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
Claims 1, 13, and 19-20 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
1. Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Papasakellariou et al. (US 20200092073, hereinafter, “Papasakellariou”) in view of MA et al. (US 20220369231, hereinafter, “MA”), and further in view of CHOI et al. (US 20220353893, hereinafter, “CHOI”) and MA et al. (US 20220303899, hereinafter, “MA’899”).
Claim 1. Papasakellariou teaches: A method performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: - See Fig. 1, 8, ¶ [0122], (“a method 800 for a UE”)
monitoring, according to a first search space configuration, - in ¶ [0111], (“UE monitors in a search space set can be provided by a DCI format”) for a first downlink control information ("DCI") format in a first cell; - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“a gNB configures a UE with a RNTI for a DCI format P, a periodicity for a DCI format P reception, one or more offsets for PDCCH monitoring…the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period according to a set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values indicated by a corresponding field for the UE in the DCI format P…Each set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values can be configured to be associated with a set of search space sets that the UE is configured...”); ¶ [0121], (“In case of cross-carrier scheduling, a same set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values can apply for each search space set corresponding to each scheduled cell with a same scheduling cell.”)
detecting a DCI having the first DCI format based on the monitoring, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“The UE determines whether or not the UE detects the DCI format P at a configured reception time in step 820…When the UE detects the DCI format P, the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period”) the DCI comprising scheduling information that indicates that at least one physical data channel is scheduled - in ¶ [0090], (“When the UE detects a DCI format scheduling a PDSCH reception”) on at least one slot of a second cell; - in ¶ [0109], (“with respect to a number of active SCells and a corresponding subcarrier spacing configuration. The present disclosure further relates to…PDCCH candidates the UE is expected to monitor per slot.”); ¶ [0121], (“In case of cross-carrier scheduling…values can apply for each search space set corresponding to each scheduled cell with a same scheduling cell.”) and
in response to detecting the DCI having the first DCI format, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“When the UE detects the DCI format P, the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period according to a set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values indicated by a corresponding field for the UE in the DCI format P”)
skipping monitoring for a second DCI format – in ¶ [0115], (“A number of bits in the field (either in a UE-specific DCI format or in a UE-common DCI format) can be one or more…the indication can be whether or not the UE skips PDCCH monitoring in the next C-DRX period or in a number of C-DRX periods”) on a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions, - in ¶ [0119], (“PDCCH monitoring occasions where the UE skips PDCCH monitoring”) the plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions configured for the second DCI format - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“When the field indicates a predetermined value, such as “00,” the UE can skip PDCCH decoding for all C-DRX periods until a next monitoring occasion for the DCI format.”) by a second search space configuration, - See Fig. 9, ¶ [0124], (“a UE can be configured to monitor up to four search space sets”); ¶ [0111], (“a common search space or can be UE-specific in a PDCCH received in a UE-specific search space.”)
Papasakellariou does not explicitly teach:
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is based on a minimum scheduling offset value indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration and wherein the minimum scheduling offset value is based on a minimum expected time difference between an ending time of a scheduling DCI and a start time of an earliest physical data channel that is scheduled via the scheduling DCI, and
However, MA teaches:
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions – in ¶ [0033 - 0035], (“The DCI may be used to indicate whether or not the mobile device 102 is to perform a PDCCH monitoring skipping…The field may also be used to indicate performance of a PDCCH monitoring skipping…a DCI that indicates a change of the indication regarding the PDCCH monitoring skipping information or a K0min or K2 min will trigger a PDCCH monitoring skipping.”) is based on a minimum scheduling offset value - in ¶ [0033], (“the field in the DCI is an existing information field that is repurposed, such as…a minimum applicable scheduling offset indication field (e.g., K0min and/or K2 min)…for the purposes of at least PDCCH monitoring skipping…”); ¶ [0085], (“If the mobile station 102 performs a PDCCH monitoring skipping triggered by a DCI, the application delay (X_skip) may be related to a minimum applicable scheduling offset (K0min), in some embodiments, X_skip=K0min.”) indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration - in ¶ [0034], (“a field in the DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 is used to indicate the minimum applicable scheduling offset (or minimum applicable scheduling offset restriction), K0min and/or K2 min.”) and
wherein the minimum scheduling offset value - in ¶ [0068], (“K0 is a slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). K2 is a slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).”); ¶ [0069], (“K0min is the minimum slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). K2 min is the minimum slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)”) is based on a minimum expected time difference - in ¶ [0070], (“when a DCI with a field which may indicate information of a PDCCH monitoring skipping is received within the first three symbols of the slot, the value of the application delay X_skip is determined by, X_skip=max(.Math.K0minOld*(2μPDCCH/2μPDSCH),Zμ.Math.”); ¶ [0076], (“(X_skip) is determined based on a parameter of delta (A). The A is determined by a number of symbols based on PDCCH SCS counting from the end of the last symbol of the received PDCCH symbol to the beginning of the first symbol of the corresponding received PDSCH”) between an ending time of a scheduling DCI and a start time of an earliest physical data channel - in ¶ [0076], (“…counting from the end of the last symbol of the received PDCCH symbol to the beginning of the first symbol of the corresponding received PDSCH”) that is scheduled via the scheduling DCI, - in ¶ [0068], (“K0 is a slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)...”); ¶ [0086], (“if a scheduling DCI is used to indicate a PDCCH skip, the mobile station 102 may not monitor PDCCH after successfully decode a PDSCH…”) and
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou with MA to include PDDCH monitoring is skipped based on a specific minimum scheduling offset indicated in the DCI, as taught by MA. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce power consumption and avoid unnecessary monitoring by including timing constraints, as suggested by MA, PDCCH monitoring skipping…which decreases the number of slots the mobile station needs to monitor to achieve further power savings. - ¶ [0020]
Combination of Papasakellariou and MA does not explicitly teach:
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is based on a minimum scheduling offset value indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration,
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is detected, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the at least one physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction.
However, CHOI teaches
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is based on a minimum scheduling offset value indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed – See Fig. 8, ¶ [0230], (“in scheduling for a data channel, out-of-order scheduling is not allowed as follows…”); ¶ [0237], (“the terminal receives a new Kmin value (this is denoted as Kmin,2)…if Kmin,2 is smaller than Kmin,1, out-of-order scheduling may occur, and this may affect a data transmission/reception operation of the terminal.”) or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration - in ¶ [0139], (“If there are multiple search space sets configured to be the UE-specific search spaces, a search space set having a low search space set index may have a higher priority.”); ¶ [0301], (“the terminal may selectively perform a “PDCCH skip operation” only for PDCCH monitoring occasions corresponding to the following search space sets. ¶ [0302] A PDCCH monitoring occasion determined based on a search space set configured for monitoring of a DCI format including a field indicating a minimum offset value (Kmin) value.”)
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is detected, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the at least one physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction. – See Fig. 7, ¶ [0283], (“the terminal may receive K.sub.min,1 via DCI transmitted in the PDCCH monitoring occasion 704 of slot n 710 (operation 700). The terminal may apply K.sub.min,1 in a slot (slot n+3 713 in FIG. 7) after the application delay 720 with respect to K.sub.min received in the PDCCH monitoring occasion”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou and MA with CHOI to include an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration, as taught by CHOI. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve scheduling efficiency and reduce power consumption, as suggested by CHOI, if the terminal performs the PDCCH skip operation in a state where the understanding of the first time interval is different between the base station and the terminal, proper transmission and reception between the base station and the terminal may not be possible. - ¶ [0285]
Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, and CHOI does not explicitly teach:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is detected, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the at least one physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction.
However, MA’899 teaches:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is detected, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the at least one physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction. – in ¶ [0045], (“cross-slot scheduling state), a communication node does not expect to transmit or detect a DCI…which indicates a K0 less than the minimum value of the K0…communication node does not expected to transmit/receive a PDSCH…with K0 smaller than the minimum value of K0”, scheduling cannot occur in slots before minimum K0 offset); ¶ [0271], (“for cross-carrier scheduling, change of applied minimum scheduling offset restriction indication carried by DCI in slot n in a serving cell, will be applied in slot n+X. Wherein X is an application delay value.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou, MA, and CHOI with MA’899 to include corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the at least one physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction, as taught by MA’899. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce power consumption, as suggested by MA’899, enable a user equipment (UE) to save power consumption and/or can enable the UE to acquire the channel state in time without reducing the UE's data transmission efficiency. - ¶ [0005]
Claim 2. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
further comprising determining the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions based on the DCI. - See Fig. 8, 9, ¶ [0123], (“When the UE detects the DCI format P, the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period according to a set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values indicated”)
Claim 3. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 2, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou further teaches:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is determined based on scheduling information in the DCI, - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“The UE determines whether or not the UE detects the DCI format P at a configured reception time in step 820.”) wherein the scheduling information comprises information of the at least one physical data channel - See Fig. 8, 9, ¶ [0123], (“When the UE detects the DCI format P, the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period according to a set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values indicated by a corresponding field for the UE in the DCI format P”) and information of a minimum scheduling offset value for the at least one physical data channel. - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“Using higher layer signaling, a gNB configures a UE with a RNTI for a DCI format P, a periodicity for a DCI format P reception, one or more offsets for PDCCH monitoring prior to a start of a DRX-cycle for DCI format P…step 810.”)
MA further teaches:
information of a minimum scheduling offset value for the at least one physical data channel.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou with MA to include a minimum scheduling offset value, as taught by MA. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce power consumption and avoid unnecessary monitoring by including timing constraints, as suggested by MA, a PDCCH monitoring skipping…which decreases the number of slots the mobile station needs to monitor to achieve further power savings. - ¶ [0020]
Claim 4. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou further teaches:
wherein skipping monitoring the second DCI format comprises not performing blind decoding of a plurality of PDCCH candidates for the second DCI format. - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“When the field indicates a predetermined value, such as “00,” the UE can skip PDCCH decoding for all C-DRX periods until a next monitoring occasion for the DCI format P.”)
MA further teaches:
wherein skipping monitoring the second DCI format comprises not performing blind decoding of a plurality of PDCCH candidates for the second DCI format. – See Fig. 4, ¶ [0137 - 0138], (“if a PDCCH monitoring occasion for DCI format 2_0 is within a PDCCH skip period, it will be considered as do not detect a DCI format 2_0 at that PDCCH monitoring occasion by UE….if PDCCH monitoring occasion(s) are within a PDCCH skipping period, the PDCCH monitoring occasion(s) will be set to invalid PDCCH monitoring occasion(s). And the mobile station will not monitor a PDCCH in an invalid PDCCH monitoring occasion(s).”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou with MA to include not performing blind decoding of a plurality of PDCCH candidates for the second DCI format, as taught by MA. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce power consumption and avoid unnecessary monitoring, as suggested by MA, a PDCCH monitoring skipping…which decreases the number of slots the mobile station needs to monitor to achieve further power savings. - ¶ [0020]
Claim 5. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
wherein the first cell is a scheduling cell, and the second cell is a scheduled cell. – in ¶ [0121], (“In case of cross-carrier scheduling, a same set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values can apply for each search space set corresponding to each scheduled cell with a same scheduling cell.”)
Claim 6. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou further teaches:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions to skip monitoring the second DCI format comprises a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format. - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“When the field indicates a predetermined value, such as “00,” the UE can skip PDCCH decoding for all C-DRX periods until a next monitoring occasion for the DCI format”)
MA further teaches:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions to skip monitoring the second DCI format comprises a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format. – See Fig. 2, 4, ¶ [0017], (“FIG. 2 shows a timing diagram illustrating an example PDCCH monitoring behavior”); ¶ [0033], (“the DCI is DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 or 2_0.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou with MA to include a set of consecutive PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format, as taught by MA. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve the PDCCH monitoring process, as suggested by MA, if one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions is within a time of the PDCCH skipping period, the mobile station 102 does not monitor the PDCCH monitoring occasion(s). - ¶ [0020]
Claim 7. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
wherein the first DCI format is a same format as the second DCI format. - in ¶ [0112], (“In case of a UE-common DCI format, a UE is configured with a RNTI…For brevity, a DCI format is referred to as a DCI format P.”, first DCI format can be the same as the second DCI format)
Claim 8. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
further comprising: ceasing monitoring a plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting the DCI having the first DCI format; - in ¶ [0090], (“During the “on duration” period, the UE monitors PDCCH (attempts to detect DCI formats) in configured search space sets.”); ¶ [0092], (“use of “wake-up signalling” (WUS) or “go-to-sleep” (GTS) signalling have been considered in order to respectively indicate to a UE…to stop monitoring PDCCH until the start of the next C-DRX period or until the UE detects a corresponding WUS.”) and resuming monitoring the plurality of DCI formats configured by the second search space configuration in response to detecting DCI having a third DCI format. - in ¶ [0092], (“on monitoring PDCCH while in many C-DRX periods the UE does not detect any DCI format and, even in C-DRX periods where the UE detects a DCI format, the inactivity timer expires without the UE detecting another DCI format. For this reason, use of “wake-up signalling” (WUS) or “go-to-sleep” (GTS) signalling have been considered in order to respectively indicate to a UE to wake-up and start monitoring PDCCH”)
Claim 9. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
further comprising receiving an association indication of the first search space configuration with the second search space configuration, - in ¶ [0116], (“the indication can include adjustments to the parameters of the C-DRX period by indicating values for the “on duration” parameter and the “inactivity timer” parameter from a set of corresponding values that the UE is provided in advance by higher layers.”); ¶ [0124], (“Each set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values can be configured to be associated with a set of search space sets that the UE is configured in advance by higher layers.”) wherein the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration are associated with a group of search space sets. - in ¶ [0124], (“a UE can be configured to monitor up to four search space sets in a C-DRX period for PDCCH receptions conveying UE-specific DCI formats”)
Claim 10. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
wherein a UE is configured with a plurality of values - in ¶ [0124], (“Each set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values”) for search space configuration parameters - in ¶ [0116], (“the indication can include adjustments to the parameters of the C-DRX period by indicating values for the “on duration” parameter and the “inactivity timer” parameter from a set of corresponding values”) for at least one of the first search space configuration and the second search space configuration. - in ¶ [0124], (“Each set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values can be configured to be associated with a set of search space sets that the UE is configured in advance by higher layers.”)
Claim 11. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 10, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
further comprising receiving an indication of which search space configuration parameter values - in ¶ [0116], (“the indication can include adjustments to the parameters of the C-DRX period by indicating values for the “on duration” parameter and the “inactivity timer” parameter from a set of corresponding values that the UE is provided in advance by higher layers.”) to apply to determine the corresponding plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions. - in ¶ [0116], (“The indication can also include adjustments to a number of PDCCH candidates a UE is configured to monitor in order to detect DCI formats scheduling PDSCH receptions or PUSCH transmissions.”)
Claim 12. Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, CHOI, and MA’899 teaches The method of claim 1, - refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
Papasakellariou teaches:
further comprising: receiving a plurality of search space configurations where each of the plurality of search space configurations comprises information of a search space priority; - in ¶ [0100], (“A tradeoff between a nested search space and a search space according to Equation 1 is that the former reduces a number of non-overlapping CCEs while the latter reduces a blocking probability for PDCCH transmissions. Therefore, there is a need to enable a gNB to adapt a search space selection for a UE according to whether the gNB prioritizes the former or the latter part of the tradeoff for the UE”) and determining a plurality of PDCCH candidates to monitor and an associated plurality of non-overlapped control channel elements ("CCEs") based on the search space priorities for the plurality of search space configurations. – in ¶ [0098], (“To reduce a number of non-overlapping CCEs that PDCCH candidates occupy, as determined according to a search space determination as in Equation 1, a nested search space can be used. For example, with a nested search space”)
Claim 19. Papasakellariou teaches: A method performed by a network equipment, comprising: - See Fig. 1, 8, ¶ [0038], (“the wireless network includes a gNB”)
determining a downlink control information ("DCI") having a first DCI format - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“Using higher layer signaling, a gNB configures a UE with a RNTI for a DCI format P, a periodicity for a DCI format P reception, one or more offsets for PDCCH monitoring…the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period according to a set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values indicated by a corresponding field for the UE in the DCI format P in step 840.”) that indicates to a user equipment ("UE") to skip monitoring a second DCI format – in ¶ [0115], (“A number of bits in the field (either in a UE-specific DCI format or in a UE-common DCI format) can be one or more. In case of one bit, the indication can be whether or not the UE skips PDCCH monitoring’) for a set of physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") monitoring occasions - in ¶ [0119], (“PDCCH monitoring occasions where the UE skips PDCCH monitoring”) of a plurality of PDCCH monitoring occasions for the second DCI format associated - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“When the field indicates a predetermined value, such as “00,” the UE can skip PDCCH decoding for all C-DRX periods until a next monitoring occasion for the DCI format.”) with a second search space configuration, - in ¶ [0124], (“a UE can be configured to monitor up to four search space sets”); ¶ [0111], (“A DCI format can be decoded by multiple UEs (UE-common DCI format) in a PDCCH received in a common search space or can be UE-specific in a PDCCH received in a UE-specific search space.”)
transmitting the DCI having the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration - See Fig. 8, ¶ [0123], (“Using higher layer signaling, a gNB configures a UE with a RNTI for a DCI format P, a periodicity for a DCI format P reception, one or more offsets for PDCCH monitoring…the UE monitors PDCCH in a C-DRX period according to a set of “on duration, inactivity timer” values indicated by a corresponding field for the UE in the DCI format P in step 840.”) according to a first search space configuration of a first cell. - in ¶ [0111], (“UE monitors in a search space set can be provided by a DCI format”)
Papasakellariou does not explicitly teach:
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is based on a minimum scheduling offset value indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration and wherein the minimum scheduling offset value is based on a minimum expected time difference between an ending time of a scheduling DCI and a start time of an earliest physical data channel that is scheduled via the scheduling DCI, and
However, MA teaches:
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions – in ¶ [0033 - 0035], (“The DCI may be used to indicate whether or not the mobile device 102 is to perform a PDCCH monitoring skipping…The field may also be used to indicate performance of a PDCCH monitoring skipping…a DCI that indicates a change of the indication regarding the PDCCH monitoring skipping information or a K0min or K2 min will trigger a PDCCH monitoring skipping.”) is based on a minimum scheduling offset value - in ¶ [0033], (“the field in the DCI is an existing information field that is repurposed, such as, for example, a minimum applicable scheduling offset indication field (e.g., K0min and/or K2 min)…for the purposes of at least PDCCH monitoring skipping…”); ¶ [0085], (“If the mobile station 102 performs a PDCCH monitoring skipping triggered by a DCI, the application delay (X_skip) may be related to a minimum applicable scheduling offset (K0min), in some embodiments, X_skip=K0min.”) indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration - in ¶ [0034], (“a field in the DCI format 0_1 or 1_1 is used to indicate the minimum applicable scheduling offset (or minimum applicable scheduling offset restriction), K0min and/or K2 min.”) and
wherein the minimum scheduling offset value - in ¶ [0068], (“K0 is a slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). K2 is a slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).”); ¶ [0069], (“K0min is the minimum slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). K2 min is the minimum slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)”) is based on a minimum expected time difference - in ¶ [0070], (“when a DCI with a field which may indicate information of a PDCCH monitoring skipping is received within the first three symbols of the slot, the value of the application delay X_skip is determined by, X_skip=max(.Math.K0minOld*(2μPDCCH/2μPDSCH),Zμ.Math.”); ¶ [0076], (“(X_skip) is determined based on a parameter of delta (A). The A is determined by a number of symbols based on PDCCH SCS counting from the end of the last symbol of the received PDCCH symbol to the beginning of the first symbol of the corresponding received PDSCH”) between an ending time of a scheduling DCI and a start time of an earliest physical data channel - in ¶ [0076], (“…counting from the end of the last symbol of the received PDCCH symbol to the beginning of the first symbol of the corresponding received PDSCH”) that is scheduled via the scheduling DCI, - in ¶ [0068], (“K0 is a slot offset between DCI and its scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)...”); ¶ [0086], (“if a scheduling DCI is used to indicate a PDCCH skip, the mobile station 102 may not monitor PDCCH after successfully decode a PDSCH…”) and
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou with MA to include PDDCH monitoring is skipped based on a specific minimum scheduling offset indicated in the DCI, as taught by MA. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce power consumption and avoid unnecessary monitoring by including timing constraints, as suggested by MA, PDCCH monitoring skipping…which decreases the number of slots the mobile station needs to monitor to achieve further power savings. - ¶ [0020]
Combination of Papasakellariou and MA does not explicitly teach:
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is based on a minimum scheduling offset value indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration,
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is transmitted, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the earliest physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction;
However, CHOI teaches
wherein determining to skip the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is based on a minimum scheduling offset value indicated in the first DCI format in combination with at least one of an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed – See Fig. 8, ¶ [0230], (“in scheduling for a data channel, out-of-order scheduling is not allowed as follows…”); ¶ [0237], (“the terminal receives a new Kmin value (this is denoted as Kmin,2)…if Kmin,2 is smaller than Kmin,1, out-of-order scheduling may occur, and this may affect a data transmission/reception operation of the terminal.”) or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration - in ¶ [0139], (“If there are multiple search space sets configured to be the UE-specific search spaces, a search space set having a low search space set index may have a higher priority.”); ¶ [0301], (“the terminal may selectively perform a “PDCCH skip operation” only for PDCCH monitoring occasions corresponding to the following search space sets. ¶ [0302] A PDCCH monitoring occasion determined based on a search space set configured for monitoring of a DCI format including a field indicating a minimum offset value (Kmin) value.”)
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is transmitted, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the earliest physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction; – See Fig. 7, ¶ [0283], (“the terminal may receive K.sub.min,1 via DCI transmitted in the PDCCH monitoring occasion 704 of slot n 710 (operation 700). The terminal may apply K.sub.min,1 in a slot (slot n+3 713 in FIG. 7) after the application delay 720 with respect to K.sub.min received in the PDCCH monitoring occasion”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou and MA with CHOI to include an indication of whether out-of-order scheduling is allowed or a search space priority associated with the second search space configuration, as taught by CHOI. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to improve scheduling efficiency and reduce power consumption, as suggested by CHOI, if the terminal performs the PDCCH skip operation in a state where the understanding of the first time interval is different between the base station and the terminal, proper transmission and reception between the base station and the terminal may not be possible. - ¶ [0285]
Combination of Papasakellariou, MA, and CHOI does not explicitly teach:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is transmitted, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the earliest physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction;
However, MA’899 teaches:
wherein the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions comprises one or more PDCCH monitoring occasions occurring after a slot in which the DCI having the first DCI format is transmitted, and corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the earliest physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction; – in ¶ [0045], (“cross-slot scheduling state), a communication node does not expect to transmit or detect a DCI…which indicates a K0 less than the minimum value of the K0…communication node does not expected to transmit/receive a PDSCH…with K0 smaller than the minimum value of K0”, scheduling cannot occur in slots before minimum K0 offset); ¶ [0271], (“for cross-carrier scheduling, change of applied minimum scheduling offset restriction indication carried by DCI in slot n in a serving cell, will be applied in slot n+X. Wherein X is an application delay value.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Papasakellariou, MA, and CHOI with MA’899 to include corresponds to slots in which a DCI scheduling the at least one physical data channel cannot potentially be transmitted according to a minimum scheduling offset restriction, as taught by MA’899. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to reduce power consumption, as suggested by MA’899, enable a user equipment (UE) to save power consumption and/or can enable the UE to acquire the channel state in time without reducing the UE's data transmission efficiency. - ¶ [0005]
Claim 13 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim of claim 1 and is rejected under the same rationale as Claim 1 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claim 14 is rejected under the same rationale as Claim 2 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claim 15 is rejected under the same rationale as Claim 6 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claims 16-17 are rejected under the same rationale as Claims 8-9 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claim 18 is rejected under the same rationale as Claim 12 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
Claim 20 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim of claim 19 and is rejected under the same rationale as claim 19 since they recite nearly identical limitations.
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.
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/SHIMA WASEL/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475
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