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 . Claims 7-13 are currently pending.
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.
Claim(s) 7-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khoshnevisan et al. (US 20210195600 A1) in view of Gao et al. (US 20230198721 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Khoshnevisan et al. disclose a terminal comprising: a processor that monitors a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with repetition (paragraph [0168]; the UE may monitor one or more control regions of a search space set to receive, from the base station, and decode control information (e.g., a PDCCH)) (paragraph [0170]; the UE may support PDCCH repetition by decoding one or multiple PDCCH candidates in one or multiple search space sets); and a receiver that receives a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the PDCCH, wherein when the PDSCH overlaps with a resource in a control resource set (CORESET) containing the PDCCH with repetition, resources corresponding to PDCCH candidates associated with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH and an associated PDCCH demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) are not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0194]; if a PDSCH scheduled by a PDCCH would overlap with resources in the CORESET containing the PDCCH, the resources corresponding to a union of the detected PDCCH that scheduled the PDSCH and associated PDCCH DMRS are not available for the PDSCH). However, Khoshnevisan et al. may not explicitly suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP). Gao et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) (paragraph [0184]; the first PDCCH is transmitted from TRP1 (first TCI state) and the repetition (i.e., the 2.sup.nd PDCCH) is transmitted from TRP2 (second TCI state). The PDSCH scheduling in time overlaps with the CORESET. The REs occupied by both the first and second PDCCHs are assumed unavailable for the PDSCH). Gao et al. also disclose that for PDCCH repetition where two or more PDCCHs are transmitted, when a PDSCH overlaps with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, the UE assumes that the scheduled PDSCH is rate-matched around the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, i.e., the PDCCH resource is not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0131]). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Khoshnevisan et al.’s method/system where the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) in a case with multiple TRPs as suggested by Gao et al. The motivation would have been to provide better BLER performance than single TRP with PDCCH repetition (paragraph [0065]).
Regarding claim 8, Khoshnevisan et al. further suggest wherein the resources not available for the PDSCH comprise resources corresponding to a union of the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH and the associated PDCCH DM-RS (paragraph [0194]; the resources corresponding to a union of the detected PDCCH that scheduled the PDSCH and associated PDCCH DMRS are not available for the PDSCH).
Regarding claim 9, Khoshnevisan et al. further suggest a transmitter that transmits UE capability information supporting the repetition (paragraph [0455]; receiving, from the UE, an indication of the UE capability and determining whether an offset between the transmitted downlink control information and a corresponding physical downlink shared channel is greater than or equal to a UE capability threshold corresponding to the UE capability) (paragraph [0170]; the UE may support PDCCH repetition by decoding one or multiple PDCCH candidates in one or multiple search space sets).
Regarding claim 10, Khoshnevisan et al. further suggest a transmitter that transmits UE capability information supporting the repetition (paragraph [0455]; receiving, from the UE, an indication of the UE capability and determining whether an offset between the transmitted downlink control information and a corresponding physical downlink shared channel is greater than or equal to a UE capability threshold corresponding to the UE capability) (paragraph [0170]; the UE may support PDCCH repetition by decoding one or multiple PDCCH candidates in one or multiple search space sets).
Regarding claim 11, Khoshnevisan et al. disclose a radio communication method for a terminal, comprising: monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with repetition (paragraph [0168]; the UE may monitor one or more control regions of a search space set to receive, from the base station, and decode control information (e.g., a PDCCH)) (paragraph [0170]; the UE may support PDCCH repetition by decoding one or multiple PDCCH candidates in one or multiple search space sets); and receiving a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the PDCCH, wherein when the PDSCH overlaps with a resource in a control resource set (CORESET) containing the PDCCH with repetition, resources corresponding to PDCCH candidates associated with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH and an associated PDCCH demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) are not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0194]; if a PDSCH scheduled by a PDCCH would overlap with resources in the CORESET containing the PDCCH, the resources corresponding to a union of the detected PDCCH that scheduled the PDSCH and associated PDCCH DMRS are not available for the PDSCH). However, Khoshnevisan et al. may not explicitly suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP). Gao et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) (paragraph [0184]; the first PDCCH is transmitted from TRP1 (first TCI state) and the repetition (i.e., the 2.sup.nd PDCCH) is transmitted from TRP2 (second TCI state). The PDSCH scheduling in time overlaps with the CORESET. The REs occupied by both the first and second PDCCHs are assumed unavailable for the PDSCH). Gao et al. also disclose that for PDCCH repetition where two or more PDCCHs are transmitted, when a PDSCH overlaps with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, the UE assumes that the scheduled PDSCH is rate-matched around the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, i.e., the PDCCH resource is not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0131]). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Khoshnevisan et al.’s method/system where the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) in a case with multiple TRPs as suggested by Gao et al. The motivation would have been to provide better BLER performance than single TRP with PDCCH repetition (paragraph [0065]).
Regarding claim 12, Khoshnevisan et al. disclose a base station comprising: a transmitter that transmits a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with repetition (paragraph [0168]; the UE may monitor one or more control regions of a search space set to receive, from the base station, and decode control information (e.g., a PDCCH)) (paragraph [0170]; the UE may support PDCCH repetition by decoding one or multiple PDCCH candidates in one or multiple search space sets); and a processor that, when a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) overlaps with a resource in a control resource set (CORESET) containing the PDCCH with repetition, controls to make resources corresponding to PDCCH candidates associated with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH and an associated PDCCH demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0194]; if a PDSCH scheduled by a PDCCH would overlap with resources in the CORESET containing the PDCCH, the resources corresponding to a union of the detected PDCCH that scheduled the PDSCH and associated PDCCH DMRS are not available for the PDSCH). However, Khoshnevisan et al. may not explicitly suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP). Gao et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) (paragraph [0184]; the first PDCCH is transmitted from TRP1 (first TCI state) and the repetition (i.e., the 2.sup.nd PDCCH) is transmitted from TRP2 (second TCI state). The PDSCH scheduling in time overlaps with the CORESET. The REs occupied by both the first and second PDCCHs are assumed unavailable for the PDSCH). Gao et al. also disclose that for PDCCH repetition where two or more PDCCHs are transmitted, when a PDSCH overlaps with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, the UE assumes that the scheduled PDSCH is rate-matched around the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, i.e., the PDCCH resource is not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0131]). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Khoshnevisan et al.’s method/system where the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) in a case with multiple TRPs as suggested by Gao et al. The motivation would have been to provide better BLER performance than single TRP with PDCCH repetition (paragraph [0065]).
Regarding claim 13, Khoshnevisan et al. disclose a system comprising: a terminal; and a base station, the terminal comprising: a processor that monitors a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with repetition applied (paragraph [0168]; the UE may monitor one or more control regions of a search space set to receive, from the base station, and decode control information (e.g., a PDCCH)) (paragraph [0170]; the UE may support PDCCH repetition by decoding one or multiple PDCCH candidates in one or multiple search space sets); and a receiver that receives a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) scheduled by the PDCCH, wherein when the PDSCH overlaps with a resource in a control resource set (CORESET) containing the PDCCH with repetition, resources corresponding to PDCCH candidates associated with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH and an associated PDCCH demodulation reference signal (DM-RS) are not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0194]; if a PDSCH scheduled by a PDCCH would overlap with resources in the CORESET containing the PDCCH, the resources corresponding to a union of the detected PDCCH that scheduled the PDSCH and associated PDCCH DMRS are not available for the PDSCH), and the base station comprising: a transmitter that transmits the PDCCH; and a processor that controls to make the resources corresponding to the PDCCH candidates and the associated PDCCH DM-RS not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0194]; a scheduled PDSCH may be rate-matched around the scheduling PDCCH resources if a PDSCH scheduled by a PDCCH would overlap with resources in the CORESET containing the PDCCH, the resources corresponding to a union of the detected PDCCH that scheduled the PDSCH and associated PDCCH DMRS are not available for the PDSCH). However, Khoshnevisan et al. may not explicitly suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP). Gao et al. from the same or similar field of endeavor suggest the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) (paragraph [0184]; the first PDCCH is transmitted from TRP1 (first TCI state) and the repetition (i.e., the 2.sup.nd PDCCH) is transmitted from TRP2 (second TCI state). The PDSCH scheduling in time overlaps with the CORESET. The REs occupied by both the first and second PDCCHs are assumed unavailable for the PDSCH). Gao et al. also disclose that for PDCCH repetition where two or more PDCCHs are transmitted, when a PDSCH overlaps with the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, the UE assumes that the scheduled PDSCH is rate-matched around the PDCCH scheduling the PDSCH, i.e., the PDCCH resource is not available for the PDSCH (paragraph [0131]). Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate in Khoshnevisan et al.’s method/system where the PDCCH candidates are transmitted from different transmission/reception points (TRP) in a case with multiple TRPs as suggested by Gao et al. The motivation would have been to provide better BLER performance than single TRP with PDCCH repetition (paragraph [0065]).
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/arguments with respect to claim(s) 7 and 11-13 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection.
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 HOANG-CHUONG Q VU whose telephone number is (571)270-3945. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday (9:30-5:30 PM EST.).
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HOANG-CHUONG Q. VU
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2476
/HOANG-CHUONG Q VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476