DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This office action is in response to remarks filed 01/05/2026.
Claims 1-5 and 16-30 are pending and presented for examination. Claims 1, 3, 4, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 26, and 28 are amended. No claims are cancelled. No claims are added.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/05/2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 21, as written, do not disclose a limitation for the case of DCI without scheduling PDSCH. Claims 1 and 21 recite in a limitation “receiving, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including scheduling information on a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list for at least one physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)”, examiner emphasis. Claim 1 and 21 recite in a further limitation “in case that the DCI indicates a secondary cell (SCell) dormancy, identifying a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI, based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field; identifying an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell, based on the identified bitmap;”, examiner emphasis.
The claim limitation for SCell dormancy indication and scheduling information for a PDSCH included in the DCI is indefinite. DCI contains multiple fields with multiple bits indicating multiple types of information at each transmission. The limitation does not disclose what DCI fields, bits, or their combinations to indicate a SCell dormancy. Examiner notes in Applicant’s remarks submitting the argument, at least according to the instant application, that SCell dormancy is still indicated when PDSCH scheduling is not indicated by the DCI.
The instant application discloses a ‘Condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication’ per “The UE may determine whether the <condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication> is satisfied using the determined FDRA field, one-shot HARQ-ACK request field, and carrier indicator field. In a case that the <condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication> is satisfied, the UE interprets the DCI as the DCI indicating single-PDSCH scheduling, and may constitute a bitmap of Scell dormancy indication by combining the MCS field, the K-bit NDI field, the K-bit RV field, the HPN field, the antenna port(s) field, and the DMRS sequence initialization field in order. In a case that the <condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication> is not satisfied, the UE may determine the DCI as the DCI scheduling PDSCH.”, ¶0362.
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 1-5, and 16-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Yi et al. (US 20240032031 A1, hereinafter “Yi”) in view of Islam (US 20210029772 A1, hereinafter “Islam”).
RE Claim 1, 21: Yi discloses a method or terminal:
A terminal in a wireless communication system, the terminal comprising:
a transceiver (Transceiver connected a processor, ¶¶0215-0217, Fig. 15: 1518, 1520, 1522); and
a processor operably connected to the transceiver (Transceiver connected a processor, ¶¶0215-0217, Fig. 15: 1518, 1520, 1522) and configured to:
receiving, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message (UE and gNB RRC messages. ¶0107, Fig. 2B: 216, 226) including scheduling information on a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list for at least one physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (PDCCH and DCI carry downlink scheduling commands. ¶0097; DCI messaging of the RRC used schedule downlink resources for one or more PDSCHs. ¶0237, Fig. 17; Base station transmits one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters for a list of time domain resource allocation or a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22);
receiving, from the base station, downlink control information (DCI) (PDCCH and DCI. ¶0097) including a time domain resource (TDRA) field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22), a new data indicator (NDI) field (one or more NDI bits in one or more NDI fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21), and a redundancy version (RV) field (one or more RV bits of one or more RB fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21);
identifying, based on the scheduling information on the TDRA list and the TDRA field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22), a number of bits of the (NDI) field (one or more NDI bits in one or more NDI fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21) and a number of bits of the (RV) field (one or more RV bits of one or more RB fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21);
identifying a number of scheduled PDSCH based on the TDRA list and a value of the TDRA field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22; DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs where each entry of the list comprises an index for each PDSCH. ¶0346, Fig. 22), wherein the value indicates a row in the TDRA list (First PDSCH of the TDRA table has index = 1, a value for a row. ¶0346, Fig. 22) and wherein the number of scheduled PDSCH is a number of scheduling information of the indicated row in the TDRA list (First PDSCH of the TDRA table has index = 1, a value for a row. ¶0346, Fig. 22);
wherein in case that the number of scheduled PDSCH is more than 1, the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field are determined based on a maximum number of scheduling PDSCH information of rows in the TDRA list (“In an example, a TDRA table (e.g., PUSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocationList, PDSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocatinoList) may comprise one or more entries of TDRA. Each TDRA entry may comprise a scheduling offset (e.g., k2-r17 for PUSCH, k0-r17 for PDSCH) and one or more indexes to the list of SLIV values. Each of the one or more indexes may correspond to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by a DCI or each PSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by a DCI. “, ¶0349. “In an example, a DCI, of a multi-PDSCH or a multi-PUSCH scheduling, may comprise one or more NDI bits/fields, where each of the one or more NDI bits/fields corresponds to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by the DCI or each PUSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by the DCI. The DCI may also comprise one or more RV fields/bits, where each of the one or more RV bits/fields corresponds to the each PDSCH or the each PUSCH.”, ¶0354. Therefore, Yi discloses that each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs, a total number of scheduled PDSCHs, has a corresponding NDI bits/field and a corresponding RV bits/field in a multi-PDSCH DCI.).
Yi does not explicitly disclose:
in case that the DCI indicates a secondary cell (SCell) dormancy, identifying a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI, based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field; and
identifying an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell, based on the identified bitmap; and
performing a BWP switching for the SCell to the active BWP.
However, Islam discloses:
in case that the DCI indicates a secondary cell (SCell) dormancy, identifying a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI, based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field (In some embodiments, the UE may interpret the DCI format 1_1 as scheduling the PDSCH reception when either the UE is not configured with the resourceAllocationType1 or when all bits of the frequency domain resource assignment field in the DCI format 1_1 are not equal to 1. In these embodiments, when either the UE is not configured with the resourceAllocationType1 or when all bits of a frequency domain resource assignment field in the DCI format 1_1 are not equal to 1, the UE will refrain from interpreting fields of the DCI format 1_1 as a bitmap for SCell dormancy indication. “, ¶0032. “In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field.”, ¶0035); and
identifying an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell, based on the identified bitmap (In these embodiments, for the SCell dormancy, the UE may interpret fields of the DCI format 1_1 as a bitmap for SCell dormancy indication and either activate or deactivate a downlink bandwidth part (DL BWP) for an SCell of the group of configured SCells when indicated by the bitmap. ¶0031); and
performing a BWP switching for the SCell to the active BWP (In some embodiments, when the fields of the DCI format 1_1 are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, a ‘0’ value for a bit of the bitmap indicates that an active DL BWP is a dormant DL BWP for an activated SCell in the group of configured SCells. In these embodiments, the UE remains in a dormant BWP for an SCell when a ‘0’ is indicated in the bitmap, and the UE will change from a dormant BWP to an active BWP when a ‘1’ is indicated in the bitmap if the BWP was a dormant BWP. ¶0034).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI comprising NDI, RV and possibly other fields to indicate SCell dormancy.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claims 2, 22 : Yi does not explicitly disclose a method or a terminal:
wherein the bitmap is determined based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, the NDI field, the RV field, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process number field, an antenna port field, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence initialization field included in the DCI.
However, Islam discloses:
wherein the bitmap is determined based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, the NDI field, the RV field, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process number field, an antenna port field, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence initialization field included in the DCI (In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field. ¶0035).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI comprising NDI, RV and possibly other fields to indicate SCell dormancy.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 3, 23, Yi discloses a method or terminal
The method
wherein in case that the number of the scheduled PDSCH is 1 (Single-PDSCH DCI refers to a DCI indication resources for a single PDSCH. ¶¶0496, 0290),
the number of bits of the NDI field is 1 bit and the number of bits of the RV field is 2 bits (Each NDI bit of the one or more NDI bits correspond to each of the one or more PDSCHs. Each RV bit of the one or more RV bits correspond to the each of the one or more PDSCHs. ¶0290; 0355, 1 bit NDI used for single PDSCH scheduled. Bit size of the NDI may be fixed at 1 bit. RV field with values of 0, 2, 3, 1, which requires 2 bits. ¶0255; A 1 bit NDI used for a single PDSCH scheduled by the multi-PDSCH DCI format. ¶0580).
RE Claim 4, 24: Yi doesn’t explicitly disclose a method or terminal:
wherein, in case that a bit of the bitmap is set to zero, the active BWP is identified as a dormant BWP and
wherein, in case that the bit of the bitmap is set to one, the active BWP is identified as a first BWP to be activated after the dormant BWP
However, Islam discloses:
wherein, in case that a bit of the bitmap is set to zero, the active BWP is identified as a dormant BWP and
wherein, in case that the bit of the bitmap is set to one, the active BWP is identified as a first BWP to be activated after the dormant BWP (In some embodiments, when the fields of the DCI format 1_1 are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, a ‘0’ value for a bit of the bitmap indicates that an active DL BWP is a dormant DL BWP for an activated SCell in the group of configured SCells. In these embodiments, the UE remains in a dormant BWP for an SCell when a ‘0’ is indicated in the bitmap, and the UE will change from a dormant BWP to an active BWP when a ‘1’ is indicated in the bitmap if the BWP was a dormant BWP. ¶0034).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI to indicate SCell dormancy for a given BWP.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 5: Yi discloses a method or terminal:
wherein the information on the TDRA list includes at least one of K0 (K0. ¶0333, Fig. 22), a start and length indicator value (SLIV) (SLIV values. ¶0333, Fig. 22), and a PDSCH mapping type (PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22) corresponding to a row indicated by the TDRA field (Each row of TDRA table comprises K0, SLIV, and PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22).
RE Claim 16, Yi discloses:
A method of a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a terminal, a radio resource control (RRC) message including scheduling information on a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list for at least one physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (UE and gNB RRC messages. ¶0107, Fig. 2B: 216, 226; PDCCH and DCI carry downlink scheduling commands. ¶0097; DCI messaging of the RRC used schedule downlink resources for one or more PDSCHs. ¶0237, Fig. 17; Base station transmits one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters for a list of time domain resource allocation or a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22); and
transmitting, to the terminal, downlink control information (DCI) including a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22), a new data indicator (NDI) field (one or more NDI bits in one or more NDI fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21), and a redundancy version (RV) field (one or more RV bits of one or more RB fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21),
wherein a number of scheduled PDSCH is based on the TDRA list and a value of the TDRA field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22; DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs where each entry of the list comprises an index for each PDSCH. ¶0346, Fig. 22),
wherein the value indicates a row in the TDRA list (First PDSCH of the TDRA table has index = 1, a value for a row. ¶0346, Fig. 22),
wherein the number of scheduled PDSCH is a number of scheduled PDSCH is a number of scheduling information of the indicated row in the TDRA list (First PDSCH of the TDRA table has index = 1, a value for a row. ¶0346, Fig. 22), wherein a number of bits of the NDI field and a number of bits of the RV field is based on the scheduling information on the TDRA list and the TDRA field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22; DCI indicates resource assignments, DCI NDI bits or fields with RV bits or fields correspond to each of the PDSCHs. ¶0290),
wherein in case that the number of scheduled PDSCH is more than 1, the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field are determined based on a maximum number of scheduling information of rows in the TDRA list (“In an example, a TDRA table (e.g., PUSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocationList, PDSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocatinoList) may comprise one or more entries of TDRA. Each TDRA entry may comprise a scheduling offset (e.g., k2-r17 for PUSCH, k0-r17 for PDSCH) and one or more indexes to the list of SLIV values. Each of the one or more indexes may correspond to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by a DCI or each PSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by a DCI. “, ¶0349. “In an example, a DCI, of a multi-PDSCH or a multi-PUSCH scheduling, may comprise one or more NDI bits/fields, where each of the one or more NDI bits/fields corresponds to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by the DCI or each PUSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by the DCI. The DCI may also comprise one or more RV fields/bits, where each of the one or more RV bits/fields corresponds to the each PDSCH or the each PUSCH.”, ¶0354. Therefore, Yi discloses that each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs, a total number of scheduled PDSCHs, has a corresponding NDI bits/field and a corresponding RV bits/field in a multi-PDSCH DCI.).
Yi does not explicitly disclose:
wherein a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI is determined based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field,
wherein an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell is determined based on the identified bitmap, and
wherein a BWP switching for the SCell is performed to the active BWP,
However, Islam discloses:
wherein a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI is determined based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field (In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field. ¶0035),
wherein an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell is determined based on the identified bitmap (In these embodiments, for the SCell dormancy, the UE may interpret fields of the DCI format 1_1 as a bitmap for SCell dormancy indication and either activate or deactivate a downlink bandwidth part (DL BWP) for an SCell of the group of configured SCells when indicated by the bitmap. ¶0031), and
wherein a BWP switching for the SCell is performed to the active BWP (In some embodiments, when the fields of the DCI format 1_1 are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, a ‘0’ value for a bit of the bitmap indicates that an active DL BWP is a dormant DL BWP for an activated SCell in the group of configured SCells. In these embodiments, the UE remains in a dormant BWP for an SCell when a ‘0’ is indicated in the bitmap, and the UE will change from a dormant BWP to an active BWP when a ‘1’ is indicated in the bitmap if the BWP was a dormant BWP. ¶0034).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI comprising NDI, RV and possibly other fields to indicate SCell dormancy.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 17, Yi does not explicitly disclose:
The method, wherein the bitmap is determined based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, the NDI field, the RV field, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process number field, an antenna port field, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence initialization field included in the DCI
However, Islam discloses:
The method, wherein the bitmap is determined based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, the NDI field, the RV field, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process number field, an antenna port field, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence initialization field included in the DCI (In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field. ¶0035).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI comprising NDI, RV and possibly other fields to indicate SCell dormancy.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 18, Yi discloses:
The method
wherein, in case that the number of the scheduled PDSCH is 1, the number of bits of the NDI field is 1 bit and the number of bits of the RV field is 2 bits (Single-PDSCH DCI refers to a DCI indication resources for a single PDSCH. ¶¶0496, 0290; Each NDI bit of the one or more NDI bits correspond to each of the one or more PDSCHs. Each RV bit of the one or more RV bits correspond to the each of the one or more PDSCHs. ¶0290; 0355, 1 bit NDI used for single PDSCH scheduled. Bit size of the NDI may be fixed at 1 bit. RV field with values of 0, 2, 3, 1, which requires 2 bits. ¶0255; A 1 bit NDI used for a single PDSCH scheduled by the multi-PDSCH DCI format. ¶0580);.
RE Claim 19, Yi does not explicitly disclose:
The method, wherein in case that a bit of the bitmap is set to zero, the active BWP is identified as a dormant BWP, and
wherein in case that the bit of the bitmap is set to one, the active BWP is identified as a first BWP to be activated after the dormant BWP.
However, Islam discloses:
The method, wherein in case that a bit of the bitmap is set to zero, the active BWP is identified as a dormant BWP, and
wherein in case that the bit of the bitmap is set to one, the active BWP is identified as a first BWP to be activated after the dormant BWP (In some embodiments, when the fields of the DCI format 1_1 are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, a ‘0’ value for a bit of the bitmap indicates that an active DL BWP is a dormant DL BWP for an activated SCell in the group of configured SCells. In these embodiments, the UE remains in a dormant BWP for an SCell when a ‘0’ is indicated in the bitmap, and the UE will change from a dormant BWP to an active BWP when a ‘1’ is indicated in the bitmap if the BWP was a dormant BWP. ¶0034).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI to indicate SCell dormancy for a given BWP.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 20, Yi discloses:
The method, wherein the information on the TDRA list includes at least one of KO (K0. ¶0333, Fig. 22), a start and length indicator value (SLIV), or a PDSCH mapping type corresponding to a row indicated by the TDRA field (SLIV values. ¶0333, Fig. 22; PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22; (Each row of TDRA table comprises K0, SLIV, and PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22).
RE Claim 25,
The terminal, wherein, in case that a number of scheduled PDSCH is not 1, the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field is determined based on a maximum number of schedulable PDSCH in the information on the TDRA list (DCI indicates resource assignments, DCI NDI bits or fields with RV bits or fields correspond to each of the PDSCHs. ¶¶0290, 0305; Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22; DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs where each entry of the list comprises an index for each PDSCH. ¶0346, Fig. 22; Maximum number of PDSCHs by a single DCI indicated by the configuration parameters. DCI for multi-PDSCH scheduling, number of scheduled is greater than 1 and not 1, comprises resource assignments for one or more PDSCHs, where a number of the one or more PDSCHs scheduled is less than or equal to the maximum number of PDSCHs. ¶0292; , and
wherein the information on the TDRA list includes at least one of KO (K0. ¶0333, Fig. 22), a start and length indicator value (SLIV), or a PDSCH mapping type corresponding to a row indicated by the TDRA field (SLIV values. ¶0333, Fig. 22; PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22; Each row of TDRA table comprises K0, SLIV, and PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22).
RE Claim 26, Yi discloses:
A base station in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:
a transceiver, and
a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to (Base station with Transceiver connected a processor, ¶¶0215-0217, Fig. 1B, 15: 1510, 1512, 1508):
transmit, to a terminal, a radio resource control (RRC) message including scheduling information on a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list for at least one physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (PDCCH and DCI carry downlink scheduling commands. ¶0097; DCI messaging of the RRC used schedule downlink resources for one or more PDSCHs. ¶0237, Fig. 17; , and
transmit, to the terminal, downlink control information (DCI) including a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22), a new data indicator (NDI) field (one or more NDI bits in one or more NDI fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21), and a redundancy version (RV) field (one or more RV bits of one or more RB fields. ¶0290, Fig. 21),
wherein a number of scheduled PDSCH is based on the TDRA list and a value of the TDRA field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22; DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs where each entry of the list comprises an index for each PDSCH. ¶0346, Fig. 22),
wherein the value indicates a row in the TDRA list (First PDSCH of the TDRA table has index = 1, a value for a row. ¶0346, Fig. 22),
wherein the number of scheduled PDSCH is a number of scheduled PDSCH is a number of scheduling information of the indicated row in the TDRA list (First PDSCH of the TDRA table has index = 1, a value for a row. ¶0346, Fig. 22),
wherein a number of bits of the NDI field and a number of bits of the RV field is based on the scheduling information on the TDRA list and the TDRA field (Time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list or field. ¶¶0243, 0333, Fig. 18, 22; DCI indicates resource assignments, DCI NDI bits or fields with RV bits or fields correspond to each of the PDSCHs. ¶0290),
wherein in case that the number of scheduled PDSCH is more than 1, the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field are determined based on a maximum number of scheduling information of rows in the TDRA list (“In an example, a TDRA table (e.g., PUSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocationList, PDSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocatinoList) may comprise one or more entries of TDRA. Each TDRA entry may comprise a scheduling offset (e.g., k2-r17 for PUSCH, k0-r17 for PDSCH) and one or more indexes to the list of SLIV values. Each of the one or more indexes may correspond to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by a DCI or each PSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by a DCI. “, ¶0349. “In an example, a DCI, of a multi-PDSCH or a multi-PUSCH scheduling, may comprise one or more NDI bits/fields, where each of the one or more NDI bits/fields corresponds to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by the DCI or each PUSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by the DCI. The DCI may also comprise one or more RV fields/bits, where each of the one or more RV bits/fields corresponds to the each PDSCH or the each PUSCH.”, ¶0354. Therefore, Yi discloses that each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs, a total number of scheduled PDSCHs, has a corresponding NDI bits/field and a corresponding RV bits/field in a multi-PDSCH DCI.).
Yi does not explicitly disclose:
wherein a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI is determined based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field, and
wherein an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell is determined based on the identified bitmap, and
wherein a BWP switching for the SCell is performed to the active BWP,
However, Islam discloses:
wherein a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI is determined based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field (In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field. ¶0035), and
wherein an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell is determined based on the identified bitmap (In these embodiments, for the SCell dormancy, the UE may interpret fields of the DCI format 1_1 as a bitmap for SCell dormancy indication and either activate or deactivate a downlink bandwidth part (DL BWP) for an SCell of the group of configured SCells when indicated by the bitmap. ¶0031), and
wherein a BWP switching for the SCell is performed to the active BWP (In some embodiments, when the fields of the DCI format 1_1 are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, a ‘0’ value for a bit of the bitmap indicates that an active DL BWP is a dormant DL BWP for an activated SCell in the group of configured SCells. In these embodiments, the UE remains in a dormant BWP for an SCell when a ‘0’ is indicated in the bitmap, and the UE will change from a dormant BWP to an active BWP when a ‘1’ is indicated in the bitmap if the BWP was a dormant BWP. ¶0034).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI comprising NDI, RV and possibly other fields to indicate SCell dormancy.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 27, Yi does not explicitly disclose:
The base station, wherein the bitmap is determined based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, the NDI field, the RV field, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process number field, an antenna port field, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence initialization field included in the DCI
However, Islam discloses:
The base station, wherein the bitmap is determined based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, the NDI field, the RV field, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process number field, an antenna port field, and a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) sequence initialization field included in the DCI (In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field. ¶0035).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI comprising NDI, RV and possibly other fields to indicate SCell dormancy.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 28, Yi discloses:
The base station
wherein, in case that the number of the scheduled PDSCH is 1 (Single-PDSCH DCI refers to a DCI indication resources for a single PDSCH. ¶¶0496, 0290), the number of bits of the NDI field is 1 bit and the number of bits of the RV field is 2 bits (Each NDI bit of the one or more NDI bits correspond to each of the one or more PDSCHs. Each RV bit of the one or more RV bits correspond to the each of the one or more PDSCHs. ¶0290; 0355, 1 bit NDI used for single PDSCH scheduled. Bit size of the NDI may be fixed at 1 bit. RV field with values of 0, 2, 3, 1, which requires 2 bits. ¶0255; A 1 bit NDI used for a single PDSCH scheduled by the multi-PDSCH DCI format. ¶0580).
RE Claim 29, Yi does not explicitly disclose:
The base station, wherein, in case that a bit of the bitmap is set to zero, the active BWP is identified as a dormant BWP, and
wherein in case that the bit of the bitmap is set to one, the active BWP is identified as a first BWP to be activated after the dormant BWP.
However, Islam discloses:
The base station, wherein, in case that a bit of the bitmap is set to zero, the active BWP is identified as a dormant BWP, and
wherein in case that the bit of the bitmap is set to one, the active BWP is identified as a first BWP to be activated after the dormant BWP (In some embodiments, when the fields of the DCI format 1_1 are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, a ‘0’ value for a bit of the bitmap indicates that an active DL BWP is a dormant DL BWP for an activated SCell in the group of configured SCells. In these embodiments, the UE remains in a dormant BWP for an SCell when a ‘0’ is indicated in the bitmap, and the UE will change from a dormant BWP to an active BWP when a ‘1’ is indicated in the bitmap if the BWP was a dormant BWP. ¶0034).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yi, transmitting DCI information for multiple PDSCH scheduling parameters, with the teachings of Islam, identify a bitmap within DCI to indicate SCell dormancy for a given BWP.
The motivation in doing so would be to reduce overhead signaling by defining a modification to a DCI message to support switching between multiple active and dormant BWPs for multi-PDSCH scheduling where multiple SCells are dynamically activated over time. (Yi: Abstract, ¶¶0243, 0254, 0292, 0297-0298, 0314, 0661; Islam: Abstract, ¶¶0004, 0008-0010, 0031-0035; 0158-0161).
RE Claim 30, Yi discloses:
The base station, wherein the information on the TDRA list includes at least one of KO (K0. ¶0333, Fig. 22), a start and length indicator value (SLIV) and a PDSCH mapping type corresponding to a row indicated by the TDRA field (SLIV values. ¶0333, Fig. 22; PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22; (Each row of TDRA table comprises K0, SLIV, and PDSCH mapping type. ¶0333, Fig. 22).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s first argument is directed to claim 1. Applicant argues that the limitation “in case that the DCI indicates a secondary cell (SCell) dormancy, identifying a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI, based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field” is not disclosed by Yi or Islam or in a combination to reject the limitation. Applicant submits that Yi ‘simply discloses the term SCell dormancy, but fails to disclose the claimed elements of Claim 1.’ Applicant submits that Islam ‘discloses a method of reusing other fields based on the premise of a fixed format (legacy DCI) for a single PDSCH, which is entirely different from the variable DCI format for Multi-PDSCH as recited in Claim 1.’
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Islam discloses “In some embodiments, the UE may interpret the DCI format 1_1 as scheduling the PDSCH reception when either the UE is not configured with the resourceAllocationType1 or when all bits of the frequency domain resource assignment field in the DCI format 1_1 are not equal to 1. In these embodiments, when either the UE is not configured with the resourceAllocationType1 or when all bits of a frequency domain resource assignment field in the DCI format 1_1 are not equal to 1, the UE will refrain from interpreting fields of the DCI format 1_1 as a bitmap for SCell dormancy indication. “, ¶0032. “In some embodiments, the fields of the DCI format 1_1 that are interpreted as the bitmap for SCell dormancy indication comprise a modulation and coding scheme field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a HARQ process number field, an antenna port(s) field, and a DMRS sequence initialization field.”, ¶0035. Therefore, the bitmap for SCell dormancy is based on at least the NDI field and RV field of which each constitute a number of bits.
Applicant’s second argument directed to claim 1. Applicant argues that “As provided above, Yi discloses that the NDI/RV fields are generated only when a scheduled PDSCH exists; if there is no data scheduling to indicate SCell Dormancy, according to the logic of Yi, the NDI/RV bits become 0 bits and disappear. On the other hand, Islam describes that, when interpreted as a bitmap for SCell dormancy indication, it can include MCS field, NDI field, RV field, etc., assuming DCI format 1_1. Islam discloses that the NDI of DCI format 1_1 is fixed at 1 bit and the RV at 2 bits. However, these fixed bits as cited in Islam always exist, therefore, these fixed bits are (re)interpreted as bits for SCell dormancy indication that is different than features analogous to those recited in Claim 1. If the method of the variable-structure NDI field and RV field as cited in Yi is followed, if no scheduled PDSCH exists, the NDI/RV bits disappear, and in this case, there is a problem that the fields themselves to be reinterpreted according to Islam.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Claims 1 and 21, as written, do not disclose a limitation for the case of DCI without scheduling PDSCH. Claims 1 and 21 recite in a limitation “receiving, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including scheduling information on a time domain resource allocation (TDRA) list for at least one physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)”, examiner emphasis. Claim 1 and 21 recite in a further limitation “in case that the DCI indicates a secondary cell (SCell) dormancy, identifying a bitmap of a SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI, based on the number of bits of the NDI field and the number of bits of the RV field; identifying an active bandwidth part (BWP) for the SCell, based on the identified bitmap;”, examiner emphasis.
The claim limitation for SCell dormancy indication included in the DCI is indefinite. DCI contains multiple fields with multiple bits indicating multiple types of information at each transmission. The limitation does not disclose what fields, bits, or their combinations to indicate a SCell dormancy. Refer to response to applicant’s first argument, examiner response, and Islam’s support of a dormancy indication.
The instant application discloses a ‘Condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication’ per “The UE may determine whether the <condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication> is satisfied using the determined FDRA field, one-shot HARQ-ACK request field, and carrier indicator field. In a case that the <condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication> is satisfied, the UE interprets the DCI as the DCI indicating single-PDSCH scheduling, and may constitute a bitmap of Scell dormancy indication by combining the MCS field, the K-bit NDI field, the K-bit RV field, the HPN field, the antenna port(s) field, and the DMRS sequence initialization field in order. In a case that the <condition for transmitting Scell dormancy indication> is not satisfied, the UE may determine the DCI as the DCI scheduling PDSCH.”, ¶0362.
Applicant’s third argument directed to amended Claim 1 is “Yi and Islam, in a combination or alone, do not disclose the feature of determining the NDI field and RV field based on the maximum value of schedulable PDSCHs as recited in Claim 1.” Applicant refers to the amended limitation of Claim 1, 16, 21, and 26.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Yi discloses “In an example, a TDRA table (e.g., PUSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocationList, PDSCH-TimeDomainResourceAllocatinoList) may comprise one or more entries of TDRA. Each TDRA entry may comprise a scheduling offset (e.g., k2-r17 for PUSCH, k0-r17 for PDSCH) and one or more indexes to the list of SLIV values. Each of the one or more indexes may correspond to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by a DCI or each PSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by a DCI. “, ¶0349. “In an example, a DCI, of a multi-PDSCH or a multi-PUSCH scheduling, may comprise one or more NDI bits/fields, where each of the one or more NDI bits/fields corresponds to each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs scheduled by the DCI or each PUSCH of one or more PUSCHs scheduled by the DCI. The DCI may also comprise one or more RV fields/bits, where each of the one or more RV bits/fields corresponds to the each PDSCH or the each PUSCH.”, ¶0354. Therefore, Yi discloses that each PDSCH of one or more PDSCHs, a total number of scheduled PDSCHs, has a corresponding NDI bits/field and a corresponding RV bits/field in a multi-PDSCH DCI.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US 20210143970 A1 Xu et al.
US 20210329677 A1 Huang et al.
US 20220394682 A1 Nory et al.
US 20230232410 A1 Zhou et al.
The above references disclose various aspects of SCell dormancy and methods to signal indications with PDCCH DCI.
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/PAUL A. LANGER/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419