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 Amendment
The Amendment filed 10/09/2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 9, 12, 18, 22, 30 and 33 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/25/2026 have been fully considered. Regarding independent claims 1, 12, 22, and 33; they are not persuasive/moot based on the new ground of rejection.
First argument,
Without conceding the merits of the rejection of independent claims 1, 12, 22, and 33 under 35 U.S.C. § 103-and solely to expedite prosecution-Applicant has amended independent claims 1, 12, 22, and 33. For example, independent claim 1 has been amended to recite a method, comprising:
transmitting an indication of a capability of the UE to perform at least a first
mode of uplink control information transmission and a second mode of uplink control information transmission, the first mode corresponding to transmission of uplink control information on an uplink control channel that overlaps in time at least in part with an uplink shared channel, and the second mode corresponding to transmission of the uplink control information multiplexed on the uplink shared channel;
receiving a configuration indicating that the UE is to use the first mode of
uplink control information transmission;
transmitting, based at least in part on the received configuration, the uplink
control information on the uplink control channel and an uplink signal on the uplink
shared channel; and
multiplexing, with the uplink signal on the uplink shared channel, a first
type of channel state information reporting based at least in part on the uplink control channel overlapping in time at least in part with the uplink shared channel during a time period, wherein the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on a same serving cell, and wherein the multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period, the second type of channel state information reporting comprising aperiodic channel state information reporting.
Nam, Yin, Aiba, Matsumura, Lee, and Lee '998-alone or in any combination-do not teach or suggest all of the features of amended independent claims 1, 12, 22, and 33.
The Office Action acknowledges that Nam and Yi do not teach or suggest "wherein the multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period." Office Action, p. 5. Instead, the Office Action relies on Aiba as allegedly being relevant to such features. See id. (citing Aiba [0146]-[0167] and FIG. 6). However, for at least the following reasons, Aiba does not teach or suggest the features of amended independent claim 1 or overcome the deficiencies of any combination of Nam and Yi.
Aiba discusses "simultaneous transmission of a physical uplink control channel
(PUCCH) and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)." Aiba, Abstract. At portions cited by the Office Action, Aiba discusses "prioritization of uplink transmissions." Id. [0135]. For example, Aiba describes "transmission of the high priority uplink data and the high priority [uplink control information (UCI)] on PUSCH, and drop[ing] the low priority UCI transmission on the PUCCH." Id. [0167]. According to Aiba, "the high priority PUSCH transmission (e.g., ... the high priority aperiodic CS... may be defined" and "[a]lso, the low priority PUSCH transmission (e.g., ... the low priority aperiodic CS... may be defined." Id. [0156] (emphasis added). Thus, Aiba discusses uplink transmission based on message priority, in which lower priority messages are dropped (e.g., not transmitted) to provide for transmission of higher priority messages.
However, uplink transmission based on message priority, as in Aiba, is not the same as, and does not teach or suggest "multiplexing .. based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting .. comprising aperiodic channel state information reporting," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Instead, Aiba merely discusses multiplexing high priority messages and dropping low priority messages. However, the priority of a message is not the same as, and does not teach or suggest a type of channel state information reporting, much less "a second type of channel state information reporting ... comprising aperiodic channel state information reporting," as claimed, at least because Aiba discusses both high priority aperiodic CSI and low priority aperiodic CSI. See Aiba [0156].
Moreover, dropping lower priority messages to allow for transmission of higher priority messages, as in Aiba, is different from, and does not teach or suggest "multiplexing .. based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting," much less "the second type of channel state information reporting comprising aperiodic channel state information reporting," as recited in amended independent claim 1. For example, Aiba discusses techniques for selecting something to transmit when both high priority aperiodic CSI and low priority aperiodic CSI are present. Thus, not only does the priority of Aiba not teach or suggest a type of channel state information reporting, but further, Aiba does not teach or suggest any "absence" of either priority. Therefore, multiplexing based on message priority, as in Aiba, is not the same as, and does not teach or suggest "wherein the multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period, the second type of channel state information reporting comprising aperiodic channel state information reporting," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Thus, Aiba does not overcome the deficiencies of Nam and Yi-alone or in any combination-and Aiba also fails to teach to teach or suggest all of the features of amended independent claim 1.
Matsumura, Lee, and Lee '998-alone or in any combination-do not overcome the deficiencies of Nam, Yi, and Aiba, nor does the Office Action suggest otherwise.
Therefore, for at least these reasons, amended independent claim 1 is allowable,
including but not limited to over any combination of Nam, Yin, Aiba, Matsumura, Lee, and Lee '998. Amended independent claims 12, 22, and 33 are allowable for at least similar reasons.
Accordingly, Applicant requests that the rejection of independent claims 1, 12, 22, and 33 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 be reconsidered and withdrawn.
Reply, examiner respectfully disagrees.
The claimed amended feature, namely “multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period, the second type of channel state information is aperiodic.” is a scenario taught by Aiba.
First, Aiba teaches prioritizing uplink transmissions. Such transmissions include may be uplink data and UCI (which has CSI), as shown below.
Aiba [0135] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a prioritization of uplink transmissions. As shown by FIG. 6, a prioritization(s) of the UL signal(s) may be defined (e.g., configured, indicated, and/or specified). As described above, the UL signal(s) may include the uplink physical channel(s) and/or the uplink physical signal(s). Additionally or alternatively, the UL signal(s) may the uplink data (e.g., the UL-SCH) and the UCI (e.g., the HARQ-ACK, the CSI (e.g., the aperiodic CSI, the semi-persistent CSI, and/or the periodic CSI), and/or the SR). Here, for regarding an identification (e.g., a definition, a specification) for the priority for the aperiodic CSI, it may be considered as the same as the uplink data (e.g., the UL-SCH). For example, the prioritization(s) for the uplink data (e.g., and/or the aperiodic CSI) and/or the UCI (e.g., the HARQ-ACK, the CSI (e.g., the semi-persistent CSI and/or the periodic CSI), and/or the SR) may be defined (e.g., configured, indicated, and/or specified).
In prioritizing these transmissions, Aiba effectively chooses what makes it into the PUSCH based on the priority of transmission involved. The applicant arguments imply that such a concept is distinct from multiplexing based on the absence of a CSI with particular a configuration (e.g. periodic or aperiodic CSI), which corresponds to the type of channel state reporting as claimed. rather than the priority of the CSI, however, the teachings of Aiba encompass both since a low priority aperiodic CSI, regardless of configuration or channel state information reporting type, may be dropped in favor of higher priority transmission, as shown below.
[0167]-“Additionally or alternatively, in a case that the simultaneous transmission of the PUCCH and PUSCH is not configured for a serving cell(s) (e.g., and/or a UL BWP(s)) and the UE 102 would transmit on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the high priority PUSCH that overlaps with the PUCCH for the high priority UCI and the PUCCH for the low priority UCI on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the UE 102 may perform on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the transmission of the high priority PUSCH and the high priority UCI on the PUSCH. Namely, the UE 102 may perform multiplexing the high priority UCI with the high priority uplink data on the PUSCH. Additionally or alternatively, the UE 102 may drop the low priority UCI (e.g., the low priority UCI transmission). Namely, the UE 102 may perform on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the transmission of the high priority uplink data and the high priority UCI on the PUSCH, and drop the low priority UCI transmission on the PUCCH. For example, the UE 102 may perform the transmission of the high priority uplink data and the high priority UCI on the PUSCH in the secondary cell. Also, the UE 102 may drop the low priority UCI on the PUCCH in the special cell.”
The disclosure of Aiba does not limit the low priority transmission to be of any particular configuration (i.e. channel state information type). In paragraph [0148] of Aiba, a priority indicator is used for indicating periodic and semi-persistent reporting configurations, as shown below.
[0148]-“Additionally or alternatively, for the CSI reporting (e.g., the periodic CSI reporting on the PUSCH and/or the PUCCH, the semi-persistent CSI reporting on the PUSCH), a priority may be identified based on an indication (e.g., the priority indicator). For example, the gNB 160 may transmit, by using the RRC message, the indication used for identifying the priority for the configuration of the CSI reporting. Namely, the gNB 160 may transmit, by using the RRC message, the information (i.e., the information for identifying the priority of the CSI reporting) with information on the configuration of the CSI reporting.”
For aperiodic CSI, Aiba teaches the priority of CSI being based on the DCI format used or may be considered to be the same as uplink data, for example, as shown in paragraphs [0049] and [0135] below (it should be noted that such a feature is found in other paragraphs of Aiba, however, they are omitted for brevity please refer below for rejections under 35 USC 103 for additional details).
[0049]-“For example, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a BWP indicator (e.g., for the PDSCH). Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be frequency domain resource assignment (e.g., for the PDSCH). Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a time domain resource assignment (e.g., for the PDSCH). Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a modulation and coding scheme (e.g., for the PDSCH). Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a new data indicator. Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a TPC command for scheduled PUCCH. Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a CSI request that is used for requesting (e.g., triggering) transmission of the CSI (e.g., CSI reporting (e.g., aperiodic CSI reporting)). Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a PUCCH resource indicator. Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator. Additionally or alternatively, the DCI included in the DCI format 1_1 may be a priority indicator.”
[0135]-“FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a prioritization of uplink transmissions. As shown by FIG. 6, a prioritization(s) of the UL signal(s) may be defined (e.g., configured, indicated, and/or specified). As described above, the UL signal(s) may include the uplink physical channel(s) and/or the uplink physical signal(s). Additionally or alternatively, the UL signal(s) may the uplink data (e.g., the UL-SCH) and the UCI (e.g., the HARQ-ACK, the CSI (e.g., the aperiodic CSI, the semi-persistent CSI, and/or the periodic CSI), and/or the SR). Here, for regarding an identification (e.g., a definition, a specification) for the priority for the aperiodic CSI, it may be considered as the same as the uplink data (e.g., the UL-SCH). For example, the prioritization(s) for the uplink data (e.g., and/or the aperiodic CSI) and/or the UCI (e.g., the HARQ-ACK, the CSI (e.g., the semi-persistent CSI and/or the periodic CSI), and/or the SR) may be defined (e.g., configured, indicated, and/or specified).”
Hence, Aiba, teaches all aspects of the claimed feature.
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148
USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 non-obviousness.
Claims 1, 4, 6, 10, 15, 17, 11, 12, 20, 22, 25, 27, 31 and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam et al. (US 20110274043 A1) hereinafter Nam in view of Yin et al. (US 20210105126 A1) hereinafter Yi in further view of Aiba et al. (US 20220346086 A1) hereinafter Aiba.
Regarding claim 1,
Nam teaches a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE),comprising (Citation: [0006]-“A subscriber station is provided. The subscriber station includes a receive path circuitry configured to receive a higher layer signal from a base station indicating one of a first uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing method that allows a subscriber station to simultaneously transmit physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and a second UCI multiplexing method that does not allow the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH. The receive path circuitry also is configured to receive one or more uplink grants from the base station. Each of the one or more uplink grants schedules a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in an uplink component carrier (UL CC) for a subframe n to the subscriber station, and each of the one or more uplink grants carries a channel quality information (CQI) request. The subscriber station also includes a transmit path circuitry configured to transmit an aperiodic channel state information (CSI) report to the base station on the PUSCH in the uplink component carrier i when only one uplink grant of the one or more uplink grants scheduling a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier i carries a CQI request having a value from a set of values. When acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information is scheduled in the same subframe n and when the one selected UCI multiplexing method is the first UCI multiplexing method, the ACK/NACK information is also transmitted to the base station on the PUSCH transmitted in the uplink component carrier i.”; [0006]-[0007] Examiner comment: method at a subscriber station.): the first mode corresponding to transmission of uplink control information on an uplink control channel that overlaps in time at least in part with an uplink shared channel (Citation: [0004]-“A base station is provided. The base station includes a transmit path circuitry configured to select one of a first uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing method that allows a subscriber station to simultaneously transmit physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and a second UCI multiplexing method that does not allow the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH. The transmit path circuitry also is configured to transmit a higher layer signal indicating the one selected UCI multiplexing method to the subscriber station, and transmit one or more uplink grants to the subscriber station. Each of the one or more uplink grants schedules a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier (UL CC) for a subframe n to the subscriber station, and each of the one or more uplink grants carries a channel quality information (CQI) request. The base station also includes a receive path circuitry configured to receive an aperiodic channel state information (CSI) report transmitted by the subscriber station on the PUSCH in the uplink component carrier i when only one uplink grant of the one or more uplink grants scheduling a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier i carries a CQI request having a value from a set of values. When acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information is scheduled in the same subframe n and when the one selected UCI multiplexing method is the first UCI multiplexing method, the ACK/NACK information is also transmitted by the subscriber station on the PUSCH transmitted in the uplink component carrier i”; [0004]; Examiner comment: simultaneously transmitting PUCCH and PUSCH. The second UCI multiplexing method corresponding to the first mode.), and the second mode corresponding to transmission of the uplink control information multiplexed on the uplink shared channel (Citation: [0007]-“A method of operating a subscriber station is provided. The method includes receiving a higher layer signal from a base station indicating one of a first uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing method that allows the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and a second UCI multiplexing method that does not allow the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH. The method also includes receiving one or more uplink grants from the base station. Each of the one or more uplink grants schedules a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in an uplink component carrier (UL CC) for a subframe n to the subscriber station, and each of the one or more uplink grants carries a channel quality information (CQI) request. The method further includes transmitting an aperiodic channel state information (CSI) report on the PUSCH to the base station in the uplink component carrier i when only one uplink grant of the one or more uplink grants scheduling a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier i carries a CQI request having a value from a set of values. When acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information is scheduled in the same subframe n and when the one selected UCI multiplexing method is the first UCI multiplexing method, the ACK/NACK information is also transmitted by the subscriber station on the PUSCH transmitted in the uplink component carrier i.”; [0007]. Examiner comment: transmitting UCI on PUSCH. The first UCI multiplexing method corresponding to the second mode); receiving a configuration indicating that the UE is to use the first mode of uplink control information transmission (higher layer signal indicating the UE to transmit UCI using the first mode [0006]); transmitting, based at least in part on the received configuration, the uplink control information on the uplink control channel and an uplink signal on the uplink shared channel (Citation: [0006]-“A subscriber station is provided. The subscriber station includes a receive path circuitry configured to receive a higher layer signal from a base station indicating one of a first uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing method that allows a subscriber station to simultaneously transmit physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and a second UCI multiplexing method that does not allow the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH. The receive path circuitry also is configured to receive one or more uplink grants from the base station. Each of the one or more uplink grants schedules a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in an uplink component carrier (UL CC) for a subframe n to the subscriber station, and each of the one or more uplink grants carries a channel quality information (CQI) request. The subscriber station also includes a transmit path circuitry configured to transmit an aperiodic channel state information (CSI) report to the base station on the PUSCH in the uplink component carrier i when only one uplink grant of the one or more uplink grants scheduling a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier i carries a CQI request having a value from a set of values. When acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information is scheduled in the same subframe n and when the one selected UCI multiplexing method is the first UCI multiplexing method, the ACK/NACK information is also transmitted to the base station on the PUSCH transmitted in the uplink component carrier i.”; [0006]. Examiner comment: UE transmits PUSCH and PUCCH based on indication.).
Nam does not explicitly teach transmitting an indication of a capability of the UE to perform at least a first mode of uplink control information transmission and a second mode of uplink control information transmission; and multiplexing, with the uplink signal on the uplink shared channel, a first type of channel state information reporting based at least in part on the uplink control channel overlapping in time at least in part with the uplink shared channel during a time period, wherein the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on a same serving cell, and wherein the multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period.
Yi teaches transmitting an indication of a capability of the UE to perform at least a first mode of uplink control information transmission and a second mode of uplink control information transmission ([0236]-“The wireless device may send/transmit a first PUCCH transmission (e.g., the first HARQ-ACK codebook) via the first cell, and a second PUCCH transmission (e.g., the second HARQ-ACK codebook) via the second cell at a same (or substantially the same) time. The first PUCCH transmission and the second PUCCH transmission may overlap in time (e.g., partially or fully overlap in time). The wireless device may send/transmit the second PUCCH transmission via the second cell and a PUSCH transmission via the first cell at a same (or substantially the same) time. The wireless device may transmit, via the first cell, a first PUCCH transmission comprising UCIs (e.g., HARQ-ACK, CSI and/or SR) for downlink/uplink communications. The wireless device may transmit, via the second cell, a second PUCCH comprising UCIs (e.g., SL HARQ-ACK and/or SL SR) for sidelink communications. The first cell may be different from the second cell. The first cell may be a primary cell of a cell group. The second cell may not be the primary cell of the cell group. The first cell and the second cell may belong to the cell group.”; [0236]. Examiner comment: the wireless device may send capability information, where the capability information may indicate whether the wireless device may support simultaneous PUCCH-PUSCH transmission).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Yi to the teachings of Nam. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would improve system efficiency (Yi [0004]).
Nam and Yi do not explicitly teach multiplexing, with the uplink signal on the uplink shared channel, a first type of channel state information reporting based at least in part on the uplink control channel overlapping in time at least in part with the uplink shared channel during a time period, wherein the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on a same serving cell, and wherein the multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period, the second type of channel state information is aperiodic.
Aiba teaches multiplexing, with the uplink signal on the uplink shared channel, a first type of channel state information reporting based at least in part on the uplink control channel overlapping in time at least in part with the uplink shared channel during a time period (Citation: [0146]-“Additionally or alternatively, the gNB 160 may transmit, by using the RRC message, information on a configuration(s) for the periodic CSI reporting(s) (e.g., and/or a configuration(s) for a periodic CSI-RS(s)). And, the UE 102 may perform the periodic CSI reporting(s) on the PUCCH based on the configuration(s) of the periodic CSI reporting(s). Here, in a case that the UE 102 would transmit the PUSCH that overlaps with the PUCCH that includes the periodic CSI report(s), the UE 102 may perform the periodic CSI reporting(s) on the PUSCH. Namely, in the case that the UE 102 would perform the PUSCH transmission(s) that overlaps with the periodic CSI reporting(s) on the PUCCH, the UE 102 may perform the periodic CSI reporting(s) on the PUSCH.”; [0146]-[0165]; Fig. 6. Examiner comment: multiplexing with the PUSCH a periodic CSI reporting based on the PUSCH and PUCCH overlapping in time.), wherein the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on a same serving cell (Citation: [0157]-“Additionally or alternatively, in a case that the simultaneous transmission of the PUCCH and PUSCH is configured for a serving cell(s) (e.g., and/or a UL BWP(s)) and the UE 102 would transmit on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the high priority PUSCH that overlaps with the PUCCH for the high priority UCI on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the UE 102 may perform on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the simultaneous transmission of the high priority PUSCH and the high priority UCI (e.g., the high priority PUCCH). Namely, the UE 102 may perform on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the high priority uplink data transmission on the PUSCH and the high priority UCI transmission on the PUCCH. For example, the UE 102 may perform the high priority uplink data transmission on the PUSCH in the secondary cell and the high priority UCI transmission on the PUCCH in the special cell.” ; also refer to [0157]-[0165]. Examiner comment: the PUSCH and PUCCH transmission are configured for a serving cell.), and wherein the multiplexing is further based at least in part on an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period, the second type of channel state information is aperiodic (Citation: [0167]-“Additionally or alternatively, in a case that the simultaneous transmission of the PUCCH and PUSCH is not configured for a serving cell(s) (e.g., and/or a UL BWP(s)) and the UE 102 would transmit on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the high priority PUSCH that overlaps with the PUCCH for the high priority UCI and the PUCCH for the low priority UCI on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the UE 102 may perform on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the transmission of the high priority PUSCH and the high priority UCI on the PUSCH. Namely, the UE 102 may perform multiplexing the high priority UCI with the high priority uplink data on the PUSCH. Additionally or alternatively, the UE 102 may drop the low priority UCI (e.g., the low priority UCI transmission). Namely, the UE 102 may perform on the serving cell(s) (and/or the UL BWP(s)), the transmission of the high priority uplink data and the high priority UCI on the PUSCH, and drop the low priority UCI transmission on the PUCCH. For example, the UE 102 may perform the transmission of the high priority uplink data and the high priority UCI on the PUSCH in the secondary cell. Also, the UE 102 may drop the low priority UCI on the PUCCH in the special cell.”. Examiner comment: dropping low priority UCI which may include aperiodic CSI during transmission, effectively multiplexing transmission based on the lack of aperiodic; also refer to [0049], [0051], [0135]-[0156] and [0148]-[0168]; Fig. 6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Aiba to the teachings of Nam and Yi. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would improve flexibility and efficiency (Aiba [0003]-[0004]).
Regarding claim 4,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 1, as outlined above.
Nam does not explicitly teach determining that the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on the same serving cell, wherein the capability of the UE is determined based at least in part on the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel being configured on the same serving cell.
Yi teaches determining that the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on a same serving cell, wherein the capability of the UE is determined based at least in part on the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel being configured on the same serving cell ([0236]-“The wireless device may send/transmit a first PUCCH transmission (e.g., the first HARQ-ACK codebook) via the first cell, and a second PUCCH transmission (e.g., the second HARQ-ACK codebook) via the second cell at a same (or substantially the same) time. The first PUCCH transmission and the second PUCCH transmission may overlap in time (e.g., partially or fully overlap in time). The wireless device may send/transmit the second PUCCH transmission via the second cell and a PUSCH transmission via the first cell at a same (or substantially the same) time. The wireless device may transmit, via the first cell, a first PUCCH transmission comprising UCIs (e.g., HARQ-ACK, CSI and/or SR) for downlink/uplink communications. The wireless device may transmit, via the second cell, a second PUCCH comprising UCIs (e.g., SL HARQ-ACK and/or SL SR) for sidelink communications. The first cell may be different from the second cell. The first cell may be a primary cell of a cell group. The second cell may not be the primary cell of the cell group. The first cell and the second cell may belong to the cell group.” and [0352]-“A wireless device may perform a method comprising multiple operations. The wireless device may receive, from a base station, one or more messages comprising a priority threshold associated with sidelink acknowledgment feedback and with uplink control information (UCI). The wireless device may determine that a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource for sending sidelink acknowledgment feedback overlaps with a second PUCCH resource for sending UCI. The wireless device may send, based on a comparison of a priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback with the priority threshold, the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI. The wireless device may also perform one or more additional operations. Sending the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI may comprise sending, based on the priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback satisfying the priority threshold, the sidelink acknowledgment feedback. Sending the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI may comprise sending, based on the priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback not satisfying the priority threshold, the UCI. The sidelink acknowledgment feedback may comprise sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) feedback associated with one or more sidelink transmissions. The wireless device may receive one or more sidelink downlink control information (DCI) messages indicating the first PUCCH resource. The wireless device may receive one or more DCI messages indicating the second PUCCH resource. The UCI may comprise at least one of hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) feedback associated with one or more downlink transmissions, channel state information (CSI) feedback associated with a downlink carrier, or a scheduling request for uplink data. The wireless device may send, to one or more second wireless devices, one or more sidelink messages. The wireless device may determine, based on one or more priority values associated with the one or more sidelink messages, the priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback. The wireless device may send, to one or more second wireless devices, one or more sidelink messages. The wireless device may receive, from the one or more second wireless devices, one or more feedback messages associated with the one or more sidelink messages. Sending the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI may comprise sending, based on the one or more feedback messages, the sidelink acknowledgment feedback. The one or more messages may indicate first PUCCH resources of a first cell for the sidelink acknowledgment and second PUCCH resources of a second cell for the UCI, wherein the first PUCCH resources may comprise the first PUCCH resource and the second PUCCH resources may comprise the second PUCCH resource. The first cell may be the same as the second cell. The first cell may be a primary cell and the second cell may be a PUCCH secondary cell. The first cell may be a PUCCH secondary cell and the second cell may be a primary cell. The wireless device may receive one or more sidelink downlink control information (DCI) messages scheduling resources for one or more sidelink transmissions. The wireless device may receive one or more downlink control information (DCI) messages scheduling resources for one or more downlink transmissions. Determining that the first PUCCH resource overlaps with a second PUCCH resource may comprise determining that the first PUCCH resource overlaps with the second PUCCH resource in a time slot. The one or more messages may comprise one or more radio resource configuration (RRC) messages. A wireless device may comprise one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to perform the described method, additional operations and/or include the additional elements. A system may comprise a wireless device configured to perform the described method, additional operations and/or include the additional elements; and a base station configured to send the one or more messages. A computer-readable medium may store instructions that, when executed, cause performance of the described method, additional operations and/or include the additional elements.”; also refer to [0236]-[0239], [0272] , [0328] and [0352]; Examiner comment: wireless device sending capability information indicating PUSCH and PUCCH cell, where the PUSCH and PUCCH are on the same cell).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Yi to the teachings of Nam and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would enable efficient scheduling of resources (Yi [0004]).
Regarding claim 6,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 1, as outlined above.
Nam further teaches determining that the uplink control channel overlaps in time at least in part with the uplink shared channel during the time period (Citation: [0004]-“A base station is provided. The base station includes a transmit path circuitry configured to select one of a first uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing method that allows a subscriber station to simultaneously transmit physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and a second UCI multiplexing method that does not allow the subscriber station to simultaneously transmit PUSCH and PUCCH. The transmit path circuitry also is configured to transmit a higher layer signal indicating the one selected UCI multiplexing method to the subscriber station, and transmit one or more uplink grants to the subscriber station. Each of the one or more uplink grants schedules a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier (UL CC) for a subframe n to the subscriber station, and each of the one or more uplink grants carries a channel quality information (CQI) request. The base station also includes a receive path circuitry configured to receive an aperiodic channel state information (CSI) report transmitted by the subscriber station on the PUSCH in the uplink component carrier i when only one uplink grant of the one or more uplink grants scheduling a PUSCH in an uplink component carrier i carries a CQI request having a value from a set of values. When acknowledgement/negative acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) information is scheduled in the same subframe n and when the one selected UCI multiplexing method is the first UCI multiplexing method, the ACK/NACK information is also transmitted by the subscriber station on the PUSCH transmitted in the uplink component carrier i.”; [0004]. Examiner comment: simultaneously transmitting PUCCH and PUSCH.).
Nam does not explicitly teach wherein the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on the same serving cell.
Yi teaches wherein the uplink control channel and the uplink shared channel are configured on the same serving cell (Citation:” [0352] A wireless device may perform a method comprising multiple operations. The wireless device may receive, from a base station, one or more messages comprising a priority threshold associated with sidelink acknowledgment feedback and with uplink control information (UCI). The wireless device may determine that a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource for sending sidelink acknowledgment feedback overlaps with a second PUCCH resource for sending UCI. The wireless device may send, based on a comparison of a priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback with the priority threshold, the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI. The wireless device may also perform one or more additional operations. Sending the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI may comprise sending, based on the priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback satisfying the priority threshold, the sidelink acknowledgment feedback. Sending the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI may comprise sending, based on the priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback not satisfying the priority threshold, the UCI. The sidelink acknowledgment feedback may comprise sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) feedback associated with one or more sidelink transmissions. The wireless device may receive one or more sidelink downlink control information (DCI) messages indicating the first PUCCH resource. The wireless device may receive one or more DCI messages indicating the second PUCCH resource. The UCI may comprise at least one of hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) feedback associated with one or more downlink transmissions, channel state information (CSI) feedback associated with a downlink carrier, or a scheduling request for uplink data. The wireless device may send, to one or more second wireless devices, one or more sidelink messages. The wireless device may determine, based on one or more priority values associated with the one or more sidelink messages, the priority of the sidelink acknowledgment feedback. The wireless device may send, to one or more second wireless devices, one or more sidelink messages. The wireless device may receive, from the one or more second wireless devices, one or more feedback messages associated with the one or more sidelink messages. Sending the sidelink acknowledgment feedback or the UCI may comprise sending, based on the one or more feedback messages, the sidelink acknowledgment feedback. The one or more messages may indicate first PUCCH resources of a first cell for the sidelink acknowledgment and second PUCCH resources of a second cell for the UCI, wherein the first PUCCH resources may comprise the first PUCCH resource and the second PUCCH resources may comprise the second PUCCH resource. The first cell may be the same as the second cell. The first cell may be a primary cell and the second cell may be a PUCCH secondary cell. The first cell may be a PUCCH secondary cell and the second cell may be a primary cell. The wireless device may receive one or more sidelink downlink control information (DCI) messages scheduling resources for one or more sidelink transmissions. The wireless device may receive one or more downlink control information (DCI) messages scheduling resources for one or more downlink transmissions. Determining that the first PUCCH resource overlaps with a second PUCCH resource may comprise determining that the first PUCCH resource overlaps with the second PUCCH resource in a time slot. The one or more messages may comprise one or more radio resource configuration (RRC) messages. A wireless device may comprise one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to perform the described method, additional operations and/or include the additional elements. A system may comprise a wireless device configured to perform the described method, additional operations and/or include the additional elements; and a base station configured to send the one or more messages. A computer-readable medium may store instructions that, when executed, cause performance of the described method, additional operations and/or include the additional elements.” ; [0236]-[0239], [0272], [0328], and [0352]; Fig. 23 .Examiner comment: indication of PUSCH and PUCCH cell, where the PUSCH and PUCCH are on the same cell).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Yi to the teachings of Nam and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would enable efficient scheduling of resources (Yi [0004]).
Regarding claim 10,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 1, as outlined above.
Nam does not explicitly teach determining the uplink control channel does not overlap in time with the uplink shared channel during a second time period; and transmitting, to the base station, a scheduling request based at least in part on the uplink control channel not overlapping in time with the uplink shared channel during the second time period.
Yi teaches determining the uplink control channel does not overlap in time with the uplink shared channel during a second time period (Citation: [0243]-“The first wireless device 1908-1 may piggyback the first PUCCH transmission on a first PUSCH transmission via the second cell, for example, if the first wireless device 1908-1 is scheduled to send/transmit the first PUSCH transmission and send/transmit the first PUCCH transmission via the second cell at a same time (or substantially the same time). The same time may correspond to a same set of OFDM symbols or a same slot if scheduled resources for the first PUSCH transmission and the first PUCCH transmission overlap in time (e.g., partially or fully overlap). The wireless device may send/transmit one or more HARQ-ACK bits corresponding to one or more configured grant sidelink resources.”. ; [0243] and [0269]-[0272]. Examiner comment: the wireless device determining that the PUCCH and PUSCH partially overlap in time); and transmitting a scheduling request based at least in part on the uplink control channel not overlapping in time with the uplink shared channel during the second time period (Citation: [0186]-“The wireless device may send/transmit uplink control signaling (e.g., UCI) to a base station. The uplink control signaling may comprise HARQ acknowledgments for received DL-SCH transport blocks. The wireless device may send/transmit the HARQ acknowledgments, for example, after (e.g., based on or in response to) receiving a DL-SCH transport block. Uplink control signaling may comprise CSI indicating a channel quality of a physical downlink channel The wireless device may send/transmit the CSI to the base station. The base station, based on the received CSI, may determine transmission format parameters (e.g., comprising multi-antenna and beamforming schemes) for downlink transmission(s). Uplink control signaling may comprise scheduling requests (SR). The wireless device may send/transmit an SR indicating that uplink data is available for transmission to the base station. The wireless device may send/transmit UCI (e.g., HARQ acknowledgments (HARQ-ACK), CSI report, SR, and the like) via a PUCCH or a PUSCH. The wireless device may send/transmit the uplink control signaling via a PUCCH using one of several PUCCH formats. Examiner comment: Transmitting SL UCI based on partial PUSCH and PUCCH overlap, where the SL UCI may comprise a scheduling request, SL SR.” ; [0186] and [0271]-[0274]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Yi to the teachings of Nam and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would improve system efficiency (Yi [0004]).
Regarding claim 11,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 1, as outlined above.
Nam further teaches receiving the configuration via radio resource control signaling (Citation: [0131]-“In an embodiment of this disclosure, a UE follows a rule to determine an A/N multiplexing method in a subframe, where the rule is based at least partly on a higher-layer signaling (RRC or MAC). When a UE receives one or more UL grants that schedule the PUSCH in one or more UL CCs in subframe n, the UE transmits A/N in subframe n utilizing a scheme selected according to the rule. On the other hand, when the UE receives no UL grants, the UE transmits A/N in the PUCCH in the UL PCC.”; [0131] and [0228]. Examiner comment: RRC used for configuring UCI transmission modes.).
Claims [12, 15, 17 and 20] “base station method”, and [22, 25, 27 and 31] “UE apparatus” are rejected under the same reasoning as claims [1, 4, 6 and 10] “UE method”.
Claim 33 “base station apparatus” is rejected under the same reasoning as claim 1 “UE method”.
Claims 3, 14 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam and Yi and Aiba in further view of Matsumura et al. (US 2023/0074423 A1) hereinafter Matsumura.
Regarding claim 3,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 1, as outlined above.
Nam and Yi and Aiba do not explicitly teach wherein the configuration is received based at least in part on the uplink control channel lacking a beam configuration.
Matsumura teaches wherein the configuration is received based at least in part on the uplink control channel lacking a beam configuration ([0140]-“With this, even when the TCI states after update are unknown in a part of cells of the plurality of cells whose TCI states are updated, a delay due to update of the TCI states can be prevented by advancing the update timing of the TCI states.”; [0140]-[0150]. Examiner comment: MAC CE updating TCI states for PUCCH.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Matsumura to the teachings of Nam and Yi and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would enable update control of TCI states (Matsumura [0008]).
Claim 14 “base station method” and Claim 24 “UE apparatus” are rejected under the same reasoning as claim 3 “UE method”.
Claims 7 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam and Yi and Aiba in further view of Lee et al. (US 20200068557 A1) hereinafter Lee.
Regarding claim 7,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 6, as outlined above.
Nam and Yi and Aiba do not explicitly teach dropping a scheduling request based at least in part on the uplink control channel overlapping with the uplink shared channel during the time period.
Lee teaches dropping a scheduling request based at least in part on the uplink control channel overlapping with the uplink shared channel during the time period (overlapping PUCCH carrying a scheduling request may be dropped [0054]-[0057] and [0092]-[0101]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Lee to the teachings of Nam and Yi and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would enable efficient uplink transmission (Lee [0016]).
Claim 28 “UE apparatus” is rejected under the same reasoning as claim 7 “UE method”.
Claims 8, 9, 18, 29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam and Yin and Yi in view of Lee et al. (US 20170366998 A1) hereinafter Lee998.
Regarding claim 8,
Nam and Yi and Aiba teach all the features of claim 6, as outlined above.
Nam and Yi and Aiba do not explicitly teach determining an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period; and multiplexing a first type of channel state information reporting based at least in part on the absence of the second type of channel state information reporting.
Lee998 teaches determining an absence of a second type of channel state information reporting during the time period (Citation: [0015]-“Additionally or alternatively, if a transmission of periodic CSI is required in a subframe in which the aperiodic CSI is transmitted, CSI transmissions for measurement target CSI processes of periodic CSI, which are the same as those of the aperiodic CSI, may be dropped, periodic CSIs selected in accordance with a priority from among CSIs for measurement target CSI processes of periodic CSI, which are not the same as those of the aperiodic CSI, may be transmitted in the subframe by being multiplexed with the aperiodic CSI, and the other periodic CSIs which are not selected may be dropped.” ; [0015]-[0025]. Examiner comment: dropping a periodic CSI in favor of an aperiodic CSI in a subframe); and multiplexing a first type of channel state information reporting based at least in part on the absence of the second type of channel state information reporting (Citation: [0025]-“Additionally or alternatively, if a transmission of periodic CSI is required in a subframe in which the aperiodic CSI is transmitted, CSI transmissions for measurement target CSI processes of periodic CSI, which are the same as those of the aperiodic CSI, may be dropped, periodic CSIs selected in accordance with a priority from among CSIs for measurement target CSI processes of periodic CSI, which are not the same as those of the aperiodic CSI, may be transmitted in the subframe by being multiplexed with the aperiodic CSI, and the other periodic CSIs which are not selected may be dropped.” ;[0015]-[0025]. Examiner comment: dropping a periodic CSI in favor of an aperiodic CSI in a subframe.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Lee998 to the teachings of Nam and Yi and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would enable efficient uplink transmission (Lee998 [0016]).
Regarding claim 9,
Nam and Yi and Aiba and Lee998 teach all the features of claim 8, as outlined above.
Nam and Yi and Aiba do not explicitly teach wherein the first type of channel state information reporting is periodic.
Lee998 teaches wherein the first type of channel state information reporting is periodic ([0025]-“Additionally or alternatively, if a transmission of periodic CSI is required in a subframe in which the aperiodic CSI is transmitted, CSI transmissions for measurement target CSI processes of periodic CSI, which are the same as those of the aperiodic CSI, may be dropped, periodic CSIs selected in accordance with a priority from among CSIs for measurement target CSI processes of periodic CSI, which are not the same as those of the aperiodic CSI, may be transmitted in the subframe by being multiplexed with the aperiodic CSI, and the other periodic CSIs which are not selected may be dropped.”;[0015]-[0025].Examiner comment: types of channel state reporting including periodic and aperiodic.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teachings of Lee998 to the teachings of Nam and Yi and Aiba. One would have been motivated to do so, with a reasonable expectation of success, because it would enable efficient uplink transmission (Lee998 [0016]).
Claim 18 “base station method” is rejected under the same reasoning as claims 8 and 9 “UE method”.
Claims [29 -30] “base station method” are rejected under the same reasoning as claims [8-9] “UE method”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20140092856 A1 pertinent to periodic CSI reporting with PUSCH and PUCCH overlap .
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.
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/ABDUL AZIZ SANTARISI/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
/AYMAN A ABAZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465