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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 11, 22, 44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kishiyama (US 2013/0301486).
Regarding claim 1, 22, 44, Kishiyama discloses a method of operating a communications device in a wireless communications network, the communications device operating in accordance with a Half Duplex Frequency Division Duplex, HD-FDD, mode of operation (To optimize operation of a mobile terminal apparatus when a Half-duplex FDD scheme is applied, the mobile terminal apparatus performs radio communications with a base station apparatus by HD-FDD, abstract and [0009] and [0010] and [0025] and figure 4), the method comprising
determining that the communications device is to transmit an uplink signal comprising at least one of data and control information to the wireless communications network in a set of uplink resources of a wireless access interface (having a transmission/reception section configured to transmit an uplink signal to the base station apparatus, and receive a downlink signal from the base station apparatus and uplink transmission/reception and downlink transmission/reception of a mobile terminal apparatus UE is divided both in frequency and time and includes user data and control information, [0009] and [0023] and [0032] and [0025] and [0097]),
determining that the communications device is to receive a downlink control signal from the wireless communications network in a set of downlink resources of the wireless access interface (having a transmission/reception section configured to transmit an uplink signal to the base station apparatus, and receive a downlink signal from the base station apparatus and uplink transmission/reception and downlink transmission/reception of a mobile terminal apparatus UE is divided both in frequency and time and downlink signals, exemplified are a PDSCH signal, PDCCH signal, PHICH signal, CSI-RS (Channel State Information--Reference Signal), and PBCH signal, [0009] and [0023] and [0034])
determining that the set of uplink resources at least partially overlaps in time with the set of downlink resources, and, depending on a characteristic of the uplink signal and/or a characteristic of the downlink signal (selectively perform transmission of the uplink signal and reception of the downlink signal, based on a priority relationship (correlating to characteristics) defined between the uplink signal and the downlink signal, when transmission timing of the uplink signal and reception timing of the downlink signal overlaps each other, [0009]-[0010] and [0025] and [0027] and [0037]-[0057] and figure 3 and figure 4) either
transmitting the uplink signal in the set of uplink resources and not receiving the downlink signal in the set of downlink resources (selectively perform transmission of the uplink signal and reception of the downlink signal, based on a priority relationship and mobile terminal apparatus gives a higher priority to transmission processing of an uplink signal than reception processing of a downlink signal, [0009] and [0027] and [0107]), or
receiving the downlink signal in the set of downlink resources and not transmitting the uplink signal in the set of uplink resources (selectively perform transmission of the uplink signal and reception of the downlink signal, based on a priority relationship and mobile terminal apparatus gives a higher priority to reception processing of a downlink signal than transmission processing of an uplink signal, [0009] and [0028] and [0107]).
Similar rationale is applied to independent claims 22 and 44 reciting similar subject matter.
Regarding claim 11, Kishiyama discloses wherein the characteristic of the downlink signal is whether or not the downlink signal comprises one or more measurement reference signals (downlink signals, exemplified are a PDSCH signal, PDCCH signal, PHICH signal, CSI-RS (Channel State Information--Reference Signal), and PBCH signal and The CSI-RS is a reference signal used in CSI measurement for CQI, PMI (Precoding Matrix Indicator), RI (Rank Indicator) and the like as a channel state, [0034]-[0035])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kishiyama, in further view of Noh et al. (US 2021/0297193).
Regarding claim 6, Kishiyama discloses wherein the characteristic of the uplink signal is whether or not the uplink signal is an Physical Uplink Shared Channel, PUSCH, scheduled dynamically by the wireless communications network (as uplink signals, exemplified are a PUSCH signal… The PUSCH signal is transmitted on a PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel) as an uplink data channel shared among a plurality of mobile terminals, and includes user data and control information of higher layer and The PDCCH signal is transmitted on a PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel) as a downlink control channel, and includes scheduling information of the PUSCH, [0032] and [0034] and [0037]-[0041] and figure 4).
Kishiyama however fails to disclose wherein the downlink signal is a slot format indicator, SFI, defining a format for one or more symbols of the wireless communications interface, and enhanced Type B PUSCH. Kishiyama discloses a PDCCH signal including format information. In a similar field of endeavor, Noh discloses wherein the downlink signal is a slot format indicator, SFI, defining a format for one or more symbols of the wireless communications interface (the flexible symbol may be indicated as a DL symbol, an UL symbol, or a flexible symbol through dynamic slot format information (SFI) transmitted on a physical DL control channel (PDCCH), [0071]), and enhanced Type B PUSCH (transmission of PUSCH type B (i.e., non-slot-based transmission) is performed, [0214] and [0201]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of having a downlink signal be SFI transmitted on PDCCH and a PUSCH type B for an uplink signal as disclosed by Noh into the method for selectively performing transmission processing of an uplink signal and reception processing of a downlink signal based upon priority and type of signal as disclosed by Kishiyama in order to improve the system and provide flexibility in the type of uplink or downlink signals.
Claim(s) 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kishiyama, in further view of Xiong et al. (US 2019/0045529)
Regarding claim 17, Kishiyama fails to disclose cancelling the transmission of the uplink signal. Kishiyama however discloses uplink signals, exemplified are Positive SR (Scheduling Request), [0032]-[0033] and [0052]-[0056]). In a similar field of endeavor, Xiong discloses cancelling the transmission of the uplink signal (determining whether a symbol in an SR (scheduling requests) transmission resource opportunity overlaps with one or more downlink signals being received at the same symbol; and ceasing SR transmission at the same symbol when overlapping is determined and deferring an SR transmission from an overlapping symbol to a next available SR resource opportunity, [0139]-[0140] and [0131]-[0132] and abstract and [0119] and [0121]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of ceasing/canceling a transmission of an uplink signal where there is overlap with a downlink signal and deferring an uplink signal to a next available opportunity as disclosed by Xiong into the method for selectively performing transmission processing of an uplink signal and reception processing of a downlink signal based upon priority and type of signal (such as scheduling requests) as disclosed by Kishiyama in order to improve the system and provide flexible implementations in cases of overlapping resources, such as canceling/ceasing uplink transmission in which is deferred to a later opportunity.
Regarding claim 18, Kishiyama fails to disclose postponing the transmission of the uplink signal and instead transmitting the uplink signal in a second set of uplink resources of the wireless communications network that is later in time than the set of uplink resources of a wireless access interface in which the communications device was to have transmitted the uplink signal. Kishiyama however discloses uplink signals, exemplified are Positive SR (Scheduling Request), [0032]-[0033] and [0052]-[0056]). In a similar field of endeavor, Xiong discloses postponing the transmission of the uplink signal and instead transmitting the uplink signal in a second set of uplink resources of the wireless communications network that is later in time than the set of uplink resources of a wireless access interface in which the communications device was to have transmitted the uplink signal (determining whether a symbol in an SR (scheduling requests) transmission resource opportunity overlaps with one or more downlink signals being received at the same symbol; and ceasing SR transmission at the same symbol when overlapping is determined and deferring an SR transmission from an overlapping symbol to a next available SR resource opportunity, [0139]-[0140] and [0131]-[0132] and abstract and [0119] and [0121]). It 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 to incorporate the concept of ceasing/canceling a transmission of an uplink signal where there is overlap with a downlink signal and deferring an uplink signal to a next available opportunity as disclosed by Xiong into the method for selectively performing transmission processing of an uplink signal and reception processing of a downlink signal based upon priority and type of signal (such as scheduling requests) as disclosed by Kishiyama in order to improve the system and provide flexible implementations in cases of overlapping resources, such as canceling/ceasing uplink transmission in which is deferred to a later opportunity.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 7-10, 12-16 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Abotabl et al. (US 2022/0116961) disclosing the UE dropping the downlink reception, the UE may instead drop the uplink transmission if there is an overlap between the uplink and downlink interlace patterns ([0092])
Choi et al. (US 2020/0214006) disclosing the terminal receives the PDSCH, and if a symbol to receive a PDSCH overlaps at least one of a UL symbol or G consecutive flexible symbol(s) preceding the UL symbol, the terminal does not perform the reception of the PDSCH ([0322])
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/NGUYEN H NGO/Examiner, Art Unit 2473