DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
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.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. In particular, this Application is a bypass application of an international application that was filed on 15 May 2020.
Response to Arguments
Regarding the indefiniteness rejection in the original Non-final Rejection, the first Rule 111 Reply asserted “these terms/label do not imply a required quantity.” Reply, received 3 Jun 2025, at p. 10. The indefiniteness rejections were overcome by this argument and the Examiner will interpret, for example, “a fourth CORESET” to require a single CORESET.
Regarding the anticipation rejections, the current Reply alleges Matsumura fails to teach most recent amendments to claim 1. Reply, 11-13. First, the Reply contends that “Matsumura does not consider any wireless communication device that determines to which of resource sets . . . a downlink control signal belongs.” Reply, 12. “Belong” is not a term of art and therefore is given its plain and ordinary meaning. A downlink control signal “belongs” to the resources that it is either (1) transmitted over or (2) schedules/indicates. In Matsumura, the DCI is a downlink control signal that “belongs” to (1) the search space resources over which it is transmitted and (2) the PDSCH resources that it indicates/schedules. Matsumura, e.g figure 5 (DCI1 belongs to the search space on the left and Multicast PDSCH1). The DCI of Matsumura includes a new data indicator field and a field that includes a multicast parameter. Id. at ¶¶177-178. These fields indicate the “type of transmission” that the PDSCH, to which the DCI “belongs,” is “configured for” and “transmitted for.”
Second, the Reply finds “Matsumura is entirely silent regarding a determination of a transmission type for the downlink data signal according to a particular resource set to which a downlink control signal belongs.” Reply, 12 (emphasis omitted). The Examiner again notes that Matsumura teaches a new data indicator field (¶96) in a DCI for indicating whether the scheduled PDSCH is new data or retransmitted data. Matsumura, ¶178. Matsumura also teaches a DCI containing “a field for notifying the UE of whether the multicast/broadcast DCI schedules a multicast PDSCH or a unicast PDSCH.” Matsumura, ¶131. As a result, Matsumura’s UE uses these two fields of a DCI to “determine” if the scheduled PDSCH is (1) new or retransmitted and (2) multicast or unicast, which the Reply argues is required by the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-8, 10-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura (US 20230147173).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Matsumura teaches a wireless communication method and a wireless communication device comprising at least one processor configured to perform the method comprising:
receiving, by a wireless communication device from a wireless communication node, a downlink control signal (Matsumura, figure 2 and ¶¶68, 80 – UE receive DCI during PDCCH monitoring occasion);
determining, by the wireless communication device in response to receiving the downlink control signal, to which of a plurality of resource sets the downlink control signal belongs (Matsumura, ¶177 – a field in the DCI is a multicast parameter, indicating that the PDSCH is multicast; Matsumura, e.g. figure 3A and ¶136 – UE determines a plurality of resources for multicast PDSCH transmission using the resource indication provided by DCI; see also id. at ¶¶75, 88 for the format of the DCI indicating that the PDSCH [resource] is multicast;);
wherein each of the plurality of resource sets is (i) configured for a respective type of transmission (Matsumura, ¶¶178, 180 – NDI [new data indicator] of the DCI identifies the PDSCH transmission as either a new, initial transmission or a retransmission) and (ii) mapped to a control resource set (CORESET) in which the downlink control signal is transmitted for the respective type of transmission (Matsumura, ¶¶108-109 – search space for monitoring for a DCI is dedicated to multicast/broadcast CORESET; Matsumura, ¶195 – another type of resource set is unicast retransmission resources for DCI2 shown in figure 5);
receiving, by the wireless communication device, a downlink data signal scheduled by the downlink control signal (Matsumura, e.g. figure 2 – DCI 1 schedules initial multicast PDSCH1 transmission and retransmission of multicast PDSCH; Matsumura, ¶117 – in the drawings, PDSCH1 and PDSCH2 carry the same DL data); and
determining, by the wireless communication device, according to a resource set to which the downlink control signal belongs, that the downlink data signal is one of: a new multicast transmission, a multicast retransmission, a new unicast transmission, or a unicast retransmission (Matsumura, ¶¶181-183 - UE determines if the DCI schedules a multicast or unicast PDSCH transmission based on a field in the DCI),
wherein the resource set indicates a type of transmission for the downlink data signal. Matsumura, ¶¶178, 180 (an NDI field in the DCI, received in the PDCCH resources of the search space, indicates whether the PDSCH resources are used for a new transmission or a retransmission).
Regarding claim 2, Matsumura also teaches wherein the downlink control signal includes a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and the downlink data signal includes a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). Matsumura, ¶¶68 and figure 2 (DCI is transmitted in PDCCH and schedules a multicast PDSCH).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumura also teaches determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink control signal belongs to a first resource set (Matsumura, ¶¶108-109 – search space for monitoring a DCI may be resources dedicated for multicast/broadcast or CORESET); and determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink data signal is a new multicast transmission. Matsumura, ¶96 (initial multicast PDSCH is indicated in the DCI).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Matsumura also teaches a new data indicator (NDI) in the downlink control signal is set as a fixed value (Matsumura, ¶¶96, 114, 173 – NDI has a certain value); or the first resource set is associated with a first CORESET or a first search space, or the first resource set includes a first part of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates in a third CORESET or a third search space, wherein the first part of PDCCH candidates corresponds to at least one of: (i) one or more of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions (MOs) in the third CORESET or the third search space; (ii) one or more PDCCH candidates in the third CORESET or the third search space with candidate index larger or smaller than a threshold or (iii) one or more PDCCH candidates in the third CORESET or the third search space with control channel element (CCE) index larger or smaller than a threshold; or the first CORESET or the first search space is configured by a signaling that is broadcasted or multicasted by the wireless communication node. Matsumura, ¶¶113, 172 (CCE index and CORESET of a DCI); Matsumura, ¶¶284-285 (PDCCH candidates located in a CORESET or search space); Matsumura, ¶¶79-86 (methods of PDCCH monitoring occasions).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Matsumura also teaches the broadcasted signaling is included in at least one of: a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB) (Matsumura, ¶44 – higher layer signaling may be MIB or SIB); or the multicasted signaling is included in at least one of: a multicast control channel (MCCH), a multicast traffic channel (MTCH), a single cell multicast control channel (SC-MCCH), a single-cell multicast traffic channel (SC-MTCH), a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Point to Multipoint Radio Bearer (MRB), or a Single Cell MRB (SC-MRB).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Matsumura also teaches determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink control signal is scrambled with a first radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) (Matsumura, ¶88 – UE-specific DCI is scrambled with an RNTI dedicated to multicast/broadcast or scrambled with a UE-common RNTI); and determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink data signal is a new multicast transmission (Matsumura, ¶96 – UE determines if multicast PDSCH is an initial transmission based on NDI value); or determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink control signal belongs to a second resource set; and determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink data signal is a multicast retransmission. Matsumura, ¶¶113, 115 and figure 1 (UE determines search space for DCI2, which schedules multicast PDSCH2, which is a retransmission of the data in PDSCH1).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Matsumura also teaches a new data indicator (NDI) in the downlink control signal is set to be a fixed value (Matsumura, ¶¶96, 114, 173 – NDI has a certain value); or the second resource set is associated with a second CORESET or a second search space; or the second resource set includes a second part of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates in a third control resource set (CORESET) or a third search space wherein the second part of PDCCH candidates corresponds to at least one of: (i) one or more of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions (MOs) in the third CORESET or the third search space; (ii) one or more PDCCH candidates in the third CORESET or the third search space with candidate index smaller or larger than a threshold, or (iii) one or more PDCCH candidates in the third CORESET or the third search space with CCE index smaller or larger than a threshold. Matsumura, ¶¶113, 172 (CCE index and CORESET of a DCI); Matsumura, ¶¶284-285 (PDCCH candidates located in a CORESET or search space); Matsumura, ¶¶79-86 (methods of PDCCH monitoring occasions).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Matsumura also teaches determining, by the wireless communication device, that the downlink control signal belongs to a fourth resource set (Matsumura, ¶¶108-109 – search space for monitoring a DCI may be resources dedicated for multicast/broadcast or CORESET), wherein the fourth resource set is associated with a fourth CORESET or a fourth search space. Matsumura, figure 1 (two search spaces – one for DCI1 and DCI2).
Regarding claims 11 and 20, Matsumura teaches a wireless communication method and wireless communication node comprising: at least one processor configured to perform the method comprising:
transmitting, by a wireless communication node to a wireless communication device, a downlink control signal (Matsumura, figure 2 and ¶¶68, 80 – UE receive DCI during PDCCH monitoring occasion from a base station),
wherein the downlink control signal belongs to a resource set of a plurality of resource sets (Matsumura, e.g. figure 3A and ¶136 – UE determines resources for multicast PDSCH transmission using resource indication provided by DCI),
wherein each of the plurality of resource sets is (i) configured for a respective type of transmission (Matsumura, ¶¶178, 180 – NDI [new data indicator] of the DCI identifies the PDSCH transmission as either a new, initial transmission or a retransmission) and (ii) mapped to a control resource set (CORESET) in which the downlink control signal is transmitted for the respective type of transmission (Matsumura, ¶¶108-109 – search space for monitoring for a DCI is dedicated to multicast/broadcast CORESET; Matsumura, ¶195 – another type of resource set is unicast retransmission resources for DCI2 shown in figure 5); and
transmitting, by the wireless communication node to the wireless communication device, a downlink data signal scheduled by the downlink control signal (Matsumura, e.g. figure 2 – DCI 1 schedules initial multicast PDSCH1 transmission and retransmission of multicast PDSCH; Matsumura, ¶117 – in the drawings, PDSCH1 and PDSCH2 carry the same DL data),
wherein, according to the resource set to which the downlink control signal belongs, the downlink data signal is one of: a new multicast transmission, a multicast retransmission, a new unicast transmission, or a unicast retransmission (Matsumura, ¶¶181-183 - UE determines if the DCI schedules a multicast or unicast PDSCH transmission based on a field in the DCI),
wherein the resource set indicates a type of transmission for the downlink data signal. Matsumura, ¶¶178, 180 (an NDI field in the DCI, received in the PDCCH resources of the search space, indicates whether the PDSCH resources are used for a new transmission or a retransmission).
Regarding claim 12, Matsumura also teaches the downlink control signal includes a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), and the downlink data signal includes a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); or the downlink control signal belongs to a first resource set such that the downlink data signal is a new multicast transmission. See rejections of claims 2 and 3 for specific citations of Matsumura that teach the limitations of claim 12.
Regarding claim 14, Matsumura also teaches broadcasting or multicasting, by the wireless communication node, a signaling indicating the first control resource set (CORESET) or the first search space. Matsumura, ¶43 (higher layer signaling may be broadcast information); Matsumura, ¶¶67-68 (higher layer signaling configures the multicast/broadcast communication method, include the CORESET corresponding to multicast/broadcast); Matsumura, ¶87 (higher layer signaling configures search space for group scheduling).
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.
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura (US 20230147173) in view of Rico Alvarino (US 2021/0028890).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Matsumura teaches the wireless communication methods of claims 8 and 18 and
determining/transmitting, by the wireless communication device/node, that the downlink data signal is a multicast retransmission when a new data indicator (NDI) in the downlink control signal is not toggled, compared to a first previous transmission that is a multicast transmission Matsumura, ¶126 and figure 2 – both multicast PDSCH1 and PDSCH2 are scheduled via the same DCI1 because a DCI only has 1 NDI field, toggling of the NDI is not possible);
. . . and
determining/transmitting, by the wireless communication device/node, that the downlink data signal is a unicast retransmission when the NDI in the downlink control signal is not toggled, compared to a third previous transmission that is a unicast transmission. Matsumura, ¶264 and figure14 (unicast DCI, which had a NDI field, allocates unicast transmission resources); Matsumura, figure 5 (unicast retransmission).
Matsumura does not explicitly teach “determining/transmitting, by the wireless communication device/node, that the downlink data signal is a new unicast transmission when the NDI in the downlink control signal is toggled, compared to the second previous transmission that is either a multicast transmission or a unicast transmission.” However, Rico teaches an NDI that is used to indicating switching between unicast and broadcast. Rico, ¶49. For example, when the initial transmission is multicast and the retransmission is unicast, the NDI is “to be toggled.” Id. at ¶¶51-52. At the time of the invention (pre-AIA ) or at the effective filing date of the invention (AIA ), it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to use the NDI, taught by Matsumura, to indicate a transition from multicast to unicast or vice versa, as taught by Rico, enable multicast retransmission when multiple UEs failed to receive the PDSCH, which optimizes performance of the network. Id. at ¶55.
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 BENJAMIN S LAMONT whose telephone number is (571)270-7514 and fax number is 571-270-8514 and email address is benjamin.lamont@uspto.gov (see MPEP 502.03 for authorizing unsecure communication). The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am to 3pm EST. 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, Huy Vu can be reached on 571-272-3155. 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.
/Benjamin Lamont/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461