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 .
The amendment filed 9/16/2025 has been entered.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-10 and 12 are pending.
Claims 2, 7 and 11 are canceled.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-10 and 12 stand rejected.
Examiner’s Note
The examiner notes that newly added Claim 12 is correctly indicated as “(New)”, but the limitations of Claim 12 are marked with limitation additions and limitation removals, as if Claim 12 was previously presented. The examiner respectfully requests the reason why newly added Claim 12 is marked with limitation additions and limitation removals (e.g., copied from a different application).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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) 6 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (Pub. No.: US 20230163879 A1), hereafter referred to as Li ‘879.
In regard to Claim 6, Li ‘879 teaches A base station (each of the BS(s) 102 may be referred to as a Node-B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a gNB, a NG-RAN (Next Generation-Radio Access Network) node, Para. 32, FIG. 1), comprising: controlling circuitry configured to generate, for a user equipment (UE, Para. 40, FIG. 1), a first radio resource control (RRC) parameter related to a search space set configuration (A search space set is associated with a CORESET and is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, Para. 36), wherein: the first RRC parameter includes a plurality of second RRC parameters (The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 40, 68. A CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 57. The number of PDCCH candidates is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 65. The offset may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 89. A total number of search spaces in a search space set is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 94. Other values are configured by RRC signaling in Para. 109, 111, 117, 119, 128) and a third RRC parameter, monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot (the parameter ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’, Para. 45-46, Table 1).
Li ‘879 teaches one second RRC parameter (A maximum domain of a search space is determined by a max repetition number Rmax. The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling. Particular examples are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, Para. 40. In FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space for Ri is based on FIG. 2A, Para. 60, FIG. 5), among the plurality of second RRC parameters (The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 40, 68. A CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 57. The number of PDCCH candidates is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 65. The offset may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 89. A total number of search spaces in a search space set is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 94. Other values are configured by RRC signaling in Para. 109, 111, 117, 119, 128), indicates a combination (L, R) (configured PDCCH candidates are 0, 0, 5, 3, and 6 for AL of {1, 2, 4, 8, and 16}, respectively, Para. 61, FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary configuration for a total number of PDCCH candidates, Para. 60, FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space includes four MOs, Para. 61, FIG. 5) associated with each downlink control information (DCI) (As shown in FIG. 1, PDCCHs are used for a BS 102 to send DCI to the first UE 101a and the second UE 101b, Para. 35, FIG. 1. A DCI being transmitted using an aggregation level k means that k CCEs are aggregated for the transmission, Para. 36), L being a control channel element (CCE) aggregation level (A PDCCH search space is a set of candidate control channels formed by CCEs at a given aggregation level, Para. 36. FIG. 4A shows Table 10.1-1 of 3GPP standard document TS38.213, which specifies CCE aggregation levels (ALs) and the maximum number of PDCCH candidates per CCE AL for CSS sets configured by searchSpaceSIB1, Para. 55, FIG. 4A. In FIG. 4B, for USS, a CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling through the field nrofCandidates in IE SearchSpace, Para. 57, FIG. 4B. FIG. 5 further suppose the configured PDCCH candidates are 0, 0, 5, 3, and 6 for AL of {1, 2, 4, 8, and 16}, respectively, Para. 61, FIG. 5), and R being a number of a plurality of monitoring occasions (As shown in FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space includes four MOs, Para. 61, FIG. 5).
Li ‘879 teaches a plurality of time locations of the plurality of monitoring occasions (From ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’ in Table 1, it can be seen that symbol 0 and 7 are the first symbol for PDCCH monitoring. If the CORESET duration is set to 2, symbols 0 and 1, and symbols 7 and 8 are separately two PDCCH MOs in a slot as shown in FIG. 3, Para. 53, FIG. 3) is determined based on the third RRC parameter (the MOs are deduced from a parameter ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’, Para. 68).
Li ‘879 teaches transmitting circuitry configured to transmit, to the user equipment, the first RRC parameter (A search space set is associated with a CORESET and is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, Para. 36) and a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a CCE aggregation level L (In operation 603, the UE computes a number of PDCCH candidates to be monitored for each repetition level based on the CCE AL information. In operation 604, the UE receives a control signal on the number of PDCCH candidates, Para. 69, FIG. 6), wherein a PDCCH candidate is repeatedly transmitted across R consecutive monitoring occasions (In the scenario of enabling a PDCCH repetition, a number sum of total numbers of PDCCH candidates for signal MO A, signal MO B, signal MO C, signal MO D, a combination MO of A+B, C+D, and A+B+C+D is 42 at end of MO D. Thus, according to a search space set configuration in FIG. 13, a UE needs to blindly detect up to 42 PDCCH candidates in the search space in a scenario of enabling a PDCCH repetition, Para. 145, FIG. 13).
In regard to Claim 12, Li ‘879 teaches A method performed by a base station (each of the BS(s) 102 may be referred to as a Node-B, an evolved Node B (eNB), a gNB, a NG-RAN (Next Generation-Radio Access Network) node, Para. 32, FIG. 1), the method comprising: generating, for a user equipment (UE, Para. 40, FIG. 1), a first radio resource control (RRC) parameter related to a search space set configuration (A search space set is associated with a CORESET and is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, Para. 36), wherein: the first RRC parameter includes a plurality of second RRC parameters (The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 40, 68. A CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 57. The number of PDCCH candidates is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 65. The offset may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 89. A total number of search spaces in a search space set is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 94. Other values are configured by RRC signaling in Para. 109, 111, 117, 119, 128) and a third RRC parameter, monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot (the parameter ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’, Para. 45-46, Table 1).
Li ‘879 teaches one second RRC parameter (A maximum domain of a search space is determined by a max repetition number Rmax. The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling. Particular examples are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, Para. 40. In FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space for Ri is based on FIG. 2A, Para. 60, FIG. 5), among the plurality of second RRC parameters (The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 40, 68. A CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 57. The number of PDCCH candidates is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 65. The offset may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 89. A total number of search spaces in a search space set is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 94. Other values are configured by RRC signaling in Para. 109, 111, 117, 119, 128), indicates a combination (L, R) (configured PDCCH candidates are 0, 0, 5, 3, and 6 for AL of {1, 2, 4, 8, and 16}, respectively, Para. 61, FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary configuration for a total number of PDCCH candidates, Para. 60, FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space includes four MOs, Para. 61, FIG. 5) associated with each downlink control information (DCI) (As shown in FIG. 1, PDCCHs are used for a BS 102 to send DCI to the first UE 101a and the second UE 101b, Para. 35, FIG. 1. A DCI being transmitted using an aggregation level k means that k CCEs are aggregated for the transmission, Para. 36), L being a control channel element (CCE) aggregation level (A PDCCH search space is a set of candidate control channels formed by CCEs at a given aggregation level, Para. 36. FIG. 4A shows Table 10.1-1 of 3GPP standard document TS38.213, which specifies CCE aggregation levels (ALs) and the maximum number of PDCCH candidates per CCE AL for CSS sets configured by searchSpaceSIB1, Para. 55, FIG. 4A. In FIG. 4B, for USS, a CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling through the field nrofCandidates in IE SearchSpace, Para. 57, FIG. 4B. FIG. 5 further suppose the configured PDCCH candidates are 0, 0, 5, 3, and 6 for AL of {1, 2, 4, 8, and 16}, respectively, Para. 61, FIG. 5), and R being a number of a plurality of monitoring occasions (As shown in FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space includes four MOs, Para. 61, FIG. 5).
Li ‘879 teaches a plurality of time locations of the plurality of monitoring occasions (From ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’ in Table 1, it can be seen that symbol 0 and 7 are the first symbol for PDCCH monitoring. If the CORESET duration is set to 2, symbols 0 and 1, and symbols 7 and 8 are separately two PDCCH MOs in a slot as shown in FIG. 3, Para. 53, FIG. 3) is determined based on the third RRC parameter (the MOs are deduced from a parameter ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’, Para. 68).
Li ‘879 teaches transmitting, to the user equipment, the first RRC parameter (A search space set is associated with a CORESET and is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, Para. 36).
Li ‘879 teaches transmitting, to the user equipment, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a CCE aggregation level L (In operation 603, the UE computes a number of PDCCH candidates to be monitored for each repetition level based on the CCE AL information. In operation 604, the UE receives a control signal on the number of PDCCH candidates, Para. 69, FIG. 6), wherein a PDCCH candidate is repeatedly transmitted across R consecutive monitoring occasions (In the scenario of enabling a PDCCH repetition, a number sum of total numbers of PDCCH candidates for signal MO A, signal MO B, signal MO C, signal MO D, a combination MO of A+B, C+D, and A+B+C+D is 42 at end of MO D. Thus, according to a search space set configuration in FIG. 13, a UE needs to blindly detect up to 42 PDCCH candidates in the search space in a scenario of enabling a PDCCH repetition, Para. 145, FIG. 13).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (Pub. No.: US 20230163879 A1) in view of Panteleev et al. (Pub. No.: US 20190182807 A1), hereafter referred to as Li ‘879 and Panteleev.
In regard to Claim 1, Li ‘879 teaches A user equipment (UE) (UE, Para. 40, FIG. 1), comprising: reception circuitry (receiving circuitry 1702, Para. 160, FIG. 17) configured to receive, from a base station (BS 102, Para. 35, FIG. 1), a first radio resource control (RRC) parameter related to a search space set configuration (A search space set is associated with a CORESET and is configured through radio resource control (RRC) signaling, Para. 36), wherein: the first RRC parameter includes a plurality of second RRC parameters (The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 40, 68. A CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 57. The number of PDCCH candidates is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 65. The offset may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 89. A total number of search spaces in a search space set is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 94. Other values are configured by RRC signaling in Para. 109, 111, 117, 119, 128) and a third RRC parameter, monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot (the parameter ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’, Para. 45-46, Table 1).
Li ‘879 teaches one second RRC parameter (A maximum domain of a search space is determined by a max repetition number Rmax. The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling. Particular examples are shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, Para. 40. In FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space for Ri is based on FIG. 2A, Para. 60, FIG. 5), among the plurality of second RRC parameters (The max repetition number Rmax may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 40, 68. A CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 57. The number of PDCCH candidates is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 65. The offset may be configured by RRC signaling, Para. 89. A total number of search spaces in a search space set is configured by RRC signaling, Para. 94. Other values are configured by RRC signaling in Para. 109, 111, 117, 119, 128), indicates a combination (L, R) (configured PDCCH candidates are 0, 0, 5, 3, and 6 for AL of {1, 2, 4, 8, and 16}, respectively, Para. 61, FIG. 5. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary configuration for a total number of PDCCH candidates, Para. 60, FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space includes four MOs, Para. 61, FIG. 5) associated with each downlink control information (DCI) (As shown in FIG. 1, PDCCHs are used for a BS 102 to send DCI to the first UE 101a and the second UE 101b, Para. 35, FIG. 1. A DCI being transmitted using an aggregation level k means that k CCEs are aggregated for the transmission, Para. 36), L being a control channel element (CCE) aggregation level (A PDCCH search space is a set of candidate control channels formed by CCEs at a given aggregation level, Para. 36. FIG. 4A shows Table 10.1-1 of 3GPP standard document TS38.213, which specifies CCE aggregation levels (ALs) and the maximum number of PDCCH candidates per CCE AL for CSS sets configured by searchSpaceSIB1, Para. 55, FIG. 4A. In FIG. 4B, for USS, a CCE AL may be one of {1, 2, 4, 8, 16} and may be configured by RRC signaling through the field nrofCandidates in IE SearchSpace, Para. 57, FIG. 4B. FIG. 5 further suppose the configured PDCCH candidates are 0, 0, 5, 3, and 6 for AL of {1, 2, 4, 8, and 16}, respectively, Para. 61, FIG. 5), and R being a number of a plurality of monitoring occasions (As shown in FIG. 5, a PDCCH search space includes four MOs, Para. 61, FIG. 5).
Li ‘879 teaches a plurality of time locations of the plurality of monitoring occasions (From ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’ in Table 1, it can be seen that symbol 0 and 7 are the first symbol for PDCCH monitoring. If the CORESET duration is set to 2, symbols 0 and 1, and symbols 7 and 8 are separately two PDCCH MOs in a slot as shown in FIG. 3, Para. 53, FIG. 3) is determined based on the third RRC parameter (the MOs are deduced from a parameter ‘monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot’, Para. 68).
Li ‘879 teaches monitoring circuity (the processor 1706 computes a number of PDCCH candidates to be monitored for each of the repetition levels based on the CCE AL information, Para. 160, FIG. 17) configured to monitor a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidate with a CCE aggregation level L (In operation 603, the UE computes a number of PDCCH candidates to be monitored for each repetition level based on the CCE AL information, Para. 69, FIG. 6).
Li ‘879 teaches, wherein the PDCCH candidate is repeated across the R consecutive monitoring occasions (In the scenario of enabling a PDCCH repetition, a number sum of total numbers of PDCCH candidates for signal MO A, signal MO B, signal MO C, signal MO D, a combination MO of A+B, C+D, and A+B+C+D is 42 at end of MO D. Thus, according to a search space set configuration in FIG. 13, a UE needs to blindly detect up to 42 PDCCH candidates in the search space in a scenario of enabling a PDCCH repetition, Para. 145, FIG. 13).
Although Li ‘879 teaches the PDCCH candidate and R consecutive monitoring occasions, Li ‘879 fails to teach softly combine the PDCCH candidate across R consecutive monitoring occasions.
Panteleev teaches softly combine the PDCCH candidate across R consecutive monitoring occasions (the UE is configured with a repetition level or a number of repetition of a PDCCH candidate over a configured number, R, of consecutive monitoring occasions of a CORESET, and the UE may combine the repeated PDCCH candidates to improve reception reliability and/or coverage. In another example, when configured, each monitoring occasion implies that the PDCCH candidate is repeated R consecutive times over which the UE may perform soft combining, Para. 39).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Panteleev with the teachings of Li ‘879 since Panteleev provides a technique for soft combining a repeated PDCCH candidate over monitoring occasions, which can be introduced into the system of Li ‘879 to permit soft combining of PDCCH repetitions involving PDCCH candidates for monitor occasions to improve reception reliability.
Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev, and further in view of Li et al. (Pub. No.: US 20240056977 A1), hereafter referred to as Li ‘977.
In regard to Claim 3, as presented in the rejection of Claim 1, Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev teaches second RRC parameters.
Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev fails to teach R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, and the parameter set is determined by N entries of the plurality of second RRC parameters.
Li ‘977 teaches R is an element (the number of monitoring occasions may correspond to a number of monitoring symbols (such as “1” bits in the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot), Para. 142, FIG. 6) of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN} (the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot, Para. 142, FIG. 6), and the parameter set is determined by N entries of the plurality of second RRC parameters (the PDCCH monitoring occasions are controlled by the parameters from the IE (information element) SearchSpace and ControlResourceSet in the RRC signalling, Para. 106, FIG. 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Li ‘977 with the teachings of Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev since Li ‘977 provides a technique for bit of a bitmap to determine monitoring occasions parameters of RRC signaling, which can be introduced into the system of Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev to precise indications of monitoring occasions through bitmaps.
In regard to Claim 4, as presented in the rejection of Claim 1, Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev teaches second RRC parameters.
Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev fails to teach R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, and the parameter set is determined by one second RRC parameter, among the plurality of second RRC parameters, that includes N entries, where each entry corresponds to one element of the parameter set.
Li ‘977 teaches R is an element (the number of monitoring occasions may correspond to a number of monitoring symbols (such as “1” bits in the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot), Para. 142, FIG. 6) of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN} (the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot, Para. 142, FIG. 6), and the parameter set is determined by one second RRC parameter, among the plurality of second RRC parameters (the PDCCH monitoring occasions are controlled by the parameters from the IE (information element) SearchSpace and ControlResourceSet in the RRC signalling, Para. 106, FIG. 6), that includes N entries, where each entry corresponds to one element of the parameter set (monitorinrgSlotPerodicityAndOffset in SearchSpace, Para. 111. RRC Configuration of monitoringSlotPerodicityAndOffset, Para. 113. The examiner notes the table of values for the RRC Configuration of monitoringSlotPerodicityAndOffset in Para. 113).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Li ‘977 with the teachings of Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev since Li ‘977 provides a technique for bit of a bitmap to determine monitoring occasions parameters of RRC signaling, which can be introduced into the system of Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev to precise indications of monitoring occasions through bitmaps.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev, and further in view of Wong et al. (Pub. No.: US 20210235439 A1), hereafter referred to as Wong.
In regard to Claim 5, as presented in the rejection of Claim 1, Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev teaches second RRC parameters.
Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev fails to teach R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, each element of the parameter set is determined by a maximum repetition level (rmax) and one or more respective coefficients, and the maximum repetition level (rmax) and the one or more respective coefficients are determined by the plurality of second RRC parameters.
Wong teaches R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, each element of the parameter set is determined by a maximum repetition level (rmax) and one or more respective coefficients, and the maximum repetition level (rmax) and the one or more respective coefficients are determined by the plurality of second RRC parameters (The Repetition Level maps to a specific number of repetitions, e.g. Repetition Level 1 map to 8 MPDCCH repetitions, Repetition Level 2 maps to 16 MPDCCH repetitions, etc. This mapping is configured by RRC, Para. 53. The actual repetition numbers are configured by RRC, e.g. {R1=32, R2=64, R3=128, R4=256}, Para. 58. The maximum MPDCCH repetition RMAX is 256. The MPDCCH SS consists of multiple MPDCCH candidates that can have four different repetitions {R1, R2, R3, RMAX}, Para. 63. In FIG. 13, a DCI carried by a MPDCCH with repetition RMAX at time t0 schedules a PUSCH of repetition RPUSCH, where RPUSCH=2×RMAX, Para. 69. The MPDCCH SS consists of multiple candidates that can have multiple (i.e. four) different repetitions as shown in FIG. 11 as {R1, R2, R3, RMAX}. The UE will monitor the ESS if the scheduled PUSCH repetition RPUSCH>N×RS, where RS={R1, R2, R3, RMAX} is the transmitted MPDCCH repetition, Para. 73).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wong with the teachings of Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev since Wong provides a technique utilizing repetition values that include a maximum repetition value, which can be introduced into the system of Li ‘879 in view of Panteleev to permit repetitions of monitoring symbols with respect to a bitmap to ensure more reliable communications.
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li ‘879 in view of Li et al. (Pub. No.: US 20240056977 A1), hereafter referred to as Li ‘977.
In regard to Claim 8, as presented in the rejection of Claim 6, Li ‘879 teaches second RRC parameters.
Li ‘879 fails to teach R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, and the parameter set is determined by N entries of the plurality of second RRC parameters.
Li ‘977 teaches R is an element (the number of monitoring occasions may correspond to a number of monitoring symbols (such as “1” bits in the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot), Para. 142, FIG. 6) of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN} (the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot, Para. 142, FIG. 6), and the parameter set is determined by N entries of the plurality of second RRC parameters (the PDCCH monitoring occasions are controlled by the parameters from the IE (information element) SearchSpace and ControlResourceSet in the RRC signalling, Para. 106, FIG. 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Li ‘977 with the teachings of Li ‘879 since Li ‘977 provides a technique for bit of a bitmap to determine monitoring occasions parameters of RRC signaling, which can be introduced into the system of Li ‘879 to precise indications of monitoring occasions through bitmaps.
In regard to Claim 9, as presented in the rejection of Claim 6, Li ‘879 teaches second RRC parameters.
Li ‘879 fails to teach R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, and the parameter set is determined by one second RRC parameter, among the plurality of second RRC parameters, that includes N entries, where each entry corresponds to one element of the parameter set.
Li ‘977 teaches R is an element (the number of monitoring occasions may correspond to a number of monitoring symbols (such as “1” bits in the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot), Para. 142, FIG. 6) of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN} (the bitmap monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot, Para. 142, FIG. 6), and the parameter set is determined by one second RRC parameter, among the plurality of second RRC parameters (the PDCCH monitoring occasions are controlled by the parameters from the IE (information element) SearchSpace and ControlResourceSet in the RRC signalling, Para. 106, FIG. 6), that includes N entries, where each entry corresponds to one element of the parameter set (monitorinrgSlotPerodicityAndOffset in SearchSpace, Para. 111. RRC Configuration of monitoringSlotPerodicityAndOffset, Para. 113. The examiner notes the table of values for the RRC Configuration of monitoringSlotPerodicityAndOffset in Para. 113).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Li ‘977 with the teachings of Li ‘879 since Li ‘977 provides a technique for bit of a bitmap to determine monitoring occasions parameters of RRC signaling, which can be introduced into the system of Li ‘879 to precise indications of monitoring occasions through bitmaps.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li ‘879 in view of Wong et al. (Pub. No.: US 20210235439 A1), hereafter referred to as Wong.
In regard to Claim 10, as presented in the rejection of Claim 6, Li ‘879 teaches second RRC parameters.
Li ‘879 fails to teach R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, each element of the parameter set is determined by a maximum repetition level (rmax) and one or more respective coefficients, and the maximum repetition level (rmax) and the one or more respective coefficients are determined by the plurality of second RRC parameters.
Wong teaches R is an element of a parameter set {r1, r2, …rN}, each element of the parameter set is determined by a maximum repetition level (rmax) and one or more respective coefficients, and the maximum repetition level (rmax) and the one or more respective coefficients are determined by the plurality of second RRC parameters (The Repetition Level maps to a specific number of repetitions, e.g. Repetition Level 1 map to 8 MPDCCH repetitions, Repetition Level 2 maps to 16 MPDCCH repetitions, etc. This mapping is configured by RRC, Para. 53. The actual repetition numbers are configured by RRC, e.g. {R1=32, R2=64, R3=128, R4=256}, Para. 58. The maximum MPDCCH repetition RMAX is 256. The MPDCCH SS consists of multiple MPDCCH candidates that can have four different repetitions {R1, R2, R3, RMAX}, Para. 63. In FIG. 13, a DCI carried by a MPDCCH with repetition RMAX at time t0 schedules a PUSCH of repetition RPUSCH, where RPUSCH=2×RMAX, Para. 69. The MPDCCH SS consists of multiple candidates that can have multiple (i.e. four) different repetitions as shown in FIG. 11 as {R1, R2, R3, RMAX}. The UE will monitor the ESS if the scheduled PUSCH repetition RPUSCH>N×RS, where RS={R1, R2, R3, RMAX} is the transmitted MPDCCH repetition, Para. 73).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Wong with the teachings of Li since Wong provides a technique utilizing repetition values that include a maximum repetition value, which can be introduced into the system of Li to permit repetitions of monitoring symbols with respect to a bitmap to ensure more reliable communications.
Response to Arguments
I. Arguments for the Claim Rejections under 35 USC § 101
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 1-4, filed 9/16/2025, with respect to the Claim Rejections under 35 USC § 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The Claim Rejections under 35 USC § 101 have been withdrawn.
II. Arguments for the Claim Rejections under 35 USC § 102
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Papasakellariou (Pub. No.: US 20200022144 A1) teaches a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidate with a CCE aggregation level L (a number of PDCCH candidates Mp,s(L) per CCE aggregation level L, Para. 91), wherein the PDCCH candidate is repeated across the R consecutive monitoring occasions (A PDCCH candidate can be defined by a two-dimensional mapping to CCEs in (a) one PDCCH monitoring occasion and (b) in multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions according to a number of repetitions for the transmission of the PDCCH candidate, Para. 114).
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.
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Joshua Smith
/J.S./
11-19-2025
/CHIRAG G SHAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2477