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
Applicant's arguments filed 11/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 3-4 of the Applicant’s Response, Applicant: “Cirik explicitly states: "a value of a counter downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field in DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 mav denote the accumulative number of {serving cell, PDCCH monitoring occasion}-pair(s) in which PDSCH reception(s) or SPS PDSCH release associated with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 is present, up to the current serving cell and current PDCCH monitoring occasion, first in ascending order of serving cell index and then in ascending order of PDCCH monitoring occasion index m, where 0 ≤ m < M."⁶ That means that Cirik is exactly the disadvantageous prior art discussed in the present application: "For instance, consider an example where PDCCH # 1 scheduling a PDSCH is repeated in PDCCH monitoring occasions m=0 and m=1, and there are other PDSCHs scheduled by PDCCHs in PDCCH monitoring occasion m=0, assume that PDCCH # 1 is only detected in PDCCH monitoring occasion m=l. If the existing procedure for Type 2 HARQ ACK codebook construction is applied (i.e., the HARQ ACK bits are arranged first in ascending order of serving cell index and then in ascending order of PDCCH monitoring occasion index), the counter DAI and total DAI in DCI #1 in PDCCH monitoring occasion m=1 would result in an incorrect number of HARQ ACK bits and also incorrect mapping between the PDSCHs and the HARQ ACK bits." As such, Cirik fails to teach at least "constructing the HARQ-ACK codebook by ordering the HARQ-ACK information associated with each PDCCH according to the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion index, wherein for each of the at least one PDCCH the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion is the first PDCCH monitoring occasion." Therefore, claim 1 is allowable over Cirik.“.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s argument. Cirik discloses many alternate ways of constructing the HARQ-ACK codebook; for example, ascending order of cell indices, cell indices and PDCCH monitoring occasion indices, coreset indices, TB receive time, priority of each PDSCH reception (pargraphs 222, 317, 318, 322,329, 334, 337, 347, 348, 355). Specifically, Cirik discloses the construction of the HARQ-ACK codebook based on the plurality of PDCCH receptions in ascending order of PDCCH monitoring occasion indices (paragraph 329). Thus Cirik teaches the limitation "constructing the HARQ-ACK codebook by ordering the HARQ-ACK information associated with each PDCCH according to the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion index, wherein for each of the at least one PDCCH the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion is the first PDCCH monitoring occasion.".
Additionally, the limitations of claim 1 do not preclude any other type of ordering criteria of the PDSCH HARQ-ACKs in the HARQ-ACK codebook construction as long as ascending PDCCH monitoring occasion indices is included. In other words, Cirik’s disclosure of ordering HARQ-ACKs by cell indexes then ordering HARQ-ACKs by PDCCH monitoring occasion indices (paragraph 223) also reads on the claim limitation "constructing the HARQ-ACK codebook by ordering the HARQ-ACK information associated with each PDCCH according to the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion index, wherein for each of the at least one PDCCH the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion is the first PDCCH monitoring occasion.".
On page 4 of the Applicant’s Response, Applicant: “Additionally, claim 1 is also allowable over any combination that includes Cirik. The common synergistic effect of the above-stated differing features, in combination with the common features, resides in that a situation is avoided where the counter DAI and total DAI in DCI #1 in PDCCH monitoring occasion m=1 (assuming that PDCCH #1 is only detected in PDCCH monitoring occasion m=1) would result in an incorrect number of HARQ ACK bits and also incorrect mapping between the PDSCHs and the HARQ ACK bits. Therefore, an objective problem with respect to the teaching of Cirik may be expressed as "how to improve codebook determination." Now turning to Cirik in substance, as shown above, the teaching of Cirik does not realize the problem underlying the claimed subject-matter in its whole depth. Cirik mentions that codebook determination is necessary, but does not provide any hints on an improvement.“.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s argument. Cirik teaches all limitations claim 1. Examiner’s rejection is based on the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims in light of the specification; however, Examiner cannot read limitations of the specification into a claim, to thereby narrow the scope of the claim by implicitly adding disclosed limitations which have no express basis in the claim, i.e. the impermissible importation of subject matter from the specification into the claim.
In view of the above discussions the rejection of claims 1-18, and 20 still stands.
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)(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) 1-3, 5, 6, 9-13, 15, 17, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cirik et al. (US 2021/0234640) (“Cirik”).
For claims 1 and 18; Cirik discloses: a wireless device served by a base station for constructing a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement, HARQ-ACK, codebook comprising at least one of HARQ-ACK information associated to at least one of a set of physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH, receptions scheduled by a first set of Downlink Control Information, DCI, formats and HARQ-ACK information associated to a second set of DCI formats without scheduling PDSCH reception (paragraph 212: monitoring occasions for PDCCH with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 for scheduling PDSCH receptions or SPS PDSCH release on an active DL BWP of a serving cell c), wherein the HARQ-ACK information is to be transmitted by the wireless device in a same uplink slot (paragraph 212: UE transmits HARQ-ACK information in a same PUCCH in slot n), and wherein each of the DCI formats is carried by a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, wherein at least one PDCCH is repeated in multiple PDCCH candidates in multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions each having an index (paragraph 213: a set of PDCCH monitoring occasions for DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 for scheduling PDSCH receptions or SPS PDSCH release is defined as a union of PDCCH monitoring occasions across active DL BWPs of configured serving cells, ordered in ascending order of start time of the search space set associated with a PDCCH monitoring occasion. The cardinality of the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions defines a total number M of PDCCH monitoring occasions), the method comprising: receiving PDCCHs associated with the first and second sets of DCI formats (paragraph 212: monitoring occasions for PDCCH with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 for scheduling PDSCH receptions or SPS PDSCH release on an active DL BWP of a serving cell c); determining a first PDCCH monitoring occasion among the multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions for each of the at least one PDCCH (paragraph 329-333: wireless device may determine that a first PDCCH monitoring occasion index of the first PDCCH monitoring occasion that the first DCI is received is lower (or higher) than a second PDCCH monitoring occasion index of the second PDCCH monitoring occasion that the second DCI is received, a third PDCCH monitoring occasion index of the third PDCCH monitoring occasion that the third DCI is received and a fourth PDCCH monitoring occasion index of the fourth PDCCH monitoring occasion that the fourth DCI is received); constructing the HARQ-ACK codebook by ordering the HARQ-ACK information associated with each PDCCH according to the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion index, wherein for each of the at least one PDCCH the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion is the first PDCCH monitoring occasion (paragraph 333-334: the determining, in the HARQ-ACK codebook, the first location/position of the first HARQ-ACK information/feedback, the second location/position of the second HARQ-ACK information/feedback, the third location/position of the third HARQ-ACK information/feedback and the fourth location/position of the fourth HARQ-ACK information/feedback may be based on the first PDCCH monitoring occasion index, the second PDCCH monitoring occasion index, the third PDCCH monitoring occasion index, and the fourth PDCCH monitoring occasion index… based on an ascending (or descending) order of respective PDCCH monitoring occasion indices of the respective PDCCH monitoring occasions that the plurality of DCIs is received); and transmitting, to the base station, the HARQ-ACK information in the codebook (paragraph 313, fig. 20: the wireless device may transmit the HARQ-ACK codebook via an uplink channel).
For claims 2 and 17; Cirik discloses: wherein the first PDCCH monitoring occasion is a PDCCH monitoring occasion occurring first in time among the multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions (paragraph 327: the first time (e.g., time T1) may be lower (or earlier) in time (e.g., T1<T2) than the second time (e.g., time T2). Based on the first time being lower (or earlier) in time than the second time, the first PDCCH monitoring occasion index may be lower than the second PDCCH monitoring occasion index).
For claim 3; Cirik discloses: wherein the multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions are within a same time slot or a same PDCCH monitoring span (paragraph 335: each DCI of the plurality of DCIs may indicate a (same) time slot for a PUCCH transmission of an HARQ-ACK information/feedback corresponding to a respective TB of the plurality of TBs).
For claim 5; Cirik discloses: wherein each of the first and second sets of DCI formats comprises a counter Downlink Assignment Index, DAI, field containing accumulative number of DCI formats present up to the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion, wherein for a DCI associated with a PDCCH repeated in multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions, the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion corresponds to the first PDCCH monitoring occasion (paragraph 214-216: a value of a counter downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field in DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1…up to the current PDCCH monitoring occasion m and is updated from PDCCH monitoring occasion to PDCCH monitoring occasion).
For claim 6; Cirik discloses: wherein the wireless device comprises a User Equipment, UE (paragraph 41: The first wireless device may communicate with a gNB over a Uu interface).
For claim 9; Cirik discloses: wherein the wireless device operates in a New Radio, NR, network (paragraph 41: a RAN node may be a next generation Node B (gNB) (e.g. 120A, 120B) providing New Radio (NR) user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards a first wireless device).
For claims 10 and 20; Cirik discloses: base station serving a wireless device for updating a counter in a Downlink Control Information, DCI, format being carried by a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, wherein the PDCCH is repeated in multiple PDCCH candidates in multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions (paragraph 214-216: a value of a counter downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field in DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 may denote the accumulative number of {serving cell, PDCCH monitoring occasion}-pair(s) in which PDSCH reception(s) or SPS PDSCH release associated with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 is present), the method comprising: determining a first PDCCH monitoring occasion among the multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions; incrementing the counter at the first PDCCH monitoring occasion and indicating the counter value in a counter field in the DCI (paragraph 214-216: a value of a counter downlink assignment indicator (DAI)… up to the current serving cell and current PDCCH monitoring occasion); transmitting, to the wireless device, the DCI in the PDCCH in the multiple PDCCH candidates (paragraph 214-216: a value of a counter downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field in DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1…up to the current PDCCH monitoring occasion m and is updated from PDCCH monitoring occasion to PDCCH monitoring occasion); receiving, from the wireless device, HARQ-ACK information associated with the PDCCH (paragraph 313, fig. 20: the wireless device may transmit the HARQ-ACK codebook via an uplink channel).
For claim 11; Cirik discloses: wherein the DCI schedules one or more of: a Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH; an indication of Semi-Persistent Scheduled, SPS, PDSCH release; and an indication of Scell dormancy (paragraph 212: a wireless device may determine monitoring occasions for PDCCH with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 for scheduling PDSCH receptions or SPS PDSCH release on an active DL BWP of a serving cell c and for which the UE transmits HARQ-ACK information in a same PUCCH in slot n).
For claim 12; Cirik discloses: wherein the counter field comprises a counter Downlink Assignment Index, DAI, field containing accumulative number of DCI formats present up to the PDCCH monitoring occasion associated with the DCI, wherein for a DCI associated with a PDCCH repeated in multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions, the associated PDCCH monitoring occasion is the first PDCCH monitoring occasion (paragraph 214-216: a value of a counter downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field in DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 may denote the accumulative number of {serving cell, PDCCH monitoring occasion}-pair(s) in which PDSCH reception(s) or SPS PDSCH release associated with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 is present).
For claim 13; Cirik discloses: wherein the base station comprises a gNB (paragraph 41: a RAN node may be a next generation Node B (gNB) (e.g. 120A, 120B) providing New Radio (NR) user plane and control plane protocol terminations towards a first wireless device).
For claim 15; Cirik discloses: wherein incrementing the counter comprises adding one to the counter (paragraph 216: value of the total DAI, when present, in DCI format 1_1 may denote the total number of {serving cell, PDCCH monitoring occasion}-pair(s) in which PDSCH reception(s) or SPS PDSCH release associated with DCI format 1_0 or DCI format 1_1 is present, up to the current PDCCH monitoring occasion m and is updated from PDCCH monitoring occasion to PDCCH monitoring occasion).
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.
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) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirik in view of Zhou et al. (US 2021/0143943) (“Zhou”).
For claim 4; Cirik discloses the subject matter in claim 1 as described above in the office action.
Cirik does not expressly disclose, but Zhou from similar fields of endeavor teaches: wherein the HARQ-ACK codebook comprises a Type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook (paragraph 321: a wireless device may determine a HARQ-ACK codebook (e.g., a type 1 or type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook) based on combination of FIG. 29 and FIG. 30, when multiple cells are configured and multiple PDCCH monitoring occasions are configured on one or more of the multiple cells). Thus it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the signaling as described by Zhou in the HARQ-ACK codebook system as described by Cirik. The motivation is to improve feedback.
Claim(s) 7, 8, 14, and16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cirik in view of Cirik et al. (US 2023/0199796) (“Cirik2”).
For claim 7; Cirik discloses the subject matter in claim 1 as described above in the office action.
Cirik does not expressly disclose, but Cirik2 from similar fields of endeavor teaches: receiving, from a network node, a configuration of multiple search space sets and PDCCH repetition in a subset of the search space sets (paragraph 321: the one or more configuration parameters may indicate the number of repetitions of the control channel repetition for the PDCCH candidates. The one or more configuration parameters may indicate the number of repetitions of the control channel repetition for respective PDCCH candidate(s) of each search space set of the plurality of search space sets). Thus it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the signaling as described by Cirik2 in the HARQ-ACK codebook system as described by Cirik. The motivation is to improve feedback.
For claim 8; Cirik discloses the subject matter in claim 1 as described above in the office action.
Cirik does not expressly disclose, but Cirik2 from similar fields of endeavor teaches: wherein the configuration of PDCCH repetition comprises configuring multiple linked PDCCH candidates in the subset of the search space sets (paragraph 323: The one or more configuration parameters may link/map/associate the plurality of search space sets for the control channel repetition). Thus it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the signaling as described by Cirik2 in the HARQ-ACK codebook system as described by Cirik. The motivation is to improve feedback.
For claim 14; Cirik discloses the subject matter in claim 10 as described above in the office action.
Cirik does not expressly disclose, but Cirik2 from similar fields of endeavor teaches: configuring the wireless device with multiple search space sets and PDCCH repetition in a subset of the search space sets (paragraph 323: the one or more configuration parameters may indicate the plurality of search space sets for the control channel repetition. The one or more configuration parameters may link/map/associate the plurality of search space sets for the control channel repetition. For example, a first search space set of the plurality of search space sets (or of the first coreset) may be mapped/linked to (or associated with) a second search space set of the plurality of search space sets (or of the second coreset) for the control channel repetition). Thus it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the signaling as described by Cirik2 in the HARQ-ACK codebook system as described by Cirik. The motivation is to improve feedback.
For claim 16; Cirik discloses the subject matter in claim 10 as described above in the office action.
Cirik does not expressly disclose, but Cirik2 from similar fields of endeavor teaches: wherein configuring the wireless device with the multiple search space sets and the PDCCH repetition in a subset of the search space sets comprises: configuring the wireless device with multiple linked PDCCH candidates in a same or different search space sets over which a PDCCH may be repeated (paragraph 323: the one or more configuration parameters may indicate the plurality of search space sets for the control channel repetition. The one or more configuration parameters may link/map/associate the plurality of search space sets for the control channel repetition. For example, a first search space set of the plurality of search space sets (or of the first coreset) may be mapped/linked to (or associated with) a second search space set of the plurality of search space sets (or of the second coreset) for the control channel repetition). Thus it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the signaling as described by Cirik2 in the HARQ-ACK codebook system as described by Cirik. The motivation is to improve feedback.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. (US 11,647,525); Kim discloses from a base station, first configuration information on a PDCCH, the first configuration information including information on a control resource set and information on a search space; obtaining a parameter which is used to configure PDCCH repetitions for a plurality of search space sets.
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 JOHN D BLANTON whose telephone number is (571)270-3933. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-6pm EST, Mon-Thu.
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/JOHN D BLANTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466