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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7-9, 12-17, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1) in view of Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP).
GRANT et al. discloses a wireless communication comprising the following features: regarding claims 1 and 14, an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Fig. 1, wireless device 110), comprising: memory; and at least one processor (see paragraph 112, “Processing circuitry 120 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor”) coupled to the memory and configured to (See paragraph 11, For example, processing circuitry 120 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 130 or in memory within processing circuitry 120 to provide the functionality disclosed herein.): receive, from a base station, downlink control information (DCI) indicating a unified transmission configuration index (TCI) state of a plurality of unified TCI states for one or more channels (see paragraph 44 “For DCI-based indication, the common beam indication may be signaled/updated by DCI content. For example, a code point in a DCI field may be used to select one or a subset of candidate TCI states dynamically. Some code point value(s) may be mapped to one TCI state. Some code point value(s) may be mapped to more than one TCI state, for example, two TCI states.”) and a dummy indication related to a TCI indication field and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) schedule, wherein the dummy indication is associated with maintenance of the unified TCI state for the one or more channels (see paragraph 295 “In the previous section, DL beam indication is discussed both for PDSCH and PDCCH. DL beam indication consists of signalling a TCI to the UE which provides one or more spatial QCL references which can be used by the UE to adjust its Rx spatial configuration, i.e., spatial filter/spatial precoder/beam for the purposes of demodulation of PDSCH and PDCCH. Maintenance of several different TCI states allows flexibility to the gNB to dynamically switch between different Tx beams either within a TRP or between TRPs”).
Regarding claims 2, 15, 17, GRANT et al. discloses: maintain the unified TCI state for the one or more channels based on the TCI indication field of the dummy indication (see paragraph 295 “In the previous section, DL beam indication is discussed both for PDSCH and PDCCH. DL beam indication consists of signalling a TCI to the UE which provides one or more spatial QCL references which can be used by the UE to adjust its Rx spatial configuration, i.e., spatial filter/spatial precoder/beam for the purposes of demodulation of PDSCH and PDCCH. Maintenance of several different TCI states allows flexibility to the gNB to dynamically switch between different Tx beams either within a TRP or between TRPs”).
Grant et al. does not disclose the following features: regarding claims 1, 14, a dummy indication related to a TCI indication field and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) schedule, refrain from receiving and decoding a mock PDSCH scheduled by the DCI based on the PDSCH schedule of the dummy indication, wherein the mock PDSCH comprises a mock time domain resource allocation (TDRA), and wherein the mock TDRA comprises a start and length indicator value (SLIV) indication having a length (L) value of 0.
Yu et al. discloses a wireless communication system comprising the following features: regarding claim 1, a dummy indication (See Abstract, the indicated scheduling information being invalid for the PDSCH) related to a TCI indication field and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) schedule (see Abstract “ the first DCI comprising one field for indicating scheduling information for a PDSCH, the indicated scheduling information being invalid for the PDSCH;”), refrain from receiving and decoding a mock PDSCH scheduled by the DCI based on the PDSCH schedule of the dummy indication (note that a user equipment (UE) that receives such a DCI would recognize, based on the invalid scheduling information (the “dummy indication”), that there is no real PDSCH schedule information to receive or decode. The UE would therefore refrain from receiving and decoding any PDSCH associated with that DCI, because it understands from the DCI content that the scheduled PDSCH is not valid or not present).
3GPP discloses wireless communication methods comprising the following features: wherein the mock PDSCH comprises a mock time domain resource allocation (TDRA) (see section 5.1.2.1 on pages 13-14, “When the UE is scheduled to receive PDSCH by a DCI, the Time domain resource assignment field value …..”), and wherein the mock TDRA comprises a start and length indicator value (SLIV) indication having a length (L) value of 0 (see pages 13-14,, 3GPP explicitly teaches SLIV fields for time domain resource allocation, including the possibility of a length value of zero “SLIV = 14 ⋅ (L −1) + S…”). Setting L = 0 is a trivial modification to indicate a mock or unused allocation).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. by using the taught features of Yu et al. and 3GPP, in order to enhance system reliability, reduce processing overhead, and support advanced protocol features for seamless and adaptive wireless communication.
GRANT et al. teaches the claimed features above, but does not disclose: regarding claim 7, wherein the mock PDSCH comprises special values for a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) and redundancy version (RV); regarding claims 8, 23, wherein the mock PDSCH comprises special values for a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) and a frequency domain resource assignment (FDRA); regarding claims 9, 24, wherein the special values of the MCS and the FDRA result in the mock PDSCH having an effective coding rate larger than 0.95.
3GPP discloses the following features: regarding claim 7, wherein the mock PDSCH comprises special values for a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) and redundancy version (RV) (see section 5.1.3 on page 24 “read the 5-bit modulation and coding scheme field (IMCS) in the DCI to determine the modulation order (Qm) and target code rate (R) based on the procedure defined in Clause 5.1.3.1, and - read redundancy version field (rv) in the DCI to determine the redundancy version.”); regarding claims 8, 23, wherein the mock PDSCH comprises special values for a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) (see section 5.1.3 on page 24 “read the 5-bit modulation and coding scheme field (IMCS) in the DCI to determine the modulation order (Qm)) and a frequency domain resource assignment (FDRA) (see section 5.1.3 on page 24 ,“the UE shall use the number of layers (ʋ), the total number of allocated PRBs before rate matching (nPRB) to determine to the transport block size based on the procedure defined in Clause 5.1.3.2”); regarding claims 9, 24, wherein the special values of the MCS and the FDRA result in the mock PDSCH having an effective coding rate larger than 0.95 (see section 5.1.3 on page 24, “The UE may skip decoding a transport block in an initial transmission if the effective channel code rate is higher than 0.95”).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. by using the taught features of 3GPP, in order to enable efficient signaling and resource management.
GRANT et al. teaches the claimed features above, but does not disclose: regarding claim 12, transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in response to the TCI indication field of the dummy indication; regarding claims 13, 28, wherein the TCI indication field of the dummy indication updates the unified TCI state for the one or more channels; regarding claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the UE, an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in response to the TCI indication field of the dummy indication.
Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) discloses the following features: regarding claim 12, transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in response to the TCI indication field of the dummy indication (see paragraph 12, “receive first Downlink Control Information (DCI) indicating one of the one or more first TCI states activated by the MAC-CE, the first DCI comprising at least one field for indicating scheduling information for a PDSCH, the indicated scheduling information being invalid for the PDSCH; transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource determined by another one field in the first DCI in response to the reception of the first DCI”); regarding claims 13, 28 wherein the TCI indication field of the dummy indication updates the unified TCI state for the one or more channels (see paragraph 4, “receiving a first configuration for configuring a plurality of first Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) states, each of the plurality of first TCI states applied for at least one Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) and at least one Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH); receiving a Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) for activating one or more first TCI states from the plurality of first TCI states;”); regarding claim 27, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the UE, an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in response to the TCI indication field of the dummy indication (see paragraph 12, “receive first Downlink Control Information (DCI) indicating one of the one or more first TCI states activated by the MAC-CE, the first DCI comprising at least one field for indicating scheduling information for a PDSCH, the indicated scheduling information being invalid for the PDSCH; transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource determined by another one field in the first DCI in response to the reception of the first DCI”).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. by using the taught features of Yu et al., in order to enhances feedback mechanisms and dynamic TCI state management in wireless communication systems.
GRANT et al. discloses a wireless communication comprising the following features: regarding claims 16 and 29, an apparatus for wireless communication at a base station (Fig. 1 network node 160), comprising: memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory (see paragraph [0099] Processing circuitry 170 may comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node 160 components, such as device readable medium 180, network node 160 functionality. For example, processing circuitry 170 may execute instructions stored in device readable medium 180 or in memory within processing circuitry 170) and configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE) (Fig. 1, wireless device 110), downlink control information (DCI) indicating a unified transmission configuration index (TCI) state of a plurality of unified TCI states for one or more channels (see paragraph 44 “For DCI-based indication, the common beam indication may be signaled/updated by DCI content. For example, a code point in a DCI field may be used to select one or a subset of candidate TCI states dynamically. Some code point value(s) may be mapped to one TCI state. Some code point value(s) may be mapped to more than one TCI state, for example, two TCI states.”), and a dummy indication related to a TCI indication field and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) schedule, wherein the dummy indication is associated with maintenance of the unified TCI state for the one or more channels (see paragraph 295 “In the previous section, DL beam indication is discussed both for PDSCH and PDCCH. DL beam indication consists of signalling a TCI to the UE which provides one or more spatial QCL references which can be used by the UE to adjust its Rx spatial configuration, i.e., spatial filter/spatial precoder/beam for the purposes of demodulation of PDSCH and PDCCH. Maintenance of several different TCI states allows flexibility to the gNB to dynamically switch between different Tx beams either within a TRP or between TRPs”).
Grant et al. does not disclose the following features: regarding claims 16, 29, a dummy indication related to a TCI indication field and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) schedule, wherein the DCI schedules a mock PDSCH based on the PDSCH schedule of the dummy indication, wherein the mock PDSCH comprises a mock time domain resource allocation (TDRA), and wherein the mock TDRA comprises a start and length indicator value (SLIV) indication having a length (L) value of 0; and communicate with the UE based on the dummy indication.
Yu et al. discloses a wireless communication system comprising the following features: regarding claim 1, a dummy indication (See Abstract, the indicated scheduling information being invalid for the PDSCH) related to a TCI indication field and a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) schedule (see Abstract “ the first DCI comprising one field for indicating scheduling information for a PDSCH, the indicated scheduling information being invalid for the PDSCH;”); wherein the DCI schedules a mock PDSCH based on the PDSCH schedule of the dummy indication; communicate with the UE based on the dummy indication (see claim 8, the first DCI comprising invalid scheduling information for any PDSCH reception; transmit a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ)-Acknowledgement (ACK) on a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) determined by a field in the first DCI in response to the reception of the first DCI; receive the at least one PDCCH and the at least one PDSCH based on a spatial receiver (RX) parameter derived according to the indicated one of the one or more first TCI states after transmitting the HARQ-ACK).
3GPP discloses wireless communication methods comprising the following features: wherein the mock PDSCH comprises a mock time domain resource allocation (TDRA) (see section 5.1.2.1 on pages 13-14, “When the UE is scheduled to receive PDSCH by a DCI, the Time domain resource assignment field value …..”), and wherein the mock TDRA comprises a start and length indicator value (SLIV) indication having a length (L) value of 0 (see pages 13-14,, 3GPP explicitly teaches SLIV fields for time domain resource allocation, including the possibility of a length value of zero “SLIV = 14 ⋅ (L −1) + S…”). Setting L = 0 is a trivial modification to indicate a mock or unused allocation).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. by using the taught features of Yu et al. and 3GPP, in order to enhance system reliability, reduce processing overhead, and support advanced protocol features for seamless and adaptive wireless communication.
GRANT et al. teaches the claimed limitation above, but do not disclose: regarding claims 21 and 30, transmit the mock PDSCH to the UE, wherein the dummy indication instructs the UE to refrain from receiving and decoding the mock PDSCH scheduled by the DCI based on the PDSCH schedule of the dummy indication.
Yu et al. discloses a wireless communication system comprising the following features: regarding claims 21 and 30, transmit the mock PDSCH to the UE, wherein the dummy indication instructs the UE to refrain from receiving and decoding a mock PDSCH scheduled by the DCI based on the PDSCH schedule of the dummy indication (note that a user equipment (UE) that receives such a DCI would recognize, based on the invalid scheduling information (the “dummy indication”), that there is no real PDSCH schedule information to receive or decode. The UE would therefore refrain from receiving and decoding any PDSCH associated with that DCI, because it understands from the DCI content that the scheduled PDSCH is not valid or not present).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. by using the taught features of Yu et al., in order to improve signaling efficiency and prevents unnecessary processing of invalid or placeholder transmissions in wireless communication systems.
GRANT et al. teaches the claimed features above, but does not disclose: regarding claims 31-34, wherein the L value of 0 indicates that a duration of the mock PDSCH is zero.
3GPP discloses the following features: regarding claims 31-34, wherein the L value of 0 indicates that a duration of the mock PDSCH is zero (note that section 5.1.3 on page 24, the UE determines the number of OFDM symbols assigned to the PDSCH (L) by reading the DCI fields, specifically the SLIV (Start and Length Indicator Value). If the L value is set to 0, this means that zero OFDM symbols are assigned to the PDSCH, i.e., the duration of the PDSCH transmission is zero.).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. by using the taught features of 3GPP, in order to enable efficient signaling and resource management.
Claim(s) 3, 4, 18, 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) as applied to claims 1, above, and further in view of Takeda et al. (US 20220039129 A1).
GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) disclose the claimed limitations above. GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) do not disclose: regarding claims 3, 18, wherein the TCI indication field comprises a codepoint that does not map with any of the plurality of unified TCI states, such that the unified TCI state is maintained; regarding claims 4, 19, wherein the codepoint that does not map with any of the plurality of unified TCI states indicates that there is no update to the unified TCI state;
Takeda et al. (US 20220039129 A1) discloses a wireless communication system comprising the following features: regarding claim 3, wherein the TCI indication field comprises a codepoint that does not map with any of the plurality of unified TCI states, such that the unified TCI state is maintained (see paragraph 0091, “Furthermore, when the first TCI state ID is still active after the update (e.g., it is activated by the MAC CE while a code point is different (mapped to TCI field=j (j≠i)), the UE may follow the first TCI state ID throughout all slots of the multi-slot PDSCH regardless of the completion of the MAC CE activation. According to this configuration, during a multi-slot, flexible control can be performed in such a manner that the TCI state applied to the multi-slot is not changed when the same TCI state is continuously active and otherwise the TCI state is switched to another TCI state”); regarding claim 4, wherein the codepoint that does not map with any of the plurality of unified TCI states indicates that there is no update to the unified TCI state (see paragraph 0091, “Furthermore, when the first TCI state ID is still active after the update (e.g., it is activated by the MAC CE while a code point is different (mapped to TCI field=j (j≠i)), the UE may follow the first TCI state ID throughout all slots of the multi-slot PDSCH regardless of the completion of the MAC CE activation. According to this configuration, during a multi-slot, flexible control can be performed in such a manner that the TCI state applied to the multi-slot is not changed when the same TCI state is continuously active and otherwise the TCI state is switched to another TCI state”).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) by using the features as taught by Takeda et al. (US 20220039129 A1); in order to enhance flexible control and efficient signaling in a wireless communication.
Claim(s) 5, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) as applied to claims 1, 2, 16, 27 above, and further in view of El Hamss et al. (US 20230093477 A1).
GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) disclose the claimed limitations above. GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) do not disclose: regarding claims 5, 20, refrain from transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in response to the TCI indication field of the dummy indication.
El Hamss et al. (US 20230093477 A1) discloses a communication system comprising: regarding claims 5, 20, refrain from transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) or a negative acknowledgement (NACK) in response to the TCI indication field of the dummy indication (see [0109] Priority associated to a HARQ-ACK or associated PDSCH transmission. A WTRU may select a set of ACK/NACK bits for which feedback overhead reduction may be applied based on the priority and/or codebook index of the HARQ-ACK or associated PDSCH transmission. For example, a WTRU may be configured to apply feedback reduction (e.g., skip or delay transmitting ACK/NACKs bits) of low priority data once the feedback reduction mechanism is enabled. See paragraph [0122] The Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state used for PDSCH).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of GRANT et al. (US 20200280409 A1), Yu et al. (US 12028869 B2) and 3GPP TS 38.214 version 16.2.0 Release 16 (hereinafter 3GPP) by using the features as taught by El Hamss et al. (US 20230093477 A1); in order to reduce feedback overhead and improves signaling efficiency in wireless communication systems.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mondal et al. (US 20200389897 A1) discloses methods for transmission of PDSCH and HARQ-ACK feedback in 5G networks.
Raghavan et al. (US 20200229161 A1) discloses methods for TCI state switching.
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/KWANG B YAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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