, and wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication in the inactive mode, are configured to monitor the common search space for the multicast PDCCH communication in order to have improved performance.
Claim 22 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 4.
Regarding claim 31, Zheng teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the CORESET is provided in an information element associated with a multicast configuration(Zheng: P[0039], configuration inactive state; CORESET for MBS services and PDSCH for MBS services).
Claim(s) 8-10, 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang-1)(US 2023/0217437).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Zheng and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication, are configured to monitor for downlink control information (DCI) having a format for scheduling broadcast PDSCH communications and associated with a group radio network temporary identifier for multicast. However, Zhang-1 teaches in an analogous art wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication, are configured to monitor for downlink control information (DCI) having a format for scheduling broadcast PDSCH communications and associated with a group radio network temporary identifier for multicast (P[0288], UE does not support FDM-ed multicast PDSCH).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the inventio to have one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDCCH communication, are configured to monitor for downlink control information (DCI) having a format for scheduling broadcast PDSCH communications and associated with a group radio network temporary identifier for multicast in order to have improved performance.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the multicast PDSCH communication is configured to be time division multiplexed with another PDSCH communication across multiple slots.
However, Zhang-1 teaches in an analogous art wherein the multicast PDSCH communication is configured to be time division multiplexed with another PDSCH communication across multiple slots (P[0150], TDM-ed multicast PDSCH; unicast PDSCH).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the inventio to have the multicast PDSCH communication is configured to be time division multiplexed with another PDSCH communication across multiple slots in order to have improved performance.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein, based at least in part on the capability information, the multicast PDSCH communication can be time division multiplexed with another multicast PDSCH communication or a broadcast PDSCH communication within a slot. However, Zhang teaches in an analogous art wherein, based at least in part on the capability information, the multicast PDSCH communication can be time division multiplexed with another multicast PDSCH communication or a broadcast PDSCH communication within a slot (P[0150], TDM-ed multicast PDSCH).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the inventio to have UE wherein, based at least in part on the capability information, the multicast PDSCH communication can be time division multiplexed with another multicast PDSCH communication or a broadcast PDSCH communication within a slot in order to have improved performance.
Claims 23-24 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 9-10 respectively.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Liu et al. (hereinafter Liu)(2024/0421961).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the capability information indicates a modulation scheme for the PDSCH communication for the inactive mode, wherein the modulation scheme is a maximum modulation scheme supported by the UE in the inactive mode. However, Liu teaches in an analogous art wherein the capability information indicates a modulation scheme for the PDSCH communication for the inactive mode, wherein the modulation scheme is a maximum modulation scheme supported by the UE in the inactive mode(P[0200], capability information may include maximum modulation scheme supported by the terminal device; capability of PDSCH; inactive). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the capability information indicates a modulation scheme for the PDSCH communication for the inactive mode, wherein the modulation scheme is a maximum modulation scheme supported by the UE in the inactive mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 12-13, 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Awadin et al. (hereinafter Awadin)(2022/0360360).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDSCH communication, are configured to receive the multicast PDSCH communication using resource block symbol level rate matching based at least in part on the capability information including information indicating that the UE supports resource block symbol level rate matching in a connected mode. However, Awadin teaches in an analogous art wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDSCH communication, are configured to receive the multicast PDSCH communication using resource block symbol level rate matching based at least in part on the capability information including information indicating that the UE supports resource block symbol level rate matching in a connected mode (P[0117],inactive state receiving MBS configuration; connected state; rate matching pattern groups are defined for multicast control channel; RRC connected UEs receiving the MBS; The indication of which rate matching pattern group should be applied may be carried in the DCI scheduling MBS PDSCH ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDSCH communication, are configured to receive the multicast PDSCH communication using resource block symbol level rate matching based at least in part on the capability information including information indicating that the UE supports resource block symbol level rate matching in a connected mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDSCH communication, are configured to receive the multicast PDSCH communication using resource element level rate matching based at least in part on the capability information including information indicating that the UE supports resource element level rate matching in a connected mode. However, Awadin teaches in an analogous art wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDSCH communication, are configured to receive the multicast PDSCH communication using resource element level rate matching based at least in part on the capability information including information indicating that the UE supports resource element level rate matching in a connected mode (P[0117],inactive state receiving MBS configuration; connected state; rate matching pattern groups are defined for multicast control channel; RRC connected UEs receiving the MBS; The indication of which rate matching pattern group should be applied may be carried in the DCI scheduling MBS PDSCH ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the one or more processors, to receive the multicast PDSCH communication, are configured to receive the multicast PDSCH communication using resource element level rate matching based at least in part on the capability information including information indicating that the UE supports resource element level rate matching in a connected mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Regarding claim 25, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the capability information indicates a number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers for the multicast PDSCH communication or a modulation scheme for the multicast PDSCH communication for the inactive mode, and wherein the number of MIMO layers or the modulation scheme is less than or equal to a number of MIMO layers or a modulation scheme for a connected mode. However, Awadin teaches in an analogous art wherein the capability information indicates a number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers for the multicast PDSCH communication or a modulation scheme for the multicast PDSCH communication for the inactive mode, and wherein the number of MIMO layers or the modulation scheme is less than or equal to a number of MIMO layers or a modulation scheme for a connected mode (capability signaling by UE; P[0049, 0117, 0127],RRC inactive state receiving MBS configurations; number of MIMO layers; processing capability; PDSCH configurations are provided; also claim 4, MIMO layers, modulation and coding for the GC PDSCH). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the capability information indicates a number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers for the multicast PDSCH communication or a modulation scheme for the multicast PDSCH communication for the inactive mode, and wherein the number of MIMO layers or the modulation scheme is less than or equal to a number of MIMO layers or a modulation scheme for a connected mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Prasad et al. (hereinafter Prasad et al)(WO 2023/206289).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is associated with a group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) selected from a group of G- RNTIs, and wherein a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs of the group of G-RNTIs is equal to a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs for a connected mode. However, Prasad teaches in an analogous art wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is associated with a group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) selected from a group of G- RNTIs, and wherein a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs of the group of G-RNTIs is equal to a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs for a connected mode (P[0050], G-RNTI; connected state and inactive state; first subset for connected state and second subset for inactive state). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is associated with a group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) selected from a group of G- RNTIs, and wherein a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs of the group of G-RNTIs is equal to a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs for a connected mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is associated with a group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) selected from a group of G- RNTIs, and wherein a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs, of the group of G-RNTIs, is different than a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs for a connected mode. However, Prasad teaches in an analogous art wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is associated with a group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) selected from a group of G- RNTIs, and wherein a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs, of the group of G-RNTIs, is different than a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs for a connected mode (P[0050], G-RNTI; connected state and inactive state; first subset for connected state and second subset for inactive state). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the multicast PDCCH communication is associated with a group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI) selected from a group of G- RNTIs, and wherein a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs, of the group of G-RNTIs, is different than a maximum quantity of G-RNTIs for a connected modein order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Chatterjee et al. (hereinafter Chatterjee)(WO 2022/087620).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit negative acknowledgment (NACK)-only feedback regarding the multicast PDSCH communication. However, Chatterjee teaches in an analogous art wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit negative acknowledgment (NACK)-only feedback regarding the multicast PDSCH communication(P[0066], RRC INACTIVE/IDLE UE, in response to multicast PDSCH is defined by NACK-only feedback ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit negative acknowledgment (NACK)-only feedback regarding the multicast PDSCH communication in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang-2)(WO 2023/206408 A1).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Zheng and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication to transition to a connected mode based at least in part on a number of failed resource block receptions, in the inactive mode, satisfying a threshold.
However, Zhang-2 teaches in an analogous art wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication to transition to a connected mode based at least in part on a number of failed resource block receptions, in the inactive mode, satisfying a threshold(P[0094], preferred retransmission number before transitioning). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication to transition to a connected mode based at least in part on a number of failed resource block receptions, in the inactive mode, satisfying a threshold in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Kim et al. (hereinafter Kim)(US 2022/0272662).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a point-to-multipoint retransmission of the multicast PDSCH communication.
However, Kim teaches in an analogous art wherein the one or more processors are further configured to receive a point-to-multipoint retransmission of the multicast PDSCH communication(P[0225-0226], PTM retransmission of the MBS packet).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have the multicast PDSCH communication uses slot-level repetition based at least in part on the capability information indicating that the UE is capable of slot-level repetition for multicast PDSCH communications in a connected mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang-3)(US 2022/0322313).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Zheng, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the multicast PDSCH communication uses slot-level repetition based at least in part on the capability information indicating that the UE is capable of slot-level repetition for multicast PDSCH communications in a connected mode.
However, Zhang-3 teaches in an analogous art, wherein the multicast PDSCH communication uses slot-level repetition based at least in part on the capability information indicating that the UE is capable of slot-level repetition for multicast PDSCH communications in a connected mode(P[0211-0213]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have the multicast PDSCH communication uses slot-level repetition based at least in part on the capability information indicating that the UE is capable of slot-level repetition for multicast PDSCH communications in a connected mode in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim(s) 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (hereinafter Zheng)(US 2024/0205709) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2023/0040690), Zhang et al. (hereinafter Zhang)(US 2023/0300795) and Babaei et al. (hereinafter Babaei)(US 2024/0260134).
Regarding claim 32, the combination of Zhen, Zhang and Chen teaches all the particulars of the claims except wherein the capability information indicates a capability associated with inter-slot time division multiplexing (TDM) for the inactive mode. However, Babaei teaches in an analogous art wherein the capability information indicates a capability associated with inter-slot time division multiplexing (TDM) for the inactive mode(P[0144], UE capabilities; P[0145] In an example, one unicast PDSCH and one group-common PDSCH may be TDM multiplexed in a slot based on UE capability; P[0151], inter-slot TDM; P[0165], RRC inactive PDSCH may be configured).Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to wherein the capability information indicates a capability associated with inter-slot time division multiplexing (TDM) for the inactive mode in order to have improved performance.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/16/2026 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MUTHUSWAMY G MANOHARAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647