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 Arguments
Claims 1-8,10-14,16-19 and 21 are pending.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 05/20/2026, with respect to 35 U.S.C. 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection of claim 14 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 05/20/2026 against the prior art rejections have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments against the independent claims and dependent claims, are basically about the limitation: the content header and the control information substructures are jointly encoded. Looking at the specification of the current application, the jointly encoded is described in page 5, line 165.
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Clearly, this jointly encoded feature is simply CRC. This is very common before the effective filing date of current application. It appears that “jointly” simply means 1 CRC is used for the entire packet including the header and other control information. “Jointly” does not mean any more than that.
Hwang on the other hand, teaches CRC in Fig. 6E. For the foregoing reasons, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Response to Amendment
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-8, 11-12, 14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)1 as being anticipated by HWANG et al. (US20190335210A1), hereinafter HWANG.
Regarding claim 1, HWANG teaches A method of operating a wireless device in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: (HWANG, Fig. 2, in light of claim 1, teaches an apparatus (i.e. wireless device) in a wireless communication network.)
transmitting, to a network node, control information in a signaling structure, (HWANG, Fig. 2, paragraph 39, in light of claim 1, teaches the apparatus transmitting, to subscriber terminal (i.e. network node), a control message (i.e. control information), and the structure of the control message is further described by Figs. 6A-6E.)
the signaling structure comprising a content header, (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602, either or both corresponding to a content header because the type and length field(s) comprise information (i.e. content) and are located ahead (i.e. prior) to the payload field 604.)
the content header being indicative of one or both size and type of one or more control information substructures of the signaling structure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field 601 (i.e. indicative of type) and length field 602 (i.e. indicative of size) of table information 611 (i.e. more control information substructures of the signaling structure.) the content header and the control information substructures are jointly encoded. (Hwang, Fig. 6E, field 643 CRC, pp66)
Regarding claim 2, HWANG teaches A wireless device for a wireless communication network, the wireless device being adapted for transmitting configured to: (HWANG, Fig. 2, in light of claim 1, teaches an apparatus (i.e. wireless device) in a wireless communication network configured to transmit a control message.)
transmit, to a network node, control information in a signaling structure, (HWANG, Fig. 2, paragraph 39, in light of claim 1, teaches the apparatus transmitting, to subscriber terminal (i.e. network node), the control message (i.e. control information), and the structure of the control message is further described by Figs. 6A-6E.)
the signaling structure comprising a content header, (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602, either or both corresponding to a content header because the type and length field(s) comprise information (i.e. content) and are located ahead (i.e. prior) to the payload field 604.)
the content header being indicative of one or both size and type of one or more control information substructures of the signaling structure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field 601 (i.e. indicative of type) and length field 602 (i.e. indicative of size) of table information 611 (i.e. more control information substructures of the signaling structure.) the content header and the control information substructures are jointly encoded. (Hwang, Fig. 6E, field 643 CRC, pp66)
Regarding claim 3, HWANG teaches A method of operating a network node in a wireless communication network, the method comprising: (HWANG, Fig. 2, in light of claim 1, teaches a subscriber terminal (i.e. network node) in a wireless communication network.)
receiving, from a wireless device, control information in a signaling structure, (HWANG, Fig. 2, paragraph 39, in light of claim 1, teaches the subscriber terminal receiving, from an apparatus (Fig. 2, claim 1), a control message (i.e. control information), and the structure of the control message is further described by Figs. 6A-6E.)
the signaling structure comprising a content header, (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602, either or both corresponding to a content header because the type and length field(s) comprise information (i.e. content) and are located ahead (i.e. prior) to the payload field 604.)
the content header being indicative of one or both size and type of one or more control information substructures of the signaling structure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field 601 (i.e. indicative of type) and length field 602 (i.e. indicative of size) of table information 611 (i.e. more control information substructures of the signaling structure.) the content header and the control information substructures are jointly encoded. (Hwang, Fig. 6E, field 643 CRC, pp66)
Regarding claim 4, HWANG teaches A network node for a wireless communication network, the network node configured to: (HWANG, Fig. 2, in light of claim 1, teaches a subscriber terminal (i.e. network node) in a wireless communication network.)
receive, from a wireless device, control information in a signaling structure, (HWANG, Fig. 2, paragraph 39, in light of claim 1, teaches the subscriber terminal receiving, from an apparatus (Fig. 2, claim 1), a control message (i.e. control information), and the structure of the control message is further described by Figs. 6A-6E.)
the signaling structure comprising a content header, (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602, either or both corresponding to a content header because the type and length field(s) comprise information (i.e. content) and are located ahead (i.e. prior) to the payload field 604.)
the content header being indicative of one or both size and type of one or more control information substructures of the signaling structure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field 601 (i.e. indicative of type) and length field 602 (i.e. indicative of size) of table information 611 (i.e. more control information substructures of the signaling structure.) the content header and the control information substructures are jointly encoded. (Hwang, Fig. 6E, field 643 CRC, pp66)
Regarding claim 5, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the control information is transmitted on resources allocated for a data channel. (HWANG, paragraphs 70-71, Table 1, teach the control information is transmitted on in fields (i.e. resources) allocated for a broadcast channel (i.e. data channel).)
Regarding claim 6, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein one or more control information substructures carry one or more different types of control information. (HWANG, Fig. 2, see “MMT ASSETS”, paragraph 40, teach that each of the multimedia data corresponding to the video/audio/application provided for a specific content is defined as an “MMT asset”. Furthermore, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach table information field 611 comprising control information substructures carrying open or more different types of control information.)
Regarding claim 7, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the content header comprises one or more bit fields, each bit field indicating one or both of a size and a type of a control information substructure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field and length field 602 comprising one or more bit fields indicating size and type of table information 611.)
Regarding claim 8, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the content header comprises one or both consecutive and non-consecutive bit fields. (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602 comprising consecutive bit fields.)
Regarding 11, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the signaling structure comprises one or both data signaling and higher layer control information. (HWANG, Fig. 3, paragraph 43, teach physical layer 360 and data link layer 350.)
Regarding claim 12, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the signaling structure comprises one or more substructures associated to one or both: physical layer signaling; and Medium Access Control layer signaling. (HWANG, Fig. 3, paragraph 43, teach physical layer 360.)
Regarding claim 14, HWANG teaches A computer storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions causing processing circuitry to one or both control and perform a method, the method comprising: (HWANG, Fig. 2, in light of claim 1, teaches an apparatus (i.e. wireless device) in a wireless communication network configured to transmit a control message. Furthermore, paragraph 98 teaches embodiments comprising instructions stored on one or more non-transitory processor readable mediums.)
transmitting, to a network node, control information in a signaling structure, (HWANG, Fig. 2, paragraph 39, in light of claim 1, teaches the apparatus transmitting, to subscriber terminal (i.e. network node), a control message (i.e. control information), and the structure of the control message is further described by Figs. 6A-6E.)
the signaling structure comprising a content header, (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602, either or both corresponding to a content header because the type and length field(s) comprise information (i.e. content) and are located ahead (i.e. prior) to the payload field 604.)
the content header being indicative of one or both size and type of one or more control information substructures of the signaling structure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field 601 (i.e. indicative of type) and length field 602 (i.e. indicative of size) of table information 611 (i.e. more control information substructures of the signaling structure.) the content header and the control information substructures are jointly encoded. (Hwang, Fig. 6E, field 643 CRC, pp66)
Regarding claim 16, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the control information is transmitted on resources allocated for a data channel. (HWANG, paragraphs 70-71, Table 1, teach the control information is transmitted on in fields (i.e. resources) allocated for a broadcast channel (i.e. data channel).)
Regarding claim 17, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein one or more control information substructures carry one or more different types of control information. (HWANG, Fig. 2, see “MMT ASSETS”, paragraph 40, teach that each of the multimedia data corresponding to the video/audio/application provided for a specific content is defined as an “MMT asset”. Furthermore, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach table information field 611 comprising control information substructures carrying open or more different types of control information.)
Regarding claim 18, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the content header comprises one or more bit fields, each bit field indicating one or both of a size and a type of a control information substructure. (HWANG, Fig. 6B, paragraph 63, teach the message type field and length field 602 comprising one or more bit fields indicating size and type of table information 611.)
Regarding claim 19, HWANG teaches the method according to claim 3, wherein the content header comprises one or both consecutive and non-consecutive bit fields. (HWANG, Fig. 6A, paragraph 62, teaches the signaling structure comprising a message type field 601 and length field 602 comprising consecutive bit fields.)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 10, 13 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HWANG et al. (US20190335210A1), hereinafter HWANG, in view of Parkvall et al. (US20170331670A1), hereinafter PARKVALL.
Regarding claim 10, although HWANG teaches all the limitations with respect to claim 1 above, HWANG does not describe wherein the signaling structure comprises one of both: one or more substructures subject to an acknowledgement information process; and one or more substructures not subject to an acknowledgement information process.
PARKVALL in the same field of endeavor teaches wherein the signaling structure comprises one of both: one or more substructures subject to an acknowledgement information process; and one or more substructures not subject to an acknowledgement information process. (PARKVALL, paragraph 1844, teach UE decision and acknowledgement via determining acknowledgement or rejection of resources.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of PARKVALL with the teachings of HWANG to configure the signaling structure as one or more substructures subject to an acknowledgement information process, and one or more substructures not subject to an acknowledgement information process. The motivation would be to fast change resource share among each links to adapt to diverse link quality variations for links with the same frequency band (PARKVALL, paragraph 1844).
Regarding claim 13, although HWANG teaches all the limitations with respect to claim 1 above, HWANG does not describe wherein the signaling structure comprises one or both of: at least one control information substructure comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to first transmission of subject transmission; and at least one control information substructure comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to re-transmitted subject transmission.
PARKVALL in the same field of endeavor teaches wherein the signaling structure comprises one or both of: at least one control information substructure comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to first transmission of subject transmission; and at least one control information substructure comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to re-transmitted subject transmission. (PARKVALL, paragraph 1844, teach acknowledgement information pertaining to specified transmission of subject transmission.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of PARKVALL with the teachings of HWANG to configure the signaling structure comprises one or both of at least one control information substructure comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to first transmission of subject transmission; and at least one control information substructure comprising acknowledgement information pertaining to re-transmitted subject transmission. The motivation would be to fast change resource share among each links to adapt to diverse link quality variations for links with the same frequency band (PARKVALL, paragraph 1844).
Regarding claim 21, although HWANG teaches all the limitations with respect to claim 3 above, HWANG does not describe wherein the signaling structure comprises one of both: one or more substructures subject to an acknowledgement information process; and one or more substructures not subject to an acknowledgement information process.
PARKVALL in the same field of endeavor teaches wherein the signaling structure comprises one of both: one or more substructures subject to an acknowledgement information process; and one or more substructures not subject to an acknowledgement information process. (PARKVALL, paragraph 1844, teach UE decision and acknowledgement via determining acknowledgement or rejection of resources.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to combine the teachings of PARKVALL with the teachings of HWANG to configure the signaling structure as one or more substructures subject to an acknowledgement information process, and one or more substructures not subject to an acknowledgement information process. The motivation would be to fast change resource share among each links to adapt to diverse link quality variations for links with the same frequency band (PARKVALL, paragraph 1844).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Charles C Jiang whose telephone number is (571)270-7191. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5 pm Eastern Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TC Group director, Deborah Reynolds can be reached at (571) 272-0734. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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