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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/9/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 12/9/2025 has been accepted and entered. Accordingly, claims 1, 9, 11, 14, 16, 23, and 24 have been amended.
Claims 1-14, 16-18, and 23-24 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/9/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Argument: cited prior art Rastergardoost fails to expressly disclose “determine that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission.” Arguing that ¶0299 of Rastergardoost, which was cited in the previous Office Action, appears to merely describe “In response to detecting the first DCI with the non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value, the wireless device may postpone/not transmit the HARQ-ACK of the PDSCH until a timing and/or resource (e.g. PUCCH resource) for the HARQ-ACK transmission is provided by the base station.” (Remarks Pg. 10)
Response: The disclosure at ¶0299 of Rastergardoost is describing receiving a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (i.e. NN-K1), wherein in response to this, the wireless device postpones/doesn’t transmit the first HARQ-ACK until a resource for the transmission is provided. The wireless device of Rastergardoost is unable to transmit the acknowledgement because it needs to wait until it is provided the necessary resources by the base station, and is indicated to that effect by way of receiving a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value. The manner and purpose of receiving the NN-K1 value is described in the instant application’s specification at ¶0081 as follows: “Recognizing that the resource for HARQ-ACK may not be available, a Non-Numerical K1 (NN-K1) and two new HARQ-ACK codebooks (CB) have been proposed for NR-U. The K1 indicator is a known value indicating the temporal position of the uplink resources in the PUCCH after the end of the PDSCH for which a HARQ-ACK is to be transmitted. A NN-K1 indicates to the UE that no resources have yet been provided for the HARQ-ACK to be transmitted.” Rastergardoost is describing the same manner and purpose for receiving the non-numerical timing value (NN-K1), therefore the cited portion of Rastergardoost reads on the limitation regarding determining that the radio node is unable to transmit the acknowledgement of the first transmission, and the rejection stays in place.
Argument: the cited prior art fails to disclose or suggest the features of amended independent claim 1 including, in relevant part “wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission.” (Remarks Pg. 11)
Response: Similar to the response above, ¶0299 discloses being unable to transmit the acknowledgement of the first transmission. Looking further to the reference, ¶0290 discloses “a wireless device may multiplex a pending HARQ-ACK associated with a PDSCH reception and/or SPS release scheduled with an inapplicable value of HARQ feedback timing (non-numerical K1 value—NNK), in a next PUSCH transmission”, and ¶0310 discloses the same in further detail. This disclosure shows that it is decided whether or not to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages based on receiving the non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (NN-K1), of which indicates the inability to transmit the first acknowledgement message. This reads on the amended claim language as currently recited, and the rejection for such is shown below in the updated Office Action.
Regarding claim 11 including 7 different alternative combinations which were not specifically rejected on pages 16 and 17 of the previous Office Action (see Remarks Pg. 11). The updated Office Action below now contains the rejection for these limitations.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 7-9, 12-14, 16-18, and 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2023/0133506 A1), hereinafter “Wang”, and further in view of Rastegardoost et al. (US 2023/0023656 A1), hereinafter “Rastegardoost”, and further in view of Lei et al. (US 2025/0055604 A1), hereinafter “Lei”, and further in view of Khoshnevisan et al. (US 2022/0407632 A1), hereinafter “Khoshnevisan-2”.
Re. Claim 1, Wang teaches the following limitations:
A method for acknowledging transmissions in a telecommunications network, (¶0037 FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing steps of a HARQ-ACK feedback method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment)
the telecommunications network comprising a network node arranged to communicate with a radio node via a wireless interface, (¶0153 FIG. 8 is a device diagram of a HARQ-ACK feedback device applied to a base station according to an embodiment of the present application and the device includes: a transmitting device 801, configured to transmit broadcast multicast scheduling signaling to a terminal for indicating the terminal to multiplex… a receiving device 802, configured to receive uplink data transmitted by the terminal through the uplink resource [i.e. structure and process for wireless interface])
the method comprising the radio node: (¶0037 FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing steps of a HARQ-ACK feedback method performed by a terminal [i.e. a radio node])
receiving a first transmission from the network node, (Fig. 3 [i.e. control signaling from network node received at Slot n, Slot n+2, and Slot n+5] & ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” [i.e. a first transmission] is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast”,)
the first transmission being associated with a first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. first codebook/acknowledgement scheme] are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” [i.e. first transmission associated with first HARQ-ACK codebook/acknowledgement scheme] is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast”,)
receiving a second transmission from the network node, (¶0044 in the present embodiment, the terminal may receive the unicast scheduling signaling transmitted by the base station when determining the uplink resource corresponding to the unicast, where the unicast scheduling signaling carries scheduling information for the uplink resource; & ¶0053 a first indication field and identification information of the first HARQ-ACK codebook may be newly added to the first DCI in the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling, and the first indication field may be 1 bit. In this case, a bit of 0 indicates that the terminal waits for the information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling [i.e. unicast is second transmission], and a bit of 1 indicates that the terminal does not wait for the information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling. & ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast” [i.e. a second transmission],)
the second transmission being associated with a second acknowledgement scheme, (¶0098 ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. second codebook/acknowledgement scheme] are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast” [i.e. a second transmission associated with second HARQ-ACK codebook/acknowledgement scheme],)
wherein the second acknowledgement scheme is different from the first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0098 Two HARQ-ACK codebooks, including a first HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast [i.e. a first codebook/acknowledgement scheme] and a second HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast [i.e. the second codebook/acknowledgement scheme])
determining acknowledgement resources associated with the second transmission and for the transmission of a second acknowledgement message for the second transmission (¶0077 the terminal needs to be configured with an uplink resource corresponding to the unicast. In this case, unicast scheduling signaling may be transmitted to the terminal where the unicast scheduling signaling carries scheduling information for the uplink resource; [i.e. acknowledgement resources associated with second transmission; determined by receiving resource information from base station] & ¶0078 when the uplink resource is a resource scheduled by the unicast scheduling signaling and used for transmitting unicast HARQ-ACK information [i.e. a second acknowledgement message],)
deciding, based on the first and second acknowledgement schemes, whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages; (¶0079 In the present embodiment, the first downlink control information (DCI) corresponding to the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling includes a request message used for indicating the terminal whether to wait for information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling, the carried information includes indication information for indicating whether to carry the first HARQ-ACK codebook in the uplink resource; [i.e. deciding whether or not to multiplex the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks/acknowledgement schemes])
And if it is decided to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages, transmitting the first and second acknowledgement messages using the acknowledgement resources. (¶0098 When the condition is satisfied [i.e. decided to multiplex], the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast is multiplexed on the PUCCH resource for unicast HARQ-ACK feedback [i.e. transmitting first and second messages using the designated resources].))
Yet, Wang fails to expressly disclose: determining that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission; wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission, and wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a set of acknowledgement schemes comprising two or more of: a first scheme under which resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are predetermined prior to the receipt of transmissions from the network node; a second scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node; a third scheme in which at least two transmission groups are defined, wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node; and a fourth scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node and wherein, when a one-shot option is activated in a specific transmission all acknowledgement messages for a set of previous transmissions under the fourth codebook are multiplexed, the set of transmissions comprising the specific transmission.
However, in the analogous art, Rastegardoost teaches such limitations:
determining that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission; (¶0299 In response to detecting [i.e. determining] the first DCI with the non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value, the wireless device may postpone/not transmit the HARQ-ACK [i.e. unable to transmit a first ack message as a result of receiving non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value; NN-K1] of the PDSCH until a timing and/or resource (e.g. PUCCH resource) for the HARQ-ACK transmission is provided by the base station [i.e. unable to transmit due to transmission resources being delayed or not provided yet]. & Fig. 21 HARQ-ACK pending)
wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission, (¶0310 FIG. 19 shows an example of HARQ-ACK transmission associated with a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (NNK1) based on an UL DCI. As shown in the figure, the wireless device receives RRC message(s) comprising PUCCH configurations and/or PUSCH configuration(s). The base station may configure NNK-HARQ-feedback-on-PUSCH as enabled as a parameter of PUSCH configuration of a cell. The wireless device may multiplex the HARQ-ACK of the non-numerical value to a PUSCH scheduled for the cell in response to the NNK-HARQ-feedback-on-PUSCH being enabled for the cell. The first DCI indicates a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (K1), indicating a deferral of the HARQ-ACK of the PDSCH. [i.e. deciding whether to multiplex acknowledgment messages is based on the presence of NNK1 value indicating deferral of a first HARQ feedback (unable to transmit the first HARQ feedback)] The wireless device receives a second DCI scheduling a PUSCH (UL DCI). The second DCI may be an earliest UL DCI after the first DCI. The wireless device may determine a first slot for the PUSCH transmission based on the slot/scheduling offset value (K2) in the second DCI)
and wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a set of acknowledgement schemes comprising two or more of: a first scheme under which resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are predetermined prior to the receipt of transmissions from the network node; (¶0223 The semi-static codebook [i.e. a first scheme codebook] may be viewed as a matrix consisting of a time domain dimension and a component-carrier (and/or CBG and/or MIMO layer) dimension [i.e. resource allocations for transmission of acknowledgement messages], both of which may be semi-statically configured and/or pre-defined [i.e. scheme is that resources are predetermined].)
a second scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0276 The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. second scheme], the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. The second DCI may schedule a second PDSCH with a numerical K1 value. The UE may receive the second DCI after the first DCI.)
a third scheme in which at least two transmission groups are defined, (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID [i.e. a first transmission group]. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group [i.e. a first transmission group]. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI [i.e. a second transmission group] is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group [i.e. a first transmission group].)
wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID [i.e. a first transmission group]. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group [i.e. a first transmission group]. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI [i.e. a second transmission group] is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group [i.e. a first transmission group].)
and a fourth scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI [i.e. received transmissions] requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback [i.e. a fourth scheme/codebook] request).)
and wherein, when a one-shot option is activated in a specific transmission, (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI [i.e. a specific transmission] requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback request). & ¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request [i.e. one-shot is activated] …The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI [i.e. another example of the specific transmission].)
all acknowledgement messages for a set of previous transmissions under the fourth codebook are multiplexed, the set of transmissions comprising the specific transmission. (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback request). The one-shot feedback request may be for one or more or all component carriers configured for the UE. & ¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request. A last/latest PDSCH for which an acknowledgment is reported in response to receiving the one-shot feedback request, may be determined as a last PDSCH within a UE processing time capability (e.g. baseline capability, N1). The UE may report HARQ-ACK feedback for one or more earlier PDSCHs scheduled with non-numerical K1 value [i.e. all ack messages for a set of previous transmissions under fourth codebook, including the specific transmission]. The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI. The one-shot feedback may request HARQ feedbacks to be reported in a PUCCH. The HARQ feedback may be piggybacked on (e.g. multiplexed in) a PUSCH [i.e. multiplexing the previous transmissions]. & ¶0284 a second DCI triggering a pending HARQ-ACK (re)transmission may be a DL DCI scheduling another DL assignment/SPS release and/or requesting a one-shot HARQ-ACK transmission comprising HARQ feedback information of all DL HARQ processes [i.e. another example of multiplexing all ack messages for a set of previous transmissions under fourth codebook].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of determining a radio node is unable to transmit an acknowledgement message, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Yet, the combined references fail to teach: and wherein two or more acknowledgement messages are multiplexed if response to the corresponding two or more transmissions are under the second codebook;
However, in the analogous art, Lei teaches such a limitation:
and wherein two or more acknowledgement messages are multiplexed in response to the corresponding two or more transmissions are under the second codebook (¶0037-¶0039 HARQ-ACK feedback for multiple PDSCHs can be multiplexed in one HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. multiplex two or more ack messages when under same/one codebook] by means of HARQ-ACK multiplexing. There are two HARQ-ACK codebooks in NR Rel-15: …The second codebook is the Dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook (also called Type 2 in TS38.213 Rel-15) The size of the Dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on the number of actually received DL transmissions to be acknowledged in the same slot [i.e. second codebook is used for multiplexing the two or more ack messages under the one codebook])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang and Rastegardoost’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Lei’s teaching of two or more acknowledgment messages being multiplexed when the transmission are under the second codebook, because it would allow the size of the dynamic codebook to be determined based on the number of received DL transmissions that need acknowledgements multiplexed in the same slot, saving on ACK feedback bits. (see Lei ¶0038-¶0039)
Yet, the combined references fail to teach: and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine
However, in the analogous art, Khoshnevisan-2 teaches such a limitation:
and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine (¶0162-¶0163 In some cases, the UE 115 is to report acknowledgment feedback on PUCCH for only one PDSCH group, referred to as PDSCH group x (and the other PDSCH group as y), by enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback codebook techniques …the UE 115 may report acknowledgment feedback on PUCCH for both PDSCH groups (e.g., groups x and y) [i.e. number of transmission groups to combine, as opposed to a singular group in the earlier cited case] using enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback codebook techniques [i.e. done under third codebook], and uplink DCI schedules PUSCH overlapping with PUCCH such that acknowledgment feedback will be multiplexed with PUSCH [i.e. two or more acknowledgement feedback messages of a combined number of groups multiplexed under third codebook].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, and Lei’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Khoshnevisan-2’s teaching of multiplexing acknowledgement messages under the third codebook are configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine, because it would allow the multiplexing of acknowledgment messages on PUCCH for multiple PDSCH groups by configuring uplink DAI for additional groups in downlink control information. (see Khoshnevisan-2 ¶0161-¶0163)
Re. Claim 2, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message is based on one or more of first resources allocated for transmitting the first acknowledgement message being unavailable for the transmitting the first acknowledgement message; (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH and/or a DCI releasing DL SPS. The non-numerical value indicates to the UE [i.e. an indication for the radio node to determine it is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message] that the timing and resource for HARQ-ACK feedback transmission for the corresponding PDSCH/PDCCH will be determined later [i.e. indicating to radio node the inability to transmit ack message based off resources being unavailable due to being determined later].)
And the radio node determining that no resources were allocated, in association with the first transmission, for the transmission of the first acknowledgement message. (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH and/or a DCI releasing DL SPS. The non-numerical value indicates to the UE that the timing and resource for HARQ-ACK feedback transmission for the corresponding PDSCH/PDCCH will be determined later [i.e. indication to be determined by radio node that no resources were allocated yet].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of determining a radio node is unable to transmit an acknowledgement message due to resources not being allocated for the first acknowledgement message, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Re. Claim 3, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 2.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein determining that no resources were allocated for the transmission of the first acknowledgement message comprises determining that a control signal comprised in the first transmission (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) [i.e. a control signal] in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH [i.e. comprised in a first transmission])
comprises an indication that the allocation of resources for the transmission of the first acknowledgement message is being delayed (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH and/or a DCI releasing DL SPS. The non-numerical value indicates to the UE that the timing and resource for HARQ-ACK feedback transmission for the corresponding PDSCH/PDCCH will be determined later [i.e. allocation of resources for ack message transmission being delayed] & Fig. 21 HARQ-ACK pending [i.e. determined from receiving non-numerical K value])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of a control signal in the first transmission comprising an indication resource allocation for the first acknowledgment message are being delayed, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Re. Claim 7, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Wang further teaches:
wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a plurality of HARQ codebooks. (¶0148 In occasion 2, there are 1 HARQ-ACK codebooks for unicast and multiple HARQ-ACK codebooks for broadcast multicast: when the uplink resource PUCCH/PUSCH carries one or more HARQ-ACK codebooks for broadcast multicast, the HARQ codebooks may be arranged in one of the following orders: the HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast is arranged prior to the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast; the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast is arranged prior to the HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast; the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast is arranged prior to the HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast if the PUCCH resource indicated by the broadcast multicast is prior to the PUCCH indicated by the unicast, otherwise the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast is arranged subsequent to the HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast. The above-mentioned ordering method can be specified by the method of the interface protocol, and can also be notified to the terminal by the higher layer protocol. [i.e. describes a plurality of codebooks/acknowledgement schemes, both of each first and second transmission carries either multicast codebook or unicast codebook in either order])
Re. Claim 8, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein spectrum for the transmissions of the first and second acknowledgement messages is an unlicensed spectrum. (¶0289 In the present disclosure, one or more mechanisms are proposed to enhance a HARQ-ACK transmission [i.e. first or second acknowledgement messages] in an unlicensed spectrum operation [i.e. first and second acknowledgement messages would use this unlicensed spectrum])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of transmitting the first and second acknowledgment messages on an unlicensed spectrum, because it would be more efficient to apply asynchronous HARQ operation with dynamic TDD operation in these scenarios where resources cannot be guaranteed. (see Rastegardoost ¶0214)
Re. Claim 9, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein the each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from the set of acknowledgement schemes comprising:
the second scheme (¶0276 The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. second scheme], the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. The second DCI may schedule a second PDSCH with a numerical K1 value. The UE may receive the second DCI after the first DCI.)
and the third scheme. (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme, Implied that second and third scheme are possible selections for codebook], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group.)
the second scheme uses Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) tracking, (¶0224 A size of the dynamic codebook may be dynamically varying, e.g., as a function of a number of scheduled carriers and/or as a function of a number of scheduled transport blocks. To maintain a same understanding of the dynamic codebook size, [i.e. dynamic codebook is second scheme] which is prone to error in the downlink control signaling, a downlink assignment index (DAI) may be included in the scheduling DCI. The DAI field may comprise a counter DAI (cDAI) and a total DAI (tDAI))
the third scheme uses configured transmission groups for multiplexing, (¶0304 A “pending” HARQ-ACK may refer to a HARQ-ACK information of a PDSCH reception or a SPS release which was scheduled by a first DCI indicating a non-numerical value for a HARQ feedback timing indicator. A “pending” HARQ-ACK may refer to a HARQ-ACK information of a PDSCH reception or a SPS release which was dropped due to LBT failure and/or UL cancellation command and/or collision with an UL channel of higher priority. The pending HARQ-ACK may not be pending anymore once the wireless device receives a second DCI indicating an uplink resource for the transmission of the pending HARQ-ACK. Once a second DCI indicating an uplink resource for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission is received, the wireless device may determine to transmit the pending HARQ-ACK via that uplink resource & ¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. [i.e. the third scheme, uses configured transmission groups] The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group. [i.e. pending HARQ-ACK will be multiplexed on the UL when group ID is the same])
the second scheme and the third scheme being used in parallel and operating separately depending on priority. (¶0275-¶0276 The UE may receive a downlink signal (e.g. RRC and/or DCI) scheduling a PDSCH. The UE may be configured with enhanced dynamic codebook HARQ feedback operation. The PDSCH may be scheduled with a non-numerical value for PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing, e.g. K1. The UE may derive/determine a HARQ-ACK timing information for the PDSCH by a next/later DCI. The next DCI may be a DL DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs. The next DCI may comprise a numerical K1 value The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook, the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. [i.e. UE may be configured with enhanced (third scheme) or non-enhanced (second scheme) codebook HARQ feedback] & ¶0334 The wireless device may select the slot for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission between a first slot indicated by an UL DCI and a second slot indicated by a DL DCI based on a priority. For example, if a priority field in the first DCI associated with the pending HARQ-ACK indicates a first (e.g. high) priority, the wireless device may select the second slot comprising a PUCCH based on the DL DCI for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission, or vice versa. For example, if a priority field in the first DCI associated with the pending HARQ-ACK indicates a second (e.g. low) priority, the wireless device may select the first slot comprising a PUSCH based on the UL DCI for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission, [i.e. codebooks (schemes) are not specifically tied to any priority but rather is associated with a priority using a priority field which is independent of the type of codebook, therefore this is seen as each scheme operating separately dependent on priority based on the priority field])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of a second scheme wherein transmission resources for HARQ-ACK messages are dynamically configured by network node transmissions, because it allows a more flexible scheme for operation on unlicensed spectrum. (see Rastegardoost ¶0218)
Re. Claim 12, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 9.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
if the second acknowledgement scheme is the third scheme, (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. the third scheme], the UL DCI [i.e. a second transmission corresponding to second acknowledgement scheme] may indicate a PDSCH group ID.)
the first acknowledgement message is allocated a default transmission group (¶0269 A DCI scheduling a DL assignment, e.g. PDSCH, may associate the PDSCH to a group. For example, the DCI may comprise a field indicating a group index. For example, a PDSCH scheduled by a first DCI format (e.g. DCI format 1_0) may be associated with a pre-defined group (e.g. PDSCH group #0) [i.e. a default group]. For example, an SPS PDSCH occasion may be associated with a pre-defined group. & ¶0270 The base station may schedule a first PDSCH with a PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing, e.g. K1 value, in a COT with a first group index. The PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing may have a non-numerical value. The BS may schedule one or more PDSCHs after the first PDSCH in the same COT, and may assign the first group index to the one or more PDSCHs [i.e. allocating default transmission group to first acknowledgment message]. At least one of the one or more PDSCHs may be scheduled with a numerical K1 value. & ¶0272 The UE may be configured with enhanced dynamic codebook. The UE receive a first DCI format (e.g. DCI format 1_0) scheduling one or more PDSCHs. The one or more PDSCHs may be associated with a PDSCH group (e.g. a pre-defined PDSCH group, e.g. group #0) [i.e. another example of allocating a default transmission group to first acknowledgement message, or at least in this case the first message associated with the first acknowledgement message])
wherein the default transmission group allocated to the first acknowledgement message is used to decide whether to multiplex the first acknowledgement message and the second acknowledgement message. (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. the third scheme], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group . The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group [i.e. deciding whether to multiplex based on group allocated to first ack message]. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI irrespective of the indicated PDSCH group ID.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of a first acknowledgement group being allocated to a default group, because it allows the first HARQ-ACK to be configured with a pre-defined group, therefore letting multiple HARQ-ACK’s belonging to this same group can be multiplexed on the same uplink resources. (see Rastegardoost ¶¶0272-¶0273)
Re. Claim 13, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 9.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages comprises deciding, if a third acknowledgement scheme is the fourth scheme (¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs [i.e. possibility of receiving three, or even more, PDSCH transmissions, where resources are allocated based on the received transmissions] in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request [i.e. a possible third acknowledgment codebook/scheme, of which being associated with the fourth scheme by receiving the one-shot codebook request].)
and if the one-shot option is activated for the second transmission, to multiplex the first acknowledgement message and the second acknowledgement message. (¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs [i.e. possibility of receiving three, or even more, PDSCH transmissions] in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request [i.e. a third acknowledgment codebook/scheme]. A last/latest PDSCH for which an acknowledgment is reported in response to receiving the one-shot feedback request, may be determined as a last PDSCH within a UE processing time capability (e.g. baseline capability, N1). The UE may report HARQ-ACK feedback for one or more earlier PDSCHs scheduled with non-numerical K1 value. [i.e. deciding to multiplex first, second, and any subsequent acknowledgement messages based off a third acknowledgement scheme being the fourth scheme]. The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI. The one-shot feedback may request HARQ feedbacks to be reported in a PUCCH. The HARQ feedback may be piggybacked on (e.g. multiplexed in) a PUSCH.))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of multiplexing the first and second HARQ-ACK’s if the one-shot option is activated for the second transmission, because it would allow all previously postponed HARQ-ACK to be transmitted regardless of priority. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Re. Claim 14, Wang teaches:
A radio node for acknowledging transmissions in a telecommunications network, (¶0037 FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing steps of a HARQ-ACK feedback method performed by a terminal [i.e. a radio node])
the telecommunications network comprising a network node arranged to communicate with the radio node via a wireless interface, (¶0153 FIG. 8 is a device diagram of a HARQ-ACK feedback device applied to a base station according to an embodiment of the present application and the device includes: a transmitting device 801, configured to transmit broadcast multicast scheduling signaling to a terminal for indicating the terminal to multiplex… a receiving device 802, configured to receive uplink data transmitted by the terminal through the uplink resource [i.e. structure and process for wireless interface])
the radio node comprising: receiving circuitry (¶0180 The processor 1001 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capability. [i.e. signal processing circuitry reads on receiving circuitry])
configured to: receive a first transmission from the network node, (Fig. 3 [i.e. control signaling from network node received at Slon n, Slot n+2, and Slot n+5] & ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” [i.e. a first transmission] is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast”,)
the first transmission being associated with a first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. first codebook/acknowledgement scheme] are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” [i.e. first transmission associated with first HARQ-ACK codebook/acknowledgement scheme] is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast”,)
the receiving circuitry further configured to: receive a second transmission from the network node, (¶0044 in the present embodiment, the terminal may receive the unicast scheduling signaling transmitted by the base station when determining the uplink resource corresponding to the unicast, where the unicast scheduling signaling carries scheduling information for the uplink resource; & ¶0053 a first indication field and identification information of the first HARQ-ACK codebook may be newly added to the first DCI in the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling, and the first indication field may be 1 bit. In this case, a bit of 0 indicates that the terminal waits for the information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling [i.e. unicast is second transmission], and a bit of 1 indicates that the terminal does not wait for the information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling. & ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast” [i.e. a second transmission],)
the second transmission being associated with a second acknowledgement scheme, (¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. second codebook/acknowledgement scheme] are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast” [i.e. a second transmission associated with second HARQ-ACK codebook/acknowledgement scheme],)
wherein the second acknowledgement scheme is different from the first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0098 Two HARQ-ACK codebooks, including a first HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast [i.e. a first codebook/acknowledgement scheme] and a second HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast [i.e. the second codebook/acknowledgement scheme])
the processing circuitry further configured to: determine acknowledgement resources associated with the second transmission and for the transmission of a second acknowledgement message for the second transmission; (¶0077 the terminal needs to be configured with an uplink resource corresponding to the unicast. In this case, unicast scheduling signaling may be transmitted to the terminal where the unicast scheduling signaling carries scheduling information for the uplink resource; [i.e. acknowledgement resources associated with second transmission; determined by receiving resource information from base station] & ¶0078 when the uplink resource is a resource scheduled by the unicast scheduling signaling and used for transmitting unicast HARQ-ACK information [i.e. a second acknowledgement message],)
decide, based on the first and second acknowledgement schemes, whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages; (¶0079 In the present embodiment, the first downlink control information (DCI) corresponding to the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling includes a request message used for indicating the terminal whether to wait for information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling, the carried information includes indication information for indicating whether to carry the first HARQ-ACK codebook in the uplink resource; [i.e. deciding whether or not to multiplex the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks/acknowledgement schemes])
transmitting circuitry (¶0180 The processor 1001 may be an integrated circuit chip with signal processing capability. [i.e. signal processing circuitry reads on transmitting/receiving circuitry])
configured to: transmit, if it is decided to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages, the first and second acknowledgement messages using the acknowledgement resources, (¶0098 When the condition is satisfied [i.e. decided to multiplex], the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast is multiplexed on the PUCCH resource for unicast HARQ-ACK feedback [i.e. transmitting first and second messages using the designated resources].))
Yet, Wang fails to expressly disclose: determine that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission; wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission, wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a set of acknowledgement schemes comprising two or more of: A first scheme under which resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are predetermined prior to the receipt of transmissions from the network node; a second scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node; a third scheme in which at least two transmission groups are defined, wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node; and a fourth scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node, and wherein, when a one-shot option is activated in a specific transmission, all acknowledgement messages for a set of previous transmissions under the fourth codebook are multiplexed, the set of transmissions comprising the specific transmission.
However, in the analogous art, Rastegardoost teaches such limitations:
processing circuitry (¶0203 The processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 may comprise one or more controllers and/or one or more processors. The one or more controllers and/or one or more processors may comprise, for example, a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) [i.e. circuitry for processing system])
configured to: determine that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission; (¶0299 In response to detecting [i.e. determining] the first DCI with the non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value, the wireless device may postpone/not transmit the HARQ-ACK [i.e. unable to transmit a first ack message as a result of receiving non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value; NN-K1] of the PDSCH until a timing and/or resource (e.g. PUCCH resource) for the HARQ-ACK transmission is provided by the base station [i.e. unable to transmit due to transmission resources being delayed or not provided yet]. & Fig. 21 HARQ-ACK pending)
wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission, (¶0310 FIG. 19 shows an example of HARQ-ACK transmission associated with a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (NNK1) based on an UL DCI. As shown in the figure, the wireless device receives RRC message(s) comprising PUCCH configurations and/or PUSCH configuration(s). The base station may configure NNK-HARQ-feedback-on-PUSCH as enabled as a parameter of PUSCH configuration of a cell. The wireless device may multiplex the HARQ-ACK of the non-numerical value to a PUSCH scheduled for the cell in response to the NNK-HARQ-feedback-on-PUSCH being enabled for the cell. The first DCI indicates a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (K1), indicating a deferral of the HARQ-ACK of the PDSCH. [i.e. deciding whether to multiplex acknowledgment messages is based on the presence of NNK1 value indicating deferral of a first HARQ feedback (unable to transmit the first HARQ feedback)] The wireless device receives a second DCI scheduling a PUSCH (UL DCI). The second DCI may be an earliest UL DCI after the first DCI. The wireless device may determine a first slot for the PUSCH transmission based on the slot/scheduling offset value (K2) in the second DCI)
wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a set of acknowledgement schemes comprising two or more of: A first scheme under which resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are predetermined prior to the receipt of transmissions from the network node; (¶0223 The semi-static codebook [i.e. a first scheme codebook] may be viewed as a matrix consisting of a time domain dimension and a component-carrier (and/or CBG and/or MIMO layer) dimension [i.e. resource allocations for transmission of acknowledgement messages], both of which may be semi-statically configured and/or pre-defined [i.e. scheme is that resources are predetermined].)
a second scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0276 The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. second scheme], the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. The second DCI may schedule a second PDSCH with a numerical K1 value. The UE may receive the second DCI after the first DCI.)
a third scheme in which at least two transmission groups are defined, (¶0268 The BS may configure a UE with enhanced dynamic codebook for HARQ feedback operation. The BS may trigger a group of DL transmissions, e.g. PDSCHs, for example, in an enhanced dynamic codebook operation. & ¶0273 A DCI may request/trigger HARQ feedback for one or more groups of PDSCHs, e.g. via a same PUCCH/PUSCH resource. HARQ feedbacks for multiple DL transmissions, e.g. PDSCHs, in a same group, may be transmitted/multiplexed in a same PUCCH/PUSCH resource. [i.e. one or more (at least two) transmission groups are defined for enhanced dynamic codebook (third scheme)])
wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID [i.e. a first transmission group]. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group [i.e. a second transmission group]. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI [i.e. a second transmission group] is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group [i.e. a first transmission group].)
and a fourth scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI [i.e. received transmissions] requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback [i.e. a fourth scheme/codebook] request).)
and wherein, when a one-shot option is activated in a specific transmission, (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI [i.e. a specific transmission] requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback request). & ¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request [i.e. one-shot is activated] The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI [i.e. another example of the specific transmission].)
all acknowledgement messages for a set of previous transmissions under the fourth codebook are multiplexed, the set of transmissions comprising the specific transmission. (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback request). The one-shot feedback request may be for one or more or all component carriers configured for the UE. & ¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request. A last/latest PDSCH for which an acknowledgment is reported in response to receiving the one-shot feedback request, may be determined as a last PDSCH within a UE processing time capability (e.g. baseline capability, N1). The UE may report HARQ-ACK feedback for one or more earlier PDSCHs scheduled with non-numerical K1 value [i.e. all ack messages for a set of previous transmissions under fourth codebook, including the specific transmission]. The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI. The one-shot feedback may request HARQ feedbacks to be reported in a PUCCH. The HARQ feedback may be piggybacked on (e.g. multiplexed in) a PUSCH [i.e. multiplexing the previous transmissions]. & ¶0284 a second DCI triggering a pending HARQ-ACK (re)transmission may be a DL DCI scheduling another DL assignment/SPS release and/or requesting a one-shot HARQ-ACK transmission comprising HARQ feedback information of all DL HARQ processes [i.e. another example of multiplexing all ack messages for a set of previous transmissions under fourth codebook].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of determining a radio node is unable to transmit an acknowledgement message, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Yet, the combined references fail to teach: and wherein two or more acknowledgement messages are multiplexed if response to the corresponding two or more transmissions are under the second codebook;
However, in the analogous art, Lei teaches such a limitation:
and wherein two or more acknowledgement messages are multiplexed in response to the corresponding two or more transmissions are under the second codebook (¶0037-¶0039 HARQ-ACK feedback for multiple PDSCHs can be multiplexed in one HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. multiplex two or more ack messages when under same/one codebook] by means of HARQ-ACK multiplexing. There are two HARQ-ACK codebooks in NR Rel-15: …The second codebook is the Dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook (also called Type 2 in TS38.213 Rel-15) The size of the Dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on the number of actually received DL transmissions to be acknowledged in the same slot [i.e. second codebook is used for multiplexing the two or more ack messages under the one codebook])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang and Rastegardoost’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Lei’s teaching of two or more acknowledgment messages being multiplexed when the transmission are under the second codebook, because it would allow the size of the dynamic codebook to be determined based on the number of received DL transmissions that need acknowledgements multiplexed in the same slot, saving on ACK feedback bits. (see Lei ¶0038-¶0039)
Yet, the combined references fail to teach: and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine
However, in the analogous art, Khoshnevisan-2 teaches such a limitation:
and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine (¶0162-¶0163 In some cases, the UE 115 is to report acknowledgment feedback on PUCCH for only one PDSCH group, referred to as PDSCH group x (and the other PDSCH group as y), by enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback codebook techniques …the UE 115 may report acknowledgment feedback on PUCCH for both PDSCH groups (e.g., groups x and y) [i.e. number of transmission groups to combine, as opposed to a singular group in the earlier cited case] using enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback codebook techniques [i.e. done under third codebook], and uplink DCI schedules PUSCH overlapping with PUCCH such that acknowledgment feedback will be multiplexed with PUSCH [i.e. two or more acknowledgement feedback messages of a combined number of groups multiplexed under third codebook].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, and Lei’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Khoshnevisan-2’s teaching of multiplexing acknowledgement messages under the third codebook are configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine, because it would allow the multiplexing of acknowledgment messages on PUCCH for multiple PDSCH groups by configuring uplink DAI for additional groups in downlink control information. (see Khoshnevisan-2 ¶0161-¶0163)
Re. Claim 16, Wang teaches:
A method for receiving transmissions acknowledgements in a telecommunications network, (¶0037 FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing steps of a HARQ-ACK feedback method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment)
the telecommunications network comprising a network node arranged to communicate with a radio node via a wireless interface, (¶0153 FIG. 8 is a device diagram of a HARQ-ACK feedback device applied to a base station according to an embodiment of the present application and the device includes: a transmitting device 801, configured to transmit broadcast multicast scheduling signaling to a terminal for indicating the terminal to multiplex… a receiving device 802, configured to receive uplink data transmitted by the terminal through the uplink resource [i.e. structure and process for wireless interface])
the method comprising the network node: transmitting a first transmission to the radio node, (Fig. 3 [i.e. control signaling from network node received at Slot n, Slot n+2, and Slot n+5] & ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” [i.e. a first transmission] is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast”, & ¶0153 FIG. 8 is a device diagram of a HARQ-ACK feedback device applied to a base station [i.e. a network node] according to an embodiment of the present application and the device includes: a transmitting device 801, configured to transmit broadcast multicast scheduling signaling to a terminal [i.e. transmitting to radio node] for indicating the terminal to multiplex,)
the first transmission being associated with a first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. first codebook/acknowledgement scheme] are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” [i.e. first transmission associated with first HARQ-ACK codebook/acknowledgement scheme] is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast”,)
transmitting a second transmission to the radio node, (¶0044 in the present embodiment, the terminal may receive the unicast scheduling signaling transmitted by the base station when determining the uplink resource corresponding to the unicast, where the unicast scheduling signaling carries scheduling information for the uplink resource; & ¶0053 a first indication field and identification information of the first HARQ-ACK codebook may be newly added to the first DCI in the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling, and the first indication field may be 1 bit. In this case, a bit of 0 indicates that the terminal waits for the information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling [i.e. unicast is second transmission], and a bit of 1 indicates that the terminal does not wait for the information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling. & ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast” [i.e. a second transmission],)
the second transmission being associated with a second acknowledgement scheme, (¶0098 ¶0098 the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. second codebook/acknowledgement scheme] are arranged in a receiving order of the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling and the unicast scheduling signaling, that is, if “control signaling for scheduling broadcast multicast” is previous to the “control signaling for scheduling unicast” [i.e. a second transmission associated with second HARQ-ACK codebook/acknowledgement scheme],)
wherein the second acknowledgement scheme is different from the first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0098 Two HARQ-ACK codebooks, including a first HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast [i.e. a first codebook/acknowledgement scheme] and a second HARQ-ACK codebook for unicast [i.e. the second codebook/acknowledgement scheme])
determining acknowledgement resources associated with the second transmission and for the transmission of a second acknowledgement message for the second transmission; (¶0077 the terminal needs to be configured with an uplink resource corresponding to the unicast. In this case, unicast scheduling signaling may be transmitted to the terminal where the unicast scheduling signaling carries scheduling information for the uplink resource; [i.e. acknowledgement resources associated with second transmission; determined by receiving resource information from base station] & ¶0078 when the uplink resource is a resource scheduled by the unicast scheduling signaling and used for transmitting unicast HARQ-ACK information [i.e. a second acknowledgement message],)
deciding, based on the first and second acknowledgement schemes, whether to expect the first and second acknowledgement messages to be multiplexed; (¶0079 In the present embodiment, the first downlink control information (DCI) corresponding to the broadcast multicast scheduling signaling includes a request message used for indicating the terminal whether to wait for information carried in the unicast scheduling signaling, the carried information includes indication information for indicating whether to carry the first HARQ-ACK codebook in the uplink resource; [i.e. deciding whether or not to multiplex the first and second HARQ-ACK codebooks/acknowledgement schemes])
and if the first and second acknowledgement messages are expected to be multiplexed, obtaining the first acknowledgement message and second acknowledgement message from the acknowledgement resources, (¶0098 When the condition is satisfied [i.e. decided to multiplex], the HARQ-ACK codebook for broadcast multicast is multiplexed on the PUCCH resource for unicast HARQ-ACK feedback [i.e. transmitting first and second messages using the designated resources].))
Yet, Wang fails to expressly disclose: determining that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission; wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission, wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a set of acknowledgement schemes comprising two or more of: A first scheme under which resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are predetermined prior to the receipt of transmissions from the network node; a second scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node; a third scheme in which at least two transmission groups are defined, wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node; and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine; and a fourth scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node, and wherein, when a one-shot option is activated in a specific transmission, all acknowledgement messages for a set of previous transmissions under the fourth codebook are multiplexed, the set of transmissions comprising the specific transmission.
However, in the analogous art, Rastegardoost teaches such limitations:
determining that the radio node is unable to transmit a first acknowledgement message for the first transmission; (¶0299 In response to detecting [i.e. determining] the first DCI with the non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value, the wireless device may postpone/not transmit the HARQ-ACK [i.e. unable to transmit a first ack message as a result of receiving non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value; NN-K1] of the PDSCH until a timing and/or resource (e.g. PUCCH resource) for the HARQ-ACK transmission is provided by the base station [i.e. unable to transmit due to transmission resources being delayed or not provided yet]. & Fig. 21 HARQ-ACK pending)
wherein the deciding whether to multiplex the first and second acknowledgement messages is based on the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message for the first transmission, (¶0310 FIG. 19 shows an example of HARQ-ACK transmission associated with a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (NNK1) based on an UL DCI. As shown in the figure, the wireless device receives RRC message(s) comprising PUCCH configurations and/or PUSCH configuration(s). The base station may configure NNK-HARQ-feedback-on-PUSCH as enabled as a parameter of PUSCH configuration of a cell. The wireless device may multiplex the HARQ-ACK of the non-numerical value to a PUSCH scheduled for the cell in response to the NNK-HARQ-feedback-on-PUSCH being enabled for the cell. The first DCI indicates a non-numerical HARQ feedback timing value (K1), indicating a deferral of the HARQ-ACK of the PDSCH. [i.e. deciding whether to multiplex acknowledgment messages is based on the presence of NNK1 value indicating deferral of a first HARQ feedback (unable to transmit the first HARQ feedback)] The wireless device receives a second DCI scheduling a PUSCH (UL DCI). The second DCI may be an earliest UL DCI after the first DCI. The wireless device may determine a first slot for the PUSCH transmission based on the slot/scheduling offset value (K2) in the second DCI)
wherein each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from a set of acknowledgement schemes comprising two or more of: A first scheme under which resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are predetermined prior to the receipt of transmissions from the network node; (¶0223 The semi-static codebook [i.e. a first scheme codebook] may be viewed as a matrix consisting of a time domain dimension and a component-carrier (and/or CBG and/or MIMO layer) dimension [i.e. resource allocations for transmission of acknowledgement messages], both of which may be semi-statically configured and/or pre-defined [i.e. scheme is that resources are predetermined].)
a second scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0276 The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. second scheme], the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. The second DCI may schedule a second PDSCH with a numerical K1 value. The UE may receive the second DCI after the first DCI.)
a third scheme in which at least two transmission groups are defined, wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID [i.e. a first transmission group]. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group [i.e. a second transmission group]. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI [i.e. a second transmission group] is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group [i.e. a first transmission group].)
and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. third scheme], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI [i.e. multiplex the pending HARQ with the HARQ from next DCI], for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group.)
and a fourth scheme wherein resources allocations for the transmission of acknowledgement messages are defined based on received transmissions from the network node (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI [i.e. received transmissions] requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback [i.e. a fourth scheme/codebook] request).)
and wherein, when a one-shot option is activated in a specific transmission, (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI [i.e. a specific transmission] requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback request). & ¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request [i.e. one-shot is activated]… The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI [i.e. another example of the specific transmission].)
all acknowledgement messages for a set of previous transmissions under the fourth codebook are multiplexed, the set of transmissions comprising the specific transmission. (¶0278 The base station may transmit a DCI requesting/triggering HARQ feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook containing one or more or all, DL HARQ processes (e.g. one-shot feedback request). The one-shot feedback request may be for one or more or all component carriers configured for the UE. & ¶0279 The wireless device may transmit HARQ feedback of one or more PDSCHs in response to receiving a one-shot feedback request. A last/latest PDSCH for which an acknowledgment is reported in response to receiving the one-shot feedback request, may be determined as a last PDSCH within a UE processing time capability (e.g. baseline capability, N1). The UE may report HARQ-ACK feedback for one or more earlier PDSCHs scheduled with non-numerical K1 value [i.e. all ack messages for a set of previous transmissions under fourth codebook, including the specific transmission]. The one-shot feedback may be requested in a UE-specific DCI. The one-shot feedback may request HARQ feedbacks to be reported in a PUCCH. The HARQ feedback may be piggybacked on (e.g. multiplexed in) a PUSCH [i.e. multiplexing the previous transmissions]. & ¶0284 a second DCI triggering a pending HARQ-ACK (re)transmission may be a DL DCI scheduling another DL assignment/SPS release and/or requesting a one-shot HARQ-ACK transmission comprising HARQ feedback information of all DL HARQ processes [i.e. another example of multiplexing all ack messages for a set of previous transmissions under fourth codebook].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of determining a radio node is unable to transmit an acknowledgement message, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Yet, the combined references fail to teach: and wherein two or more acknowledgement messages are multiplexed if response to the corresponding two or more transmissions are under the second codebook;
However, in the analogous art, Lei teaches such a limitation:
and wherein two or more acknowledgement messages are multiplexed in response to the corresponding two or more transmissions are under the second codebook (¶0037-¶0039 HARQ-ACK feedback for multiple PDSCHs can be multiplexed in one HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. multiplex two or more ack messages when under same/one codebook] by means of HARQ-ACK multiplexing. There are two HARQ-ACK codebooks in NR Rel-15: …The second codebook is the Dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook (also called Type 2 in TS38.213 Rel-15) The size of the Dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on the number of actually received DL transmissions to be acknowledged in the same slot [i.e. second codebook is used for multiplexing the two or more ack messages under the one codebook])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang and Rastegardoost’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Lei’s teaching of two or more acknowledgment messages being multiplexed when the transmission are under the second codebook, because it would allow the size of the dynamic codebook to be determined based on the number of received DL transmissions that need acknowledgements multiplexed in the same slot, saving on ACK feedback bits. (see Lei ¶0038-¶0039)
Yet, the combined references fail to teach: and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine
However, in the analogous art, Khoshnevisan-2 teaches such a limitation:
and wherein multiplexing two or more acknowledgement messages for corresponding two or more transmissions under the third codebook can be configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine (¶0162-¶0163 In some cases, the UE 115 is to report acknowledgment feedback on PUCCH for only one PDSCH group, referred to as PDSCH group x (and the other PDSCH group as y), by enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback codebook techniques …the UE 115 may report acknowledgment feedback on PUCCH for both PDSCH groups (e.g., groups x and y) [i.e. number of transmission groups to combine, as opposed to a singular group in the earlier cited case] using enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback codebook techniques [i.e. done under third codebook], and uplink DCI schedules PUSCH overlapping with PUCCH such that acknowledgment feedback will be multiplexed with PUSCH [i.e. two or more acknowledgement feedback messages of a combined number of groups multiplexed under third codebook].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, and Lei’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Khoshnevisan-2’s teaching of multiplexing acknowledgement messages under the third codebook are configured depending on a number of transmission groups to combine, because it would allow the multiplexing of acknowledgment messages on PUCCH for multiple PDSCH groups by configuring uplink DAI for additional groups in downlink control information. (see Khoshnevisan-2 ¶0161-¶0163)
Re. Claim 17, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 16.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein the determination that the radio node is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message is based on one or more of being unable to receive the first acknowledgement message using first resources allocated for transmitting the first acknowledgement message; (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH and/or a DCI releasing DL SPS. The non-numerical value indicates to the UE [i.e. an indication for the radio node to determine it is unable to transmit the first acknowledgement message] that the timing and resource for HARQ-ACK feedback transmission for the corresponding PDSCH/PDCCH will be determined later [i.e. indicating to radio node the inability to transmit ack message based off resources being unavailable due to being determined later].)
and determining that the network node did not allocate resources, in association with the first transmission, for the transmission of the frst acknowledgement message. (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH and/or a DCI releasing DL SPS. The non-numerical value indicates to the UE that the timing and resource for HARQ-ACK feedback transmission for the corresponding PDSCH/PDCCH will be determined later [i.e. indication to be determined by radio node that no resources were allocated yet].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of determining a network node did not allocate resources for a first acknowledgement message, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Re. Claim 18, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 17.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein determining that the network node did not allocate resources comprises determining that the first transmission comprises a control signal indicating that the allocation of resources for the transmission of the first acknowledgement message is being delayed. (¶0264 The base station may configure/signal a non-numerical value [i.e. network node sending a delay/postpone indicator for the radio node to determine] of the PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing indicator (e.g. K1 value) in a DCI scheduling the PDSCH and/or a DCI releasing DL SPS. The non-numerical value indicates to the UE that the timing and resource for HARQ-ACK feedback transmission for the corresponding PDSCH/PDCCH will be determined later [i.e. allocation of resources for ack message transmission being delayed] & Fig. 21 HARQ-ACK pending [i.e. determined from receiving non-numerical K value])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching of a control signal in the first transmission comprising an indication resource allocation for the first acknowledgment message are being delayed, because it allows for the ability to define a scenario where the resources for a later acknowledgement message that has uplink resources to send HARQ-ACK are used to multiplex with the postponed acknowledgement message. (see Rastegardoost ¶0277 & ¶0283-¶0284)
Re. Claim 23, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 14.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein the each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from the set of acknowledgement schemes comprising:
the second scheme (¶0276 The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. second scheme], the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. The second DCI may schedule a second PDSCH with a numerical K1 value. The UE may receive the second DCI after the first DCI.)
and the third scheme. (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme, Implied that second and third scheme are possible selections for codebook], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group.)
the second scheme uses Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) tracking, (¶0224 A size of the dynamic codebook may be dynamically varying, e.g., as a function of a number of scheduled carriers and/or as a function of a number of scheduled transport blocks. To maintain a same understanding of the dynamic codebook size, which is prone to error in the downlink control signaling, a downlink assignment index (DAI) may be included in the scheduling DCI. The DAI field may comprise a counter DAI (cDAI) and a total DAI (tDAI))
the third scheme uses configured transmission groups for multiplexing, (¶0304 A “pending” HARQ-ACK may refer to a HARQ-ACK information of a PDSCH reception or a SPS release which was scheduled by a first DCI indicating a non-numerical value for a HARQ feedback timing indicator. A “pending” HARQ-ACK may refer to a HARQ-ACK information of a PDSCH reception or a SPS release which was dropped due to LBT failure and/or UL cancellation command and/or collision with an UL channel of higher priority. The pending HARQ-ACK may not be pending anymore once the wireless device receives a second DCI indicating an uplink resource for the transmission of the pending HARQ-ACK. Once a second DCI indicating an uplink resource for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission is received, the wireless device may determine to transmit the pending HARQ-ACK via that uplink resource & ¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. [i.e. the third scheme, uses configured transmission groups] The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group. [i.e. pending HARQ-ACK will be multiplexed on the UL when group ID is the same])
the second scheme and the third scheme being used in parallel and operating separately depending on priority. (¶0275-¶0276 The UE may receive a downlink signal (e.g. RRC and/or DCI) scheduling a PDSCH. The UE may be configured with enhanced dynamic codebook HARQ feedback operation. The PDSCH may be scheduled with a non-numerical value for PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing, e.g. K1. The UE may derive/determine a HARQ-ACK timing information for the PDSCH by a next/later DCI. The next DCI may be a DL DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs. The next DCI may comprise a numerical K1 value The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook, the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. [i.e. UE may be configured with enhanced (third scheme) or non-enhanced (second scheme) codebook HARQ feedback] & ¶0334 The wireless device may select the slot for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission between a first slot indicated by an UL DCI and a second slot indicated by a DL DCI based on a priority. For example, if a priority field in the first DCI associated with the pending HARQ-ACK indicates a first (e.g. high) priority, the wireless device may select the second slot comprising a PUCCH based on the DL DCI for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission, or vice versa. For example, if a priority field in the first DCI associated with the pending HARQ-ACK indicates a second (e.g. low) priority, the wireless device may select the first slot comprising a PUSCH based on the UL DCI for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission, [i.e. codebooks (schemes) are not specifically tied to any priority but rather is associated with a priority using a priority field which is independent of the type of codebook, therefore this is seen as each scheme operating separately dependent on priority based on the priority field])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching a second scheme wherein transmission resources for HARQ-ACK messages are dynamically configured by network node transmissions, because it allows a more flexible scheme for operation on unlicensed spectrum. (see Rastegardoost ¶0218)
Re. Claim 24, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 16.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein the each of the first and second acknowledgement schemes is selected from the set of acknowledgement schemes comprising:
the second scheme (¶0276 The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. second scheme], the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. The second DCI may schedule a second PDSCH with a numerical K1 value. The UE may receive the second DCI after the first DCI.)
and the third scheme. (¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme, Implied that second and third scheme are possible selections for codebook], the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group.)
the second scheme uses Downlink Assignment Index (DAI) tracking, (¶0224 A size of the dynamic codebook may be dynamically varying, e.g., as a function of a number of scheduled carriers and/or as a function of a number of scheduled transport blocks. To maintain a same understanding of the dynamic codebook size, which is prone to error in the downlink control signaling, a downlink assignment index (DAI) may be included in the scheduling DCI. The DAI field may comprise a counter DAI (cDAI) and a total DAI (tDAI))
the third scheme uses configured transmission groups for multiplexing, (¶0304 A “pending” HARQ-ACK may refer to a HARQ-ACK information of a PDSCH reception or a SPS release which was scheduled by a first DCI indicating a non-numerical value for a HARQ feedback timing indicator. A “pending” HARQ-ACK may refer to a HARQ-ACK information of a PDSCH reception or a SPS release which was dropped due to LBT failure and/or UL cancellation command and/or collision with an UL channel of higher priority. The pending HARQ-ACK may not be pending anymore once the wireless device receives a second DCI indicating an uplink resource for the transmission of the pending HARQ-ACK. Once a second DCI indicating an uplink resource for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission is received, the wireless device may determine to transmit the pending HARQ-ACK via that uplink resource & ¶0345 For an enhanced dynamic codebook the UL DCI may indicate a PDSCH group ID. [i.e. the third scheme, uses configured transmission groups] The pending HARQ-ACK may be associated with a PDSCH reception of a first PDSCH group. The wireless device may transmit the pending HARQ-ACK based on the UL DCI, for example, if the PDSCH group ID indicated by the UL DCI is the same as the ID of the first PDSCH group. [i.e. pending HARQ-ACK will be multiplexed on the UL when group ID is the same])
the second scheme and the third scheme being used in parallel and operating separately depending on priority. (¶0275-¶0276 The UE may receive a downlink signal (e.g. RRC and/or DCI) scheduling a PDSCH. The UE may be configured with enhanced dynamic codebook HARQ feedback operation. The PDSCH may be scheduled with a non-numerical value for PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing, e.g. K1. The UE may derive/determine a HARQ-ACK timing information for the PDSCH by a next/later DCI. The next DCI may be a DL DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs. The next DCI may comprise a numerical K1 value The UE may receive a first DCI scheduling a PDSCH with non-numerical K1 value. For (non-enhanced) dynamic HARQ-ACK codebook, the UE may determine/derive a HARQ-ACK timing for the PDSCH scheduled with non-numerical K1 value, by a second DCI. [i.e. UE may be configured with enhanced (third scheme) or non-enhanced (second scheme) codebook HARQ feedback] & ¶0334 The wireless device may select the slot for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission between a first slot indicated by an UL DCI and a second slot indicated by a DL DCI based on a priority. For example, if a priority field in the first DCI associated with the pending HARQ-ACK indicates a first (e.g. high) priority, the wireless device may select the second slot comprising a PUCCH based on the DL DCI for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission, or vice versa. For example, if a priority field in the first DCI associated with the pending HARQ-ACK indicates a second (e.g. low) priority, the wireless device may select the first slot comprising a PUSCH based on the UL DCI for the pending HARQ-ACK transmission, [i.e. codebooks (schemes) are not specifically tied to any priority but rather is associated with a priority using a priority field which is independent of the type of codebook, therefore this is seen as each scheme operating separately dependent on priority based on the priority field])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching a second scheme wherein transmission resources for HARQ-ACK messages are dynamically configured by network node transmissions, because it allows a more flexible scheme for operation on unlicensed spectrum. (see Rastegardoost ¶0218)
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2, and further in view of Alfarhan et al. (US 2023/0074723 A1), hereinafter referred to as Alfarhan.
Re. Claim 4, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Yet, the combined references do not explicitly teach: wherein the deciding is further based on one or more of a first group associated with the first transmission under the first acknowledgement scheme; A first priority associated with the first transmission; a second group associated with the second transmission under the second acknowledgement scheme; a second priority associated with the second transmission;
However, in the analogous art, Alfarhan teaches such limitations:
wherein the deciding is further based on one or more of a first group associated with the first transmission under the first acknowledgement scheme; (¶0148 a WTRU may determine whether to transmit jointly two HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. deciding to multiplex codebooks] based on the HARQ-ACK feedback timing indication of the scheduled PDSCH group and/or the HARQ-ACK transmission time of a previous PDSCH group For example, a WTRU may receive first DL assignments [i.e. first transmission associated with first ack scheme] associated with PDSCH group 1 [i.e. a first group])
A first priority associated with the first transmission; (¶0070 As illustrated in FIG. 2, the BS may indicate the WTRU that TB1/HARQ PID1 205 and TB2/HARQ PID2 215 [i.e. first transmission(s)] are associated with priority 0 (i.e. low priority) [i.e. a first priority associated with a first transmission], for example, using downlink control information (DCI).)
a second group associated with the second transmission under the second acknowledgement scheme; (¶0148 a WTRU may determine whether to transmit jointly two HARQ-ACK codebooks [i.e. deciding to multiplex codebooks] based on the HARQ-ACK feedback timing indication of the scheduled PDSCH group and/or the HARQ-ACK transmission time of a previous PDSCH group. For example, a WTRU may receive first DL assignments associated with PDSCH group 1 and a first HARQ-ACK codebook transmission occasion in t1. In subsequent DL transmissions [i.e. a second transmission associated with second ack scheme], DL PDSCHs are associated with PDSCH group 2 [i.e. a second group])
a second priority associated with the second transmission; (¶0070 The BS may also indicate the WTRU that TB3/HARQ PID3 225 [i.e. a second transmission] is associated with priority 1 (i.e. high priority) [i.e. a second priority associated with a second transmission], for example, using DCI.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Alfarhan’s teaching of the first and second transmissions being associated with a priority, because it allows the system to be more selective therefore decreasing interference. (see Alfarhan ¶0002-¶0003)
Re. Claim 5, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Yet the combined references do not teach the limitations of claim 5.
However, in the analogous art, Alfarhan teaches such limitations:
wherein the deciding is further based on one or both of:
a first priority of the first transmission
and a second priority of the second transmission. (Fig. 2 (240) One Shot Feedback based on Request for Priority = 1 & ¶0142 a WTRU may be configured to multiplex multiple selective one-shot HARQ codebooks in one HARQ codebook. [i.e. Fig. 2 only shows one HARQ ack codebook, though this passage states there could be multiples to multiplex] (*Examiner has mapped to one limitation only due to the presence of “or”))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Alfarhan’s teaching of the deciding to multiplex the first and second codebook being based on a second priority of the second transmission, because it allows the system to be more selective therefore decreasing interference. (see Alfarhan ¶0002-¶0003)
Re. Claim 6, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Yet the combined references do not teach the limitations of claim 6.
However, in the analogous art, Alfarhan teaches such limitations:
wherein multiplexing the first and second acknowledgement messages comprises multiplexing the first acknowledgement message being associated with a first priority (¶0070 As illustrated in FIG. 2, the BS may indicate the WTRU that TB1/HARQ PID1 205 and TB2/HARQ PID2 215 [i.e. first transmission(s)] are associated with priority 0 (i.e. low priority) [i.e. a first priority associated with a first transmission], for example, using downlink control information (DCI).)
with the second acknowledgement message being associated with a second priority, (¶0070 The BS may also indicate the WTRU that TB3/HARQ PID3 225 [i.e. a second transmission] is associated with priority 1 (i.e. high priority) [i.e. a second priority associated with a second transmission], for example, using DCI.)
wherein the first priority is different from the second priority. (¶0114 The WTRU may receive a one-shot HARQ feedback request explicitly requesting feedback for one or more of the M groups of HARQ processes (e.g., regardless of the priority level of each transmission within each fixed group) [i.e. multiplexing of first and second HARQ-ACK that are of different priorities].)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Alfarhan’s teaching of the deciding to multiplex the first and second codebook where each have different priority configurations, because it is useful feature for LBT failure scenario in which the HARQ-ACK is able to be transmitted at the next available opportunity. (see Alfarhan ¶0128-¶0129)
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, Khoshnevisan-2, and further in view of Khoshnevisan et al (US 2021/0410155 A1), hereinafter referred to as Khoshnevisan.
Re. Claim 10, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches Claim 9.
Yet, the combined references fail to explicitly define each HARQ codebook with a specific type such as in claim 10.
However, in the analogous art, Khoshnevisan does define each scheme with a type and therefore teaches the following limitations:
wherein one or more of the first scheme is a HARQ codebook Type 1; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) [i.e. a first scheme] while the other is Type 2 (dynamic), or both can be Type 2, etc.)
the second scheme is a HARQ codebook Type 2; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) while the other is Type 2 (dynamic) [i.e. a second scheme], or both can be Type 2, etc.)
the third scheme is a HARQ codebook e-Type 2; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) while the other is Type 2 (dynamic), or both can be Type 2, etc. & ¶0085 Herein, non-enhanced dynamic codebooks and enhanced dynamic codebook [i.e. a third scheme; a HARQ codebook e-type 2] are both generally referred to as dynamic codebooks.)
and the fourth scheme is a HARQ codebook Type 3. (¶0085 Turning now to the “one-shot” (or Type 3) codebooks of Release 16, the one-shot HARQ-ACK feedback allows a gNB to request feedback of a HARQ-ACK codebook for all configured DL HARQ processes for all configured component carriers (CCs) configured for a UE. [i.e. describes fourth scheme])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of pending HARQ feedback transmission to include Khoshnevisan’s teaching of a naming convention for each codebook based off a name type, because it allows the distinction of different codebooks when managing the use and coexistence of multiple HARQ-ACK codebooks. (see Khoshnevisan ¶0033)
Re. Claim 11, Wang combined with Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2 teaches claim 1.
Rastegardoost further teaches:
wherein the first acknowledgement scheme and the second acknowledgement scheme are, respectively:
or a HARQ codebook e-Type 2 and a HARQ codebook Type 3; (¶0275 The UE may receive a downlink signal (e.g. RRC and/or DCI) scheduling a PDSCH. The UE may be configured with enhanced dynamic codebook HARQ feedback operation. The PDSCH may be scheduled with a non-numerical value for PDSCH-to-HARQ-feedback timing, e.g. K1. & ¶0284 a second DCI triggering a pending HARQ-ACK (re)transmission may be a DL DCI scheduling another DL assignment/SPS release and/or requesting a one-shot HARQ-ACK [i.e. a HARQ codebook type 3] transmission comprising HARQ feedback information of all DL HARQ processes. [i.e. HARQ codebook e-type 2 received before HARQ codebook type 3])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of a HARQ-ACK feedback method and devices to include Rastegardoost’s teaching a first and second acknowledgment scheme corresponding to a HARQ codebook e-type 2 and type 3 respectively, because it allows the first HARQ-ACK to be postponed by NNK1 and transmitted later on one-shot UL resources. (see Rastegardoost ¶¶0280 & ¶0282)
Yet, the combined references do not explicitly teach: wherein the first acknowledgement scheme and the second acknowledgement scheme are, respectively: a HARQ codebook Type 3 and a HARQ codebook Type 2; a HARQ codebook Type 2 and a HARQ codebook e-Type 2; or a HARQ codebook e-Type 2 and a HARQ codebook Type 2; or a HARQ codebook Type 1 and a HARQ codebook e-Type 2; or a HARQ codebook Type 1 and a HARQ codebook Type 3; or a HARQ codebook Type 3 and a HARQ codebook e-Type 2.
However, in the analogous art, Khoshnevisan teaches such limitations:
or a HARQ codebook Type 3 and a HARQ codebook Type 2; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) while the other is Type 2 (dynamic), or both can be Type 2, etc & ¶0142-¶0143 base station 105 may provide a feedback configuration 215 to the UE 115 that may configure various different acknowledgment feedback reports that are to be provided by the UE 115 the feedback configuration 215 may provide a one-shot feedback configuration [i.e. configuration for HARQ codebook Type 3, by description of one-shot feedback which is the equivalent meaning] that provides feedback codebooks for reporting acknowledgment feedback for each configured feedback process (e.g., each configured HARQ process ID) across all configured CCs. the wireless communications system 200 may operate in a NR system, which may allow for two modes of transmission of a HARQ-ACK codebook [i.e. may be configured with Type 2 (dynamic) HARQ codebook, as well as one-shot (Type 3) HARQ codebook])
a HARQ codebook Type 2 and a HARQ codebook e-Type 2; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) while the other is Type 2 (dynamic), or both can be Type 2, etc & ¶0143 the wireless communications system 200 may operate in a NR system, which may allow for two modes of transmission of a HARQ-ACK codebook, which may include a semi-static (e.g., Type 1) mode, and a dynamic (e.g., Type 2) mode. An enhanced dynamic feedback mode (also referred to as group-based feedback mode) may allow for grouping of multiple downlink transmissions [i.e. may operate with either dynamic (Type 2) or enhanced dynamic (e-Type 2)])
or a HARQ codebook e-Type 2 and a HARQ codebook Type 2; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) while the other is Type 2 (dynamic), or both can be Type 2, etc & ¶0143 the wireless communications system 200 may operate in a NR system, which may allow for two modes of transmission of a HARQ-ACK codebook, which may include a semi-static (e.g., Type 1) mode, and a dynamic (e.g., Type 2) mode. An enhanced dynamic feedback mode (also referred to as group-based feedback mode) may allow for grouping of multiple downlink transmissions [i.e. may operate with either dynamic (Type 2) or enhanced dynamic (e-Type 2)])
or a HARQ codebook Type 1 and a HARQ codebook e-Type 2; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, e.g., one can be Type 1 (semi-static) while the other is Type 2 (dynamic), or both can be Type 2, etc & ¶0143 the wireless communications system 200 may operate in a NR system, which may allow for two modes of transmission of a HARQ-ACK codebook, which may include a semi-static (e.g., Type 1) mode, and a dynamic (e.g., Type 2) mode. An enhanced dynamic feedback mode (also referred to as group-based feedback mode) may allow for grouping of multiple downlink transmissions)
or a HARQ codebook Type 1 and a HARQ codebook Type 3; (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, & ¶0142 base station 105 may provide a feedback configuration 215 to the UE 115 that may configure various different acknowledgment feedback reports that are to be provided by the UE 115. For example, the feedback configuration 215 may provide configuration parameters for enhanced dynamic feedback codebooks for providing acknowledgment feedback for one or more PDSCH groups on one or more CCs. Further, the feedback configuration 215 may provide a one-shot feedback configuration [i.e. configuration for HARQ codebook Type 3, by description of one-shot feedback which is the equivalent meaning] that provides feedback codebooks for reporting acknowledgment feedback for each configured feedback process (e.g., each configured HARQ process ID) across all configured CCs.)
or a HARQ codebook Type 3 and a HARQ codebook e-Type 2. (¶0080 The codebook type can be the same or different for the configured HARQ-ACK codebooks, & ¶0142 base station 105 may provide a feedback configuration 215 to the UE 115 that may configure various different acknowledgment feedback reports that are to be provided by the UE 115. For example, the feedback configuration 215 may provide configuration parameters for enhanced dynamic feedback codebooks [i.e. configuration for HARQ codebook e-Type 2] for providing acknowledgment feedback for one or more PDSCH groups on one or more CCs. Further, the feedback configuration 215 may provide a one-shot feedback configuration [i.e. configuration for HARQ codebook Type 3, by description of one-shot feedback which is the equivalent meaning] that provides feedback codebooks for reporting acknowledgment feedback for each configured feedback process (e.g., each configured HARQ process ID) across all configured CCs. & ¶0146 the UE 115 may be configured with both enhanced dynamic acknowledgment feedback and one-shot acknowledgment feedback)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Wang, Rastegardoost, Lei, and Khoshnevisan-2’s invention of pending HARQ feedback transmission to include Khoshnevisan’s teaching of configurations for multiple modes of transmission for HARQ feedback, because it would allow for the use of two modes of transmission for the HARQ feedback where they can be the same or different, which increases system capability. (see Khoshnevisan ¶0080 & ¶0143)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yang et al. (US 2022/0021486 A1); at least ¶0089 discloses different types of HARQ feedback (schemes) can be configured with different priorities, where HARQ feedback for low priority cannot be multiplexed with HARQ feedback configured for high priority. Therefore, reading on the limitation of the second and third scheme being used in parallel and operating separately depending on priority, as recited in claims 9, 23 and 24.
Lei et al. (US 2022/0385411 A1); at least ¶0035-¶0039 discloses a non-numerical value indicating postponed HARQ-ACK feedback due to being unable to transmit the first feedback, and multiplexing the postponed HARQ-ACK feedback on a later PUSCH with other HARQ-ACK feedback configurations with available resources.
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/G.A.M./Examiner, Art Unit 2417
/REBECCA E SONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2417