DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
In response to amendment filed on 10/28/2025, claim 1- 4 and 12 are amended, claim 13 was cancelled. Claims 1- 12, 14- 21 are pending for examinations. Further in light of amendments, the previous rejection related 35 USC 101 is withdrawn now.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) filed in the remarks on 10/28/2025 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. Applicant has amended independent claim; hence examiner believes that the scope has been changed, hence examine has incorporated new reference Lee et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0266893 A1). Lee states about the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; see [0357].. a HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources interworked with the PUCCH resource indicator, by a service type of the corresponding PDSCH, a search space for a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, a DCI format included in a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, RNTI, CRC masking of a PDCCH, and/or a specific field (or information) in DC; now refer to [0358].. UE may receive from the base station PUCCH resource configuration information including a plurality of starting symbols and a length. In this instance, HARQ-ACK information for the first PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the first PUCCH by a first starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the first PDSCHs, and HARQ-ACK information for the second PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the second PUCCH by a second starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the second PDSCHs; now refer to [0359].. ..HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources in one slot by a specific starting symbol and a length among a plurality of starting symbols and a length based on a service type of the corresponding PDSCH….
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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) 1- 4, 7, 8- 12, 14, 16- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EL Hamss et al. (WO 2020/033237), published in 13th Feb 2020, hereafter Aata; see IDS filed on 5/9/2023, page 1 cite #1 under foreign patent documents in view of Lee et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0266893 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Aata teaches a method of operating a feedback radio node in a wireless communication network (see Fig. 1A WTRU as a 102 (i.e. feedback radio node) and signaling radio node can be #114), the method comprising:
transmitting feedback signaling to a signaling radio node (see [0097].. a WTRU may be configured to transmit ACK/NACK, A/N, feedback for all received TBs prior to the feedback transmission time in one FIARQ-ACK codebook…), the feedback signaling comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to subject signaling (see [0097].. the acknowledgement information corresponds to the FIARQ-ACK codebook..), the feedback signaling further comprising subject information indicating which subject signaling the acknowledgment information pertains to (see [0097]…the subject-information corresponds to an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in the FIARQ-ACK codebook...). But Aata is silent about the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; however Lee states in [0357].. a HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources interworked with the PUCCH resource indicator, by a service type of the corresponding PDSCH, a search space for a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, a DCI format included in a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, RNTI, CRC masking of a PDCCH, and/or a specific field (or information) in DC; now refer to [0358].. UE may receive from the base station PUCCH resource configuration information including a plurality of starting symbols and a length. In this instance, HARQ-ACK information for the first PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the first PUCCH by a first starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the first PDSCHs, and HARQ-ACK information for the second PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the second PUCCH by a second starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the second PDSCHs; now refer to [0359].. ..HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources in one slot by a specific starting symbol and a length among a plurality of starting symbols and a length based on a service type of the corresponding PDSCH…. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Lee with the teachings of Aata to make system more standardized. Having a mechanism wherein the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; greater way more standardized approach can be carried out in the communication system.
Regarding claim 2, Aata teaches a feedback radio node for a wireless communication network (see Fig. 1A WTRU as a 102 (i.e. feedback radio node) and signaling radio node can be #114), the feedback radio node configured to:
transmitting feedback signaling to a signaling radio node (see [0097].. a WTRU may be configured to transmit ACK/NACK, A/N, feedback for all received TBs prior to the feedback transmission time in one FIARQ-ACK codebook…), the feedback signaling comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to subject signaling (see [0097].. the acknowledgement information corresponds to the FIARQ-ACK codebook..), the feedback signaling further comprising subject information indicating which subject signaling the acknowledgment information pertains to (see [0097]…the subject-information corresponds to an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in the FIARQ-ACK codebook...). But Aata is silent about the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; however Lee states in [0357].. a HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources interworked with the PUCCH resource indicator, by a service type of the corresponding PDSCH, a search space for a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, a DCI format included in a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, RNTI, CRC masking of a PDCCH, and/or a specific field (or information) in DC; now refer to [0358].. UE may receive from the base station PUCCH resource configuration information including a plurality of starting symbols and a length. In this instance, HARQ-ACK information for the first PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the first PUCCH by a first starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the first PDSCHs, and HARQ-ACK information for the second PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the second PUCCH by a second starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the second PDSCHs; now refer to [0359].. ..HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources in one slot by a specific starting symbol and a length among a plurality of starting symbols and a length based on a service type of the corresponding PDSCH…. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Lee with the teachings of Aata to make system more standardized. Having a mechanism wherein the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; greater way more standardized approach can be carried out in the communication system.
Regarding claim 3, Aata teaches a method of operating a signaling radio node in a wireless communication network (see Fig. 1A WTRU as a 102 (i.e. feedback radio node) and signaling radio node can be #114), the method comprising:
receiving feedback signaling from a feedback radio node (see [0097].. a WTRU may be configured to transmit ACK/NACK, A/N, feedback for all received TBs prior to the feedback transmission time in one FIARQ-ACK codebook…), the feedback signaling comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to subject signaling (see [0097].. the acknowledgement information corresponds to the FIARQ-ACK codebook..), the feedback signaling further comprising subject information indicating which subject signaling the acknowledgment information pertains to(see [0097]…the subject-information corresponds to an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in the FIARQ-ACK codebook...). But Aata is silent about the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; however Lee states in [0357].. a HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources interworked with the PUCCH resource indicator, by a service type of the corresponding PDSCH, a search space for a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, a DCI format included in a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, RNTI, CRC masking of a PDCCH, and/or a specific field (or information) in DC; now refer to [0358].. UE may receive from the base station PUCCH resource configuration information including a plurality of starting symbols and a length. In this instance, HARQ-ACK information for the first PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the first PUCCH by a first starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the first PDSCHs, and HARQ-ACK information for the second PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the second PUCCH by a second starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the second PDSCHs; now refer to [0359].. ..HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources in one slot by a specific starting symbol and a length among a plurality of starting symbols and a length based on a service type of the corresponding PDSCH…. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Lee with the teachings of Aata to make system more standardized. Having a mechanism wherein the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; greater way more standardized approach can be carried out in the communication system.
Regarding claim 4, Aata teaches a signaling radio node for a wireless communication network (see Fig. 1A WTRU as a 102 (i.e. feedback radio node) and signaling radio node can be #114), the signaling radio node configured to:
receive feedback signaling from a feedback radio node (see [0097].. a WTRU may be configured to transmit ACK/NACK, A/N, feedback for all received TBs prior to the feedback transmission time in one FIARQ-ACK codebook…), the feedback signaling comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to subject signaling (see [0097].. the acknowledgement information corresponds to the FIARQ-ACK codebook..), the feedback signaling further comprising subject information indicating which subject signaling the acknowledgment information pertains to(see [0097]…the subject-information corresponds to an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in the FIARQ-ACK codebook...). But Aata is silent about the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; however Lee states in [0357].. a HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources interworked with the PUCCH resource indicator, by a service type of the corresponding PDSCH, a search space for a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, a DCI format included in a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, RNTI, CRC masking of a PDCCH, and/or a specific field (or information) in DC; now refer to [0358].. UE may receive from the base station PUCCH resource configuration information including a plurality of starting symbols and a length. In this instance, HARQ-ACK information for the first PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the first PUCCH by a first starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the first PDSCHs, and HARQ-ACK information for the second PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the second PUCCH by a second starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the second PDSCHs; now refer to [0359].. ..HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources in one slot by a specific starting symbol and a length among a plurality of starting symbols and a length based on a service type of the corresponding PDSCH…. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Lee with the teachings of Aata to make system more standardized. Having a mechanism wherein the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; greater way more standardized approach can be carried out in the communication system.
Regarding claim 5, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, wherein Aata teaches the subject information pertains to one or more from a group consisting of:
acknowledgement process identifiers;
control information reception opportunities;
control information messages; and
assignment indications; see [0097]... A WTRU may transmit additional information along with the FIARQ-ACK codebook to indicate FIARQ process ID(s) and/or the number of FIARQ process IDs carried by the codebook. In some cases, the number of FIARQ process IDs may be equal to the number of TBs acknowledged (or the number of received TBs). In some embodiments, the additional information may include any of the following: 1) received time of the first TB acknowledged in the codebook. For example, slot number and/or subframe number of the first A/N in the codebook; 2) received time of the last TB acknowledged in the codebook; 3) number of TBs acknowledged in the FIARQ feedback; and 4) an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in FIARQ-ACKs feedback. For example, a WTRU may be configured with a set of FIARQ process IDs that can be transmitted within a FIARQ-ACK codebook. In an example, 8 out of 16 FIARQ process IDs can be transmitted in one codebook while the remaining 8 FIARQ process IDs can be transmitted in a different FIARQ codebook. In some cases, a FIARQ process ID identifies a HARQ process. Alternatively, a WTRU may transmit a bitmap indicating the subset of HARQ process IDs transmitted in the feedback; further see [0099].
Regarding claim 7, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, wherein Aata teaches acknowledgement information pertains only to subject signaling for which a scheduling assignment is indicated as received by the subject information; see [0099]..bitmap is being transmitted to indicate the HARQ process IDs to which the ACK/NACKs of the transmitted ACK/NACK bitmap pertain.
Regarding claim 8, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, wherein Aata teaches the subject information is represented by a bit pattern; see [0097, 0099- 0100].
Regarding claim 9, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, wherein Aata teaches the subject information is represented by a bit pattern indicating an order of processes, wherein the acknowledgement information is arranged according to this order; as discussed above see [0097].
Regarding claim 10, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, wherein Aata teaches the feedback signaling is transmitted within one allocation unit; see [0130].. configured time...
Regarding claim 11, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, wherein Aata teaches the feedback signaling is transmitted on a data channel; see [0130] PUSCH.
Regarding claim 12, Aata teaches a non-transitory computer storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions causing processing circuitry to one or both control and perform a method, the method comprising (see Fig. 1A WTRU as a 102 (i.e. feedback radio node) and signaling radio node can be #114):
transmitting feedback signaling to a signaling radio node (see [0097].. a WTRU may be configured to transmit ACK/NACK, A/N, feedback for all received TBs prior to the feedback transmission time in one FIARQ-ACK codebook…), the feedback signaling comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to subject signaling (see [0097].. the acknowledgement information corresponds to the FIARQ-ACK codebook..), the feedback signaling further comprising subject information indicating which subject signaling the acknowledgment information pertains to (see [0097]…the subject-information corresponds to an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in the FIARQ-ACK codebook...). But Aata is silent about the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; however Lee states in [0357].. a HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources interworked with the PUCCH resource indicator, by a service type of the corresponding PDSCH, a search space for a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, a DCI format included in a PDCCH scheduling the corresponding PDSCH, RNTI, CRC masking of a PDCCH, and/or a specific field (or information) in DC; now refer to [0358].. UE may receive from the base station PUCCH resource configuration information including a plurality of starting symbols and a length. In this instance, HARQ-ACK information for the first PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the first PUCCH by a first starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the first PDSCHs, and HARQ-ACK information for the second PDSCHs may be determined to be transmitted via the second PUCCH by a second starting symbol and the length among the plurality of starting symbols and the length based on a processing time of the second PDSCHs; now refer to [0359].. ..HARQ-ACK information transmission resource for PDSCH may be determined as one of PUCCH resources in one slot by a specific starting symbol and a length among a plurality of starting symbols and a length based on a service type of the corresponding PDSCH…. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Lee with the teachings of Aata to make system more standardized. Having a mechanism wherein the feedback signaling being transmitted within one symbol time length and on a data channel; greater way more standardized approach can be carried out in the communication system.
Regarding claim 14, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 13, wherein the subject information pertains to one or more from a group consisting of:
acknowledgement process identifiers;
control information reception opportunities;
control information messages; and
assignment indications; Aata see [0097]... A WTRU may transmit additional information along with the FIARQ-ACK codebook to indicate FIARQ process ID(s) and/or the number of FIARQ process IDs carried by the codebook. In some cases, the number of FIARQ process IDs may be equal to the number of TBs acknowledged (or the number of received TBs). In some embodiments, the additional information may include any of the following: 1) received time of the first TB acknowledged in the codebook. For example, slot number and/or subframe number of the first A/N in the codebook; 2) received time of the last TB acknowledged in the codebook; 3) number of TBs acknowledged in the FIARQ feedback; and 4) an indication of the FIARQ process ID transmitted in FIARQ-ACKs feedback. For example, a WTRU may be configured with a set of FIARQ process IDs that can be transmitted within a FIARQ-ACK codebook. In an example, 8 out of 16 FIARQ process IDs can be transmitted in one codebook while the remaining 8 FIARQ process IDs can be transmitted in a different FIARQ codebook. In some cases, a FIARQ process ID identifies a HARQ process. Alternatively, a WTRU may transmit a bitmap indicating the subset of HARQ process IDs transmitted in the feedback; further see [0099].
Regarding claim 16, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 3, wherein acknowledgement information pertains only to subject signaling for which a scheduling assignment is indicated as received by the subject information; Aata see [0099]..bitmap is being transmitted to indicate the HARQ process IDs to which the ACK/NACKs of the transmitted ACK/NACK bitmap pertain.
Regarding claim 17, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 3, wherein the subject information is represented by a bit pattern; Aata see [0097, 0099- 0100].
Regarding claim 18, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 3, wherein the subject information is represented by a bit pattern indicating an order of processes, wherein the acknowledgement information is arranged according to this order; Aata discussed above see [0097].
Regarding claim 19, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 3, wherein the feedback signaling is transmitted within one allocation unit; Aata see [0130].. configured time.
Regarding claim 20, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 3, wherein the feedback signaling is transmitted on a data channel; Aata see [0130] PUSCH.
Claim(s) 6, 15 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over EL Hamss et al. (WO 2020/033237), published in 13th Feb 2020, hereafter Aata; see IDS filed on 5/9/2023, page 1 cite #1 under foreign patent documents in view of Lee et al. (US Pub. No. 2021/0266893 A1) in view of Yang et al. (US Pub. No. 2012/0320805 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 1, but Aata is silent about wherein the subject information indicates reception or non-reception of one or more of one or both of scheduling assignments and grants; however Yang states in in [0183, 089] and Fig. 18 about The reception or non reception of one or more counter DAls, i.e., scheduling assignments, and/or DL grant PDCCHs is indicated in D2 by including ACK/NACKs or DTXs in the positions of the ACK/NACK payload associated with a missing counter DAI lower than the parameter "maxPDCCHperCC" signaled by the total DAI value included in the UL grant PDCCH, respectively. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Aata in view of Lee to make system more effective. Having a mechanism wherein the subject information indicates reception or non-reception of one or more of one or both of scheduling assignments and grants; greater way resources can be managed/utilized in the communication system.
Regarding claim 15, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 3, but Aata is silent about wherein the subject information indicates reception or non-reception of one or more of one or both of scheduling assignments and grants; however Yang states in in [0183, 089] and Fig. 18 about The reception or non reception of one or more counter DAls, i.e., scheduling assignments, and/or DL grant PDCCHs is indicated in D2 by including ACK/NACKs or DTXs in the positions of the ACK/NACK payload associated with a missing counter DAI lower than the parameter "maxPDCCHperCC" signaled by the total DAI value included in the UL grant PDCCH, respectively. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Aata in view of Lee to make system more effective. Having a mechanism wherein the subject information indicates reception or non-reception of one or more of one or both of scheduling assignments and grants; greater way resources can be managed/utilized in the communication system.
Regarding claim 21, Aata in view of Lee teaches as per claim 5, but Aata is silent about wherein the subject information indicates reception or non-reception of one or more of one or both of scheduling assignments and grants; however Yang states in in [0183, 089] and Fig. 18 about The reception or non reception of one or more counter DAls, i.e., scheduling assignments, and/or DL grant PDCCHs is indicated in D2 by including ACK/NACKs or DTXs in the positions of the ACK/NACK payload associated with a missing counter DAI lower than the parameter "maxPDCCHperCC" signaled by the total DAI value included in the UL grant PDCCH, respectively. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to consider the teachings of Yang with the teachings of Aata in view of Lee to make system more effective. Having a mechanism wherein the subject information indicates reception or non-reception of one or more of one or both of scheduling assignments and grants; greater way resources can be managed/utilized in the communication system.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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PARTH PATEL
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2479
/PARTH PATEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2479