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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment, filed 19 August 2026, has been entered and carefully considered.
Claims 1, 13 and 26 are amended.
Claims 2, 3, 9, 12, 14, 15, 17, 21, 24, 25 and 27-36 are canceled.
Claims 1, 4-8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18-20, 22, 23, and 26 are currently pending.
The outstanding rejections of Claims 1, 4-8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18-20, 22, 23, and 26 under 35 U.S.C. 103 is withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to Claims 1, 13 and 26.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 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 § 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.
Claims 1, 4-8, 10, 11, 13, 16, 18-20, 22, 23, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bhamri et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0232380), hereinafter Bhamri, in view of 3GPP TS 38.214 V 16.0.0 (3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Physical layer procedures for data (Release 16)), hereinafter 3GPP.
Regarding Claim 1, Bhamri discloses a resource indication method, performed by a network device (Figure 9, network apparatus 900), comprising:
sending resource indication information of a Transport Block (TB) to a terminal device, wherein the TB occupies one or more target symbol resources of one or more target slots (Figure 1, control signaling 125 sent from base unit 121 to remote unit 105; paragraph 0050, the control signaling is for multi-PUSCH and includes dynamic indications used to determine a repetition scheme for a set of TBs 127);
wherein, the resource indication information is used to indicate at least one of:
a number of slots of the one or more target slots (paragraph 0076, the control information supports dynamic indication of a number repetitions with slot aggregation), or a number of symbols of the one or more target symbol resources (paragraph 0073, parameters include symbols for transmission);
wherein the resource indication information comprises a first Time Domain Resource Allocation (TDRA) table (paragraph 0101 and Table 1 – TDRA table);
wherein, the first TDRA table comprises at least one Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) allocation information element, and each PUSCH allocation information element comprises start and length indication information (paragraph 0101 and Table 1 – a TDRA table comprises PUSCH allocation and start (S) and length (L) information);
the start and length indication information is a Start And Length Indicator Value (SLIV) (SLIV is utilized for PUSCH), the SLIV is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots (paragraph 0073 – the first symbol is indicated by the SLIV in the TDRA),
or, the SLIV is used to indicate a start symbol position and a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot (paragraph 0160 – alternatively, the SLIV can be used to determine the number of symbols for PUSCH);
(Note: the following limitation is claimed in the alternative and is therefore not required as part of the broadest reasonable interpretation) or, the start and length indication information comprises start symbol indication information S and symbol length indication information L, the start symbol indication information S is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the start symbol indication information S is used to indicate a start symbol position of the target symbol resource in each target slot; the symbol length indication information L is used to indicate a symbol length of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the symbol length indication information L is used to indicate a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot.
However, Bhamri does not disclose wherein the resource indication information further comprises, for each of the at least one PUSCH allocation information element, slot number indication information, wherein the slot number indication information is included as an independent field in said PUSCH allocation information element, the slot number indication information indicates a number of slots of one or more target slots corresponding to said PUSCH allocation information element, and the slot number indication information is independently configurable per PUSCH allocation information element. In an analogous art, 3GPP discloses this. Specifically, 3GPP discloses If pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList in pusch-Config contains row indicating resource allocation for two to eight contiguous PUSCHs, K2 indicates the slot where UE shall transmit the first PUSCH of the multiple PUSCHs. Each PUSCH has a separate SLIV and mapping type. The number of scheduled PUSCHs is signalled by the number of indicated valid SLIVs in the row of the pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList signalled in DCI format 0_1 (clause 6.1.2.1 – page 108). Further, refer to Tables 6.1.2.1.1-2 and 6.1.2.1.1-3 on pages 110-111 (Default PUSCH time domain resource allocation A for normal and extended CP) for configurations available for K2 values along with S and L values. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Bhamri and 3GPP. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce control overhead in wireless networks.
Regarding Claim 13, Bhamri discloses a resource indication method, performed by a terminal device, comprising: receiving resource indication information of a Transport Block (TB) sent by a network device, wherein the TB occupies one or more target symbol resources of one or more target slots (Figure 1, control signaling 125 sent from base unit 121 to remote unit 105; paragraph 0050, the control signaling is for multi-PUSCH and includes dynamic indications used to determine a repetition scheme for a set of TBs 127); wherein, the resource indication information is used to indicate at least one of: a number of slots of the one or more target slots (paragraph 0076, the control information supports dynamic indication of a number repetitions with slot aggregation), or a number of symbols of the one or more target symbol resources (paragraph 0073, parameters include symbols for transmission);
wherein the resource indication information comprises a first Time Domain Resource Allocation (TDRA) table (paragraph 0101 and Table 1 – TDRA table);
wherein, the first TDRA table comprises at least one Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) allocation information element, and each PUSCH allocation information element comprises start and length indication information (paragraph 0101 and Table 1 – a TDRA table comprises PUSCH allocation and start (S) and length (L) information);
the start and length indication information is a Start And Length Indicator Value (SLIV) (SLIV is utilized for PUSCH), the SLIV is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots (paragraph 0073 – the first symbol is indicated by the SLIV in the TDRA),
or, the SLIV is used to indicate a start symbol position and a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot (paragraph 0160 – alternatively, the SLIV can be used to determine the number of symbols for PUSCH);
(Note: the following limitation is claimed in the alternative and is therefore not required as part of the broadest reasonable interpretation) or, the start and length indication information comprises start symbol indication information S and symbol length indication information L, the start symbol indication information S is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the start symbol indication information S is used to indicate a start symbol position of the target symbol resource in each target slot; the symbol length indication information L is used to indicate a symbol length of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the symbol length indication information L is used to indicate a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot;
However, Bhamri does not disclose wherein the resource indication information further comprises, for each of the at least one PUSCH allocation information element, slot number indication information, wherein the slot number indication information is included as an independent field in said PUSCH allocation information element, the slot number indication information indicates a number of slots of one or more target slots corresponding to said PUSCH allocation information element, and the slot number indication information is independently configurable per PUSCH allocation information element. In an analogous art, 3GPP discloses this. Specifically, 3GPP discloses If pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList in pusch-Config contains row indicating resource allocation for two to eight contiguous PUSCHs, K2 indicates the slot where UE shall transmit the first PUSCH of the multiple PUSCHs. Each PUSCH has a separate SLIV and mapping type. The number of scheduled PUSCHs is signalled by the number of indicated valid SLIVs in the row of the pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList signalled in DCI format 0_1 (clause 6.1.2.1 – page 108). Further, refer to Tables 6.1.2.1.1-2 and 6.1.2.1.1-3 on pages 110-111 (Default PUSCH time domain resource allocation A for normal and extended CP) for configurations available for K2 values along with S and L values. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Bhamri and 3GPP. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce control overhead in wireless networks.
Regarding Claim 26, Bhamri discloses a resource indication apparatus (Figure 9, network apparatus 900), applicable to a terminal device (Figure 1 base unit 121 communicates with remote unit 105), comprising a memory (Figure 9, 910), a transceiver (Figure 9, 925) and a processor (Figure 9, 905), wherein, the memory is configured to store computer programs (paragraph 0190, the memory stores instructions executed by the processor), the transceiver is configured to send and receive data under control of the processor (paragraph 0192, the processor transmits control signaling via the transceiver), and the processor is configured to read the computer programs in the memory (paragraph 0190, the memory stores instructions executed by the processor) and perform the following operations:
receiving resource indication information of a Transport Block (TB) sent by a network device, wherein the TB occupies one or more target symbol resources of one or more target slots (Figure 1, control signaling 125 sent from base unit 121 to remote unit 105; paragraph 0050, the control signaling is for multi-PUSCH and includes dynamic indications used to determine a repetition scheme for a set of TBs 127); wherein the resource indication information is used to indicate at least one of: a number of slots of the target slot (paragraph 0076, the control information supports dynamic indication of a number repetitions with slot aggregation), or, a number of symbols of the one or more target symbol resources (paragraph 0073, parameters include symbols for transmission); wherein the resource indication information comprises a first Time Domain Resource Allocation (TDRA) table (paragraph 0101 and Table 1 – TDRA table);
wherein, the first TDRA table comprises at least one Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) allocation information element, and each PUSCH allocation information element comprises start and length indication information (paragraph 0101 and Table 1 – a TDRA table comprises PUSCH allocation and start (S) and length (L) information);
the start and length indication information is a Start And Length Indicator Value (SLIV) (SLIV is utilized for PUSCH), the SLIV is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots (paragraph 0073 – the first symbol is indicated by the SLIV in the TDRA),
or, the SLIV is used to indicate a start symbol position and a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot (paragraph 0160 – alternatively, the SLIV can be used to determine the number of symbols for PUSCH);
(Note: the following limitation is claimed in the alternative and is therefore not required as part of the broadest reasonable interpretation) or, the start and length indication information comprises start symbol indication information S and symbol length indication information L, the start symbol indication information S is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the start symbol indication information S is used to indicate a start symbol position of the target symbol resource in each target slot; the symbol length indication information L is used to indicate a symbol length of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the symbol length indication information L is used to indicate a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot.
However, Bhamri does not disclose wherein the resource indication information further comprises, for each of the at least one PUSCH allocation information element, slot number indication information, wherein the slot number indication information is included as an independent field in said PUSCH allocation information element, the slot number indication information indicates a number of slots of one or more target slots corresponding to said PUSCH allocation information element, and the slot number indication information is independently configurable per PUSCH allocation information element. In an analogous art, 3GPP discloses this. Specifically, 3GPP discloses If pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList in pusch-Config contains row indicating resource allocation for two to eight contiguous PUSCHs, K2 indicates the slot where UE shall transmit the first PUSCH of the multiple PUSCHs. Each PUSCH has a separate SLIV and mapping type. The number of scheduled PUSCHs is signalled by the number of indicated valid SLIVs in the row of the pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList signalled in DCI format 0_1 (clause 6.1.2.1 – page 108). Further, refer to Tables 6.1.2.1.1-2 and 6.1.2.1.1-3 on pages 110-111 (Default PUSCH time domain resource allocation A for normal and extended CP) for configurations available for K2 values along with S and L values. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Bhamri and 3GPP. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce control overhead in wireless networks.
Regarding Claims 4 and 16, Bhamri discloses the resource indication information comprises repetition number indication information (paragraph 0106 – Table 2 shows a TDRA row index with a repetition factor), and the repetition number indication information is used to determine the number of slots of the one or more target slots (paragraph 0105 – slot-based repetitions are configured based on the repetition factor in the TDRA table);
(Note: the following limitation is claimed in the alternative and is therefore not required as part of the broadest reasonable interpretation) or, the resource indication information comprises repetition number indication information and reuse indication information, wherein the repetition number indication information is used to determine the number of slots of the one or more target slots in the case that the reuse indication information is a predefined value or a predefined state.
Regarding Claim 5, Bhamri discloses when the resource indication information comprises the repetition number indication information, the resource indication method further comprises: sending first Downlink Control Information (DCI) for scheduling the TB to the terminal device (paragraph 0098 – the TDRA table for the PUSCH is provided in a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI or configured grant)), wherein the first DCI comprises reuse indication information, and the repetition number indication information is used to determine the number of slots of the one or more target slots in the case that the reuse indication information is a predefined value or a predefined state (paragraph 0098 – the TDRA table for the PUSCH is provided in a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI or configured grant) and comprises SLIV value for slot-based repetition (i.e., PUSCH repetition Type-A is indicated to the UE as described in paragraph 0105)).
Regarding Claim 6, Bhamri discloses sending second DCI for scheduling the TB to the terminal device, the second DCI comprising a first indication field (paragraph 0098 – the TDRA table for the PUSCH is provided in a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI or configured grant)); wherein, the first indication field is used to indicate the number of slots of one or more target slots, wherein the number of slots indicated by the first indication field is determined based on the number of slots indicated by the resource indication information (paragraph 0105 – slot-based repetitions are configured based on the repetition factor in the TDRA table).
Regarding Claims 7 and 19, Bhamri discloses the resource indication information comprises a second TDRA table (paragraph 0098 – the TDRA table for the PUSCH is provided in a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI or configured grant);
wherein, the second TDRA table comprises at least one PUSCH allocation information element, each PUSCH allocation information element comprises a list of start and length indication information (paragraph 0106 – the TDRA table comprises multiple SLIV values for PUSCH);
the list of start and length indication information comprises a plurality of pieces of start and length indication information, a number of pieces of start and length indication information in a valid state included in the list of start and length indication information is equal to the number of slots of the one or more target slots corresponding to the PUSCH allocation information element comprising the list of start and length indication information (paragraph 0109 - when the UE is indicated with multiple SLIVs and corresponding mapping types by a single row of TDRA table in the scheduling DCI and additionally a repetition factor is indicated by the row of the TDRA table, then the UE first allocates time-domain resources for the first PUSCHs and corresponding repetitions. Following the repetition of first PUSCH, time-domain resources are allocated for the next PUSCH with different TB and its corresponding repetitions and so on); and
the start and length indication information in the valid state in the list of start and length indication information is used to indicate a start symbol position and a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot (paragraph 0109 - when the UE is indicated with multiple SLIVs and corresponding mapping types by a single row of TDRA table in the scheduling DCI and additionally a repetition factor is indicated by the row of the TDRA table, then the UE first allocates time-domain resources for the first PUSCHs and corresponding repetitions. Following the repetition of first PUSCH, time-domain resources are allocated for the next PUSCH with different TB and its corresponding repetitions and so on).
Regarding Claims 8 and 20, Bhamri discloses the resource indication information comprises a third TDRA table (paragraph 0098 – the TDRA table for the PUSCH is provided in a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI or configured grant);
wherein, the third TDRA table comprises at least one PUSCH allocation information element, each PUSCH allocation information element comprises slot indication information and start and length indication information (paragraph 0106 – the TDRA table comprises multiple SLIV values for PUSCH); and
the start and length indication information is used to indicate a start symbol position of the first one of the one or more target symbol resources in the first one of the one or more target slots, or, the start and length indication information is used to indicate a start symbol position and a symbol length of the target symbol resource in each target slot (paragraphs 0112-0113, PUSCH repetitions corresponding to UL symbols being available).
However, Bhamri does not disclose the slot indication information is used to indicate a start slot position and a number of slots of one or more target slots. Specifically, 3GPP discloses If pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList in pusch-Config contains row indicating resource allocation for two to eight contiguous PUSCHs, K2 indicates the slot where UE shall transmit the first PUSCH (i.e., start) of the multiple PUSCHs. Each PUSCH has a separate SLIV and mapping type. The number of scheduled PUSCHs is signalled by the number of indicated valid SLIVs in the row of the pusch-TimeDomainAllocationList signalled in DCI format 0_1 (clause 6.1.2.1 – page 108). Further, refer to Tables 6.1.2.1.1-2 and 6.1.2.1.1-3 on pages 110-111 (Default PUSCH time domain resource allocation A for normal and extended CP) for configurations available for K2 values along with S and L values. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Bhamri and 3GPP. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce control overhead in wireless networks.
Regarding Claim 10, Bhamri discloses receiving two or more TBs based on the resource indication information, wherein adjacent TBs of the two or more TBs have different redundant versions (paragraph 0118, wherein “selective repetition” refers to different repetition factors being applied to different TB/PUSCH repetitions of a multi-PUSCH allocation), or
(Note: the following limitation is claimed in the alternative and is therefore not required as part of the broadest reasonable interpretation) adjacent TBs of the two or more TBs have different information bits, and each TB of the two or more TBs comprises a same number of target slots, and respective target slots comprise target symbol resources with a same number of symbols and a same symbol position.
Regarding Claims 11 and 23, Bhamri discloses each target slot comprises one target symbol resource, and target symbol resources in respective target slots have a same start symbol position and a same symbol length (paragraph 0109 - when the UE is indicated with multiple SLIVs and corresponding mapping types by a single row of TDRA table in the scheduling DCI and additionally a repetition factor is indicated by the row of the TDRA table, then the UE first allocates time-domain resources for the first PUSCHs and corresponding repetitions. Following the repetition of first PUSCH, time-domain resources are allocated for the next PUSCH with different TB and its corresponding repetitions and so on).
Regarding Claim 18, Bhamri discloses receiving second DCI for scheduling the TB sent by the network device, the second DCI comprising a first indication field (paragraph 0098 – the TDRA table for the PUSCH is provided in a scheduling grant (e.g., DCI or configured grant)). However, Bhamri does not disclose wherein, the first indication field is used to indicate the number of slots of the one or more target slots, wherein the number of slots indicated by the first indication field is determined based on the number of slots indicated by the resource indication information. In an analogous art, 3GPP discloses this. Specifically, 3GPP discloses the higher layer parameter cg-nrofSlots-r16, provides the number of consecutive slots in which the same combination of start symbol and length and PUSCH mapping type applies within a configured grant period (clause 6.1.2.3 at page 115). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further combine Bhamri and 3GPP. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce control overhead in wireless networks.
Regarding Claim 22, Bhamri discloses sending two or more TBs based on the resource indication information, wherein adjacent TBs of the two or more TBs have different redundant versions (paragraph 0118, wherein “selective repetition” refers to different repetition factors being applied to different TB/PUSCH repetitions of a multi-PUSCH allocation), or (Note: the following limitation is claimed in the alternative and is therefore not required as part of the broadest reasonable interpretation) adjacent TBs of the two or more TBs have different information bits, and each TB of the two or more TBs comprises a same number of the target slots, and respective target slots comprise target symbol resources with a same number of symbols and a same symbol position.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Sedin et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 20230054655) discloses TDRA tables in contention-free random access (paragraphs 0089-0102).
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 ANDREW W. CHRISS whose telephone number is (571)272-1774. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kevin Bates can be reached at (571) 272-3980. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW W CHRISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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