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
The Amendment filed 03/02/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-3, 5, 9-10, 17, 19-20, and 22 have been amended. Claims 4, 6-8, 12-16, 21, and 23-24 have been cancelled. Claim 27 has been added. Claims 1-3, 5, 9-11, 17-20, 22, and 25-27 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 03/02/2026 have been fully considered but are rendered moot by the use of a new prior art reference to reject the indicated limitations.
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) 1-3, 5, 9-11, 17-20, 22, and 25-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li (CN 113965301 A), hereinafter Li.
For claim 1,
Li teaches a method for sending uplink control information, performed by a user device, the method comprising when physical uplink control channels (PUCCHs) of corresponding to at least three pieces of uplink control information (UCIs) overlap in a time domain, sending multiplexed UCI on a first PUCCH ([FIGs. 3A, 3B, and 3D], [at least 0033-0036] overlapping of three UCIs. Multiplexed UCI is sent on a first PUCCH.)
wherein the at least three UCIs comprise at least one first UCI corresponding to a PUCCH format0 (PF0) format and having a high priority ([FIGs. 3A, 3B, and 3D], a first UCI corresponding to PF0 with a high priority), and
the first PUCCH is a PUCCH of the PFO format corresponding to any UCI of the at least one first UCI ([FIGs. 3A, 3B, and 3D], a first UCI corresponding to PF0 and each UCI shown is a part of a PUCCH corresponding to the format and priority of the UCI),
wherein the multiplexed UCI employs different cyclic shift states to represent different s of the at least three UCIs ([at least 0358] different priority SRs multiplexed with different HARQ-ACKs adopt different cyclic shift states),
wherein the at least three UCIs further comprise at least two UCIs having a low priority, and the at least two UCIs having the low priority comprise: UCI corresponding to the PFO format and having the low priority ([FIG. 3D] low priority SR in PF0 format) and
UCI corresponding to a PUCCH format1 (PF1) format and having the low priority ([FIG. 3D] low priority HARQ-ACK in PF1 format).
For claim 2, Li teaches claim 1.
Li further teaches wherein an information quantity of a combination of the at least three UCIs is less than or equal to 3 bits ([at least 0557] the formula log_2(1+M+N) is used to determine how many bits are a part of a combination of the three UCIs. It is well known in the art that PUCCH formats 0 and 1 contain 1 or 2 bits. Because the PUCCH formats 0 and 1 are used during multiplexing, it is implied that at least one possible outcome of said formula is a number of bits less than or equal to 3.).
For claim 3, Li teaches claim 1.
Li further teaches the multiplexed UCI employing different cyclic shift states to represent different combinations of the at least three UCIs comprises ([at least 0358] and [at least 0547] different cyclic shift states are used for different combinations of multiplexed UCIs):
there is a mapping relationship among a bit value corresponding to the multiplexed UCI ([at least 0557] the formula log_2(1+M+N) is used to determine how many bits are a part of a combination of the three UCIs. There are several variations of said formula that are used for different multiplexing scenarios. This acts as a type of mapping of bit values to different multiplexed UCIs.),
a combination of the at least three UCIs, ([at least 0200] UCI1, UCI2, and UCI3 can be multiplexed together) and
a cyclic shift state ([0409] and [at least 0358] different priority SRs multiplexed with different HARQ-ACKs adopt different cyclic shift states).
For claim 5, Li teaches claim 1.
Li further teaches wherein the at least one first UCI comprises at least one of:
a hybrid automatic repeat request ACK (HARQ-ACK) corresponding to the PF0 format and having a high priority ([FIG. 3D] high priority HARQ-ACK corresponding to PF0 format), or
a scheduling request (SR) corresponding to the PF0 format and having a high priority ([3C] high priority SR corresponding to PF0 format); and
sending the multiplexed UCI on the first PUCCH comprises:
sending the multiplexed UCI over a PUCCH of a PF0 format corresponding to the HARQ-ACK ([FIG. 3D] multiplexed information is sent over HARQ-ACK in a PF0 format); or
sending the multiplexed UCI over a PUCCH of a PF0 format corresponding to the SR ([FIG. 3A] multiplexed information is sent over SR in a PF0 format).
For claim 9, Li teaches claim 1.
Li further teaches wherein the UCI corresponding to the PFO format and having the low priority is an SR corresponding to the PFO format and having the low priority, ([FIG. 3C and 3D] UCI is an SR corresponding to PF0 format and having low priority) and
the UCI corresponding to the PF1 format and having the low priority is an HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PF1 format and having the low priority ([FIG. 3C and 3D] UCI is a HARQ-ACK corresponding to PF1 format and having low priority).
For claim 10,
Li teaches when physical uplink control channels (PUCCHs) corresponding to at least three pieces of uplink control information (UCIs) overlapping in a time domain, and the at least three UCIs at least comprise ([FIGs. 3A, 3B, and 3D], [at least 0033-0036] overlapping of three UCIs):
hybrid automatic repeat request ACK (HARQ- ACK) corresponding to a PUCCH format1 (PF1) format and having a high priority ([at least FIG. 3A] high priority HARQ-ACK corresponding to PF1),
a scheduling request (SR) corresponding to the PF1 format and having a high priority ([at least 0422] SR corresponding to PF1 and having a high priority), and
UCI corresponding to a PUCCH format 0 (PF0) format or the PF1 format and having a low priority ([at least FIG. 3A] low priority HARQ-ACK corresponding to PF1),
determining that a value of the SR is a positive value or a negative value ([at least 0415] SR state can be positive or negative and depending on its state, different actions are taken. This implies that a determination is made of what state the SR is in.),
when determining that the value of the SR is the positive value, sending multiplexed UCI over a PUCCH of the SR corresponding to the PF1 format and having the high priority ([at least 0415-0416] multiplexed information can be sent over PF1 used by the high priority SR for transmission),
wherein the multiplexed UCI is a combination of the HARQ-ACK and the UCI corresponding to the PFO format or the PF1 format and having the low priority ([at least 0415-0416] multiplexed information is a combination of HARQ-ACK and low priority SR corresponding to PF1); and
when determining that the value of the SR is the negative value, sending the multiplexed UCI over a PUCCH of the HARQ-ACK ([at least 0415] when SR is negative, information is sent using corresponding PUCCH of HARQ-ACK),
wherein the multiplexed UCI is a combination of the HARQ-ACK and an HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PFO format or the PF1 format and having a low priority ([at least 0258] and [0415] when SR is negative, only HARQ-ACK is sent and it has a low priority).
For claim 11, Li teaches claim 10.
Li further teaches wherein the UCI corresponding to the PFO format or the PF1 format and having the low priority comprises one of:
an HARQ-ACK corresponding to the PF1 format and having a low priority ([at least FIG. 3C] low priority HARQ-ACK corresponding to PF1).
For claim 17, it is rejected on the same basis as claim 1, with the additional limitations of a processor ([0165] and [FIG. 6] processor); and
a memory, used for storing instructions executable by the processor ([0165] and [FIG. 6] memory storing instructions executable by the processor).
For claim 18, it is rejected on the same basis as claim 1, with the additional limitation of a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ([at least 0166-0168] non-volatile readable storage medium).
For claims [19-20, 22], they are rejected on the same basis as claims [2-3, 5], respectively.
For claims 25-26, they are rejected on the same basis as claim 10, with the additional limitations of a processor, a memory, used for storing instructions executable by the processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ([0165], [FIG. 6] and [at least 0166-0168] processor, memory storing instructions executable by the processor and non-volatile readable storage medium).
For claim 27, Li teaches claim 17, and it is rejected on the same basis as claim 9.
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 Benjamin T. Ranew whose telephone number is (571)272-2746. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman Abaza can be reached at (571) 270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BENJAMIN T. RANEW/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
/AYMAN A ABAZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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