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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-6,8,11,29,31,20,21-24,26,28,30,32-35,37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0248411 A1 to Jung et al.
As to claim 20, Jung discloses A network entity for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, individually or collectively configured to cause the network entity to (Figs. 7, 12, TRP A/B [“network entity”] and UE):
transmit, to a first antenna group of a user equipment (UE), an indication of a configuration for transmission of uplink control information (UCI) associated with the first antenna group of the UE (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”], where such HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1 thus teaches “UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE”; paragraphs 178, 165: “the UE may be indicated by RP A 1000 to transmit at least one UCI in the allocated PUCCH #1 resource of slot #n using UE panel #0 used to receive PDCCH (1010) of slot #m”, teaching “transmit, to a first antenna group of a user equipment (UE), an indication of a configuration”); and
receive, via a second antenna group, the UCI associated with the first antenna group (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”], where such HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1 thus teaches “UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE”, thus teaching “receive, via a second antenna group [i.e., UE panel #1, used for transmitting the PUCCI #1, which contains the HARQ ACK/UCI], the UCI”).
AS to claims 1, 29,31, see rejection for claim 20.
AS to claim 2, Jung discloses the UE of claim 1.
Jung further discloses wherein the second antenna group comprises a second antenna group of the UE. (Figs. 11 and 12 and paragraphs 175-188, disclosing that the UE panel #1, i.e., “second antenna group” is in the same UE as UE panel #0, i.e., “first antenna group of the UE”)
AS to claim 3, Jung discloses the UE of claim 2.
Jung further discloses wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to:
transmit, via the second antenna group of the UE, the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE. (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”], where such HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1 thus teaches “UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE”)
AS to claim 4, Jung discloses the UE of claim 3.
Jung further discloses wherein the one or more processors, when transmitting the UCI associated with the first antenna group, are individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to: transmit the UCI associated with the first antenna group via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource configured for the first antenna group of the UE, or
transmit the UCI associated with the first antenna group via a PUCCH resource configured for the second antenna group of the UE. (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”], where such HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1 thus teaches “UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE”, teaching “transmit the UCI associated with the first antenna group via a PUCCH resource configured for the second antenna group of the UE.”)
AS to claim 5, Jung discloses the UE of claim 2.
Jung further discloses wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to:transmit, via the second antenna group, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) communication that includes the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE and additional UCI associated with the second antenna group of the UE. (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”]; Fig. 12, and, e.g., paragraph 187-190, disclosing “utilizing at least one of PUCCH #1 (1230) resources indicated by TRP A (1200) and PUCCH #2 (1280) resources indicated by TRP B (1250), the UE transmits the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1 [i.e., “UCI associated with the first antenna group”] (1220) scheduled by TRP A (1200), and the HARQ-ACK transmission of PDSCH #2 (1270) scheduled by TRP B (1250) [“additional UCI associated with the second antenna group of the UE”] may be transmitted together by multiplexing on PUSCH resources 1290.”, all transmitted through UE panel #1, i.e., “second antenna group”, teaching this limitation )
AS to claim 6, Jung discloses the UE of claim 5.
Jung further discloses wherein the one or more processors, when transmitting the PUCCH communication, are individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to:
transmit the PUCCH communication including a first UCI group associated with the first antenna group and a second UCI group associated with the second antenna group of the UE (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”]; Fig. 12, and, e.g., paragraph 187-190, disclosing “utilizing at least one of PUCCH #1 (1230) resources indicated by TRP A (1200) and PUCCH #2 (1280) resources indicated by TRP B (1250), the UE transmits the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1 [i.e., “UCI associated with the first antenna group”] (1220) scheduled by TRP A (1200), and the HARQ-ACK transmission of PDSCH #2 (1270) scheduled by TRP B (1250) [“second UCI group associated with the second antenna group of the UE”] may be transmitted together by multiplexing on PUSCH resources 1290.”, all transmitted through UE panel #1, i.e., “second antenna group”, teaching this limitation ), or
transmit the PUCCH communication including a single UCI group based at least in part on a single hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) codebook configured for the first antenna group and the second antenna group.
AS to claim 8, Jung discloses the UE of claim 1.
Jung further discloses wherein the configuration for transmission of the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE includes one or more of:
an indication of an identification of the second antenna group (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”]; paragraph 178: “the PDCCH transmitted by the TRP A explicitly indicates the UE panel, and based on this, the UE may transmit the PUCCH or the PUSCH using the UE panel #1),
an indication of a resource timing that is based at least in part on a numerology of the second antenna group, or
an indication of a secondary physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) cell group, associated with the second antenna group, as a supplementary PUCCH for transmission of the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE.
AS to claim 11, Jung discloses the UE of claim 1.
Jung further discloses wherein the configuration for transmission of the UCI comprises an indication that the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE is to be transmitted via the second antenna group. (Fig. 11, 12, paragraphs 175-188, disclosing the TRP A allocating “PUCCH #1 (1120/1230) resources to transmit using the UE panel #1 [“second antenna group of the UE”]”, where such PUCCH #1 can be used for transmitting the HARQ-ACK of PDSCH #1, which is received in UE panel #0 [“first antenna group of the UE”]; paragraph 178: “the PDCCH transmitted by the TRP A explicitly indicates the UE panel, and based on this, the UE may transmit the PUCCH or the PUSCH using the UE panel #1)
As to claims 21-24,26,28, see rejections for claims 2,4,5,6,8,11 above.
As to claim 30, see rejection for claim 5 above.
As to claims 32-35,37, see rejections for claims 2,4,5,6,8 above.
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.
Claim(s) 10,27,38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0248411 A1 to Jung et al., in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0030443 A1 to Chen et al.
As to claim 10, Jung discloses the UE as in claim 2.
Jung does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to:transmit a repetition of the UCI via the first antenna group of the UE.
Chen discloses wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to:transmit a repetition of the UCI via the first antenna group of the UE. (paragraph 47: “PUCCH carrying the same UCI is transmitted a plurality of times through different … antennas …”)
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine Chen’s teachings discussed above with Jung’s teachings discussed above, to reject this claim, at least since both references are directed to the transmission of UCIs through different antenna resources, and since it would have been obvious to further transmit the UCI disclosed in Jung as being communicated in a 2-antenna group UE, through both the first and second antenna groups, as disclosed in Chen. The suggestion/motivation would have been to improve resource allocation and signaling for wireless communications, especially pertaining to the communication of UCIs through antenna resources (Chen, paragraphs 1-12; Jung, paragraphs 1-10). Furthermore, note that with regard to the claimed invention, especially the limitation above, all of the claimed elements have been shown to be known in the cited art, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art as of and before the effective filing date.
As to claims 27,38, see rejection for claim 10 above.
Claim(s) 7,25,36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0248411 A1 to Jung et al., in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2019/0380123 A1 to Yang et al.
As to claim 7, Jung discloses the UE as in claim 5.
Jung does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the PUCCH communication comprises a PUCCH format 3 communication or a PUCCH format 4 communication.
Yang discloses wherein the PUCCH communication comprises a PUCCH format 3 communication or a PUCCH format 4 communication. (paragraph 136)
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine Yang’s teachings discussed above with Jung’s teachings discussed above, to reject this claim, at least since both references are directed to the transmission of UCIs through different resources [Yang, paragraphs 141-143], and since it would have been obvious to further characterize the PUCCH disclosed in Jung as a format 3 or 4 PUCCH as disclosed in Yang. The suggestion/motivation would have been to improve resource allocation and signaling for wireless communications, especially pertaining to the communication of UCIs through resources (Yang, paragraphs 141-143,1-27; Jung, paragraphs 1-10). Furthermore, note that with regard to the claimed invention, especially the limitation above, all of the claimed elements have been shown to be known in the cited art, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art as of and before the effective filing date.
As to claims 25,36, see rejection for claim 7 above.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0248411 A1 to Jung et al., in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0163028 A1 to Chae et al.
As to claim 9, Jung discloses the UE as in claim 1.
Jung does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the second antenna group is associated with a cooperative UE, andwherein the one or more processors, when providing the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE for transmission to the network entity, are individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to the cooperative UE, the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UEfor transmission to the network entity.
Chae discloses wherein the second antenna group is associated with a cooperative UE, andwherein the one or more processors, when providing the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UE for transmission to the network entity, are individually or collectively configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to the cooperative UE, the UCI associated with the first antenna group of the UEfor transmission to the network entity. (paragraph 149)
Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to combine Chae’s teachings discussed above with Jung’s teachings discussed above, to reject this claim, at least since both references are directed to the transmission of UCIs through different antennae resources, and since it would have been obvious to further relay the UCI/HARQ-ACK in Jung through the relay/cooperative UE disclosed in Chae. The suggestion/motivation would have been to improve resource allocation and signaling for wireless communications, especially pertaining to the communication of UCIs through resources (Chae, paragraphs 1-24; Jung, paragraphs 1-10). Furthermore, note that with regard to the claimed invention, especially the limitation above, all of the claimed elements have been shown to be known in the cited art, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art as of and before the effective filing date.
Conclusion
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/CHI TANG P CHENG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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