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 . Claims 1 and 5-7 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1, and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 5 have been amended to recite the limitation “determine one or more physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources for transmitting the HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PDSCH based on a reception time of a second DCI format”. The Applicant indicated that support for the new limitation can be found in the originally filed application, for example, in paragraphs [0412] to [0417]. However, it appears that these paragraphs do not support determining one or more physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources … based on a reception time of a second DCI format. The paragraphs appear to suggest in a case that the terminal apparatus 1 detects the second DCI format, then in the PUCCH or PUSCH transmission in the slot indicated by the value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI format. Thus, the PUCCH transmission in the slot is indicated by the value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field of the second DCI format and not based on a reception time of a second DCI format.
New Claims 6 and 7 recite the limitation “the first DCI format does not indicate SPS PDSCH release or secondary cell (SCell) dormancy”. The Applicant indicated that support for the new limitation can be found in the originally filed application, for example, in paragraphs [0375] [0389] [0412] to [0414]. However, it appears that these paragraphs do not support “the first DCI format does not indicate SPS PDSCH release or secondary cell (SCell) dormancy”. The paragraphs appear to suggest “in a case that the terminal apparatus 1 detects the DCI format 1_1 indicating SCell dormancy” (paragraph [0375]), “the terminal apparatus 1 receives the PDCCH indicating the SPS PDSCH release” (paragraph [0374]), “the terminal apparatus 1 detects the DCI format that provides the SPS PDSCH release” (paragraph [0377]), “For DCI formats other than DCI format 1_0 scheduling PDSCH reception or SPS PDSCH release” (paragraph [0388]), . Thus, these paragraphs explicitly require that the DCI format indicating SPS PDSCH release or secondary cell (SCell) dormancy.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 and 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US 20230043308 A1) in view of Yang et al. (US 20220303064 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Li et al. disclose a terminal apparatus comprising: a receiver configured to monitor a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for receiving a first downlink control information (DCI) format (paragraphs [0055-0056]; a UE receives the PDSCH-1 518 scheduled by the DCI-1 510 that the UE detects in a first PDCCH monitoring occasion and includes K1 -1 of NNK1 from dl-DataToUL-ACK); and a transmitter configured to: transmit a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) corresponding to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the PDCCH, and determine one or more physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources for transmitting the HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PDSCH based on a reception time of a second DCI format, which is received after the first DCI format and includes a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback indicator field with an applicable value (paragraph [0056]; The UE may multiplex the corresponding HARQ-ACK information 518 for the PDSCH-1 in a PUCCH transmission in a slot that is indicated by a value of a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI) (paragraph [0056]; The DCI-2 520 may include one bit of one-shot HARQ-ACK request field with value 1, and the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field of an applicable value (e.g., K1-2=2)) (fig. 5A; DCI-2 is received after DCI-1), in a case the first DCI format is used for scheduling the PDSCH (paragraph [0056]; the PDSCH-1 518 is scheduled by the DCI-1 510), and the first DCI format includes another PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field providing an inapplicable value (paragraph [0055]; first DCI (DCI-1, 510) for a first PDSCH (PDSCH-1, 518) may have a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator bit field (K1-1) of non-applicable value (or non-number value, or NNK1, or −1)); and determine a PUCCH resource for another HARQ-ACK in response to receiving a PDSCH in a case that transmission of HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH is enabled (paragraph [0056]; PUCCH is determined by a value of a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI for a second PDSCH) (paragraph [0065]; one-shot HARQ-ACK feedback enabled by pdsch-HARQ-ACK-OneShotFeedback-r16. The UE may receive a DCI including a one-shot HARQ-ACK request bit field value of 1). However, Li et al. may not explicitly suggest the PDSCH is semi-persistent scheduled and determining a PUCCH resource for the HARQ-ACK, in response to receiving the semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) PDSCH, in a case that transmission of HARQ-ACK information for the SPS PDSCH is enabled. Yang et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest determining a PUCCH resource for another HARQ-ACK in response to receiving a PDSCH in a case that transmission of HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH is enabled (paragraphs [0535-0536]; a PUCCH resource for A/N feedback transmission corresponding to the initial PDSCH reception may be allowed/enabled through DCI indicating SPS activation. An A/N timing through DCI indicating SPS activation may be allowed when the Type-2a (and/or Type-3) A/N codebook or the Type-2 (and/or Type-3) A/N codebook is configured for a UE). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Li et al.’s method/system the step of utilizing SPS and determining the PUCCH resource for HARQ-ACK transmission when it is allowed/enabled as suggested by Yang et al. The motivation would have been to improve decoding performance and to reduce unnecessary PDSCH retransmission overhead (paragraph [0489]).
Regarding claim 5, Li et al. disclose a communication method comprising: monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for receiving a first downlink control information (DCI) format (paragraphs [0055-0056]; a UE receives the PDSCH-1 518 scheduled by the DCI-1 510 that the UE detects in a first PDCCH monitoring occasion and includes K1 -1 of NNK1 from dl-DataToUL-ACK); and transmitting a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) corresponding to a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the PDCCH, and determining one or more physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources for transmitting the HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PDSCH based on a reception time of a second DCI format, which is received after the first DCI format and includes a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback indicator field with an applicable value (paragraph [0056]; The UE may multiplex the corresponding HARQ-ACK information 518 for the PDSCH-1 in a PUCCH transmission in a slot that is indicated by a value of a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI) (paragraph [0056]; ) The DCI-2 520 may include one bit of one-shot HARQ-ACK request field with value 1, and the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field of an applicable value (e.g., K1-2=2)) (fig. 5A; DCI-2 is received after DCI-1), in a case the first DCI format is used for scheduling the PDSCH (paragraph [0056]; the PDSCH-1 518 is scheduled by the DCI-1 510), and the first DCI format includes another PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field providing an inapplicable value (paragraph [0055]; first DCI (DCI-1, 510) for a first PDSCH (PDSCH-1, 518) may have a PDSCH-to-HARQ_feedback timing indicator bit field (K1-1) of non-applicable value (or non-number value, or NNK1, or −1)). and determine a PUCCH resource for another HARO-ACK in response to receiving a PDSCH in a case that transmission of HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH is enabled (paragraph [0056]; PUCCH is determined by a value of a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI for a second PDSCH) (paragraph [0065]; one-shot HARQ-ACK feedback enabled by pdsch-HARQ-ACK-OneShotFeedback-r16. The UE may receive a DCI including a one-shot HARQ-ACK request bit field value of 1). However, Li et al. may not explicitly suggest the PDSCH is semi-persistent scheduled and determining a PUCCH resource for the HARQ-ACK, in response to receiving the semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) PDSCH, in a case that transmission of HARQ-ACK information for the SPS PDSCH is enabled. Yang et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest determining a PUCCH resource for another HARQ-ACK in response to receiving a PDSCH in a case that transmission of HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH is enabled (paragraphs [0535-0536]; a PUCCH resource for A/N feedback transmission corresponding to the initial PDSCH reception may be allowed/enabled through DCI indicating SPS activation. An A/N timing through DCI indicating SPS activation may be allowed when the Type-2a (and/or Type-3) A/N codebook or the Type-2 (and/or Type-3) A/N codebook is configured for a UE). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Li et al.’s method/system the step of utilizing SPS and determining the PUCCH resource for HARQ-ACK transmission when it is allowed/enabled as suggested by Yang et al. The motivation would have been to improve decoding performance and to reduce unnecessary PDSCH retransmission overhead (paragraph [0489]).
Regarding claim 6, Li et al. wherein the transmitter is further configured to determine another PUCCH resource for transmitting the HARQ-ACK in a case that a pdsch-HARQ-ACK-OneShotFeedback is provided, and the second DCI format includes a One-shot HARQ-ACK request field with value 1 (paragraph [0056]; HARQ-ACK information 518 for the PDSCH-1 in a PUCCH in a slot that is indicated by a value of a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI) (paragraph [0049]; the UE receives the second DCI corresponding to the second PDSCH. The second DCI include a second K with an applicable value and a one-shot request field with a positive value of 1). Yang et al. further suggest transmitting the HARQ-ACK in a type 3 HARQ-ACK codebook; the first DCI format does not indicate SPS PDSCH release or secondary cell (SCell) dormancy (paragraph [0537]; DCI indicating A/N feedback transmission based on the Type-3 codebook and/or DCI indicating SPS activation and/or DCI indicating SPS release and/or a specific cell (e.g., Scell), in relation to DCI indicating switching to a specific (e.g., dormant) BWP).
Regarding claim 7, Li et al. wherein the transmitter is further configured to determine another PUCCH resource for transmitting the HARQ-ACK in a case that a pdsch-HARQ-ACK-OneShotFeedback is provided, and the second DCI format includes a One-shot HARQ-ACK request field with value 1 (paragraph [0056]; HARQ-ACK information 518 for the PDSCH-1 in a PUCCH in a slot that is indicated by a value of a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI) (paragraph [0049]; the UE receives the second DCI corresponding to the second PDSCH. The second DCI include a second K with an applicable value and a one-shot request field with a positive value of 1). Yang et al. further suggest transmitting the HARQ-ACK in a type 3 HARQ-ACK codebook; the first DCI format does not indicate SPS PDSCH release or secondary cell (SCell) dormancy (paragraph [0537]; DCI indicating A/N feedback transmission based on the Type-3 codebook and/or DCI indicating SPS activation and/or DCI indicating SPS release and/or a specific cell (e.g., Scell), in relation to DCI indicating switching to a specific (e.g., dormant) BWP).
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant's remarks/arguments filed 03/13/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. On pages 4-5 of the Applicant’s remarks regarding the rejections of claims 1 and 5 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, Applicant submits that paragraph [0412] of the originally filed specification has adequate support for a condition for transmitting the HARQ-ACK information corresponding to the PDSCH scheduled by the first DCI format in the PUCCH resource in the slot indicated by the value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI format. In response, the Examiner respectfully disagrees because the claim explicitly recites the limitation “determining one or more physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources … based on a reception time of a second DCI format”. Thus the reception of time of a second DCI format can ordinarily mean the time at which the second DCI format is received. It can be broadly interpreted that the reception of time is the arrival time of the second DCI format. However, paragraph [0412] suggests that the PUCCH resource in the slot for transmitting the HARQ-ACK is indicated by the value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI format. Thus determining one or more physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resources … may be based on the value of the PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator field in the second DCI format and not the actual reception time of the second DCI format as claimed. Therefore the rejections of claims 1 and 5 have been maintained for at least the reasons discussed above.
Applicant’s remarks/arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 5 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) have been considered but are moot in view of new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOANG-CHUONG Q VU whose telephone number is (571)270-3945. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9:30-5:30 PM EST.).
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HOANG-CHUONG Q. VU
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2476
/HOANG-CHUONG Q VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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