Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 09/04/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument in pages 8-9, the applicant asserts that “Wang fails to teach each and every element recited in amended independent claim 1 and, hence, does not anticipate claim 1. Amended independent claim 1 is therefore allowable.” Examiner respectively disagrees since as indicated by the office action, the combination of WANG and LI teaches claim 1.
In response to applicant’s argument in pages 9-16, the applicant asserts that “Accordingly, no prima facie case of obviousness has been established, and claim 1 is allowable. Amended independent claim 17, although different in scope from amended claim 1, recites elements similar to those discussed above regarding amended claim 1 and is thus allowable for at least reasons similar to those discussed above with respect to amended claim 1. Dependent claims 7 and 24 are also allowable due to their dependence from claim 1 or 17.” Examiner respectively disagrees.
The applicant further asserts in page 12 that “Wang fails to disclose "a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing" as recited in amended claim 1.” Examiner respectively disagrees.
Since as indicated by par. 58 of WANG, “If N2 for 960 KHz is 48 symbols and is 4 slots, the slot Ks is determined by K2 as shown in equation (10), and K2 is chosen from (0 . . . 32)…”, this would indicating the determination using in K2 as shown in equation and the K2 is chose from (0…32) would corresponding to the 960 KHz out of 480 KHz, 960 KHz, 1920 KHz, or 3840 KHz set as further indicated by par. 52 of WANG, which would consider as the range from (0…32) would corresponding to 960 KHz. Therefore, WANG teaches "a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing".
The applicant further asserts in page 12 that “Wang does not disclose "the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges" as recited in amended claim 1 (emphasis added)”. Examiner respectively disagrees as indicated by the office action, LI teaches "the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges" in par. 82, 84.
The applicant further asserts in pages 13, 14 that “Wang discloses that N2 for 960KHz is 48 symbols, in which case K2 is selected from (0...32), and PDCCH may only schedule slots from 18 to 32 in CC2 220, but cannot schedule other slots from 33 to 63 (See Wang at para. [0058]), which teaches away from the claimed "an upper limit value of the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing greater than or equal to 240 KHz is greater than 32."… Wang does not disclose or suggest "an upper limit value of the target value range …" as recited in amended claim 1 (emphasis added).” Examiner respectively disagrees since as further indicated by par. 59 of WANG, “K2 is selected from a range (also referred to as a first range) for scheduling all slots in a carrier frequency, such as in a component carrier (CC) in case of CA. For example, all slots from 0 to 63 in CC2 220 can be scheduled,” which suggest that the range of K2 extended to 63, which is beyond 32 or greater than 32 and the upper limit value is indicated by 63. Therefore, WANG teaches “an upper limit value of the first value range is greater than 32” as further indicated by par. 60 of WANG.
In response to applicant’s argument in pages 14-15, the applicant asserts that “Li fails to cure the deficiencies of Wang. For at least the reasons discussed above, Applicant submits that the cited references, Wang and Li, taken alone or in combination, fail to disclose or suggest "determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as a first value range based on a pre- stored first association relation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges, wherein the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges, and an upper limit value of the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing greater than or equal to 240 KHz is greater than 32" as recited in claim 1 (emphases added).” Examiner respectively disagrees.
The applicant further asserts in page 15 that “Li does not disclose or suggest "determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as a first value range based on a pre-stored first association relation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges, wherein the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges" as recited in amended claim 1 (emphasis added).” Examiner respectively disagrees.
As indicated by par. 82, 84 of LI, “…the corresponding k2 set is determined according to the SCS of the PUSCH. For example, if the SCS of the PDSCH is less than or equal to 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(0 . . . 32); and if the SCS of the PUSCH is greater than 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(10 . . . 42)…”, the determination of the k2 set of K2 sets according to the SCSs, which would indicating the determining relation between K2 set and SCS and would required pre-stored relationship between K2 set and SCS for the determination as further indicated by par. 49, 58, 59 of LI. Therefore, LI teaches "determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as a first value range based on a pre-stored first association relation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges, wherein the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges". Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would implement the teaching as taught by LI in the system of Wang to teach "determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as a first value range based on a pre- stored first association relation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges, wherein the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges, and an upper limit value of the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing greater than or equal to 240 KHz is greater than 32" in the claims as a whole.
The rejection is maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG et al. (US 20230079128) in view of LI et al. (US 20220353898 with foreign app. CN 202010036710.5 filed on 01/14/2020).
Regarding claims 1, 17, 18, WANG et al. (US 20230079128 filed on 02/12/2020) teaches a scheduling interval indication method, performed by a base station (fig. 1, 11, network device 110 or terminal device 120 comprises processor memory), comprising:
determining a target subcarrier spacing for communicating with the terminal (par. 52, 58, a time unit may be predefined for at least one subcarrier spacing equal to or greater than a first predetermined value… the first predetermined value may be selected from a group consist of 480 KHz, 960 KHz, 1920 KHz and 3840 KHz…If N2 for 960 KHz is 48 symbols and is 4 slots, the slot Ks is determined by K2 as shown in equation (10), and K2 is chosen from (0 . . . 32)); and
determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as the first value range (par. 52, 58, If N2 for 960 KHz is 48 symbols and is 4 slots, the slot Ks is determined by K2 as shown in equation (10), and K2 is chosen from (0 . . . 32)), and an upper limit value of the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing greater than or equal to 240 KHz is greater than 32 (table 13, par. 52, 56, 58, 59, 60, 92, 93, 240 KHz-3840 KHz, If N2 for 960 KHz is 48 symbols and is 4 slots, the slot Ks is determined by K2 as shown in equation (10), and K2 is chosen from (0 . . . 32)… K2 is selected from a range (also referred to as a first range) for scheduling all slots in a carrier frequency, such as in a component carrier (CC) in case of CA. For example, all slots from 0 to 63 in CC2 220 can be scheduled; par. 113)
determining a parameter value within the first value range (par. 38, current ranges defined for K0, K1 and K2; par. 59, K2 is selected from a range (also referred to as a first range) for scheduling all slots in a carrier frequency), wherein the parameter value is configured to indicate a number of slots corresponding to a scheduling interval of a physical uplink shared channel (par. 56, 58, The slot Ks where a terminal device shall transmit the PUSCH is determined by K2…K2 is based on the numerology of PUSCH, and μ.sub.PUSCH and μ.sub.PDCCH are the subcarrier spacing configurations for PUSCH and PDCCH, respectively), and an upper limit value of the first value range is greater than 32 (par. 58, 59, 60, 108, K2 is chosen from (0 . . . 32)… K2 may be extended to (0 . . . 64). In some alternative embodiments, K2 may be extended to (0 . . . 128). In some alternative embodiments, K2 may be extended to (0 . . . 256). In some alternative embodiments, K2 may be extended to (0 . . . 1024)); and
sending the parameter value to the terminal (par. 64, 107, the terminal device 120 may receive uplink resource allocation information from the network device 110. The uplink resource allocation information indicates a first slot offset value (K2) associated with transmission of uplink data).
However, WANG does not explicitly teach determining a target value range based on a pre-stored first association relation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges, wherein the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges.
But, LI et al. (US 20220353898) in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as the first value range based on a pre-stored first association relation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges (par. 82, 84, the corresponding k2 set is determined according to the SCS of the PUSCH. For example, if the SCS of the PDSCH is less than or equal to 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(0 . . . 32); and if the SCS of the PUSCH is greater than 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(10 . . . 42); par. 49, 58, 59, configured according to at least one of the following: a subcarrier spacing or a subcarrier spacing set, for example, different subcarrier spacings correspond to different k1 (k2) sets), wherein the first association relation comprises association relations between a plurality of subcarrier spacings (SCSs) and a plurality of value ranges (par. 82, 84, the corresponding k2 set is determined according to the SCS of the PUSCH. For example, if the SCS of the PDSCH is less than or equal to 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(0 . . . 32); and if the SCS of the PUSCH is greater than 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(10 . . . 42); par. 49, 58, 59, configured according to at least one of the following: a subcarrier spacing or a subcarrier spacing set, for example, different subcarrier spacings correspond to different k1 (k2) sets), and an upper limit value of the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing greater than or equal to 240 KHz is greater than 32 (par. 82, 84, if the SCS of the PUSCH is greater than 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(10 . . . 42)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by LI in the system of WANG to determine the target value using the correlation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges.
The motivation would have been to reduce workload and quick determination of the target value.
Regarding claims 2, 19, 26, WANG et al. (US 20230079128 filed on 02/12/2020) teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the upper limit value is 2^n-1, and n is an integer greater than 5 (par. 79, the range of K1 may be extended to (1 . . . P), P may be any of 31, 63, 127, 255, 511 or 1023, 2^5-1=31; par. 38, 39, 81, 103, 104, the terminal device 120 may determine a slot allocated for transmission of the HARQ-ACK based on K1, and transmit the HARQ-ACK in the determined slot via an uplink channel such as a PUCCH or a PUSCH).
Regarding claims 3, 20, 27, WANG et al. (US 20230079128 filed on 02/12/2020) teaches the method of claim 2, wherein the upper limit value is selected from a group comprising at least one of: 63, 127 or 255 (par. 79, the range of K1 may be extended to (1 . . . P), P may be any of 31, 63, 127, 255, 511 or 1023; par. 38, 39, 81, 103, 104).
Regarding claims 7, 24, WANG does not teach the method of claim 1, wherein determining the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as the first value range, comprises:
determining a target subcarrier spacing range to which the target subcarrier spacing belongs; and
determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing range as the first value range based on a pre-stored second association relation between subcarrier spacing ranges and value ranges.
But, LI et al. (US 20220353898) in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches wherein determining the target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing as the first value range (par. 82, 84), comprises:
determining a target subcarrier spacing range to which the target subcarrier spacing belongs (par. 82, 84, if the SCS of the PDSCH is less than or equal to 120 kHz…if the SCS of the PUSCH is greater than 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(10 . . . 42)); and
determining a target value range corresponding to the target subcarrier spacing range as the first value range based on a pre-stored second association relation between subcarrier spacing ranges and value ranges (par. 82, 84, if the SCS of the PDSCH is less than or equal to 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(0 . . . 32); and if the SCS of the PUSCH is greater than 120 kHz, the k2 set is INTEGER(10 . . . 42)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by LI in the system of WANG to determine the target value using the correlation between subcarrier spacings and value ranges.
The motivation would have been to reduce workload and quick determination of the target value.
Regarding claims 8, 25, WANG et al. (US 20230079128 filed on 02/12/2020) teaches the method of claim 1, wherein sending the parameter value to the terminal comprises: sending the parameter value to the terminal via parameters of a radio resource control layer (par. 64, 107, an index indicating K2 in the set of K2 values may be configured via an RRC signaling…the terminal device 120 may receive uplink resource allocation information from the network device 110. The uplink resource allocation information indicates a first slot offset value (K2) associated with transmission of uplink data).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
3GPP TS 38.214 v16.2.0 (2020-06) teaches where the UE shall transmit the PUSCH is determined by K2… the scheduling DCI, K2 is based on the numerology of PUSCH (section 6.1.2.1).
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 THINH D TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3934. The examiner can normally be reached mon-fri 9-6.
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/THINH D TRAN/for /Thinh Tran/, Patent Examiner of Art Unit 2466 01/04/2026