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 .
Status of the Claims
Based on the current set of Claims (Claims, 24 October 2025), Claims 1-2, 5, 7, 11-12, 14-15, 19, 41-42, and 54 are pending.
Based on the current set of Claims (Claims, 24 October 2025), Claims 1, 14, and 41 are amended and said amendments are narrowing.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments regarding the objection of Claims 4, 10, 12, 17, 19, 44 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of Claims 4, 10, 12, 17, 19, 44 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the rejection of Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7, 9-15, 17-20, 41-42, 44, and 54 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7, 9-15, 17-20, 41-42, 44, and 54 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the rejection of Claims 1, 14, and 41 under 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 11, 14-15, 41-42, and 54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (US 20220304037 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Zhang”).
Regarding Claim 1, Claim 1 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 41.
Regarding Claim 2, Claim 2 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 42.
Regarding Claim 11, Zhang discloses the method of claim 21.
Zhang further discloses wherein the first PDCCH association further comprises: two or more dedicated SS set indexes (¶58, Zhang discloses that each search space set is configured with a respective search space identifier).
Regarding Claim 14, Zhang discloses a method for determining a transmission resource, comprising:
transmitting first configuration information to a terminal device (¶109-110 & Fig. 11 (1104), Zhang discloses transmitting, by a next generation node (gNB), configuration information to a user equipment (UE). Examiner correlates configuration information to "first configuration information". Examiner correlates the gNB to "a network side device"), wherein the first configuration information is used for indicating a repetition of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (¶111-112 & Fig. 11 (1108->1112), Zhang discloses that the configuration information is used to indicate a repetition unit of search spaces associated with a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)), wherein the first configuration information or a first PDCCH association configured by a network side device (¶109-110 & Fig. 11 (1104), Zhang discloses that the configuration information is configured by the gNB), and a predefined second PDCCH association are used for determining an association between two or more repetitions of PDCCH (¶111-112 & Fig. 11 (1108) & ¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses determining, by the UE based on the group information and based on same PDCCH candidate indicia, a repetition unit where the repetition unit is used by at least two repetitions of the PDCCH transmission. Examiner correlates the group information to "first configuration information". Examiner correlates the same PDCCH candidate indicia as “a predefined second PDCCH association”), or resources used by the two or more repetitions of PDCCH (¶111-112 & Fig. 11 (1108) & ¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses determining, by the UE based on the group information and based on same PDCCH candidate indicia, control channel elements (CCEs) of different search spaces being used by the PDCCH repetition),
wherein the first PDCCH association comprises an association between two or more search space set (SS set) indexes (¶110, Zhang discloses that the configuration information comprises group information where the group information further includes search space group information that indicates an association, such as a grouping, between search spaces (SSs)), and
the second PDCCH association comprises:
the PDCCH is transmitted in PDCCH candidates having a same PDCCH candidate index in different SS sets (¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses that PDCCH transmissions are restricted to PDCCH candidates having the same PDCCH candidate index in different search spaces), wherein the PDCCH candidates having the same PDCCH candidate index have a same aggregation level or different aggregation levels (¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses that the PDCCH candidates having the same PDCCH candidate index may also have a control channel element (CCE) aggregation level).
Regarding Claim 15, Zhang discloses the method of claim 14.
Zhang further discloses wherein the first configuration information is further used for indicating that periodicities and/or offsets of the two or more SS set are same (¶93, Zhang discloses that parameters of a search space configuration may be common to all search spaces in a group where the parameters may include periodicity and offset).
Regarding Claim 41, Zhang discloses a terminal device, comprising a memory (¶119-135 & Fig. 13, Zhang discloses that a user equipment (UE) comprises a memory 1312), a processor (¶119-135 & Fig. 13, Zhang discloses that the UE comprises processors 1304) and a computer program stored on the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, cause the processor (¶127 & ¶135 & Fig. 13, Zhang discloses that the memory of the UE stores software for execution by the processor to cause the UE to perform a method) to:
receive first configuration information transmitted by a network side device (¶109-110 & Fig. 11 (1104), Zhang discloses receiving, by a user equipment (UE), configuration information transmitted by a next generation node (gNB). Examiner correlates configuration information to "first configuration information". Examiner correlates the gNB to "a network side device"), wherein the first configuration information is used for indicating a repetition of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (¶111-112 & Fig. 11 (1108->1112), Zhang discloses that the configuration information is used to indicate a repetition unit of search spaces associated with a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)); and
determine, based on the first configuration information or a first PDCCH association configured by the network side device, and a predefined second PDCCH association, an association between two or more repetitions of PDCCH (¶111-112 & Fig. 11 (1108) & ¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses determining, by the UE based on the group information and based on same PDCCH candidate indicia, a repetition unit where the repetition unit is used by at least two repetitions of the PDCCH transmission. Examiner correlates the group information to "first configuration information". Examiner correlates the same PDCCH candidate indicia as “a predefined second PDCCH association”), or resources used by the two or more repetitions of PDCCH (¶111-112 & Fig. 11 (1108) & ¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses determining, by the UE based on the group information and based on same PDCCH candidate indicia, control channel elements (CCEs) of different search spaces being used by the PDCCH repetition),
wherein the first PDCCH association comprises an association between two or more search space set (SS set) indexes (¶110, Zhang discloses that the configuration information comprises group information where the group information further includes search space group information that indicates an association, such as a grouping, between search spaces (SSs)), and
the second PDCCH association comprises:
the PDCCH is transmitted in PDCCH candidates having a same PDCCH candidate index in different SS sets (¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses that PDCCH transmissions are restricted to PDCCH candidates having the same PDCCH candidate index in different search spaces), wherein the PDCCH candidates having the same PDCCH candidate index have a same aggregation level or different aggregation levels (¶91 & Fig. 9, Zhang discloses that the PDCCH candidates having the same PDCCH candidate index may also have a control channel element (CCE) aggregation level).
Regarding Claim 42, Zhang discloses the terminal device of claim 41.
Zhang further discloses wherein the first configuration information is further used for indicating that periodicities and/or offsets of the two or more SS set are same (¶93, Zhang discloses that parameters of a search space configuration may be common to all search spaces in a group where the parameters may include periodicity and offset).
Regarding Claim 54, Zhang discloses a network side device, comprising a memory (¶139-143 & Fig. 14, Zhang discloses that the gNB comprises a memory 1416), a processor (¶139-143 & Fig. 12, Zhang discloses that the gNB comprises processors 1404) and a computer program stored on the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the method of claim 14 (¶139-143 & ¶18-19 & Fig. 14, Zhang discloses that the memory 1416 may store software for execution by the processor to cause the gNB to perform a method).
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.
Claims 12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Sarkis et al. (US 20200008235 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Sarkis”; See IDS dated 23 April 2023: U.S. Patent Application Publications: Citation No. 1) in further view of CATT (Discussion on Enhancements on multi-TRP/panel for PDCCH, PUCCH, and PUSCH, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting 102-e, 17 August 2020, Tdoc: R1-2005684; See IDS dated 24 October 2023: Non-Patent Literature Documents: Citation No. 2; hereinafter referred to as “CATT”).
Regarding Claim 12, Zhang discloses the method of claim 1.
However, Zhang does not disclose the first configuration information is used for indicating one or more of: the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to same DCI; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to different parts of same DCI; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to different DCI; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to two or more DCI with different information fields or different DCI formats; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to two or more DCI for scheduling the same physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the same physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to DCI with the same purpose; and a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of: a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of: time division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing, [and] space division multiplexing.
Sarkis, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches the first configuration information is used for indicating one or more of:
the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to same DCI (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH correspond to a same downlink control information (DCI));
the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to different parts of same DCI (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH correspond to DCIs having different fields and/or different values in the same fields);
the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to different DCI (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH correspond to different DCIs);
the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to two or more DCI with different information fields or different DCI formats (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH correspond to DCIs having different fields and/or different values in the same fields);
the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to two or more DCI for scheduling the same physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the same physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH correspond to a downlink (DL) grant to schedule a same data channel, such as Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH));
the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to DCI with the same purpose (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH correspond to a downlink (DL) grant to schedule a same data channel, such as Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) or Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). Examiner correlates the DL grant scheduling the same shared channel as "the same purpose"); and
a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of:
time division multiplexing,
frequency division multiplexing, [and]
space division multiplexing (¶51-52 & Fig. 4 (405), Sarkis discloses that the repetitions of the PDCCH may be repeated in the time domain, the frequency domain, and/or the spatial domain).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang by requiring that the first configuration information is used for indicating one or more of: the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to same DCI; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to different parts of same DCI; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to different DCI; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to two or more DCI with different information fields or different DCI formats; the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to two or more DCI for scheduling the same physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or the same physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); the repetition of the PDCCH corresponding to DCI with the same purpose; and a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of: a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of: time division multiplexing, frequency division multiplexing, [and] space division multiplexing as taught by Sarkis because physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with repetitions improves NR and LTE technology (Sarkis, ¶1-5).
However, Zhang in view of Sarkis does not disclose [a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of]: intra-CORESET multiplexing, inter-CORESET multiplexing, intra-slot multiplexing and inter-slot multiplexing.
CATT, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches [a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of]:
intra-CORESET multiplexing,
inter-CORESET multiplexing,
intra-slot multiplexing and
inter-slot multiplexing (Pgs. 1-2, §2.1: Repetition Schemes & Figure 1, CATT discloses that the PDCCH repetition scheme may include intra-CORESET multiplexing, intra-slot repetition with different CORESETs, intra-slot multiplexing, and inter-slot repetition).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sarkis by requiring that [a PDCCH multiplexing transmission scheme being one or more of]: intra-CORESET multiplexing, inter-CORESET multiplexing, intra-slot multiplexing and inter-slot multiplexing as taught by CATT because reliability and robustness for the PDCCH is improved using multi-TRP and/or multi-panel (CATT, Pg. 1, 1. Introduction).
Regarding Claim 19, Claim 19 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 12.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Internet Communications
Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC NOWLIN whose telephone number is (313)446-6544. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00PM-10:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC NOWLIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2474