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
a. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/09/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-20 in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, are being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
- claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, and 20 are amended
- claims 4, 11, and 18 are canceled
b. This is a first action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 01/09/2026.
Response to Arguments
Regarding Independent claims 1, 8, and 15 previously rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103, Applicant's arguments, see “For the sole purpose of expediting prosecution, Applicant has amended claim 1 to recite that "the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer and configuring three Search Space (SS) groups." Since You fails to disclose "the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer," it necessarily also fails to disclose the amended limitation "the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer and configuring three Search Space (SS) groups," which introduces additional subject matter not taught by You.” on page 10, filed on 01/09/2026, with respect to You US Pub 2022/0353921 (hereinafter “You”), and in view of Tsai et al. US Pub 2021/0144717, claiming provisional application 62941113 priority 2019-11-27 (hereinafter “Tsai”), have been fully considered but are moot, over the limitations of “receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signal, wherein the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer and configuring three Search Space (SS) groups”. Said limitations are newly added to the amended Claims 1, 8, and 15 and have been addressed in instant office action, as shown in section 35 USC 103 rejection below, with newly identified prior art teaching from newly found reference Hang et al. US Pub 2021/0168775 (hereinafter “Hang”), in combination with previously applied references Sun and Tsai , thus rendering said Applicant’s arguments moot.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. US Pub 2021/0136685, claiming provisional application 62/931582 priority 2019-11-06 (hereinafter “Sun”), in view of Hang et al. US Pub 2021/0168775 (hereinafter “Hang”), and further in view of Tsai et al. US Pub 2021/0144717, claiming provisional application 62941113 priority 2019-11-27 (hereinafter “Tsai”).
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended)
Sun discloses a method for detecting a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), performed by a terminal (“a UE may be configured with one or more search space set groups (e.g., groups of one or more search space sets) that the UE is to monitor for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)” [0026]), comprising:
receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signal (“The association indication may be via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), DCI, and/or the like.” [0079]),
wherein the scheduling DCI indicates downlink grant or uplink grant (“the UE may be configured with a timing value associated with a timing between a downlink grant included in downlink control information (DCI) and reception of a corresponding downlink data communication (e.g., a K0 value), a timing value associated with a timing between reception of an uplink grant included in DCI and transmission of a corresponding uplink data communication (e.g., a K2 value), and/or the like.” [0025]);
detecting a first PDCCH, wherein the first PDCCH carries DCI (“the UE is to monitor for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)… In some cases, DCI, or another indication, may indicate that the UE is to switch to monitoring a particular search space set group.” [0026]) format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 (“In some aspects, the DCI (e.g., in DCI format 0-1 or 1_1) may indicate the timing value in a single bit of the DCI” [0082]), wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 comprises indication bits (i.e. “timing value”) of search space group switching (“In some aspects, the DCI (e.g., in DCI format 0-1 or 1_1) may indicate the timing value in a single bit of the DCI. For example, a first value of the bit may indicate a first timing value (e.g., according to the initial timing value configuration) and a second value of the bit may indicate a second timing value (e.g., according to the subsequent timing value configuration). Moreover, according to the associations between timing values and search space set groups, the first value of the bit also may indicate a first search space set group and the second value of the bit also may indicate a second search space set group. In other words, the DCI may include a combined indication (e.g., in a single bit of the DCI, a single field of the DCI, and/or the like) of a timing value and a search space set group. Accordingly, the first value of the bit may indicate the power saving state (e.g., a first timing value and search space set group combination), and the second value of the bit may indicate the non-power saving state (e.g., a second timing value and search space set group combination).” [0082]; [0088]), and the indication bits of the search space group switching are used to indicate activation (i.e. “discontinue the sleep mode” [0088]; “power saving state” [0082]) of the specific SS group in the three SS groups (the indication value is used to indicate active search space groups ([0088] and Figure 6));
determining an active search space group (i.e. “discontinue the sleep mode” [0088]; “power saving state” [0082]) according to a detection result of the first PDCCH (“As shown in FIG. 6, the UE may receive, in a slot, first DCI 605 with a first combined indication of a timing value (K0=2) and search space set group (search space set group 0, shown by reference number 650). Based at least in part on the first DCI 605, the UE may monitor the first search space set group 650 associated with the timing value and/or commence a sleep mode for a duration associated with the timing value. The UE may receive, in a slot, second DCI 610 with a second combined indication of a timing value (K0=0) and search space set group (search space set group 1, shown by reference number 655).” [0088]); and
performing PDCCH detection on the active search space group (“Based at least in part on the second DCI 610, the UE may switch from monitoring the search space set group 650 to monitoring the search space set group 655 associated with the timing value and/or discontinue the sleep mode (e.g., because K0=0).” [0088]).
Sun does not specifically teach configuring three Search Space (SS) groups.
In an analogous art, Hang discloses configuring three Search Space (SS) groups (“In this case, after completing setting up the search space, the terminal device obtains three groups of search spaces in total. Then, the terminal device may separately blindly detect DCI on three groups of candidate resources configured by using the three groups of search spaces. Once the terminal device detects the DCI on each group of candidate resources, the terminal device may stop the blind detection.” [0198]);
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, to include Hang’s method for decoding DCI, in order to efficiently detect the DCI on each group of candidate resource (Hang [0198]).
Sun and Hang do not specifically teach wherein the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer; switching to a specific SS group in the three SS groups when the timer expires; resetting the timer when scheduling Downlink Control Information (DCI) is received.
In an analogous art, Tsai discloses wherein the RRC signal (PDSCH/PDCCH and DCI are transmitted via RRC) is used for configuring a timer (by DCI);
switching to a specific SS group in the three SS groups when the timer expires (“If the timer expires, the UE switches from Group2 to Group1”);
PNG
media_image1.png
234
704
media_image1.png
Greyscale
resetting the timer when scheduling Downlink Control Information (DCI) is received (see Embodiment 2 below).
PNG
media_image2.png
297
519
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang, to include Tsai’s method for configuring a timer to monitor switching between search space groups, in order to efficiently perform PDCCH monitoring. Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Tsai’s method for configuring a timer to monitor switching between search space groups into Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 2 (Currently Amended)
Sun, as modified by Hang and Tsai, previously discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein determining an active search space group according to a detection result of the first PDCCH comprises:
Tsai further discloses when the first PDCCH is detected and content of an indication of search space group switching corresponding to the first PDCCH conflicts with content of an indication of another search space group switching simultaneously obtained by the terminal (“In an explicit way, the indication may comprise a switching flag configured to be present for a serving cell in the cell group in a DCI (e.g., group common DCI). The DCI may comprise, for example, DCI format 2_0 and may be carried by a PDCCH (e.g., group common PDCCH). On the serving cell in the cell group (e.g., the first serving cell), in an event that the UE receives the group common DCI including the switching flag (e.g., flag=1) that indicates a switching from the first group of search space set (e.g., Group 1) to the second group of search space set (e.g., Group 2), the UE may determine to switch to the second group of search space set on the first serving cell of the cell group. The UE may further apply the switching to all serving cells within the cell group according to the indication associated with the first serving cell.” [0036]), or when the terminal detects the first PDCCH by mistake, determining a default search space group, all search space groups configured for the terminal, or all search space groups configured for the terminal on a current activated Band Width Part (BWP) as the active search space group (“In some implementations, the UE may be provided by a parameter (e.g., SearchSpaceSwitchTrigger) to indicate a location of a search space set group switching flag field for a serving cell in a DCI format 2_0. In an event that the UE detects a DCI format 2_0 and a value of the search space set group switching flag field in the DCI format 2_0 is 0, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, on the serving cell at a first slot that is at least P.sub.switch symbols after the last symbol of the PDCCH with the DCI format 2_0. In an event that the UE detects a DCI format 2_0 and a value of the search space set group switching flag field in the DCI format 2_0 is 1, the UE starts monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 1, and stops monitoring PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0” [0048]).
Examiner’s Notes: the switching flag feature is discloses in Tsai’s provisional application 62941113 (Embodiments 1 and 3); current activated Band Width Part (BWP) is discloses in Tsai’s provisional application 62941113 (Problem Description).
Regarding claim 8 (Currently Amended)
Sun discloses a terminal (“UE” [0008]), comprising:
a memory (“memory” [0008]),
a processor (“one or more processors” [0008]), and
a program (“instructions stored in the memory and operable, when executed by the one or more processors,” [0008]) that is stored in the memory and that can be run on the processor, wherein when the program is executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signal, wherein the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer and configuring three Search Space (SS) groups;
switching to a specific SS group in the three SS groups when the timer expires;
resetting the timer when scheduling Downlink Control Information (DCI) is received, wherein the scheduling DCI indicates downlink grant or uplink grant;
detecting a first PDCCH, wherein the first PDCCH carries DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1, wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 comprises indication bits of search space group switching, and the indication bits of the search space group switching are used to indicate activation of the specific SS group in the three SS groups;
determining an active search space group according to a detection result of the first PDCCH; and
performing PDCCH detection on the active search space group.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 8 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 8 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 9 (Currently Amended)
The terminal according to claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:
wherein the determining an active search space group according to a detection result of the first PDCCH comprises:
when the first PDCCH is detected and content of an indication of search space group switching corresponding to the fust PDCCH conflicts with content of an indication of another search space group switching simultaneously obtained by the terminal, or when the terminal detects the first PDCCH by mistake, determining a default search space group, all search space groups configured for the terminal, or all search space groups configured for the terminal on a current active Band Width Part (BWP) as the active search space group.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 9 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 2. Therefore apparatus claim 9 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Regarding claim 15 (Currently Amended)
A non-transient computer-readable storage medium, wherein the non-transient computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program, and when the computer program is executed by a processor of a terminal, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signal, wherein the RRC signal is used for configuring a timer and configuring three Search Space (SS) groups;
switching to a specific SS group in the three SS groups when the timer expires;
resetting the timer when scheduling Downlink Control Information (DCI) is received_ wherein the scheduling DCI indicates downlink grant or uplink grant;
detecting a first PDCCH, wherein the first PDCCH carries DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1, wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 comprises indication bits of search space group switching, and the indication bits of the search space group switching are used to indicate activation of the specific SS group in the three SS groups;
determining an active search space group according to a detection result of the first PDCCH; and
performing PDCCH detection on the active search space group.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 15 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore computer program product claim 15 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 16 (Currently Amended)
The non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the determining an active search space group according to a detection result of the first PDCCH comprises:
when the first PDCCH is detected and content of an indication of search space group switching corresponding to the first PDCCH conflicts with content of an indication of another search space group switching simultaneously obtained by the terminal, or when the terminal detects the first PDCCH by mistake, determining a default search space group, all search space groups configured for the terminal, or all search space groups configured for the terminal on a current activated Band Width Part (BWP) as the active search space group.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 16 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 2. Therefore computer program product claim 16 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Claims 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun, in view of Hang and Tsai, and further in view of Lin et al. US Pub 2020/0236692 (hereinafter “Lin”).
Regarding claim 3
Sun, as modified by Hang and Tsai, previously discloses the method according to claim 2, further comprising:
Sun, Hang, and Tsai do not specifically teach determining, within a Band Width Part (BWP) switching delay, the default search space group, all the search space groups configured for the terminal, or all the search space groups configured for the terminal on the current active BWP as the active search space group.
In an analogous art, Lin discloses determining, within a Band Width Part (BWP) switching delay, the default search space group, all the search space groups configured for the terminal, or all the search space groups configured for the terminal on the current active BWP as the active search space group (“For each DL BWP configured to a UE in a serving cell, the UE is provided by higher layers with a number of search space sets where, for each search space set from the number search space sets, the UE is provided the following (see also REF 3): a search space set index .sub.s; an association between the search space set .sub.s and a control resource set p; a PDCCH monitoring periodicity of k.sub.s slots and a PDCCH monitoring offset of o.sub.s slots; a PDCCH monitoring pattern within a slot, indicating first symbol(s) of the control resource set within a slot for PDCCH monitoring; a number of PDCCH candidates M.sub.s.sup.(L) per CCE aggregation level L; and an indication that search space set .sub.s is either a common search space set or a UE-specific search space set.” [0078]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang and Tsai, to include Lin’s method for managing scheduling offsets, in order to determine minimum scheduling offset values for an active downlink bandwidth part (Lin [0008]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Lin’s method for managing scheduling offsets into Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 6 (Currently Amended)
Sun, as modified by Hang and Tsai, previously discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein content indicated by the indication bits of the search space group switching comprises one or more of the following:
Tsai further discloses indicating that all cells in a Cell Group (CG) switch to a same search space group (“the UE may be configured with a group of serving cells which are bundled for search space set group switching” [0033]);
indicating that each cell switches to a corresponding search space group (“On the serving cell in the cell group (e.g., the first serving cell), in an event that the UE receives the group common DCI including the switching flag (e.g., flag=1) that indicates a switching from the first group of search space set (e.g., Group 1) to the second group of search space set (e.g., Group 2), the UE may determine to switch to the second group of search space set on the first serving cell of the cell group. The UE may further apply the switching to all serving cells within the cell group according to the indication associated with the first serving cell.” [0036]);
Examiner’s Notes: the feature of cell group is disclosed in Tsai provisional application 62941113 (Embodiments 2 and 3) and switching search space groups in Tsai provisional application 62941113 (Embodiments 1-3).
Sun, Hang, and Tsai do not specifically teach indicating that each Special Cell (SPcell) switches to a corresponding search space group; or indicating that each Secondary Cell (Scell) group switches to a corresponding search space group, wherein all Scells in one Scell group switch to a same search space group.
In an analogous art, Lin discloses indicating that each SPcell (i.e. “Pcell”) switches to a corresponding search space group; or indicating that each Scell group switches to a corresponding search space group, wherein all Scells in one Scell group switches to a same search space group (“the UE can still perform certain functionalities on the PCell that the UE does not perform on SCells. For example, the UE can still transmit PRACH or a PUCCH with positive SR or even monitor PDCCH in a common search space on the PCell while the UE does not perform any of these functionalities on the SCells. When the UE begins to monitor PDCCH in response to a PRACH transmission or a PUCCH transmission with positive SR, the UE can activate PDCCH monitoring only on the PCell while the SCells can be kept ‘dormant’ without PDCCH monitoring. Also, the UE can perform measurements of a CSI-RS to obtain a CSI report for any of the cells.” [0212]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang and Tsai, to include Lin’s method for managing scheduling offsets, in order to determine minimum scheduling offset values for an active downlink bandwidth part (Lin [0008]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Lin’s method for managing scheduling offsets into Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 10
The terminal according to claim 9, wherein when the program is executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
determining, within a Band Width Part (BWP) switching delay, the default search space group, all the search space groups configured for the terminal, or all the search space groups configured for the terminal on the current active BWP as the active search space group.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 10 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore apparatus claim 10 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 13 (Currently Amended)
The terminal according to claim 9, wherein content indicated by the indication bits of the search space group switching comprises one or more of the following:
indicating that all cells in a Cell Group (CG) switch to a same search space group;
indicating that each cell switches to a corresponding search space group;
indicating that each Special Cell (SPcell) switches to a corresponding search space group; or
indicating that each Secondary Cell (Scell) group switches to a corresponding search space group, wherein all Scells in one Scell group switch to a same search space group.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 13 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 13 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 17
The non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein when the program is executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:
determining, within a Band Width Part (BWP) switching delay, the default search space group, all the search space groups configured for the terminal, or all the search space groups configured for the terminal on the current active BWP as the active search space group.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 17 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore computer program product claim 17 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 20 (Currently Amended)
The non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein content indicated by the indication bits of the search space group switching comprises one or more of the following:
indicating that all cells in a Cell Group (CG) switch to a same search space group;
indicating that each cell switches to a corresponding search space group;
indicating that each Special Cell (SPcell) switches to a corresponding search space group; or
indicating that each Secondary Cell (Scell) group switches to a corresponding search space group, wherein all Scells in one Scell group switch to same search space group.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 20 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore computer program product claim 20 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Claims 5, 12, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun, in view of Hang and Tsai, and further in view of Li, and of Bagheri et al. US Pub 2020/0351926, claiming provisional application 62842474 priority (hereinafter “Bagheri”).
Regarding claim 5 (Currently Amended)
Sun, as modified by Hang and Tsai, previously discloses the method according to claim 2,
Sun, Hang, and Tsai, do not specifically teach wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises a minimum scheduling offset indication field.
In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises a minimum scheduling offset indication field (“The DCI format includes a field that indicates a minimum scheduling offset value.” [0008]),
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang and Tsai, to include Lin’s method for managing scheduling offsets, in order to determine minimum scheduling offset values for an active downlink bandwidth part (Lin [0008]).
Sun, Hang, Tsai, and Lin do not specifically teach the indication bits of the search space group switching are located in the minimum scheduling offset indication field.
In an analogous art, Bagheri discloses the indication bits of the search space group switching are located in the minimum scheduling offset indication field (“According to another possible embodiment, a User Equipment (UE) can receive an indication of a first minimum value of a scheduling offset between scheduling DCI and corresponding PDSCH for PDSCHs scheduled via PDCCHs being monitored in a first search space of a first CORESET. The UE can assume PDSCH scheduling information in a second search space of a second CORESET has a minimum value of a scheduling offset determined based on the first minimum value of a scheduling offset. The minimum value of a scheduling offset can be the same as the first minimum value of a scheduling offset.” [0076]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang, Tsai, and Lin, to include Bagheri’s method for communicating a data communication with an offset, in order to facilitate group configuration switching (Bagheri [0040]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Bagheri’s method for communicating a data communication with an offset into Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 12 (Currently Amended)
The terminal according to claim 9, wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises a minimum scheduling offset indication field, and the indication bits of the search space group switching are located in the minimum scheduling offset indication field.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 12 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore apparatus claim 12 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 19 (Currently Amended)
The non-transient computer-readable storage medium according to claim 16, wherein the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises a minimum scheduling offset indication field, and the indication bits of the search space group switching are located in the minimum scheduling offset indication field.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 19 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore computer program product claim 19 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Claims 7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun, in view of Hang and Tsai, and further in view of Lin, and of Islam et al. US Pub 2021/0029772, claiming provisional applications 62916127, 62925135, 62933219 priorities (hereinafter “Islam”).
Regarding claim 7
Sun, as modified by Hang and Tsai, previously discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein:
Sun, Hang, and Tsai do not specifically teach the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises: a minimum scheduling offset indication field or a Secondary Cell (Scell) dormancy indication field.
In an analogous art, Lin discloses the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises: a minimum scheduling offset indication field or a Secondary Cell (Scell) dormancy indication field (“When a UE detects the DCI format, the UE can interpret a field of, for example 1 bit, in the DCI format as also indicating a transition between ‘dormancy’ and ‘non-dormancy’ behaviors for active SCells” [0214]),
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang and Tsai, to include Lin’s method for managing scheduling offsets, in order to determine minimum scheduling offset values for an active downlink bandwidth part (Lin [0008]).
Sun, Hang, Tsai, and Lin do not specifically teach wherein the minimum scheduling offset indication field or the Scell dormancy indication field is used for a bundle indication of the search space group switching.
In an analogous art, Islam discloses wherein the minimum scheduling offset indication field or the Scell dormancy indication field is used for a bundle indication of the search space group switching (“In some embodiments, if the UE is provided search space sets to monitor the PDCCH for detection of DCI format 0_1 and the DCI format 1_1 and if one or both of the DCI format 0_1 and the DCI format 1_1 include an SCell dormancy indication field, the SCell dormancy indication field may comprise the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication. In these embodiments, the SCell dormancy indication field is explicitly indicated to be included in the DCI format.” [0038]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication, as modified by Hang, Tsai, and Lin, to include Islam’s method for transitioning Scells between dormancy and non-dormancy in 5G NR, in order to facilitate activation/deactivation DL BWP for Scell (Islam [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Islam’s method for transitioning Scells between dormancy and non-dormancy in 5G NR into Sun’s method for power saving based on a combined timing indication and search space set group indication since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 14
The terminal according to claim 9, wherein:
the DCI format 1-1 or DCI format 0-1 further comprises: a minimum scheduling offset indication field or a Secondary Cell (Scell) dormancy indication field, wherein the minimum scheduling offset indication field or the Scell dormancy indication field is used for a bundle indication of search space group switching.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 14 is drawn to the corresponding method as claimed in claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 20 corresponds to method claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG M NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8184. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00am - 6:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Derrick Ferris can be reached at 571-272-3123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411