DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The amendment submitted on 03/18/2026 has been received and considered by the Examiner. Claims 21-25 were amended and remain pending.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (US 2022/0039088 A1, hereinafter “Zhang”).
As to Claim 21, 22, and 23:
Zhang describes a process for sending uplink control information with different priorities on one uplink channel.
Specifically, Zhang teaches:
A processor ... and transmitting circuitry
Fig. 3A in Zhang shows a UE that includes a “processor/controller 340” and a “RF transceiver 310” (Zhang, 0062, Fig. 3A).
Determine two physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) configurations, one of the two PUCCH configurations being a first PUCCH configuration for a low priority PUCCH, the other one of the two PUCCH configurations being a second PUCCH configuration for a high priority PUCCH
Zhang teaches that “[t]he UE may be configured with a PUCCH configuration list, which may include two PUCCH configurations, including a first PUCCH configuration and a second PUCCH configuration. For example, the first PUCCH configuration may correspond to the second priority ... Similarly, the second PUCCH configuration may correspond to the first priority” (Zhang, 0107).
Here, the “first priority” and “second priority” are analogous to a “low priority” and “high priority” because one must be higher and the other lower if they differ.
Determine a first PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter and a second PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter which are included in the second PUCCH configuration, each of the first and second PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameters used to determine a maximum code rate, the second PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter being an extra configuration parameter which is configured in addition to the first PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter and which is used only when multiplexing of uplink control information (UCI) with different priorities is applied
Zhang teaches that “[f]or each PUCCH configuration of the first PUCCH configuration and the second PUCCH configuration, the base station will configure a maximum code rate of the PUCCH” (Zhang, 0182). Zhang also adds that “[w]hen the first UCI and the second UCI are transmitted in PUCCH format x with the higher priority, a maximum code rate of a UCI with a lower priority ... may be determined to be an additional maximum code rate configured in PUCCH format x” (Zhang, 0196).
Here, “a maximum code rate of the PUCCH” maps to “a first PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter”, and
“an additional maximum code rate” maps to “a second PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter” which is “an extra configuration parameter which is configured in addition to the first PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter and which is used only when multiplexing of uplink control information (UCI) with different priorities”.
Determine a first maximum code rate for a high priority hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) and a second maximum code rate for a low priority HARQ-ACK, the first maximum code rate and the second maximum code rate being separately configured, the first maximum code rate being configured using the first PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter, the second maximum code rate being configured using the second PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter
As cited above, Zhang teaches a maximum code rate associated with different PUCCH configurations (Zhang, 0182) and an additional code rate for different priority UCIs multiplexed together in a PUCCH (Zhang, 0196). This encompasses separate configurations for “UCI with the lower priority” and “UCI with the higher priority”. Zhang further teaches that “[a] type of UCI may include HARQ-ACK information” (Zhang, 0093).
Here, “HARQ-ACK information” using the maximum code rate for “UCI with the higher priority” corresponds to “a first maximum code rate for a high priority hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK)”, and
“HARQ-ACK information” using the maximum code rate for “UCI with the lower priority” maps to “a second maximum code rate for a low priority HARQ-ACK”.
Separately encode the high priority HARQ-ACK and the low priority HARQ-ACK based on the determined first maximum code rate and the determined second maximum code rate, respectively
Zhang teaches that “the plurality of UCI with different priorities” may be “multiplexed in a PUCCH format” and “separately encoded” (Zhang, 0253).
Multiplex the encoded high priority HARQ-ACK and the encoded low priority HARQ-ACK on the high priority PUCCH
Zhang teaches that “the plurality of UCI with different priorities” may be “multiplexed in a PUCCH format” and “separately encoded” (Zhang, 0253).
Transmit the multiplexed HARQ-ACK on the high priority PUCCH
Zhang teaches that “a maximum code rate of a UCI with the lower priority” may be “configured in a PUCCH resource with the higher priority” along with “the plurality of UCIs” (Zhang, 0169-0170). Zhang further teaches that “[a] type of UCI may include HARQ-ACK information” (Zhang, 0093).
A value of the first PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter indicates the first maximum code rate
Zhang describes “a parameter maxCodeRate” that is “configured in an existing PUCCH format” (Zhang, 0193).
A value of the second PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter indicates the second maximum code rate
Zhang describes “an additional maximum code rate” that is “configured in the PUCCH format” and “may be used for UCI of which the priority is different from that of the PUCCH format” (Zhang, 0193).
Claim 22 requires the same limitations as Claim 21 in the form of a method claim.
Claim 23 requires the same limitations as Claim 21 from the perspective of the base station which additionally requires:
A processor and ... receiving circuitry
Fig. 3B in Zhang depicts a base station which includes “transceivers 372a-372n” and “a controller/processor 378” (Zhang, 0068).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 24-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2022/0039088 A1) in view of Takeda et al. (US 11,516,782 B2, hereinafter “Takeda”).
As to Claims 24 and 25:
Zhang teaches:
Determine a third PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter used to configure a third maximum code rate, the third PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter being included in the first PUCCH configuration
Zhang describes “a parameter maxCodeRate” that is “configured in an existing PUCCH format” as well as “an additional maximum code rate” that is “configured in the PUCCH format” and “may be used for UCI of which the priority is different from that of the PUCCH format” (Zhang, 0193).
A “third PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter” would be an example of an obvious modification to Zhang because it qualifies as “duplication of parts” (see MPEP 2144.04 VI B).
A value of the third PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter indicates the third maximum code rate
Again, Zhang 0193 describes multiple max code rate parameters, and a “third PUCCH-MaxCodeRate parameter” would be an example of an obvious modification to Zhang because it qualifies as “duplication of parts” (see MPEP 2144.04 VI B).
Zhang does not explicitly disclose:
Determine the third maximum code rate for a second low priority HARQ-ACK on the low priority PUCCH when the multiplexing of the UCI with different priorities is not applied
The transmitting circuitry is further configured to transmit the second low priority HARQ-ACK on the low priority PUCCH
However, Takeda does describe a method for multiplexing different UCI messages onto a single PUCCH
Specifically, Takeda teaches:
Determine the third maximum code rate for a second low priority HARQ-ACK on a low priority PUCCH when the multiplexing of the UCI with different priorities is not applied
Takeda teaches that “[i]n a case that the total number of bits of the UCI for URLLC multiplexed on the PUCCH exceeds a certain threshold based on the maximum coding rate configured for the UCI for URLLC, the user terminal drops a portion of the UCI for URLLC ... and does not multiplex the UCI for eMBB on the PUCCH” (Takeda col. 10, lines 33-39).
Here, “the maximum coding rate configured” maps to “determine the third maximum code rate”,
“the UCI for URLLC” maps to “a second low priority HARQ-ACK”,
“the PUCCH” for “the UCI for URLLC” maps to “a low priority PUCCH”, and
“does not multiplex the UCI for eMBB on the PUCCH” maps to “the multiplexing of the UCI with different priorities is not applied”).
The transmitting circuitry is further configured to transmit the second low priority HARQ-ACK on the low priority PUCCH
Takeda describes “a plurality of pieces of UCI by using the PUCCH”, adding, “[i]n a case that the total number of bits of the UCI for URLLC multiplexed on the PUCCH exceeds a certain threshold based on the maximum coding rate configured for the UCI for URLLC, the user terminal drops a portion of the UCI for URLLC ... and does not multiplex the UCI for eMBB on the PUCCH” (Takeda col. 2, lines 14-16; col. 10, lines 33-39).
Here, “transmission” maps to “the transmitting circuitry is further configured to transmit”,
“UCI for URLLC” maps to “the second low priority HARQ-ACK”, and
“using the PUCCH” for the “UCI for URLLC” maps to “the low priority PUCCH”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Zhang’s method for multiplexing HARQ-ACK transmissions with different coding rates Takeda’s method for sending UCIs with different priorities as described in Takeda. Both references relate to sending UCIs with different coding rates together, so it would be obvious to combine two references that relate to the same subject matter.
Claim 25 describes the same subject matter as Claim 24 from the perspective of the base station.
Conclusion
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/B.P.W./Examiner, Art Unit 2477
/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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