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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-3 are presented for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 8/14/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the remark, applicant argued (1) the reference ETRI does not describe anything related to an idle period-u (IP-u) configuration. (2) ETRI does not teach a collision between the beginning of the FFP-u and the IP-g.
Examiner traverse the argument.
As to point (1), ETRI teaches proposal 1 to allow simultaneous configuration of DL FFP (i.e. FFP-g) and UL FFP (i.e. FFP-u) in a serving cell (see Proposal 1 in Section 2.3). This means the FFP-g configuration and FFP-u configuration are simultaneous received and configured. ETRI further discloses in figures 2 and 3 that the DL FFP (i.e. FFP-g) and UL FFP (i.e. FFP-u) to include idle periods (the figures specifically show the length of UL FFP and DL FFP to include idle period). Therefore, it is clearly that the configuration of the FFP-g and FFP-u includes IP-g and IP-u configurations respectively.
As to point (2), ETRI specifically disclosed in figure 3 to leave a transmission gap to prevent the UL transmission (i.e. FFP-u) during the idle periods (IP-g and IP-u according to Section 2.2) to solve the problem of “if a configured PUSCH for URLLC is to be transmitted in the front of a FFP, the validation of the PUSCH would be an issue and still some DL processing delay should be there” stated in Section 2.2. This meet the claimed limitation of “in a case the beginning of the FFP-u collides with an IP-g, a PUSCH transmission overlapping with a period after the sensing slot and before the end of the IP-g is not scheduled.
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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ETRI, Discussion on enhancements for URLLC in unlicensed bands, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #102-e R1-2006356, 2020.08.28 (hereinafter ETRI).
ETRI is cited by the applicant in the IDS.
As per claim 1, ETRI teaches the invention including a terminal device comprising:
Reception circuitry configured to:
sense a channel (Section 2.2, Section 2.3), and
receive a fixed frame period-g (FFP-g) configuration including an idle period-g (IP-g) configuration, and an FFP-u configuration including an IP-u configuration (Section 2.3 UE-initiated COT in FBE: simultaneous configuration of DL FFP and UL FFP; figures 2 and 3 show DL FFP and UL FFP configured with corresponding idle periods); and
Transmission circuitry configured to:
attempt to initiate a channel occupancy time-u (COT-u) at a beginning of an FFP-u after the channel is sensed to be idle in a sensing slot (Section 2.2., Section 2.3), and
transmit an uplink transmission burst within the COT-u (Section 2.3 UE-initiated COT in FBE: When UE initiates a COT, the UE can immediately transmit a PUSCH without waiting for a successful DL detection), wherein
In a case that the beginning of the FFP-u collides with an IP-g, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission, overlapping with a period after the sensing slot and before an end of the IP-g, is not scheduled (Section 2.2, figures 2 and 3: Transmission gap due to idle period, slot format, etc.); and
In a case that the beginning of the FFP-u does not collide with the IP-g, the PUSCH transmission is scheduled and a PUSCH transmitted (figure 3: UL transmission).
As per claim 2, ETRI teaches the invention including a base station device comprising:
transmission circuitry configured to signal a fixed frame period-g (FFP-g) configuration including an idle period-g (IP-g) configuration and an FFP-u configuration including an IP-u configuration (Section 2.3 UE-initiated COT in FBE: simultaneous configuration of DL FFP and UL FFP; figures 2 and 3 show DL FFP and UL FFP configured with corresponding idle periods); and
Reception circuitry configured to:
attempt to detect a channel occupancy time-u (COT-u) at a beginning of an FFP-u after a channel is sensed to be idle in a sensing slot (Section 2.2., Section 2.3), and
receive an uplink transmission burst within the COT-u (Section 2.3 UE-initiated COT in FBE: When UE initiates a COT, the UE can immediately transmit a PUSCH without waiting for a successful DL detection), wherein
In a case that the beginning of the FFP-u collides with an IP-g, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission, overlapping with a period after the sensing slot and before an end of the IP-g, is not scheduled (Section 2.2, figures 2 and 3: Transmission gap due to idle period, slot format, etc.); and
In a case that the beginning of the FFP-u does not collide with the IP-g, the PUSCH transmission is scheduled and a PUSCH is transmitted (figure 3: UL transmission).
As per claim 3, ETRI teaches the invention including a communication method performed by a terminal device, the communication method comprising:
Sensing a channel (Section 2.2, Section 2.3);
receiving a fixed frame period-g (FFP-g) configuration including an idle period-g (IP-g) configuration, and an FFP-u configuration including an IP-u configuration (Section 2.3 UE-initiated COT in FBE: simultaneous configuration of DL FFP and UL FFP; figures 2 and 3 show DL FFP and UL FFP configured with corresponding idle periods); and
Attempting to initiate a channel occupancy time-u (COT-u) at a beginning of an FFP-u after the channel is sensed to be idle in a sensing slot (Section 2.2., Section 2.3); and
transmitting an uplink transmission burst within the COT-u (Section 2.3 UE-initiated COT in FBE: When UE initiates a COT, the UE can immediately transmit a PUSCH without waiting for a successful DL detection), wherein
In a case that the beginning of the FFP-u collides with an IP-g, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission, overlapping with a period after the sensing slot and before an end of the IP-g, is not scheduled (Section 2.2, figures 2 and 3: Transmission gap due to idle period, slot format, etc.); and
In a case that the beginning of the FFP-u does not collide with the IP-g, the PUSCH transmission is scheduled and a PUSCH is transmitted (figure 3: UL transmission).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNY S LIN whose telephone number is (571) 272-3968.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached on 571-270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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KENNY S. LIN
Examiner
Art Unit 2416
/Kenny S Lin/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
August 27, 2025