DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 11/07/2025 has been received and considered by the Examiner.
The amendment submitted on 01/27/2026 has been received and considered by the Examiner. Claims 1, 3, 6-7, 9, 12-13, 15, 18-19, 21, and 24 were amended, and claims 4-5, 10-11, 16-17, 22-23, and 25-26 were cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3, 6-7, 9, 12-13, 15, 18-19, 21, and 24 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 6-7, 9, 12-13, 15, 18-19, 21, and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Futaki et al. (US 2022/0287102 A1, hereinafter “Futaki”) in view of Sakhnini et al. (US 2021/0258963 A1, hereinafter “Sakhnini”) and further in view of Srinivasan et al. (US 2023/0232382 A1, hereinafter “Srinivasan”).
As to Claim 1, 7, 13, and 19:
Futaki describes a method to broadcast different bandwidth part configurations to a user device and choose between them based on the device’s capability.
Specifically, Futaki teaches:
Sending configuration information to a terminal device
Futaki describes a method to “broadcast a first initial bandwidth part (BWP) configuration via system information. Further, the at least one processor is configured to broadcast a second initial BWP configuration via the system information ... The first initial BWP is used by at least a first type of radio terminal that performs contention-based random access in the cell. Meanwhile, the second initial BWP is not used by the first type of radio terminal, but is used by a second type of radio terminal” (Futaki, 0018).
The configuration information is carried in a system information block 1 (SIB1)
Futaki further clarifies that the “system information” that broadcasts two types of initial BWPs (Futaki, 0018) is “SIB1” which “includes an initial Downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) configuration ... and an initial UL BWP configuration” (Futaki, 0010).
The configuration information comprises configuration information of at least two frequency domain resources
Futaki describes “system information” that contains “a first initial bandwidth part” and “a second initial BWP” (Futaki, 0018).
The at least two frequency domain resources comprise at least one first-type frequency domain resource and at least one second-type frequency domain resource
Futaki describes a method to “broadcast a first initial bandwidth part (BWP) configuration via system information. Further, the at least one processor is configured to broadcast a second initial BWP configuration via the system information ... The first initial BWP is used by at least a first type of radio terminal that performs contention-based random access in the cell. Meanwhile, the second initial BWP is not used by the first type of radio terminal, but is used by a second type of radio terminal” (Futaki, 0018).
The at least one first-type frequency domain resource is for at least one of a first-type terminal device to communicate with a network device, or for a first-type terminal device and a second-type terminal device to communicate with the network device
Futaki describes a method to “broadcast a first initial bandwidth part (BWP) configuration via system information. Further, the at least one processor is configured to broadcast a second initial BWP configuration via the system information ... The first initial BWP is used by at least a first type of radio terminal that performs contention-based random access in the cell. Meanwhile, the second initial BWP is not used by the first type of radio terminal, but is used by a second type of radio terminal” (Futaki, 0018).
The at least one second-type frequency domain resource is for the second-type terminal device to communicate with the network device
Futaki describes a method to “broadcast a first initial bandwidth part (BWP) configuration via system information. Further, the at least one processor is configured to broadcast a second initial BWP configuration via the system information ... The first initial BWP is used by at least a first type of radio terminal that performs contention-based random access in the cell. Meanwhile, the second initial BWP is not used by the first type of radio terminal, but is used by a second type of radio terminal” (Futaki, 0018).
A maximum bandwidth of the second-type terminal device is less than a maximum bandwidth of the first-type terminal device
Futaki teaches that “[a] bandwidth of the second initial BWP is equal to or narrower than a bandwidth of the first initial BWP ... The second type of UEs may have limited RF capability compared to the first type of UEs. In other words, the second type of UEs may support a limited UE bandwidth” (Futaki, 0019, 0047).
The second-type terminal device is a reduced capability (REDCAP)-type terminal device
Futaki describes a reduced capability terminal, stating, “Release 17 [of 3GPP] plans to support a new device type called reduced capability New Radio (NR) devices” (Futaki, 0002).
Communicating with the terminal device by one of the at least two frequency domain resources
Futaki teaches that “the at least one processor is configured to receive a second initial BWP configuration via the system information ... and to use the received second initial BWP configuration” (Futaki, 0019).
Futaki does not explicitly disclose:
The second-type terminal device supports two receive antennas and one transmit antenna, or the second type terminal device supports one receive antenna and one transmit antenna
The first-type terminal device supports four receive antennas and two transmit antennas
However, Sakhnini does describe a method for implementing narrow bandwidth parts (NBWPs) to support reduced capability user equipment.
Specifically, Sakhnini teaches:
The second-type terminal device supports two receive antennas and one transmit antenna, or the second type terminal device supports one receive antenna and one transmit antenna
Fig. 9 in Sakhnini depicts a “reduced capability device” such as “UE 115” that “may include a single antenna 925” (Sakhnini, 0124, 0128), which would function as both the “one receive antenna and one transmit antenna”.
The first-type terminal device supports four receive antennas and two transmit antennas
Sakhnini states that “a single UE may include two, four, or more antenna arrays for transmitting or receiving signals at different physical locations on the UE or in different locations” (Sakhnini, 0099). Here, for example, a UE with four antennas for receiving and transmitting would quality as having “four receive antennas” and at least “two transmit antennas”.
Sakhnini’s disclosure of alternately using four or two antennas would also render a single device with four receive antennas and two transmit antennas as an obvious combination of known prior art elements per MPEP 2144.04.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the antenna counts for normal capability UEs and reduced capability UEs described in Sakhnini into Futaki’s method for configuring separate bandwidth parts. These antenna counts are standard values that would be obvious to accommodate because Futaki and Sakhnini both relate to configuring bandwidth for different types of devices.
The combination of Futaki and Sakhnini also does not explicitly disclose:
When the at least one first-type frequency domain resource is less or equal than the maximum bandwidth of the second-type terminal device, the at least one first-type frequency domain resource or the at least one second-type frequency domain resource is able to be used for communicating with the REDCAP-type terminal device
However, Srinivasan does describe a method for a user device to share multiple workable coresets.
Specifically, Srinivasan teaches:
When the at least one first-type frequency domain resource is less or equal than the maximum bandwidth of the second-type terminal device, the at least one first-type frequency domain resource or the at least one second-type frequency domain resource is able to be used for communicating with the REDCAP-type terminal device
Srinivasan teaches that for “RedCap UE2”, “rather than defining ... specific CORESETs”, “a single different CORESET or a combination of any two CORESETs may be used” (Srinivasan, 0057).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Srinivasan’s practice of allowing a reduced capability terminal of using any bandwidth part that it can support into Futaki’s method for configuring terminals with different bandwidth parts. Allowing a terminal to use the full range of bandwidth configurations that it supports provides more options to optimize its performance.
Claim 7 describes the same subject matter as Claim 1 from the perspective of the receiving device.
Claim 13 describes the same subject matter as Claim 1 in the form of an apparatus claim which additionally requires:
One or more processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including instructions
Fig. 17 in Futaki shows an example user equipment which includes an “Application Processor 1704” and a “Memory 1706”.
Claim 19 describes the same subject matter as Claim 13 from the perspective of the receiving device.
As to Claim 3, 9, 15, 21:
Futaki teaches:
The at least one second-type frequency domain resource is less than or equal to the maximum bandwidth of the second-type terminal device
Futaki states that “[t]he second type of UEs select and use the second initial BWP” because “this embodiment allows the second type of UEs with limited capability compared to the first type of UEs to use initial BWPs suitable for their capability” (Futaki, 0058).
Claim 9 requires the same limitations as Claim 3 from the perspective of the receiving device.
Claim 15 requires the same limitations as Claim 3 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 21 requires the same limitations as Claim 15 from the perspective of the receiving device.
As to Claim 6, 12, 18, 24:
Futaki teaches:
The at least one first-type frequency domain resource is a first initial downlink bandwidth part (BWP), and the at least one second-type frequency domain resource is a second initial downlink BWP
Futaki describes a “first initial BWP configuration” that “includes cell-specific common parameters of a first initial BWP of a cell. The second initial BWP configuration includes cell-specific common parameters of a second initial BWP of the cell” (Futaki, 0018).
Claim 12 requires the same limitations as Claim 6 from the perspective of the receiving device.
Claim 18 requires the same limitations as Claim 6 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 24 requires the same limitations as Claim 18 from the perspective of the receiving device.
Claim(s) 2, 8, 14, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Futaki (US 2022/0287102 A1) in view of Sakhnini (US 2022/0287102 A1) and Srinivasan (US 2023/0232382 A1) and further in view of Xu et al. (US 2023/0179374 A1, hereinafter “Xu”).
As to Claim 2, 8, 14, and 20:
The combination of Futaki, Sakhnini, and Srinivasan does not explicitly disclose:
The maximum bandwidth of the second-type terminal device is 5MHz, 10 MHz, 20 MHz, or 40 MHz
However, Xu does describe a method for indicating a BWP to normal and RedCap devices using a CORESET in an SSB.
Specifically, Xu teaches:
The maximum bandwidth of the second-type terminal device is 5 MHz, 10 MHz, 20 MHz, or 40 MHz
Xu describes a “RedCap terminal” that “may support” bandwidths of “10 MHz, 20 MHz, and so on” (Xu, 0087).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply Futaki’s method for configuring a BWP for a RedCap device to the RedCap devices with the maximum bandwidths disclosed in Xu. 10 MHz and 20 MHz are standard bandwidths supported by reduced capability devices in 5G.
Claim 8 describes the same subject matter as Claim 2 from the perspective of the receiving device.
Claim 14 describes the same subject matter as Claim 2 in the form of an apparatus claim.
Claim 20 describes the same subject matter as Claim 2 in the form of an apparatus claim from the perspective of the receiving device.
Conclusion
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/B.P.W./Examiner, Art Unit 2477
/CHIRAG G SHAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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