DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Rejections under 35 USC 102
Applicant’s Argument: Applicant argues Futaki teaches before RRC setup, UE monitors PDCCH resources for the second initial BWP, and after RRC setup, UE receives DL signaling. Futaki does not teach before receiving RRC message, UE keeps CORESET 0 for monitoring.
Examiner’s Response: Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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.
Futaki does not teach a second initial BWP covering the control resource set 0 however after an updated search, a secondary reference is applied that shows a CORESET 0 that is covered by a second initial BWP.
Examiner notes that the step “keep a control resource set 0” is not clear as the resource set CORESET 0 may be configured and not discarded by the time RRC is received, thus considered “keep.” “Keep” is not a standard term and thus any resource that is configured and never actively released is considered kept. The claim does not mention it continues to monitor CORESET 0 as argued by Applicant, thus the CORESET 0 is not actually used for anything in the claim.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 objected as it recites “a second initial bandwidth part (BWP)” in line 12 and then later recites “a second initial bandwidth part (BWP)” in line 15, but it is unclear if this is the same second initial bandwidth part.
Claim 17 objected to as it is not clear if “a terminal equipment” and “a reduced capability terminal equipment” are the same terminal equipment.
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.
Claim 11-13, 17-19 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.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the downlink channel and/or signal" in line 17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim does not previously define a downlink channel or signal. Claim 12-13 rejected by virtue of their dependence on claim 11. Claim 17-19 rejected for the same recitation as in claim 11.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 11-13, 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Futaki et al. (“Futaki”) (US 20220287102 A1, effective filing date of foreign application JP 2020-022376 filed Feb. 13, 2020) in view of Xu et al. (“Xu”) (US 20230179374 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Futaki teaches:
An apparatus, applicable to a reduced capability terminal equipment [Figure 3, 301, ¶0061, second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication) in SIB1, ¶0049 includes cell-specific parameters to second initial BWP, ¶0051 includes “indicating the frequency-domain position and bandwidth of the second initial DL BWP” and reduced capability fields, wherein ¶0072 second configuration supports reduced capability], the apparatus comprising: a memory; and processor circuitry coupled to the memory and configured [Figure 3, UE 2] to: receive a system information block transmitted by a network device, the system information block comprising fourth indication information [Figure 3, step 301, ¶0061 information in SIB1 includes first initial BWP configuration (fourth indication)], the fourth indication information being used to indicate first related information of a first initial bandwidth part (BWP) [¶0061, SIB1 include first initial BWP configuration, ¶0048 includes parameters of first initial BWP], keep a control resource set 0 until receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message in a case where the system information block includes fifth indication information [Figure 3, step 301, ¶0061 information in SIB1 includes second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication), and MIB received previously in ¶0045, which configures CORESET 0, see ¶007-8, Examiner notes that it is unclear what the claim means by “keep” as the reference does not teach discarding/releasing but does appear to show that COREST 0 is configured via MIB, thus is kept i.e. configured without being actively released before reception of RRC messages in ¶0063 RRC setup, and the SIB1 includes the fifth indication of the second BWP] and s second initial bandwidth part (BWP) covers a control resource set, wherein the fifth indication information is used to indicate second related information of a second initial bandwidth part (BWP) of the reduced capability terminal equipment [Figure 3, step 301, ¶0061 information in SIB1 includes second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication), and see ¶0053 configure PDCCH with DCI to be transmitted within BWP thus covers a CORESET];
and receive the downlink channel and/or signal in the second initial bandwidth part indicated by the fifth indication information [¶0067, monitor for signal via second BWP] after receiving a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, the RRC message including RRCSetup message, RRCResume message or RRCReestablishment message [¶0063-66 shows prior steps of RRC setup before using second BWP known to include the claimed RRC setup signals].
Futaki teaches RRC message but not the bandwidth covering the CORESET 0.
Xu teaches keeping a CORESET 0, and a second initial bandwidth part (BWP) of the reduced capability terminal equipment covers the control resource set 0 [Figure 5b, ¶0119-122 redcap UE being second bandwidth configured within initial DL BWP and covers the kept CORESET 0]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the second BWP covering the Coreset 0. Futaki teaches a second BWP for reduced bandwidth device, and it would have been obvious to specify this covering a bandwidth of a kept CORESET 0 as in Xu who teaches this solves the problem of a narrow bandwidth reduced capability device receiving fully a channel ¶0003, ¶0037.
Regarding claim 12, Futaki-Xu teaches:
The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the fourth indication information is used to indicate a location and bandwidth of the first initial bandwidth part (BWP) [Futaki Figure 3, 301, ¶0061, fourth indication in SIB1, first initial BWP configuration (fourth indication), ¶0048 includes cell-specific parameters to first initial BWP, ¶0050 includes “indicating the frequency-domain position and bandwidth of the first initial DL BWP” ].
Regarding claim 13, Futaki-Xu teaches:
The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second related information comprising a location and/or a bandwidth [Futaki Figure 3, 301, ¶0061, second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication) in SIB1, ¶0049 includes cell-specific parameters to second initial BWP, ¶0051 includes “indicating the frequency-domain position and bandwidth of the second initial DL BWP” and reduced capability fields, wherein ¶0072 second configuration supports reduced capability].
Regarding claim 17, Futaki teaches:
An apparatus, applicable to a network device, the apparatus comprising: a memory; and a processor circuitry coupled to the memory and configured to [Figure 3, gNB, ¶0160-162]: transmit a system information block to a terminal equipment, the system information block comprising fourth indication information [Figure 3, step 301, ¶0061 gNB transmits information in SIB1 includes first initial BWP configuration (fourth indication) and second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication), wherein ¶0072 second configuration supports reduced capability], the fourth indication information being used to indicate first related information of a first initial bandwidth part (BWP) [¶0061, SIB1 include first initial BWP configuration, ¶0048 includes parameters of first initial BWP],
Wherein a control resource set 0 is kept by a reduced capability terminal equipment until the network device transmits a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message in a case where the system information block includes fifth indication information [Figure 3, step 301, ¶0061 information in SIB1 includes second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication), and MIB received previously in ¶0045, which configures CORESET 0, see ¶007-8, Examiner notes that it is unclear what the claim means by “keep” as the reference does not teach discarding/releasing but does appear to show that COREST 0 is configured via MIB, thus is kept i.e. configured without being actively released before reception of RRC messages in ¶0063 RRC setup] and a second initial bandwidth part (BWP) of the reduced capability terminal equipment covers a control resource set, wherein the fifth indication information is used to indicate second related information of a second initial bandwidth part (BWP) of the reduced capability terminal equipment [Figure 3, step 301, ¶0061 information in SIB1 includes second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication), and see ¶0053 configure PDCCH with DCI to be transmitted within BWP thus covers a CORESET];
and transmit a downlink channel and/or signal in the second initial bandwidth part indicated by the fifth indication information [¶0067, monitor for signal via second BWP] after transmitting a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, the RRC message including RRCSetup message, RRCResume message or RRCReestablishment message [¶0063-66 shows prior steps of RRC setup known to include the claimed signals].
Futaki teaches RRC message but not the bandwidth covering the CORESET 0.
Xu teaches keeping a CORESET 0, and a second initial bandwidth part (BWP) of the reduced capability terminal equipment covers the control resource set 0 [Figure 5b, ¶0119-122 redcap UE being second bandwidth configured within initial DL BWP and covers the kept CORESET 0]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the second BWP covering the Coreset 0. Futaki teaches a second BWP for reduced bandwidth device, and it would have been obvious to specify this covering a bandwidth of a kept CORESET 0 as in Xu who teaches this solves the problem of a narrow bandwidth reduced capability device receiving fully a channel ¶0003, ¶0037.
Regarding claim 18, Futaki-Xu teaches:
The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the fourth indication information is block to indicate a location and bandwidth of the first initial bandwidth part (BWP) [Futaki Figure 3, 301, ¶0061, fourth indication in SIB1, first initial BWP configuration (fourth indication), ¶0048 includes cell-specific parameters to first initial BWP, ¶0050 includes “indicating the frequency-domain position and bandwidth of the first initial DL BWP” ].
Regarding claim 19, Futaki-Xu teaches:
The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second related information comprising a position and/or a bandwidth [Futaki Figure 3, 301, ¶0061, fifth indication in SIB1, second initial BWP configuration (fifth indication), ¶0049 includes cell-specific parameters to second initial BWP, ¶0051 includes “indicating the frequency-domain position and bandwidth of the second initial DL BWP” and
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY L. VOGEL whose telephone number is (303)297-4322. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30 PM MT.
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/JAY L VOGEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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