DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-17 are presented for examination.
Claims 1, 13 and 17 are amended.
Claims 18-22 are cancelled.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 April 7, 2026, has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 7, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons set forth below.
The applicant argues Zhang does not disclose or suggest a specific set of resources, the intermediate uplink resource set, that is scheduled and used to transmit the radio conditions report, [Remarks, page 10]. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
As indicated in the previous office action dated January 12, 2026, and the Advisory Action dated March 24, 2026, Zhang teaches a specific set of resources, the intermediate uplink resource set, that is scheduled and used to transmit the radio conditions report.
Zhang teaches a specific set of resources, the intermediate uplink resource set (Fig. 4; [0143] Communication timeline 400 includes feedback window 435, which may be a duration of time that begins at the start of the first control channel occasion 430-a and finishes at the end of the uplink control channel occasion 415. Thus, feedback window 435 may be a window of time during which a UE may have multiple opportunities to transmit feedback information during one or more control channel occasions 430 or during the uplink control channel occasion 415.) The control channel occasions 430-a thru 430-f and 415 are a specific set of uplink resources. The control channel occasions 430-a thru 430-f are intermediate because they occur in between the aggregated slots 405 used to receive downlink TBs from the base station. ([0144] In some examples, a UE 115 may receive (e.g., from a base station 105) an indication of the start of the feedback window 435 (e.g., an earliest control channel occasion) and/or a duration of the feedback window.)
Zhang teaches the specific set of uplink resources is scheduled. ([0144] The UE 115 may receive the indication of the start of the feedback window and/or the duration of the feedback window via RRC signaling, for example, or as part of a grant received during the downlink control channel occasion 410 using PDCCH resources.)
Zhang teaches the specific set of uplink resources is used to transmit the radio conditions report. ([0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information (e.g., light feedback) may be transmitted during a control channel occasion 430 that is a subset of the feedback information that may be transmitted during an uplink control channel occasion 415. In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information) and/or an indication of the number of additional TBs the UE needs in order to successfully decode the data in the TB. The uplink resource set is used to transmit channel state information, i.e. radio conditions report.
In other words, Zhang discloses a specific set of resources, intermediate uplink resources, that are scheduled by a downlink grant and used to transmit channel state information. Therefore, Zhang teaches a specific set of resources, the intermediate uplink resource set, that is scheduled and used to transmit the radio conditions report.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the feature of claim 1, that Zhang does not teach the determination that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set is based on presence of the request for the radio conditions report in the grant message, 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.
Regarding the rejection of claims 13 and 17, claims 13 and 17 recite similar features as amended claim 1, the response to claim 1 is also applicable to claims 13 and 17, and thus please refer to the response to claim 1 above.
Regarding the dependent claims 2-12, 14-16, applicant has not made specific arguments pertaining to why the cited references do not teach the recited claims. Without such argument the examiner cannot respond and is not persuaded by such argument.
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, 2, 3, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 20190373607 A1); hereinafter Zhang, in view of Bagheri (US 20200107319 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang teaches a method for communicating in a mobile communications network, the network comprising a network equipment configured to provide a wireless interface to communicate with at least a terminal ([0124] FIG. 2 illustrates an example diagram 200 of a wireless communications system. [0125] …base station 105-a may be in communication with UE 115-a via bidirectional communication link 210.), the method comprising:
receiving, at the terminal, a grant message scheduling a plurality of downlink resource sets, wherein each of the plurality of downlink resource sets is for transmitting a corresponding one of a plurality of repetitions of a downlink data transmission (Fig. 4, The grant corresponds to the PDCCH 410, which schedules the repetition of the same TB over 8 consecutive slots. [0161] In some cases, a single multi-TTI grant (e.g., received via PDCCH) may indicate multiple transmissions (e.g., multiple PDSCH transmissions) over multiple TTIs. The above-described techniques for transmitting (e.g., by a UE) early feedback information during communications based on slot aggregation may be extended to the case of multi-TTI grants.),
wherein the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions feedback from the terminal and schedules an intermediate uplink resource set for transmitting the radio conditions feedback ([0144] The UE 115 may receive the indication of the start of the feedback window and/or the duration of the feedback window via RRC signaling, for example, or as part of a grant received during the downlink control channel occasion 410 using PDCCH resources. (The feedback window includes several control channel occasions 430, as depicted in Fig. 4, where the UE can send reduced feedback information.) [0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information).);
determining, based on presence of the request for the radio conditions feedback in the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set ([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 430. [0147] In some examples, if a UE 115 is not able to decode the TB before a particular control channel occasion 430, the UE 115 may not transmit any feedback information during the particular control channel occasion 430 or may transmit a NACK indication during the particular control channel occasion 430. [0148] In some examples, a UE 115 may transmit feedback information in a particular control channel occasion 430 corresponding to a particular slot 405 (or a prior slot), such as an ACK to indicate successful receipt of the TB in the particular slot or a NACK to indicate unsuccessful receipt of the TB in the particular slot. The UE determines whether to send intermediate acknowledgement feedback based on whether the UE decodes a repeated TB.);
making an intermediate attempt to decode the downlink data transmission based on a subset of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission (Fig. 4, Intermediate acknowledgement feedback as discussed in [145]-[148] is an indication that the UE is attempting to decode the downlink transmissions based on a subset of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink transmissions); and
transmitting, using the intermediate uplink resource set, an indication of the intermediate acknowledgement feedback corresponding to the intermediate attempt to decode the downlink data transmission ([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 415).
Although Zhang teaches the intermediate uplink resource set can include a radio conditions report ([0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information) and/or an indication of the number of additional TBs the UE needs in order to successfully decode the data in the TB.) Zhang does not explicitly teach the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions report.
Bagheri in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches wherein the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions report from the terminal and schedules an intermediate uplink resource set for transmitting the radio conditions report ([0027] According to a possible embodiment, if the UE is indicated by the DL DCI (grant message) to report CSI (radio conditions report) in a slot carrying a repeated PDSCH, nCQI_ref can be such that the reference resource is in the same valid downlink slot as the repeated PDSCH, such as in slot n+N PDSCH_Rep-2 and the CSI can be reported in the same slot (intermediate uplink resource set). For example, the UE can be indicated by the DL DCI to report CSI in a slot carrying a repeated PDSCH when number of PDSCH repetitions, N_PDSCH_Rep, indicated in the DL DCI, so slot n, n+1, . . . n+N_PDSCH_Rep-1 carry repeated PDSCH and the DL DCI in slot n carries the CSI request indicated to report CSI in slot n+N_PDSCH_Rep-2 (intermediate uplink resource set). Also, instead of slots, mini-slots or aggregated slots can be also be used.);
determining, based on presence of the request for the radio conditions report in the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set ([0078] According to a possible embodiment, an aperiodic CSI request can be transmitted. The aperiodic CSI request can trigger performing aperiodic CSI reporting using the CSI resource set. The CSI resource set can be transmitted in the determined second downlink slot. A CSI report can be received. The CSI report can be based on the transmitted CSI resource set and can be received in response to transmitting the aperiodic CSI request. [0039] According to a possible embodiment, the network can configure PUCCH resources by higher layer signaling, and the UE, upon reception of DL DCI, can determine the PUCCH resource for transmitting the triggered CSI report. According to a possible implementation, the PUCCH resource can be different than PUCCH resources that can be used for Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) transmission corresponding to the scheduled PDSCH via the DL DCI. According to another possible implementation, the PUCCH resource can be the same as the PUCCH resources that can be used for HARQ-ACK transmission. In another example, the CSI and HARQ-ACK can be multiplexed such that the reliability of the corresponding Uplink Control Information (UCI) communications can be maintained. [0043] According to a possible implementation, the UE can use the earliest determined PUCCH resource to convey the triggered CSI report. This can provide a faster CSI report to the network. According to another possible implementation, the UE can repeat/distribute the CSI over all or a subset of determined PUCCH resources. [0045] According to another possible approach, the UE can determine a PUCCH resource according to the latest PDSCH instance that resulted in successful decoding of the transport block corresponding to the PDSCH, such as in a case of early PDSCH termination in which not all the PDSCH repetitions are used for PDSCH decoding. For this case, a gNB can assign a PUCCH resource for every possible termination of PDSCH decoding, such as every possible repetition of PDSCH.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grant message of Zhang to include the request for radio conditions report of Bagheri to determine intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set. The motivation to do so would have been to select the earliest PUCCH resource candidate for CSI reporting such as to provide a faster CSI report to the network (Bagheri [0058]).
Regarding claim 2, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1 wherein the method further comprises, if the intermediate attempt is successful, transmitting an indication of a positive intermediate acknowledgement feedback message and stopping further attempts to decode the downlink data transmission ([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 415. [0150] In some examples, if a UE 115 transmits an ACK within a control channel occasion 430 corresponding to a particular slot 405, the UE may discontinue monitoring some or all of the slots that occur after the particular slot in the set of aggregated slots 405).
Regarding claim 3, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, if the intermediate attempt is successful, transmitting no further acknowledgement feedback messages for the downlink data transmission ([0149] In some examples, if the UE 115 transmits feedback information during a control channel occasion 415, the UE may not transmit any feedback information or may not transmit the same feedback information in subsequence control channel occasions 430. For example, if a UE 115 transmits an ACK in a first control channel occasion 430, the UE 115 may not transmit another ACK in any subsequent control channel occasion 430. In some examples, the UE 115 may not transmit any feedback information in any subsequent control channel occasions 430).
Regarding claim 4, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein transmitting further comprises transmitting a radio conditions report in response to the request ([0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information (e.g., light feedback) may be transmitted during a control channel occasion 430 that is a subset of the feedback information that may be transmitted during an uplink control channel occasion 415. In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information) and/or an indication of the number of additional TBs the UE needs in order to successfully decode the data in the TB).
Regarding claim 6, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the grant message schedules a second uplink resource set for transmitting a final acknowledgement feedback message for the downlink data transmission using the plurality of repetitions and wherein the method further comprises transmitting, using the second uplink resource set, the final acknowledgement feedback message for the downlink data transmission (Fig. 4, The second uplink resource set corresponds to PUCCH 415 at the end of the feedback window scheduled by the grant message corresponding to PDCCH 410. [0143] Communication timeline 400 includes feedback window 435, which may be a duration of time that begins at the start of the first control channel occasion 430-a and finishes at the end of the uplink control channel occasion 415. Thus, feedback window 435 may be a window of time during which a UE may have multiple opportunities to transmit feedback information during one or more control channel occasions 430 or during the uplink control channel occasion 415).
Regarding claim 11, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the intermediate uplink resource set is before the end of the plurality of the downlink resource sets (Fig. 4 shows the last intermediate uplink resource (430f) occurs before slot 7 (the last aggregated slot for the downlink resource set, 405-h)).
Regarding claim 12, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the grant message comprises location information for identifying the location of the uplink resource set ([0144] In some examples, a UE 115 may receive (e.g., from a base station 105) an indication of the start of the feedback window 435 (e.g., an earliest control channel occasion) and/or a duration of the feedback window. The UE 115 may receive the indication of the start of the feedback window and/or the duration of the feedback window via RRC signaling, for example, or as part of a grant received during the downlink control channel occasion 410 using PDCCH resources.), the location information comprising one or more of: a number Ki' of time units after a reference time unit, wherein the uplink resource set is provided in the Ki't time unit after the reference time unit (In some cases, a base station may transmit an indication of the start of the feedback window following K1 signaling in PDCCH, and based on a UE capability report on N1 and N1′. N1 is the number of OFDM symbols after the end of PDSCH reception to an earliest start of a corresponding ACK/NACK transmission on PUCCH resources by the UE 115, and N1′ is the number of OFDM symbols after the end of PDSCH reception to an earliest start of a corresponding ACK/NACK transmission piggybacked on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH). Due to PUSCH transmission associated with N1′, N1′>=N1. K1 is the number of slots after the end of PDSCH reception to an earliest start of a corresponding ACK/NACK transmission by the UE 115.); a number m of repetitions wherein the mth repetition of the downlink data transmission identifies a reference time unit for identifying the location of the uplink resource set; a number N of time units, wherein the Nh time unit is identified as a reference time unit for identifying the location of the uplink resource set; a Physical Resource Indicator "PRI" indicating one or more of: a frequency resource, a duration and a starting symbol for identifying the location of the uplink resource set; and a Time Domain Resource Indicator comprising one or both of: an uplink resource set start time, an uplink resource set start time as a symbol offset from a start time of a time unit, a duration of the uplink resource set and a duration of the uplink resource as a number of symbol from an uplink resource set start time.
Regarding claim 13, Zhang teaches a method for communicating in a mobile communications network, the network comprising a network equipment configured to provide a wireless interface to communicate with at least a terminal ([0124] FIG. 2 illustrates an example diagram 200 of a wireless communications system. [0125] …base station 105-a may be in communication with UE 115-a via bidirectional communication link 210.), the method comprising:
transmitting, at the network equipment, a grant message scheduling a plurality of downlink resource sets, wherein each of the plurality of downlink resource sets is for transmitting a corresponding one of a plurality of repetitions of a downlink data transmission (Fig. 4, The grant corresponds to the PDCCH 410, which schedules the repetition of the same TB over 8 consecutive slots. [0161] In some cases, a single multi-TTI grant (e.g., received via PDCCH) may indicate multiple transmissions (e.g., multiple PDSCH transmissions) over multiple TTIs. The above-described techniques for transmitting (e.g., by a UE) early feedback information during communications based on slot aggregation may be extended to the case of multi-TTI grants.), and
wherein the grant further comprises a request for a radio conditions feedback from the terminal, the grant message scheduling an intermediate uplink resource set for transmitting the radio conditions feedback ([0144] The UE 115 may receive the indication of the start of the feedback window and/or the duration of the feedback window via RRC signaling, for example, or as part of a grant received during the downlink control channel occasion 410 using PDCCH resources. (The feedback window includes several control channel occasions 430, as depicted in Fig. 4, where the UE can send reduced feedback information.) [0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information).); and
receiving, using the intermediate uplink resource set, an intermediate acknowledgement feedback notification based on an intermediate attempt to decode the downlink data transmission based on a subset of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission ([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 415).
Although Zhang teaches the intermediate uplink resource set can include a radio conditions report ([0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information) and/or an indication of the number of additional TBs the UE needs in order to successfully decode the data in the TB.) Zhang does not explicitly teach the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions report.
Bagheri in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches wherein the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions report from the terminal and schedules an intermediate uplink resource set for transmitting the radio conditions report ([0027] According to a possible embodiment, if the UE is indicated by the DL DCI (grant message) to report CSI (radio conditions report) in a slot carrying a repeated PDSCH, nCQI_ref can be such that the reference resource is in the same valid downlink slot as the repeated PDSCH, such as in slot n+N PDSCH_Rep-2 and the CSI can be reported in the same slot (intermediate uplink resource set). For example, the UE can be indicated by the DL DCI to report CSI in a slot carrying a repeated PDSCH when number of PDSCH repetitions, N_PDSCH_Rep, indicated in the DL DCI, so slot n, n+1, . . . n+N_PDSCH_Rep-1 carry repeated PDSCH and the DL DCI in slot n carries the CSI request indicated to report CSI in slot n+N_PDSCH_Rep-2 (intermediate uplink resource set). Also, instead of slots, mini-slots or aggregated slots can be also be used.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grant message of Zhang to include the request for radio conditions report of Bagheri to determine intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set. The motivation to do so would have been to select the earliest PUCCH resource candidate for CSI reporting such as to provide a faster CSI report to the network (Bagheri [0058]).
Regarding claim 16, Zhang teaches the method of claim 13, further comprising receiving, using the intermediate uplink resource set a radio conditions report in response to the request (([0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information (e.g., light feedback) may be transmitted during a control channel occasion 430 that is a subset of the feedback information that may be transmitted during an uplink control channel occasion 415. In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information) and/or an indication of the number of additional TBs the UE needs in order to successfully decode the data in the TB).
Regarding claim 17, Zhang teaches a terminal for use in a mobile communications network, the network comprising a network equipment configured to provide a wireless interface to communicate with at least the terminal, the terminal being configured to:
receive a grant message scheduling a plurality of downlink resource sets, wherein each of the plurality of downlink resource sets is for transmitting a corresponding one of a plurality of repetitions of a downlink data transmission (Fig. 4, The grant corresponds to the PDCCH 410, which schedules the repetition of the same TB over 8 consecutive slots. [0161] In some cases, a single multi-TTI grant (e.g., received via PDCCH) may indicate multiple transmissions (e.g., multiple PDSCH transmissions) over multiple TTIs. The above-described techniques for transmitting (e.g., by a UE) early feedback information during communications based on slot aggregation may be extended to the case of multi-TTI grants.),
wherein the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions feedback from the terminal and schedules an intermediate uplink resource set for transmitting the radio conditions feedback ([0144] The UE 115 may receive the indication of the start of the feedback window and/or the duration of the feedback window via RRC signaling, for example, or as part of a grant received during the downlink control channel occasion 410 using PDCCH resources. (The feedback window includes several control channel occasions 430, as depicted in Fig. 4, where the UE can send reduced feedback information.) [0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information).);
determine, based on presence of the request for the radio conditions report in the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set ([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 415. [0147] In some examples, if a UE 115 is not able to decode the TB before a particular control channel occasion 430, the UE 115 may not transmit any feedback information during the particular control channel occasion 430 or may transmit a NACK indication during the particular control channel occasion 430. [0148] In some examples, a UE 115 may transmit feedback information in a particular control channel occasion 430 corresponding to a particular slot 405 (or a prior slot), such as an ACK to indicate successful receipt of the TB in the particular slot or a NACK to indicate unsuccessful receipt of the TB in the particular slot. The UE determines whether to send intermediate acknowledgement feedback based on whether the UE decodes a repeated TB.);
make an intermediate attempt to decode the downlink data transmission based on a subset of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission (Fig. 4, Intermediate acknowledgement feedback as discussed in [145]-[148] is an indication that the UE is attempting to decode the downlink transmissions based on a subset of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink transmissions); and
transmit, using the intermediate uplink resource set, an indication of the intermediate acknowledgement feedback corresponding to the intermediate attempt to decode the downlink data transmission ([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 415).
Although Zhang teaches the intermediate uplink resource set can include a radio conditions report ([0145] In some cases, reduced feedback information may additionally or alternatively include delta CSI information (e.g., indicating a change in the channel state information) and/or an indication of the number of additional TBs the UE needs in order to successfully decode the data in the TB.) Zhang does not explicitly teach the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions report.
Bagheri in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches wherein the grant message further comprises a request for a radio conditions report from the terminal and schedules an intermediate uplink resource set for transmitting the radio conditions report ([0027] According to a possible embodiment, if the UE is indicated by the DL DCI (grant message) to report CSI (radio conditions report) in a slot carrying a repeated PDSCH, nCQI_ref can be such that the reference resource is in the same valid downlink slot as the repeated PDSCH, such as in slot n+N PDSCH_Rep-2 and the CSI can be reported in the same slot (intermediate uplink resource set). For example, the UE can be indicated by the DL DCI to report CSI in a slot carrying a repeated PDSCH when number of PDSCH repetitions, N_PDSCH_Rep, indicated in the DL DCI, so slot n, n+1, . . . n+N_PDSCH_Rep-1 carry repeated PDSCH and the DL DCI in slot n carries the CSI request indicated to report CSI in slot n+N_PDSCH_Rep-2 (intermediate uplink resource set). Also, instead of slots, mini-slots or aggregated slots can be also be used.);
determining, based on presence of the request for the radio conditions report in the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set ([0078] According to a possible embodiment, an aperiodic CSI request can be transmitted. The aperiodic CSI request can trigger performing aperiodic CSI reporting using the CSI resource set. The CSI resource set can be transmitted in the determined second downlink slot. A CSI report can be received. The CSI report can be based on the transmitted CSI resource set and can be received in response to transmitting the aperiodic CSI request. [0039] According to a possible embodiment, the network can configure PUCCH resources by higher layer signaling, and the UE, upon reception of DL DCI, can determine the PUCCH resource for transmitting the triggered CSI report. According to a possible implementation, the PUCCH resource can be different than PUCCH resources that can be used for Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) transmission corresponding to the scheduled PDSCH via the DL DCI. According to another possible implementation, the PUCCH resource can be the same as the PUCCH resources that can be used for HARQ-ACK transmission. In another example, the CSI and HARQ-ACK can be multiplexed such that the reliability of the corresponding Uplink Control Information (UCI) communications can be maintained. [0043] According to a possible implementation, the UE can use the earliest determined PUCCH resource to convey the triggered CSI report. This can provide a faster CSI report to the network. According to another possible implementation, the UE can repeat/distribute the CSI over all or a subset of determined PUCCH resources. [0045] According to another possible approach, the UE can determine a PUCCH resource according to the latest PDSCH instance that resulted in successful decoding of the transport block corresponding to the PDSCH, such as in a case of early PDSCH termination in which not all the PDSCH repetitions are used for PDSCH decoding. For this case, a gNB can assign a PUCCH resource for every possible termination of PDSCH decoding, such as every possible repetition of PDSCH.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the grant message of Zhang to include the request for radio conditions report of Bagheri to determine intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the scheduled intermediate uplink resource set. The motivation to do so would have been to select the earliest PUCCH resource candidate for CSI reporting such as to provide a faster CSI report to the network (Bagheri [0058]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang and Bagheri in view of Ying (US 20230156735 A1) and further in view of Huawei et al., "CSI feedback enhancements", 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #102-e, R1-2005244, August 17-28, 2020; hereinafter Huawei.
Regarding claim 5, Zhang and Bagheri teaches the method of claim 1 but does not teach wherein if the intermediate attempt is successful, not transmitting in the intermediate uplink resource set thereby providing a notification of a successful intermediate attempt; if the intermediate attempt is unsuccessful, transmitting the radio conditions report in the intermediate uplink resource set, thereby providing a notification of an unsuccessful intermediate attempt.
Ying, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications, teaches wherein if the intermediate attempt is successful, not transmitting in the intermediate uplink resource set thereby providing a notification of a successful intermediate attempt ([0304] There may be different approaches for a UE to report HARQ-ACK information for PDSCH receptions with slot aggregation. In some examples, a UE may only report HARQ-ACK information after the last PDSCH repetition is received within the aggregated slots. Going back to Fig. 4 of Zhang, if the UE only reports HARQ-ACK information after the last PDSCH repetition is received, then the HARQ-ACK would be transmitted after slot 7 (which is outside of the slot aggregation duration) in the final PUCCH 415. This shows the UE may not transmit anything in the intermediate uplink resource (the feedback window 435 of Fig. 4 in Zhang) when the intermediate attempt is successful).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ying with the methods of Zhang and Bagheri to support mini-slot-based repetitions with flexible transmission occasions. The motivation to do so would have been to efficiently control downlink and/or uplink transmissions (Ying, [0032]).
Ying does not teach if the intermediate attempt is unsuccessful, transmitting the radio conditions report in the intermediate uplink resource set, thereby providing a notification of an unsuccessful intermediate attempt.
Huawei in the same field of endeavor of CSI feedback enhancements teaches if the intermediate attempt is unsuccessful, transmitting the radio conditions report in the intermediate uplink resource set, thereby providing a notification of a unsuccessful intermediate attempt (Page 2, Observation 3: A-CSI conditional triggering, wherein the triggered A-CSI (radio conditions report) by a DL DCI is only transmitted if the HARQ-ACK is NACK (if the intermediate attempt is unsuccessful)).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the CSI feedback enhancements of Huawei with the methods of Ying to send only the CSI report when intermediate attempts to decode the downlink transmissions are unsuccessful. The motivation to do so would have been to reduce UCI overhead and increase UCI reliability (Huawei; Page 2, Observation 3).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang and Bagheri in view of Huang (US 20210345388 A1); hereinafter Huang.
Regarding claim 7, Zhang teaches the method of claim 6, and wherein if the intermediate attempt is successful: if it is determined that the second uplink resource set is not to be used for transmitting another acknowledgement feedback message, not transmitting the final acknowledgement feedback message in the second uplink resource set ([0159] In some cases, if a UE 115 transmits an ACK indication during one of the control channel occasions 430, the UE may refrain from transmitting feedback information during the uplink control channel occasion 415).
Zhang does not teach wherein if the intermediate attempt is successful: if it is determined that the second uplink resource set is also for transmitting another acknowledgement feedback message, wherein the other acknowledgement feedback message is for another downlink data transmission, transmitting the final acknowledgement feedback message and the other acknowledgement feedback message, using the second uplink resource set.
Huang in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches wherein if the intermediate attempt is successful: if it is determined that the second uplink resource set is also for transmitting another acknowledgement feedback message, wherein the other acknowledgement feedback message is for another downlink data transmission, transmitting the final acknowledgement feedback message and the other acknowledgement feedback message, using the second uplink resource set ([0187] In some examples, the base station 105 and the UE 115 may use the offset 720 to determine a time-domain resource (e.g., a slot) for communicating the feedback 715 including feedback information for some or all of the PDSCHs 710 scheduled by the DCI 705. [0188] In some examples, the base station 105 and the UE 115 may merge the feedback information (e.g., the ACKs/NACKs) for the multiple PDSCHs 710 may into a single codebook and the UE 115 may transmit the feedback 715 in a single PUCCH (e.g., a single PUCCH slot or a single PUCCH resource). As such, the feedback 715 may be referred to as a joint feedback message or a joint HARQ-ACK/NACK.) Going back to Fig. 4 of Zhang, [0154] if a UE 115 is unable to transmit feedback during a particular control channel occasion because the LBT procedure determines that the channel is not available, the UE 115 may re-attempt to transmit the feedback during or more subsequent control channel occasions (this could include other acknowledgement feedback).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of feedback for multiple downlink transmissions of Huang with the methods of early feedback for transmissions in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals of Zhang and Bagheri. The motivation to do so would have been to provide feedback for the set of downlink messages without monitoring for multiple downlink control messages from the base station, which may enable the UE to lower computational complexity and improve power savings (Huang, [0005]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang and Bagheri in view of Yang (US 20200266932 A1); hereinafter Yang.
Regarding claim 8, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: if the intermediate attempt is successful, transmitting, an intermediate acknowledgement feedback message in the intermediate uplink resource set (([0146] In some examples, if a UE 115 is able to decode a TB before the last slot 405-h of the aggregated slots 405, the UE may transmit feedback information, such as an ACK, during one or more of the control channel occasions 415.).
Zhang does not explicitly teach if the intermediate attempt is unsuccessful, transmitting, the radio conditions report in the intermediate uplink resource set without an explicit intermediate acknowledgement feedback message for the unsuccessful intermediate attempt.
Yang in the same field of endeavor of acknowledgement feedback techniques in wireless communications teaches if the intermediate attempt is unsuccessful, transmitting, the radio conditions report in the intermediate uplink resource set without an explicit intermediate acknowledgement feedback message for the unsuccessful intermediate attempt ([0121] In some cases, the fast feedback may not include an indication of ACK/NACK, and may instead include only an indication of delta CQI. In such cases, the base station may implicitly infer ACK or NACK for the fast feedback from the delta CQI).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the acknowledgement techniques of Yang with the methods of early feedback for transmissions in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals of Zhang and Bagheri. The motivation to do so would have been to include efficient techniques that reduce latency in wireless communications to increase efficiency of a wireless communications system and help to more reliably meet latency targets for certain types of communications (Yang [0004]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang and Bagheri in view of Faxer (US 20200295903 A1); hereinafter Faxer.
Regarding claim 9, Zhang teaches the method of claim 1, and a feedback window (Fig. 4) with multiple control channel occasions 430 where the UE can provide intermediate acknowledgement feedback using PUCCH resources. According to [0145] in some cases the intermediate acknowledgement feedback can be delta CSI information.
Zhang does not explicitly teach wherein determining, based on the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station comprises: identifying whether the grant message comprises a request for a radio conditions report; if the grant message comprises a request for a radio conditions report, determining that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the intermediate uplink resource set.
Faxer in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches wherein determining, based on the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station comprises: identifying whether the grant message comprises a request for a radio conditions report ([0104] Step 520: Determining to trigger at least one CSI report in accordance with the received control message. In some embodiments, this can include determining to trigger the CSI report(s) in accordance with the first information (CSI request field in the downlink-related DCI message). In some embodiments, this can further include determining one or more uplink control resources (e.g. PUCCH resources) in accordance with the second information (PUCCH resource indicator in the downlink-related DCI message). Determining the uplink control resource(s) can be further in accordance with at least one of the first information and/or the grant/scheduling information associated with a downlink transmission.); if the grant message comprises a request for a radio conditions report, determining that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station using the intermediate uplink resource set ([0106] Step 530: Transmitting uplink control information. The uplink control information can be transmitted in the determined at least one uplink control resource (e.g. PUCCH resource). The uplink control information can be transmitted to an access node, such as gNB 104). The transmitted uplink control information can include at least one of a HARQ-ACK and/or a CSI report.).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the systems and methods for triggering CSI reporting on PUCCH of Faxer with the methods of early feedback for transmissions in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals of Zhang and Bagheri. The motivation to do so would have been to achieve dynamic PUCCH resource allocation for aperiodic CSI feedback without increasing the DCI overhead, enabling increased scheduling flexibility and larger multi-user capacity ([0088]).
Regarding claim 10, Zhang and Bagheri teaches the method of claim 9 but does not teach wherein determining, based on the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station further comprises if the grant message does not comprise a request for a radio conditions report, determining that no intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified using the intermediate uplink resource set.
Faxer in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches wherein determining, based on the grant message, that intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified to the base station further comprises if the grant message does not comprise a request for a radio conditions report, determining that no intermediate acknowledgement feedback is to be notified using the intermediate uplink resource set ([0020] In some embodiments, the PUCCH resource indicator can include at least a first field indicating a first PUCCH resource to use when a CSI request is indicated in the downlink-related DCI message, and a second field indicating a second PUCCH resource to use when a CSI request is not indicated in the downlink-related DCI message. The first PUCCH resource can be different from the second PUCCH resource).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the systems and methods for triggering CSI reporting on PUCCH of Faxer with the methods of early feedback for transmissions in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals of Zhang and Bagheri. The motivation to do so would have been to achieve dynamic PUCCH resource allocation for aperiodic CSI feedback without increasing the DCI overhead, enabling increased scheduling flexibility and larger multi-user capacity ([0088]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang and Bagheri in view of Ko (US 20200343957 A1); hereinafter Ko.
Regarding claim 14, Zhang and Bagheri teaches the method of claim 13 but does not teach if the intermediate acknowledgement feedback message indicates a successful intermediate attempt, stopping the transmission of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission.
Ko in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches if the intermediate acknowledgement feedback message indicates a successful intermediate attempt, stopping the transmission of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission ([0069] The base station 410 may monitor the ACK/NACK resource, determine whether or not the terminal 400 has successfully received the packet by receiving an ACK signal through the ACK/NACK resource, and determine whether to continue transmitting the packet or stop the packet transmission. When the base station 410 receives an ACK signal from the terminal 400, the base station 410 may stop the packet transmission to the terminal 400, and may use the resources for other transmissions, which are allocated to the transmit block(s) whose transmission is stopped).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method for channel state information (CSI) feedback of Ko with the methods of early feedback for transmissions in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals of Zhang and Bagheri. The motivation to do so would have been to reallocate unused resources to other terminals that have not been successful in decoding their downlink transmissions (Ko, [0077]).
Regarding claim 15, Zhang and Bagheri teaches the method of claim 13 but does not explicitly teach, if the intermediate acknowledgement feedback message indicates an unsuccessful intermediate attempt, continuing the transmission of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission.
Ko in the same field of endeavor of wireless communications teaches if the intermediate acknowledgement feedback message indicates an unsuccessful intermediate attempt, continuing the transmission of the plurality of repetitions of the downlink data transmission ([0068] The base station 410 may stop transmission of the packet when a reception success message (e.g., ACK) is received from the terminal 400, and may continue to perform the transmission of the packet when a reception failure message (e.g., NACK) is received from the terminal 400.).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method for channel state information (CSI) feedback of Ko with the methods of early feedback for transmissions in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals of Zhang and Bagheri. The motivation to do so would have been to reallocate unused resources to other terminals that have not been successful in decoding their downlink transmissions (Ko, [0077]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NANCY SIXTO whose telephone number is (571)272-3295. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Friday 9AM-5PM EST.
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, Gary Mui can be reached at 571-270-1420. 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.
/NANCY SIXTO/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
/GARY MUI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2465
Prosecution Insights