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 with respect to claims 1-30 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1, 3-6, 11, 14-15, 17-20, 25, 28-29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sundararajan et al (US 2018/0,132,189; hereinafter Sundararajan) in view of Selvaganapathy et al (WO 2022,042,948; hereinafter Selvaganapathy).
Regarding claims 1, 15, 29, and 30, Sundararajan disclose a method of wireless communication performed by a source device (user equipment (UE 350)); ¶ [0007], the source device for wireless communication, comprising: a memory (360; paras. [0009], [0050]; and one or more processors (359) operatively coupled to the memory (¶ [0050], and non-transitory computer-readable medium (computer-readable medium) storing a set of instructions for wireless communication (¶ [0011], [0024]), the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a source device (UE 350), cause the source device to:
determine a transmit power level increase based at least in part on a failed transmission for a message having a deadline for reception at a target device, wherein the deadline for reception of the message is based at least in part on a survival time for an application consuming a communication service associated with the message (the UE 115 adjust the transmit power that is determined based at least in part on one or more parameters related to a deadline for transmitting the packet before it is set to expire, such as a transmission/retransmission attempt index, a time until the packet deadline, a number of transmission/retransmission attempts remaining, a queue length of a transmission buffer at the UE 115, e.g., the UE 115 can increase the transmit power at each transmission/retransmission attempt, as the packet nears its packet deadline, as the queue length of the transmission buffer increases, etc., in an attempt to improve reliability of communicating the packet, e.g., to meet a reliability specification of a URLLC communication service, in URLLC, multiple retransmission attempts may be used to meet the reliability specifications, communicating component 361 can determine that the connection is configured for URLLC that are based on at least a threshold reliability; e.g. the threshold reliability may be correlated with a deadline for providing data at the threshold reliability, such that the threshold reliability relates to communicating data, e.g., data packets, in terms of achieving a fraction of data within a specified deadline. In another example, communicating component 361 can determine a reliability metric associated with the connection, e.g., based on one or more parameters received from the eNB 504, as achieving the threshold reliability, communicating component 361 can determine that the connection is configured for providing at least the threshold reliability based on the reliability specification, which may be specified in a configuration for the connection, the eNB may generate a configuration for adjusting a transmit power for transmission of data over a connection determined to be associated with a threshold reliability (paras. [0040], [0029], [0067], [0089]), power adjustment component 518 can determine a transmit power adjustment value based on a configuration, e.g. when operating in the URLLC mode, e.g. for a data application having a URLLC communication service that is based on a URLLC timeline with a shorter transmission time interval (TTI) duration and queue length associated with the deadline determined by deadline determining component 512 that is set to expire, the configuration may indicate a transmit power adjustment value for a queue length of a transmission buffer, e.g. the transmit power may increase where the queue length achieves a threshold to improve queue service rate and avoid packet expiration, and power adjusting component 518 can determine and apply the associated transmit power adjustment value for the packet deadline to a current transmit power; paras. [0027], [0034], [0059], [0076], [0084]);
and transmit a next message using the transmit power level increase during the survival time and prior to the deadline for reception of the message at the target device (described herein are aspects related to adjusting transmit power, at the UE, based on the one or more parameters related to when transmission of the packet is set to expire, etc., which mitigate delays associated therewith that may not be acceptable in URLLC communication service in attempting to meet the reliability specifications, and may cause a packet to miss a packet deadline and expire, the UE transmit the next data message at an increased transmit power based at least in part on the configuration and one or more parameters associated with a deadline for transmitting a data message, e.g. the closer the transmission is to the deadline, the higher the transmit power can be adjusted in an attempt to improve successful transmission and receipt of the packet; paras. [0025], [0029], [0074], [0085], [0091]). Sundararajan do not disclose the survival time associated with a maximum time period without the message or a maximum number of incorrectly received or lost messages before the communication service transitions a status of the communication service to a down state. In the same field of endeavor, Selvaganapathy disclose the survival time associated with a maximum time period without the message or a maximum number of incorrectly received or lost messages before the communication service transitions a status of the communication service to a down state (¶ [0041]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to define the survival time in 3GPP TS 22.104, "Service requirements for cyber-physical control applications in vertical domains" as the time period the communication service may not meet the application’s requirement before there is a failure such that the communication service is deemed to be in an unavailable state" and "the time that an application consuming a communication service may continue without an anticipated message" wherein various critical industrial IoT services can still continue the correct operation when a few packets are not correctly received (Selvaganapathy; para. [0041]).
Regarding claim 3 and 17, Sundararajan disclose the method and source device of claim 1 and 15 respectively, wherein the transmit power level increase is selected from multiple values for the transmit power level increase based at least in part a number of transmissions that have been attempted during the survival time (the closer the number of transmission or retransmission attempt is to the deadline, as the transmission attempt index increases, and the number of remaining transmission attempts decreases, the higher the transmit power can be adjusted in an attempt to improve successful transmission and receipt of the packet; paras. [0025], [0078]).
Regarding claim 4 and 18, Sundararajan disclose the method and source device of claim 1 and 15 respectively, wherein the transmit power level increase is selected from multiple values for the transmit power level increase based at least in part a duration of the survival time (adjust power based on length of transmission buffer of packets and how close the data is to its deadline of expiration; paras. [0068], [0084]).
Regarding claim 5 and 19, Sundararajan disclose the method and source device of claim 1 and 15 respectively, wherein the transmit power level increase is selected from multiple values for the transmit power level increase based at least in part a maximum number of retransmissions that are allowed during the survival time (transmit power adjustment value determined based on the maximum number of HARQ attempts and number of remaining HARQ attempts or retransmission index; paras. [0083], [0085]).
Regarding claim 6 and 20, Sundararajan disclose the method and source device of claim 1 and 15 respectively, wherein the transmit power level increase is based at least in part on a regular power adjustment value or a survival time power adjustment value associated with a transmit power control (TPC) command from the target device (the configuration may indicate one or more transmit power adjustment values for a HARQ attempt index, deadline determining component 512 can accordingly map the possible TPC values to power adjustment values based on the transmission counter 516 value; paras. [0078], [0080]).
Regarding claim 11 and 25, Sundararajan disclose the method and source device of claim 1 and 15 respectively, wherein the transmit power level increase is based at least in part on downlink control information (DCI) that includes a transmit power control (TPC) command to indicate a survival time power adjustment value (the eNB may generate a configuration for adjusting a transmit power, the configuration can specify one or more transmit power adjustment values for one or more parameters related to a deadline after which transmission of a data packet expires and TPC interpretation, the eNB can transmit the configuration to the UE 502 in downlink control information (DCI); paras. [0089]-[0090]).
Regarding claim 14 and 28, Sundararajan disclose the method and source device of claim 11 and 25 respectively, wherein the TPC command includes one or more bits to indicate the survival time power adjustment value (the configuration may indicate one or more transmit power adjustment values for a HARQ attempt index, e.g. 1 or 2 bits can be used to indicate decibel levels for adjusting power in TPC commands wherein the UE can increment retransmissions at a higher power granularity as compared to new transmissions, which may be beneficial as the number of retransmissions before dropping the packet due to the deadline time may be limited, paras. [0028], [0078]).
Regarding claim 2 and 16, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method and source device for wireless of claim 1 and 15 respectively, wherein the transmit power level increase is applied for a last transmission during the survival time (transmission power adjust based on remaining number of transmission attempts and the closer the transmission attempt is to the deadline, i.e. the last transmission, the higher the transmit power can be adjusted in an attempt to improve successful transmission and receipt of the packet, the configuration can specify power adjustment values for at least one of a number of transmission attempts, e.g. a specific value for each attempt; Sundararajan, paras. [0025], [0089]). Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy do not explicitly disclose transmit power level increase is applied only for a last transmission of the survival time. However, the examiner takes official notice that power level can be increased only for the last transmission, Sundararajan disclose power adjustment values is specified for at least one, that is, one or more, of transmission attempts out of the remaining number of transmission attempts where e.g. the remaining transmission attempt can only be the one last attempt, then it is reasonable to presume that power can be increased to the maximum permissible power so that the receiver may be able to receive the data transmission in a final transmission attempt. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to improve the chance of receipt of the data transmission while still conserving power if the transmission power level isn’t increased in previous transmission attempts before the last attempt of the transmission buffer.
Regarding claim 7 and 21, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method and source device for wireless of claim 6 and 20 respectively, wherein the source device autonomously selects either the regular power adjustment value or the survival time power adjustment value associated with the TPC command to be used as the transmit power level increase (adjusting the transmit power may be based on one or more parameters related to a time the packet is set to expire based on whether open-loop or closed-loop power control is being utilized wherein closed-loop power control can allow the network to further adjust the UE transmit power using power control commands sent to the UE, where the UE maintains one or more power control loops, which can accumulate and apply received power control commands, e.g. TPC commands; Sundararajan, paras. [0028], [0030]). Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy do not explicitly disclose autonomously selecting either the regular power adjustment value or the survival time power adjustment value associated with the TPC command to be used as the transmit power level increase. However, the examiner takes official notice that the UE can select which adjustment power value to use wherein Sundararajan teach the UE can decide whether open loop power control values that is not associated with TPC command or closed loop power values associated with the TPC command is being utilized paras. [0028], [0030]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to have the source device, e.g. UE, freely determine which power control technique to use that will provide the optimal power control correction so that the data transmission will be successfully received at the destination device.
Regarding claim 8 and 22, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method and source device for wireless of claim 6 and 20 respectively, wherein the source device selects either the regular power adjustment value or the survival time power adjustment value associated with the TPC command to be used as the transmit power level increase based at least in part on an indicator received from the target device (Sundararajan, paras. [0069], [0028]-[0030]). Sundararajan do not explicitly disclose the device selecting either the regular power adjustment value or the survival time power adjustment value associated with the TPC command to be used as the transmit power level increase based at least in part on an indicator received from the target device. However, the examiner takes official notice that the UE can select which adjustment power value to use wherein Sundararajan teach the UE can decide whether open loop power control values that is not associated with TPC command or closed loop power values associated with the TPC command based on an indicator received from the target device is being utilized (Sundararajan, paras. [0069], [0028]-[0030]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to have the source device, e.g. UE, freely determine which power control technique to use, e.g. the UE selects the closed loop power control wherein TPC commands received by the UE that is based on a bit indicator in the TPC command received from the base station, that will provide the optimal power control correction so that the packet data transmission will be successfully received at the destination device.
Regarding claim 9 and 23, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method of claim 8, wherein the indicator is a bit in the TPC command (bits, e.g. a 1-bit TPC or a 2-bit TPC to indicate the transmit power adjustment value can be used to indicate decibel levels for adjusting power in TPC commands; Sundararajan, paras. [0069], [0029]).
Claims 10 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sundararajan et al (US 2018/0,132,189) in view of Selvaganapathy et al (WO 2022,042,948) further in view of Wei et al (US 2021/0,315,049; hereinafter Wei).
`Regarding claim 10 and 24, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method and source device of claim 8 and 22 respectively, wherein they do not disclose the indicator is included in a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) received from the target device. In the same field of endeavor, Wei disclose the indicator is included in a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) received from the target device; paras. [0086], [0092]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to have a MAC structure that carry control information in a much faster communication, compared to e.g. RRC/NAS layer communication, to send the indicator from the target device, e.g. base station.
Claims 12 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sundararajan et al (US 2018/0,132,189) in view of Selvaganapathy et al (WO 2022,042,948) further in view of Nory et al (US 2020/0,288,404; hereinafter Nory).
Regarding claim 12 and 26, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method and source device of claim 11 and 25 respectively, wherein they do not disclose the DCI is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier associated with indicating a survival time TPC command. In the same field of endeavor, Nory disclose the DCI is scrambled by a radio network temporary identifier associated with indicating a survival time TPC command (paras. [0047]-[0049]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order for the base station to assign a unique identification to a group of UEs which is used as an identifier of an RRC connection to transmit TPC information in different uplink transmissions, e.g. PUSCH or PUCCH, used for uplink channel power control purposes.
Claims 13 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sundararajan et al (US 2018/0,132,189) in view of Selvaganapathy et al (WO 2022,042,948) further in view of Lee et al (US 2021/0,084,596; hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 13 and 27, Sundararajan and Selvaganapathy disclose the method and source device of claim 11 and 25 respectively, wherein they do not disclose the DCI has a group common DCI format to schedule the transmit power level increase for multiple source devices associated with a block number for an uplink in a cell associated with the target device. In the same field of endeavor, Lee disclose the
DCI has a group common DCI format to schedule the transmit power level increase for multiple source devices associated with a block number for an uplink in a cell associated with the target device (group common DCI to schedule power control to a group of UEs; ¶ [0377]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to do so in order to provide power control to specific user equipment in a group using dynamic signaling, e.g. group common DCI with a particular downlink control information format, e.g. DCI format 3/3A in LTE, for scheduled uplink PUSCH transmissions associated with the serving base station.
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 LANA N LE whose telephone number is (571) 272-7891. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim, can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LANA N LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648