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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed December 4, 2025, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-30 under 35 USC § 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of 35 USC § 103.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ABOTABL et al. (US 20240073911 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 20250105993 A1).
Regarding claim 1, ABOTABL et al. teaches an apparatus for wireless communications, comprising: at least one memory comprising instructions; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to (Paragraph 56, These passages disclose a UE/base station including memory storing program code and a processor configured to perform wireless communication operations, thereby teaching an apparatus with at least one memory and at least one processor coupled thereto): receive, from the wireless network, configuration information for sub-band full duplex operation on one or more sub-bands within the component carrier, wherein the configuration information includes an indication of a time and frequency for at least one sub-band (Paragraph 72, 78, 94, 95, These passages disclose the UE receiving BWP and FDRA configuration in SBFD slots that define time-domain (slot/symbol) and frequency-domain (sub-band/resource block) allocations for full-duplex operation on sub-bands within a carrier); and access a wireless medium using full duplex operation on one or more sub-bands within the component carrier based on the configuration information (Paragraph 72, 77, 96, These passages disclose that, after receiving FDRA configuration for SBFD slots, the UE communicates (transmits and receives) simultaneously in uplink and downlink sub-bands according to the allocated time and frequency resources, thereby accessing the wireless medium using full duplex operation based on the configuration).
ABOTABL et al. does not explicitly teach transmit a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the apparatus.
However, Li et al. teaches transmit a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the apparatus (Paragraph 71, 72, 106, These passages teach that multiple frequency regions (i.e., distinct sub-bands within a carrier/BWP) are separately configured and associated with duplex operation modes, and that the UE participates in DCI-based signaling tied to those operation modes, thereby evidencing UE signaling behavior indicating capability and participation in sub-band full duplex operation across multiple sub-bands within a component carrier).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide transmit a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the apparatus as taught by Li et al. in the system of ABOTABL et al., so that the network can be informed of UE full-duplex sub-band capabilities and accordingly configure and schedule sub-band full duplex resources in a compatible and efficient manner.
Regarding claim 2, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates a minimum guard band between two neighboring sub-bands with different traffic directions (Paragraph 29, 72, These passages teach that in SBFD operation a defined guard band separates adjacent downlink and uplink sub-bands, thereby indicating at least a minimum guard band between neighboring sub-bands carrying different traffic directions).
Regarding claim 3, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for multiple downlink sub-bands in the component carrier (Paragraph 30, 33, 86-87, 99, These passages teach that the transmitted FDRA/DCI message identifies downlink allocations within a BWP that spans multiple disjoint bands, including first and second downlink allocations in different sub-bands).
Regarding claim 4, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for multiple uplink sub-bands in the component carrier (Paragraph 79, 82, 86–87, These passages disclose that the control information (FDRA/DCI) carries bit fields corresponding to uplink allocations across different frequency sub-bands, including configurations spanning disjoint bands).
Regarding claim 5, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for dynamically updating sub-band configurations using a downlink control information (DCI) message or a medium access control element (MAC-CE) (Paragraph 31, 50, 72, 99, These passages collectively teach that sub-band (SBFD) resource allocations are dynamically configured and transmitted via DCI and that UE configuration may be performed via DCI or MAC-CE, thereby indicating support for updating sub-band configurations using DCI or MAC-CE messaging).
Regarding claim 6, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates guard period between a first slot having full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within the component carrier and a time division duplex (TDD) slot within the component carrier with a single traffic direction (Paragraph 29, 72, 77, 95, These passages collectively teach that an SBFD full-duplex slot includes a guard band between uplink and downlink sub-bands and that slot formats may include full-duplex (D+U) slots and half-duplex (single-direction) slots).
Regarding claim 7, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates supported uplink and downlink patterns for a slot (Paragraph 29, 72, 77, 78, 99, These passages teach that control information (e.g., FDRA/DCI transmitted in a slot) defines and signals whether and how uplink and downlink resources are allocated within that slot).
Regarding claim 8, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates at least one of: a maximum number of sub-bands for a slot; a minimum size for a sub-band of a slot; or a maximum size for a sub-band of a slot (Paragraph 79, 89, 92, 99, These passages teach that the transmitted FDRA/DCI message in a slot encodes the number of allocated resource blocks (i.e., sub-band size), through bitmap size, RIV indication, and explicit RB allocation values, thereby indicating constraints on sub-band quantity and size within the slot).
Regarding claim 9, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message comprises a capability information message (Paragraph 55, 78, 81, 83, These passages disclose transmission and reception of control information, reports, and DCI/RRC signaling conveying operational parameters and reporting data, which constitute capability-related information messages exchanged between devices and the network).
Regarding claim 10, ABOTABL et al. teaches the capability information message further includes at least one of: an indication of sub-band collision handling features supported; an indication of sub-band resource allocations features supported; an indication of sub-band scheduling features supported; or an indication of sub-band cross link interference features supported (Paragraph 29, 30, 32, 73–74, 77–79, 82–83, 95, 99, These passages collectively disclose sub-band full-duplex operation addressing interference (collision/self-interference), sub-band resource allocation mechanisms (FDRA, bitmap, RIV), sub-band scheduling constructs (D+U slots, simultaneous grants), and techniques to mitigate cross-link interference and conflicts in sub-bands).
Regarding claim 11, ABOTABL et al. teaches the at least one processor is further configured to receive, from the wireless network, an indication that the wireless network is configured to perform full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within the component carrier, and wherein the message is transmitted in response to the indication (Paragraph 72, 77, 78, 95–96, These passages collectively teach that the UE receives network configuration and grants indicating sub-band full-duplex operation across different frequency sub-bands within a carrier (via SBFD slot configuration and FDRA/DCI signaling), and thereafter communicates in accordance with that indication).
Regarding claim 12, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for common signaling in a downlink sub-band of the multiple sub-bands within the component carrier (Paragraph 72, 78, 79, 99, These passages disclose transmission of downlink control information (common signaling) over partial frequency resources corresponding to downlink allocations within specific frequency sub-bands in SBFD operation).
Regarding claim 13, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for transmitting a physical random access channel (PRACH) in an uplink sub-band of the multiple sub-bands within the component carrier (Paragraph 30, 66, 72, 99, These passages collectively teach signaling resource allocations across frequency sub-bands in SBFD operation and expressly contemplate PRACH processing in uplink resources).
Regarding claim 14, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates types of sub-bands supported, wherein the types of sub-bands include at least one of an uplink sub-band, a downlink sub-band, and a flexible sub-band (Paragraph 29, 72, 77, 82, 86, These passages disclose identification and differentiation of downlink sub-bands, uplink sub-bands, and flexible/sub-band full-duplex configurations (including D+U and SBFD)).
Regarding claim 15, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support of a single downlink sub-band in the component carrier (Paragraph 30, 80, 99, These passages teach that the transmitted control information (FDRA in DCI) specifies a downlink allocation confined to a single allocated downlink sub-band within the broader component carrier bandwidth).
Regarding claim 16, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support of a single uplink sub-band in the component carrier (Paragraph 72, 77, 82, 87, 92, These passages disclose signaling and configuration explicitly tied to a particular uplink allocation occupying a defined sub-band within a carrier).
Regarding claim 17, ABOTABL et al. teaches a method for wireless communications, comprising: receiving, from the wireless network, configuration information for sub-band full duplex operation on one or more sub-bands within the component carrier, wherein the configuration information includes an indication of a time and frequency for at least one sub-band (Paragraph 72, 78, 94, 95, These passages disclose the UE receiving BWP and FDRA configuration in SBFD slots that define time-domain (slot/symbol) and frequency-domain (sub-band/resource block) allocations for full-duplex operation on sub-bands within a carrier); and accessing, by the wireless device, a wireless medium using full duplex operation on one or more sub-bands within the component carrier based on the configuration information (Paragraph 72, 77, 96, These passages disclose that, after receiving FDRA configuration for SBFD slots, the UE communicates (transmits and receives) simultaneously in uplink and downlink sub-bands according to the allocated time and frequency resources, thereby accessing the wireless medium using full duplex operation based on the configuration).
ABOTABL et al. does not explicitly teach transmitting, by a wireless device, a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the wireless device.
However, Li et al. teaches transmitting, by a wireless device, a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the wireless device (Paragraph 71, 72, 106, These passages teach that multiple frequency regions (i.e., distinct sub-bands within a carrier/BWP) are separately configured and associated with duplex operation modes, and that the UE participates in DCI-based signaling tied to those operation modes, thereby evidencing UE signaling behavior indicating capability and participation in sub-band full duplex operation across multiple sub-bands within a component carrier).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide transmitting, by a wireless device, a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the wireless device as taught by Li et al. in the system of ABOTABL et al., so that the network can be informed of UE full-duplex sub-band capabilities and accordingly configure and schedule sub-band full duplex resources in a compatible and efficient manner.
Regarding claim 18, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates a minimum guard band between two neighboring sub-bands with different traffic directions (Paragraph 29, 72, These passages teach that in SBFD operation a defined guard band separates adjacent downlink and uplink sub-bands, thereby indicating at least a minimum guard band between neighboring sub-bands carrying different traffic directions).
Regarding claim 19, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for multiple downlink sub-bands in the component carrier (Paragraph 30, 33, 86-87, 99, These passages teach that the transmitted FDRA/DCI message identifies downlink allocations within a BWP that spans multiple disjoint bands, including first and second downlink allocations in different sub-bands).
Regarding claim 20, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for multiple uplink sub-bands in the component carrier (Paragraph 79, 82, 86–87, These passages disclose that the control information (FDRA/DCI) carries bit fields corresponding to uplink allocations across different frequency sub-bands, including configurations spanning disjoint bands).
Regarding claim 21, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for dynamically updating sub-band configurations using a downlink control information (DCI) message or a medium access control element (MAC-CE) (Paragraph 31, 50, 72, 99, These passages collectively teach that sub-band (SBFD) resource allocations are dynamically configured and transmitted via DCI and that UE configuration may be performed via DCI or MAC-CE, thereby indicating support for updating sub-band configurations using DCI or MAC-CE messaging).
Regarding claim 22, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates guard period between a first slot having full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within the component carrier and a time division duplex (TDD) slot within the component carrier with a single traffic direction (Paragraph 29, 72, 77, 95, These passages collectively teach that an SBFD full-duplex slot includes a guard band between uplink and downlink sub-bands and that slot formats may include full-duplex (D+U) slots and half-duplex (single-direction) slots).
Regarding claim 23, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates supported uplink and downlink patterns for a slot (Paragraph 29, 72, 77, 78, 99, These passages teach that control information (e.g., FDRA/DCI transmitted in a slot) defines and signals whether and how uplink and downlink resources are allocated within that slot).
Regarding claim 24, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates at least one of: a maximum number of sub-bands for a slot; a minimum size for a sub-band of a slot; or a maximum size for a sub-band of a slot (Paragraph 79, 89, 92, 99, These passages teach that the transmitted FDRA/DCI message in a slot encodes the number of allocated resource blocks (i.e., sub-band size), through bitmap size, RIV indication, and explicit RB allocation values, thereby indicating constraints on sub-band quantity and size within the slot).
Regarding claim 25, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message comprises a capability information message (Paragraph 55, 78, 81, 83, These passages disclose transmission and reception of control information, reports, and DCI/RRC signaling conveying operational parameters and reporting data, which constitute capability-related information messages exchanged between devices and the network).
Regarding claim 26, ABOTABL et al. teaches the capability information message further includes at least one of: an indication of sub-band collision handling features supported; an indication of sub-band resource allocations features supported; an indication of sub-band scheduling features supported; or an indication of sub-band cross link interference features supported (Paragraph 29, 30, 32, 73–74, 77–79, 82–83, 95, 99, These passages collectively disclose sub-band full-duplex operation addressing interference (collision/self-interference), sub-band resource allocation mechanisms (FDRA, bitmap, RIV), sub-band scheduling constructs (D+U slots, simultaneous grants), and techniques to mitigate cross-link interference and conflicts in sub-bands).
Regarding claim 27, ABOTABL et al. teaches receiving, from the wireless network, an indication that the wireless network is configured to perform full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within the component carrier, wherein the message is transmitted in response to the indication (Paragraph 72, 77, 78, 95–96, These passages collectively teach that the UE receives network configuration and grants indicating sub-band full-duplex operation across different frequency sub-bands within a carrier (via SBFD slot configuration and FDRA/DCI signaling), and thereafter communicates in accordance with that indication).
Regarding claim 28, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for common signaling in a downlink sub-band of the multiple sub-bands within the component carrier (Paragraph 72, 78, 79, 99, These passages disclose transmission of downlink control information (common signaling) over partial frequency resources corresponding to downlink allocations within specific frequency sub-bands in SBFD operation).
Regarding claim 29, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message indicates support for transmitting a physical random access channel (PRACH) in an uplink sub-band of the multiple sub-bands within the component carrier (Paragraph 30, 66, 72, 99, These passages collectively teach signaling resource allocations across frequency sub-bands in SBFD operation and expressly contemplate PRACH processing in uplink resources).
Regarding claim 30, ABOTABL et al. teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to (Paragraph 56, These passages disclose a UE/base station including memory storing program code and a processor configured to perform wireless communication operations, thereby teaching an apparatus with at least one memory and at least one processor coupled thereto): receive, from the wireless network, configuration information for sub-band full duplex operation on one or more sub-bands within the component carrier, wherein the configuration information includes an indication of a time and frequency for at least one sub-band (Paragraph 72, 78, 94, 95, These passages disclose the UE receiving BWP and FDRA configuration in SBFD slots that define time-domain (slot/symbol) and frequency-domain (sub-band/resource block) allocations for full-duplex operation on sub-bands within a carrier); and access a wireless medium using full duplex operation on one or more sub-bands within the component carrier based on the configuration information (Paragraph 72, 77, 96, These passages disclose that, after receiving FDRA configuration for SBFD slots, the UE communicates (transmits and receives) simultaneously in uplink and downlink sub-bands according to the allocated time and frequency resources, thereby accessing the wireless medium using full duplex operation based on the configuration).
ABOTABL et al. does not explicitly teach transmit, from a wireless device, a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the wireless device.
However, Li et al. teaches transmit, from a wireless device, a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the wireless device (Paragraph 71, 72, 106, These passages teach that multiple frequency regions (i.e., distinct sub-bands within a carrier/BWP) are separately configured and associated with duplex operation modes, and that the UE participates in DCI-based signaling tied to those operation modes, thereby evidencing UE signaling behavior indicating capability and participation in sub-band full duplex operation across multiple sub-bands within a component carrier).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide transmit, from a wireless device, a message to a wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier by the wireless device as taught by Li et al. in the system of ABOTABL et al., so that the network can be informed of UE full-duplex sub-band capabilities and accordingly configure and schedule sub-band full duplex resources in a compatible and efficient manner.
Regarding claim 31, ABOTABL et al. teaches the message to the wireless network indicating support for sub-band full duplex operation on multiple sub-bands within a component carrier includes capability information indicating a set of sub-band full duplex features supported by the apparatus for sub-band full duplex operation on the multiple sub-bands within the component carrier (Paragraph 72, 77, 78, 86, 94, 95, These passages collectively disclose that the UE is configured for SBFD operation across different frequency sub-bands (including disjoint bands), supports multiple SBFD slot types and FDRA formats (Type 0 and Type 1), supports configurable repetition patterns and allocation behaviors, and operates with uplink and downlink simultaneously across multiple sub-bands).
Regarding claim 32, ABOTABL et al. teaches the configuration information includes an indication of a time-domain allocation and a frequency-domain allocation for at least one uplink sub-band and at least one downlink sub-band (Paragraph 29–31, 82, 86, 99, These passages collectively teach configuration information (DCI/FDRA) that indicates frequency-domain allocations (via bitmap/RIV specifying uplink and downlink sub-bands) and time-domain allocation (TDRA field), covering at least one uplink sub-band and at least one downlink sub-band within SBFD operation).
Regarding claim 33, ABOTABL et al. teaches to access the wireless medium, the at least one processor is configured to perform an uplink transmission in the at least one uplink sub-band and receive a downlink transmission in the at least one downlink sub-band according to the time- domain allocation and the frequency-domain allocation (Paragraph 29, 72, 77-79, 95-96, These passages collectively disclose a UE accessing the wireless medium by simultaneously transmitting in an uplink sub-band and receiving in a downlink sub-band within SBFD/D+U slots, where uplink and downlink operations are configured via frequency-domain resource allocation and time-domain resource allocation and the UE communicates in accordance with those allocations).
Allowable Subject Matter
The applicant could strengthen the claim by incorporating additional technical concepts reflected in the specification but not presently captured in the claim language. For example, the claim could further specify that the transmitted message indicates detailed capability parameters, such as a number of simultaneously supported transmit and receive sub-bands, supported bandwidth combinations, or power class constraints, rather than merely indicating generic support. The claim could also include that the apparatus dynamically selects between multiple wireless networks or radio access technologies based on support for sub-band full duplex operation or network conditions, thereby emphasizing enhanced network selection functionality. Additional technical depth could be introduced by reciting adaptive reconfiguration of the time-frequency allocations based on channel conditions, traffic load, or interference levels, as well as including mechanisms for self-interference cancellation or cross-sub-band interference mitigation to enable reliable simultaneous transmission and reception. The applicant could also clarify that full duplex access comprises concurrent uplink transmission on one sub-band and downlink reception on another sub-band within the same component carrier, and that such operation is supported by multiple RF chains, parallel baseband processing paths, or independent power amplifiers. Further enhancements could include specifying operation in conjunction with carrier aggregation, QoS-aware sub-band allocation, throughput-based enablement decisions, fallback to half-duplex operation under degraded conditions, timing alignment coordination across sub-bands, or intelligent scheduling based on learned traffic or channel characteristics. Incorporating one or more of these concepts would better reflect the technical improvements contemplated by the disclosure and distinguish the claim from high-level capability signaling implementations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lindoff et al. (US 11785524 B2)
Yoshimura et al. (US 20250386333 A1)
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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/ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/IQBAL ZAIDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464