DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS, filed on 12/19/2025, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9, and 11 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al., (International Publication Number: WO 2020/01888821 (A1)), in view of (3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #99, Reno, Nevada, US, November 18th – 22nd, 2019, R1-1913369, Agenda Item: 7.2.5.4, Source: MediaTek Inc., Title: Summary of 7.2.5.4 on more delay-tolerant re-transmission mechanisms in NR-NTN, hereinafter Document MediaTek) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the non-final rejection dated 08/20/2025 has overcome in view of amendments. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Chen et al., (Pub. No.: US 2011/0116454 A1).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claims 1, 6, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al., (International Publication Number: WO 2020/0188821 (A1)), in view of (3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #99, Reno, Nevada, US, November 18th – 22nd, 2019, R1-1913369, Agenda Item: 7.2.5.4, Source: MediaTek Inc., Title: Summary of 7.2.5.4 on more delay-tolerant re-transmission mechanisms in NR-NTN, hereinafter Document MediaTek), and further in view of Chen et al., (Pub. No.: US 2011/0116454 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, (Currently Amended) Matsumura discloses a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus, the UE comprising: (Matsumura, Fig. 8, paragraph [0123] Wireless communication system 1, user terminal 20 which is a user equipment (UE), wireless base station 11)
receiving circuitry configured to: (Matsumura, Fig. 11, paragraph [0157] transmitting/receiving antenna 201, transmitting/receiving section 203)
receive a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)) per HARQ process, (Matsumura, paragraph [0055], and Fig. 4A, paragraph [0057] disclose 32 HARQ processes, HARQ process numbers range from HPN0 to HPN31) and
receive a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH); (Matsumura, paragraph [0004] discloses PDSCH, paragraphs [0008]-[0009], Fig. 2, paragraphs [0020], and [0028] disclose PDCCH) and
transmitting circuitry configured to transmit (Matsumura, Fig. 11, paragraph [0157] transmitting/receiving antenna 201, transmitting/receiving section 203)
for the PDSCH (Matsumura, paragraph [0004] discloses PDSCH) based on the RRC signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)), wherein
the receiving circuitry is further configured to receive an RRC signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)).
Matsumura does not explicitly disclose used for indicating enabling or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, configured to transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission.
However, Matsumura in view of Document MediaTek disclose used for indicating enabling or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, configured to transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback. (Document MediaTek, section 2.1.1 discloses enabling/disabling of HARQ feedback, section 4.1 also discloses HARQ feedback enabling/disabling)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to be motivated to combine the teachings of Matsumura before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with that of Document of MediaTek so that used for indicating enabling or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, configured to transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback be included in a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus. The motivation to combine the teachings of Document MediaTek provides various consensus proposals. Adjustable aggregation/repetition factor is beneficial for latency reduction and better spectral efficiency. (Document MediaTek, entire document, emphasis: sections 2, 3, sections 4.1, and 4.2)
Matsumura and Document MediaTek do not explicitly disclose for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission.
However, Matsumura and Document MediaTek in view of Chen disclose for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission. (Chen, paragraph {0056] discloses SPS transmission, in addition Abstract, paragraphs [0001]-[0002], Summary: paragraphs [0007]-[0016], Figs. 5, 7, and Fig. 8, paragraph [0086] disclose semi-persistent scheduling, paragraphs [0051]-[0052], [0054], [0056], and [0058] also disclose semi-persistent scheduling (SPS))
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art to be motivated to combine the teachings of Matsumura and Document MediaTek before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with that of Chen so that for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission be included in a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus. The motivation to combine the teachings of Chen reduces control channel signaling, and increases the reliability of the system. (Chen, Abstract, paragraphs [0001]-[0002], [0007]-[0016], [0054], [0056], and [0081])
Claims 2-5. (Cancelled)
Regarding Claim 6, (Currently Amended) Matsumura discloses a base station apparatus that communicates with a user equipment (UE), the base station apparatus comprising: (Matsumura, Fig. 8, paragraph [0123] Wireless communication system 1, user terminal 20 which is a user equipment (UE), wireless base station 11)
transmitting circuitry configured to: (Matsumura, Fig. 9, paragraph [0137] transmitting/receiving unit 103 (i.e. transceiver unit 103)
transmit a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] disclose radio resource control (RRC)) per HARQ process (Matsumura, Fig. 3B, paragraph [0040] HARQ process number (HPN) corresponding to HARQ process), and
transmit a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH); (Matsumura, paragraph [0004] discloses PDSCH, paragraphs [0008]-[0009], Fig. 2, paragraphs [0020], and [0028] disclose PDCCH) and
receiving circuitry configured to receive for the PDSCH (Matsumura, paragraph [0004] discloses PDSCH), based on the RRC signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)), wherein
the transmitting circuitry is further configured to transmit an RRC signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)).
Matsumura does not explicitly disclose used for indicating enabling or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission.
However, Matsumura in view of Document MediaTek disclose used for indicating enabling or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback. (Document MediaTek, section 2.1.1 discloses enabling/disabling of HARQ feedback, section 4.1 also discloses HARQ feedback enabling/disabling)
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art to be motivated to combine the teachings of Matsumura before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with that of Document MediaTek so that used for indicating enabling or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback be included in a base station apparatus that communicates with a user equipment (UE). The motivation to combine the teachings of Document MediaTek provides various consensus proposals. Adjustable aggregation/repetition factor is beneficial for latency reduction and better spectral efficiency. (Document MediaTek, entire document, emphasis: sections 2, 3, sections 4.1, and 4.2)
Matsumura and Document MediaTek do not explicitly disclose for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission.
However, Matsumura and Document MediaTek in view of Chen disclose for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission. (Chen, paragraph {0056] discloses SPS transmission, in addition Abstract, paragraphs [0001]-[0002], Summary: paragraphs [0007]-[0016], Figs. 5, 7, and Fig. 8, paragraph [0086] disclose semi-persistent scheduling, paragraphs [0051]-[0052], [0054], [0056], and [0058] also disclose semi-persistent scheduling (SPS))
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art to be motivated to combine the teachings of Matsumura and Document MediaTek before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with that of Chen so that for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission be included in a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus. The motivation to combine the teachings of Chen reduces control channel signaling, and increases the reliability of the system. (Chen, Abstract, paragraphs [0001]-[0002], [0007]-[0016], [0054], [0056], and [0081])
Claims 7-10. (Cancelled)
Regarding Claim 11, (Currently Amended) Matsumura discloses a communication method performed by a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus, the communication method comprising: (Matsumura, Fig. 8, paragraph [0123] Wireless communication system 1, user terminal 20 which is a user equipment (UE), wireless base station 11)
receiving a radio resource control (RRC) signaling (Matsumura, Fig. 11, paragraph [0157] transmitting/receiving antenna 201, transmitting/receiving section 203) per HARQ process (Matsumura, Fig. 3B, paragraph [0040] HARQ process number (HPN) corresponding to HARQ process);
receiving a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH); (Matsumura, paragraph [0004] discloses PDSCH, paragraphs [0008]-[0009], Fig. 2, paragraphs [0020], and [0028] disclose PDCCH)
for the PDSCH (Matsumura, paragraph [0004] discloses PDSCH) based on the RRC signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)); and
receiving an RRC signaling (Matsumura, paragraph [0074] discloses radio resource control (RRC)).
Matsumura does not explicitly disclose used for indicating enabled or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ( feedback, transmitting a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission.
However, Matsumura in view of Document MediaTek disclose used for indicating enabled or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, transmitting a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback. (Document MediaTek, section 2.1.1 discloses enabling/disabling of HARQ feedback, section 4.1 also discloses HARQ feedback enabling/disabling)
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art to be motivated to combine the teachings of Matsumura before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with that of Document Nokia so that used for indicating enabled or disabling on a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) feedback, transmitting a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK), used for indicating enabling or disabling on a HARQ feedback be included in a communication method performed by a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus. The motivation to combine the teachings of Document MediaTek provides various consensus proposals. Adjustable aggregation/repetition factor is beneficial for latency reduction and better spectral efficiency. (Document MediaTek, entire document, emphasis: sections 2, 3, sections 4.1, and 4.2)
Matsumura and Document MediaTek do not explicitly disclose for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission.
However, Matsumura and Document MediaTek in view of Chen disclose for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission. (Chen, paragraph {0056] discloses SPS transmission, in addition Abstract, paragraphs [0001]-[0002], Summary: paragraphs [0007]-[0016], Figs. 5, 7, and Fig. 8, paragraph [0086] disclose semi-persistent scheduling, paragraphs [0051]-[0052], [0054], [0056], and [0058] also disclose semi-persistent scheduling (SPS))
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art to be motivated to combine the teachings of Matsumura and Document MediaTek before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with that of Chen so that for semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) transmission be included in a user equipment (UE) that communicates with a base station apparatus. The motivation to combine the teachings of Chen reduces control channel signaling, and increases the reliability of the system. (Chen, Abstract, paragraphs [0001]-[0002], [0007]-[0016], [0054], [0056], and [0081])
Conclusion
7. 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.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANJAY K DEWAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4086. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM to 5:30 PM M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nicholas A. Jensen can be reached at (571)270-5443. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/S.K.D./Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
Prosecution Insights