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 .
Responsive to amendments filed on 04/14/2026.
Claims 8 and 9 have been cancelled. Claims 1-4, 6-7, 10-14, 16-17, 30, 32-36 and 38-39 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's remarks filed on 04/14/2026 have been entered and hereby considered.
With regards to the independent claims, Applicant argues that the cited references, more specifically Yin, does not disclose “determining whether one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy one or more conditions”, and cites paragraphs 0045, 0104, 0214 as to what the conditions are. However, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Accordingly, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the limitation includes a general interpretation of the word “conditions” which can refer to any factor or circumstance related to HARQ-ACK bits. Thus, the HARQ-ACK bits in the reference satisfy the “condition” that they are mapped to the appropriate resources.
Regarding claim 7, the amendments have cancelled two of the conditional limitations leaving two conditional limitations: “a condition that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits indicates all ACK; or a condition that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits indicates all NACK”. What the claim necessitates is one HARQ-ACK bit indicating all ACK or all NACK. As taught by the Yang reference the one or two bit HARQ-ACK response indicates simple ACK, or NACK (paragraph 0077). Moreover, in the Yin reference, at least one bit is used for the HARQ-ACK response, which will indicate either an ACK or a NACK. Thus, it is believed the references meet the claim. For purposes of clarity, the Applicant is also encouraged to clarify what the “all” refers to in the claim.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-7, 10-14, 16-17, 30, 32-36 and 38-39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2020/0068599; hereinafter Yang) in view of Yin et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0361199; hereinafter Yin).
Regarding claim 1 Yang discloses a method performed by a wireless communication device for prioritization between a Scheduling Request (SR) occasion and Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) information scheduled on overlapping Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources (paragraph 0300; prioritization rule may be set based on a relative transmission time (e.g., a starting position/symbol) (in a slot), a UCI type, a resource allocation scheme (e.g., dynamic or semi-static resource allocation), a scheduled order, a transmission capacity, and so on), the method comprising:
prioritizing or multiplexing a SR occasion on a first PUCCH resource and HARQ-ACK information on a second PUCCH resource, the first PUCCH resource and the second PUCCH resource at least partially overlapping in time (paragraph 0099; if an A/N PUCCH resource fully overlaps with an SR PUCCH resource on the time axis (i.e., the transmission periods of an A/N PUCCH and an SR PUCCH coincide with each other), the following UCI multiplexing rule is applied).
Yang fails to explicitly disclose but Yin, in the same field of endeavor related to multiplexing SR and HARQ-ACK, discloses wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises: determining that a SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR (paragraphs 0106-0108, 0115-0117; positive SR); and determining whether one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy one or more conditions (paragraphs 0106-0108, 0115-0117; mapping HARQ-ACK bits to sequences, as broadly interpreted since no conditions are identified or defined in the claims); responsive to determining that the SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR and determining that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy the one or more conditions: dropping the one or more HARQ-ACK bits (paragraphs 0040, 0106, 0108; The PUCCH format 0 for HARQ-ACK is not transmitted (e.g., dropped)); and transmitting the SR on the first PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0 (paragraphs 0038, 0040, 0106-0108, 0115-0117; higher priority SR PUCCH). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Yin, in order to improve system efficiency (Yin: paragraph 0026).
Regarding claim 2 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource based on a priority of the SR and a priority of the HARQ-ACK information (paragraph 0254, 0274, 0391; highest priority between the UCIs, i.e., HARQ/SR).
Regarding claim 3 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the SR occasion uses PUCCH format 0, and the HARQ-ACK information uses PUCCH format 1 (paragraph 0165; SR PUCCH format 0; paragraph 0163 HARQ PUCCH format 1).
Regarding claim 4 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises: determining that a SR for the SR occasion is a negative SR (paragraph 0166; negative SR); and responsive to determining that the SR for the SR occasion is a negative SR, dropping the SR occasion (paragraph 0165; if the SR PUCCH is in PUCCH format 0, only the A/N may be transmitted, while the SR transmission is dropped); and transmitting one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 1 (paragraph 0167; transmit HARQ PUCCH resource in format 1 as in paragraph 0163).
Regarding claim 6 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource further comprises, responsive to determining that the SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR (paragraph 0164; positive SR) and determining that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted do not satisfy the one or more conditions (paragraphs 0238-0248, 0260-0268; note that no indication is given as to what the conditions are in this claim), dropping the SR occasion; and transmitting one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 1 (paragraphs 0164-0165, 0206-0207; the A/N may be transmitted, while the SR transmission is dropped).
Regarding claim 7 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more conditions comprise: a condition that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits indicates all ACK; or a condition that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits indicates all NACK; a condition that at least one of the one or more HARQ-ACK bits indicates ACK (paragraphs 0075, 0376, 0392; please note that the HARQ bits being transmitted will include at least one bit indicating an ACK or a NACK).
Regarding claim 10 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises multiplexing the SR and one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the first PUCCH resource by using a cyclic shift for a sequence used for the SR, the cyclic shift being a function of the one or more HARQ-ACK bits (paragraphs 0159, 0391-0392; apply cyclic shift offset to PUCCH resources).
Regarding claim 11 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises: multiplexing a SR and one or more HARQ-ACK bits on one of the first PUCCH resource, the second PUCCH resource, or a modified PUCCH resource (paragraph 0156-0157, 0171, among others; the SR resource can be the first resource, or the HARQ resource be the second resource).
Regarding claim 12 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 11, wherein multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource comprises: transmitting a PUCCH on the one of the first PUCCH resource, the second PUCCH resource, or a modified PUCCH resource (paragraph 0156-0157, 0171, among others; the SR resource can be the first resource, or the HARQ resource be the second resource); wherein the PUCCH comprises the HARQ-ACK information and the information that indicates the SR that is appended to the HARQ-ACK information (paragraphs 0111, 0169, 0184, 0390; payload is generated by representing an SR by explicit bit(s) and appending the SR to the A/N).
Regarding claim 13 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 11, wherein multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource by appending information that indicates the SR to HARQ-ACK information that serves as an indication of the one or more HARQ-ACK bits (paragraphs 0111, 0169, 0184, 0390; payload is generated by representing an SR by explicit bit(s) and appending the SR to the A/N).
Regarding claim 14 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the one or more HARQ-ACK bits are two or more HARQ-ACK bits, and multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource by appending information that indicates the SR to HARQ-ACK information, wherein the HARQ-ACK feedback information comprises a single bit that serves as an indication of the two or more HARQ-ACK bits in accordance with a predefined rule (paragraphs 0184, 0376, 0390; append explicit bit(s) representing the negative SR to the A/N and transmit the A/N appended with the explicit bit(s) on the A/N PUCCH).
Regarding claim 16 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 11, wherein multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits comprises multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource by using a cyclic shift of a sequence transmitted on the second PUCCH resource to indicate whether the SR is a positive SR or a negative SR (paragraphs 0080, 0099, 0159, 0391-0392; Only when transmitting a positive SR, the UE transmits a PUCCH corresponding to PUCCH format 0 within a PUCCH resource for the corresponding SR configuration).
Regarding claim 17 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 11, wherein multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits comprises multiplexing the SR and the one or more HARQ-ACK bits using a modified PUCCH resource (paragraphs 0099, 0183; if the starting (OFDM) symbols (or starting times) of an A/N PUCCH and an SR PUCCH coincide with each other, a UE operation of applying the UCI multiplexing rule).
Regarding claim 30 Yang discloses a wireless communication device for prioritization between a Scheduling Request (SR) occasion and Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) information scheduled on overlapping Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources (UE 120 in figure 15), the wireless communication device comprising:
one or more transmitters (RF unit 126 in figure 15);
one or more receivers (RF unit 126 in figure 15); and
processing circuitry associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers (processor 122 in figure 15), the processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
prioritize or multiplex a SR occasion on a first PUCCH resource and HARQ-ACK information on a second PUCCH resource, the first PUCCH resource and the second PUCCH resource at least partially overlapping in time (paragraph 0099; if an A/N PUCCH resource fully overlaps with an SR PUCCH resource on the time axis (i.e., the transmission periods of an A/N PUCCH and an SR PUCCH coincide with each other), the following UCI multiplexing rule is applied).
Yang fails to explicitly disclose but Yin, in the same field of endeavor related to multiplexing SR and HARQ-ACK, discloses wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises: determining that a SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR (paragraphs 0106-0108, 0115-0117; positive SR); and determining whether one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy one or more conditions (paragraphs 0106-0108, 0115-0117; mapping HARQ-ACK bits to sequences, as broadly interpreted since no conditions are identified or defined in the claims); responsive to determining that the SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR and determining that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy the one or more conditions: dropping the one or more HARQ-ACK bits (paragraphs 0040, 0106, 0108; The PUCCH format 0 for HARQ-ACK is not transmitted (e.g., dropped)); and transmitting the SR on the first PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0 (paragraphs 0038, 0040, 0106-0108, 0115-0117; higher priority SR PUCCH). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Yin, in order to improve system efficiency (Yin: paragraph 0026).
Regarding claim 32 Yang discloses a method performed by a base station for prioritization between a Scheduling Request (SR) occasion and Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) information scheduled on overlapping Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resources, the method comprising:
receiving a PUCCH transmission on a PUCCH resource, the PUCCH transmission comprising a SR for a SR occasion configured on a first PUCCH resource, HARQ-ACK information scheduled on a second PUCCH resource, or information that represents both the SR and the HARQ-ACK information, in accordance with a prioritization or multiplexing scheme (paragraphs 0099, 0154; SR PUCCH resource and HARQ PUCCH resource overlapping in time, partially or fully);
wherein the PUCCH resource is either: (a) the first PUCCH resource configured for the SR occasion, (b) the second PUCCH resource configured for the HARQ-ACK information, or (c) a modified PUCCH resource (paragraph 0156-0157, 0171, among others; the SR resource can be the first resource, or the HARQ resource be the second resource);
wherein the first PUCCH resource and the second PUCCH resource at least partially overlap in time (paragraphs 0099, 0154; SR PUCCH resource and HARQ PUCCH resource overlapping in time, partially or fully).
Yang fails to explicitly disclose but Yin, in the same field of endeavor related to multiplexing SR and HARQ-ACK, discloses wherein prioritizing or multiplexing the SR occasion on the first PUCCH resource and the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource comprises: determining that a SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR (paragraphs 0106-0108, 0115-0117; positive SR); and determining whether one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy one or more conditions (paragraphs 0106-0108, 0115-0117; mapping HARQ-ACK bits to sequences, as broadly interpreted since no conditions are identified or defined in the claims); responsive to determining that the SR for the SR occasion is not a negative SR and determining that the one or more HARQ-ACK bits to be transmitted satisfy the one or more conditions: dropping the one or more HARQ-ACK bits (paragraphs 0040, 0106, 0108; The PUCCH format 0 for HARQ-ACK is not transmitted (e.g., dropped)); and transmitting the SR on the first PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0 (paragraphs 0038, 0040, 0106-0108, 0115-0117; higher priority SR PUCCH). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Yin, in order to improve system efficiency (Yin: paragraph 0026).
Regarding claim 33 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 32, wherein the SR occasion uses PUCCH format 0, and the HARQ-ACK information uses PUCCH format 1 (paragraph 0165; SR PUCCH format 0; paragraph 0163 HARQ PUCCH format 1).
Regarding claim 34 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 32, wherein the SR is a negative SR (paragraph 0166; negative SR), the PUCCH resource is the second PUCCH resource, and receiving the PUCCH transmission comprises receiving one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 1 (paragraph 0167; transmit HARQ PUCCH resource in format 1 as in paragraph 0163).
Regarding claim 35 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 32, wherein the SR is a positive SR (paragraph 0164; positive SR), the one or more HARQ bits satisfy one or more conditions (paragraphs 0238-0248, 0260-0268; note that no indication is given as to what the conditions are in this claim), the PUCCH resource is the first PUCCH resource, receiving the PUCCH transmission comprises receiving the SR on the first PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0, and the HARQ-ACK information is dropped (paragraphs 0172-0173, 0183; HARQ bits transmitted at or after a certain time, the UCI state of the SR is positive SR, the SR is transmitted in the SR PUCCH resource - the A/N transmission is dropped).
Regarding claim 36 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 32, wherein the SR is a positive SR (paragraph 0164; positive SR), the one or more HARQ bits do not satisfy one or more conditions (paragraphs 0238-0248, 0260-0268; note that no indication is given as to what the conditions are in this claim), the PUCCH resource is the second PUCCH resource, receiving the PUCCH transmission comprises receiving the one or more HARQ-ACK bits on the second PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 1, and the SR is dropped (paragraphs 0164-0165, 0206-0207; the A/N may be transmitted, while the SR transmission is dropped).
Regarding claim 38 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 32, wherein the SR is a positive SR (paragraph 0164; positive SR), the PUCCH resource is the first PUCCH resource, receiving the PUCCH transmission comprises receiving the SR on the first PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 0, and the HARQ-ACK information is dropped (paragraphs 0172-0173, 0183; the UCI state of the SR is positive SR, the SR is transmitted in the SR PUCCH resource - the A/N transmission is dropped).
Regarding claim 39 the modified Yang discloses the method of claim 32, wherein the SR is a positive SR (paragraph 0164; positive SR), the PUCCH resource is the second PUCCH resource, receiving the PUCCH transmission comprises receiving the HARQ-ACK information on the second PUCCH resource using PUCCH format 1 while using a cyclic shift that is different from an initially scheduled cyclic shift, and the SR occasion is dropped (paragraphs 0159, 0391-0392; HARQ format 1, drop SR and apply cyclic shift offset to HARQ resources).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Application Publication 2019/0306922 to Xiong et al. – that discloses a UE 102 may receive control signaling to configure transmission of: a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) that includes first uplink control information (UCI) of a first UCI type; and a second PUCCH that includes second UCI of a second UCI type. Candidate UCI types may include: hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), scheduling request (SR), and channel state information (CSI) report. Priorities corresponding to the candidate UCI types may be ranked in accordance with a predetermined prioritization. For transmission of the first PUCCH over more than one slot and transmission of the second PUCCH over one or more slots, if the transmissions of the first PUCCH and the second PUCCH would overlap in a number of slots, the UE 102 may, if the first UCI type and the second UCI type are not of the same priority: transmit, in the overlapping slots, the PUCCH that includes the UCI type of highest priority; and refrain from transmission in the overlapping slots, without postponement of the transmission, of the PUCCH that includes the UCI type of lowest priority.
US Patent Application Publication 2019/0261391 to Kundu et al. – which discloses determine if two or more uplink signals partially overlap, determine a multiplexing rule, a dropping rule, or a priority rule for the two or more uplink signals, and to multiplex, drop, or prioritize the two or more uplink signals for transmission according to the multiplexing rule, dropping rule, or priority rule, and a memory to store two or more uplink signals.
USPN 12,213,141 to Kang et al. – which discloses method by which a terminal transmits a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present specification comprises the steps of: receiving configuration information related to a PUCCH; and transmitting the PUCCH on the basis of the configuration information. The PUCCH is transmitted in a first PUCCH resource related to a scheduling request (SR), and the first PUCCH resource is based on a first PUCCH format. On the basis of the first PUCCH resource overlapping with a second PUCCH resource using a second PUCCH format for transmission of HARQ-ACK information, the PUCCH is transmitted in the second PUCCH resource through multiplexing based on the second PUCCH format.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aixa A Guadalupe-Cruz whose telephone number is (571)270-7523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 6AM - 4:00PM.
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/Aixa Guadalupe-Cruz/
Examiner
Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights