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 .
This office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 04/01/2026.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-7, 13-15, 17, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BALASUBRAMANIAN et al. (US 2022/0104198 A1; hereafter BALA) in view of Abotabl et al. (US 2023/0239128 A1; hereafter ABOTABL) and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2019/0190636; hereafter KIM).
With respect to claim 1, BALA discloses a method (Abstract; Title) by a base station (BS) (110a, 110c, 110c in FIG. 1), comprising:
configuring (paragraph [0152], when the base station is a scheduling entity and the user equipment is the subordinate entity) a user equipment (UE) (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) with a legacy (paragraphs [0034] and [0149]) uplink (UL) (paragraph [0046]) bandwidth part (BWP) or legacy downlink (DL) (paragraph [0045]) BWP (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see the sub-band full-duplex and SBFD);
and providing (paragraph [0152], when the base station is a scheduling entity and the user equipment is the subordinate entity), by the BS, the UE (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) with a UL subband or a DL subband in a full duplex operation (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see the sub-band full-duplex and SBFD).
BALA does not disclose providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband defined with respect to the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP.
ABOTABL discloses (in a sub-band full duplex invention; see FIG. 3E, FIG. 3F, FIG. 3H; paragraphs [0082], [0110]) providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband defined (paragraph [0092] and [0093], see the network defined trigger conditions to set a BPW configuration or joint BWP operation) with respect to the external interference (paragraph [0075]) UL BWP or the external interference (paragraph [0075]) DL BWP (paragraphs [0109], [0110], [0111], see the configured UL and DL BPW with setting RBWs to DL only and UL only).
ADOTABL teaches the benefit of reducing interference (paragraph [0005]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use only-UL and only-DL settings as taught by ADOTABL with the method and base station of BALA to produce an expected result.
BALA does not disclose providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband defined with respect to the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP.
KIM discloses providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband (FIG. 18; FIG. 19; FIG. 20 ; FIG. 23 ) defined with respect to the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP (paragraph [0167], [0168], [0169], se the UL only and DL only settings will reduce interference between NR system and LTE (or legacy) system).
KIM teaches the benefit of less interference in mixed RATs networks (paragraph [0010]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the consideration of LTE or Legacy devices for setting UL-only and DL-only frequencies in the method and base station of BALA to produce an expected result.
With respect to claim 2, BALA further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a frequency domain location of the UL subband or the DL subband provided by the BS (110a, 110c, 110c in FIG. 1) to the UE (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) is defined in a frequency domain as a set of a contiguous (paragraphs [0050] and [0076]) number of resource blocks (RBs) semi-statically (paragraphs [0058] and [0077]) indicated by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (paragraph [0081]).
With respect to claim 3, BALA further discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the frequency domain location of the UL subband or the DL subband (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see the sub-band full-duplex and SBFD) provided by the BS to the UE (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) is determined based on an offset (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see frequency offset) from the associated legacy UL BWP or the associated legacy DL BWP, respectively, or from another reference point.
With respect to claim 5, BALA further discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the subband and the legacy BWP are associated either by assigning a same identifier (ID) for the subband and the legacy BWP or based on confinement where the subband is fully contained in the associated BWP (paragraph [0097], see the frequency resource grid).
With respect to claim 6, BALA further discloses the method of claim 2, wherein parameters of the frequency domain are configured to be semi-statically or dynamically changed (paragraph [0077]), and
wherein the parameters include a starting point, an ending point (paragraph [0088]), or a length of the UL subband or the DL subband.
With respect to claim 7, BALA further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a time domain location of the UL subband or the DL subband is provided by a legacy slot format indication and an indication of whether a region is the UL subband, the DL subband, no subband or is flexible (paragraph [0051]).
With respect to claim 13, BALA discloses a base station (BS) (110a, 110c, 110c in FIG. 1), comprising:
at least one processor (240 in FIG. 2); and at least one memory (242 in FIG. 2) operatively connected with the at least one processor (240 in FIG. 2), the at least one memory (242 in FIG. 2) storing instructions (paragraph [0047]), which when executed, instruct the at least one processor (240 in FIG. 2) to perform a method by:
configuring (paragraph [0152], when the base station is a scheduling entity and the user equipment is the subordinate entity) a user equipment (UE) (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) with a legacy (paragraphs [0034] and [0149]) uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) or legacy downlink (DL) BWP (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see the sub-band full-duplex and SBFD);
and
providing (paragraph [0152], when the base station is a scheduling entity and the user equipment is the subordinate entity), by the BS, the UE (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) with a UL subband (paragraph [0046]) or a DL subband (paragraph [0045]) in a full duplex operation (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see the sub-band full-duplex and SBFD).
BALA does not disclose providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband defined with respect to the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP.
ABOTABL discloses (in a sub-band full duplex invention; see FIG. 3E, FIG. 3F, FIG. 3H; paragraphs [0082], [0110]) providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband defined (paragraph [0092] and [0093], see the network defined trigger conditions to set a BPW configuration or joint BWP operation) with respect to the external interference (paragraph [0075]) UL BWP or the external interference (paragraph [0075]) DL BWP (paragraphs [0109], [0110], [0111], see the configured UL and DL BPW with setting RBWs to DL only and UL only).
ADOTABL teaches the benefit of reducing interference (paragraph [0005]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use only-UL and only-DL settings as taught by ADOTABL with the method and base station of BALA to produce an expected result.
BALA does not disclose providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband defined with respect to the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP.
KIM discloses providing, by the BS, the UE with a UL subband or a DL subband (FIG. 18; FIG. 19; FIG. 20 ; FIG. 23 ) defined with respect to the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP (paragraph [0167], [0168], [0169], se the UL only and DL only settings will reduce interference between NR system and LTE (or legacy) system).
KIM teaches the benefit of less interference in mixed RATs networks (paragraph [0010]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the consideration of LTE or Legacy devices for setting UL-only and DL-only frequencies in the method and base station of BALA to produce an expected result.
With respect to claim 14, BALA further discloses the BS of claim 13, wherein a frequency domain location of the UL subband or the DL subband provided by the BS to the UE (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) is defined in a frequency domain as a set of a contiguous (paragraphs [0050] and [0076]) number of resource blocks (RBs) semi-statically (paragraphs [0058] and [0077]) indicated by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (paragraph [0081]).
With respect to claim 15, BALA further discloses the BS of claim 14, wherein the frequency domain location of the UL subband or the DL subband provided by the BS to the UE (120, 120 , 120 in FIG. 1) is determined based on an offset (paragraphs [0057] and [0058], see frequency offset) from the associated legacy UL BWP or the associated legacy DL BWP, respectively, or from another reference point.
With respect to claim 17, BALA further discloses the BS of claim 14, wherein the contiguous number of RBs (paragraphs [0050] and [0076]) is indicated by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (paragraph [0081]).
With respect to claim 19, BALA further discloses the BS of claim 14,
wherein parameters of the frequency domain are configured to be semi-statically (paragraphs [0058] and [0077]) or dynamically changed, and
wherein the parameters include a starting point, an ending point, and a length of the UL subband or the DL subband (paragraph [0088] and [0097).
With respect to claim 20, BALA further discloses the BS of claim 13, wherein a time domain location of the UL subband or the DL subband is provided by a legacy slot format indication and an indication of whether a region is the UL subband, the DL subband, or is flexible (paragraph [0051]).
Claims 4 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BALA in view of ABOTABL and further in view of KIM and further in view of Hosseini et al. (US 2022/0159659 A1; hereafter HOSSEINI).
With respect to claim 4, BALA does not disclose wherein the offset is based on a numerology of the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP.
HOSSEINI discloses wherein the offset is based on a numerology of the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP (paragraphs [0075] and [0104]).
HOSSEINI teaches the benefit of increased efficiency by using dynamic time-slot configuration (paragraphs [0006] and [0008]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the dynamic offset as taught by HOSSEINI with the method and base station of BALA to produce an expected result.
With respect to claim 16, BALA does not disclose wherein the offset is based on a numerology of the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP.
HOSSEINI discloses wherein the offset is based on a numerology of the legacy UL BWP or the legacy DL BWP (paragraphs [0075] and [0104]).
HOSSEINI teaches the benefit of increased efficiency by using dynamic time-slot configuration (paragraphs [0006] and [0008]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the dynamic offset as taught by HOSSEINI with the method and base station of BALA to produce an expected result.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-12 and 18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 13 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not solely rely on the BALA reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Brian T O'Connor whose telephone number is (571)270-1081. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri Flex 10am-6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gary Mui can be reached at 571-270-1420. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN T O CONNOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465 June 2, 2026
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