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 .
Drawings
Replacement drawings were received on 12/5/25. These drawings are acceptable and have been entered. The drawing objection has accordingly been withdrawn.
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) 32-34 and 36-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Babaei (U.S. 2022/0279456). Babaei teaches all of the limitations of the specified claims with the reasoning that follows.
Regarding claim 32, “a method of a User Equipment (UE), comprising: receiving a Radio resource control (RRC) message comprising first information of a plurality of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) cells, wherein the first information is for PUCCH cell switching” is anticipated by a wireless device (UE) that receives one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters (first information); where the configuration parameters comprise a first configuration parameter indicating a TPC PUCCH index for determining a first/starting bit of a TPC command in a DCI comprising TPC commands, and a second configuration parameter indicating a TPC-PUCCH RNTI; and where the TPC command(s) are applicable to a cell of a PUCCH group (plurality of PUCCH cells) as shown in Figure 21 and spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175].
“Determining, based on the first information for PUCCH transmission, a slot and a cell corresponding to the slot, wherein the determining relates to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) procedure for Semi Persistent Scheduling (SPS) Physical Downlink Shared channel (PDSCH)” is anticipated by the wireless device that determines to switch a PUCCH carrier/cell (PUCCH cell switching) from a first cell/carrier of the PUCCH group (e.g. PCell/PSCell of a primary PUCCH group) to a second cell/carrier (determined cell) in the PUCCH group (e.g. a SCell in the primary PUCCH group) for transmission of PUCCH carrying HARQ feedback as shown in Figure 21 and spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175]; where the switching between a first cell in the first plurality of cells of the PUCCH group to a second cell in the first plurality of cells may be based on a timing pattern of applicable PUCCH cells, where the received RRC configuration parameters may indicate the timing pattern, and where the RRC configuration parameters may indicate a slot format (slot) of the first cell (cell corresponding to slot) indicating uplink, downlink, and flexible symbols as spoken of on page 17, paragraph [0171]; and where an IE-SPS-Config may be used to configure downlink semi-persistent transmission via PDSCH and corresponding HARQ-ACK transmission as spoken of on page 15, paragraph [0153].
Lastly, “transmitting a PUCCH with the HARQ-ACK for the SPS PDSCH on the cell” is anticipated by the transmission of HARQ feedback via a PUCCH, where the HARQ feedback is associated with (relates to) corresponding downlink SPS configuration information as spoken of on page 20, paragraphs [0180]-[0181].
Regarding claim 33, “receiving Downlink control information (DCI) comprising an indicator indicating a cell for second PUCCH transmission, and transmitting a PUCCH on a Secondary Cell (SCell) indicated by the indicator in the DCI” is anticipated by the wireless device that receives DCI associated with TPC-PUCCH RNTI comprising TPC commands (indicator); where the wireless device determines a TPC command based on the plurality of bits of the DCI and the TPC PUCCH index; and where the TPC command is applicable to a cell of a PUCCH group that is the PUCCH carrier used for PUCCH transmission (e.g. HARQ feedback transmission associated with a downlink TB or a SPS release DCI) as spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175].
Regarding claim 34, “wherein: the cell is either a Primary Cell (PCell) or a Secondary Cell (SCell) for a PUCCH” is anticipated by the wireless device that determines to switch a PUCCH carrier/cell (PUCCH cell switching) from a first cell/carrier of the PUCCH group (e.g. PCell/PSCell of a primary PUCCH group) to a second cell/carrier (determined cell) in the PUCCH group (e.g. a SCell in the primary PUCCH group) for transmission of PUCCH carrying HARQ feedback as shown in Figure 21 and spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175].
Regarding claim 36, “a User Equipment (UE), comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: receive a Radio resource control (RRC) message comprising first information of a plurality of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) cells, wherein the first information is for PUCCH cell switching” is anticipated by a wireless device (UE) that receives one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters (first information); where the configuration parameters comprise a first configuration parameter indicating a TPC PUCCH index for determining a first/starting bit of a TPC command in a DCI comprising TPC commands, and a second configuration parameter indicating a TPC-PUCCH RNTI; where the TPC command(s) are applicable to a cell of a PUCCH group (plurality of PUCCH cells) as shown in Figure 21 and spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175]; and where wireless device 1502 includes a memory 1512 coupled to a data processing system 1524 (processor) as shown in Figure 15.
“Determine, based on the first information for PUCCH transmission, a slot and a cell corresponding to the slot, wherein the determining relates to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) procedure for Semi Persistent Scheduling (SPS) Physical Downlink Shared channel (PDSCH)” is anticipated by the wireless device that determines to switch a PUCCH carrier/cell (PUCCH cell switching) from a first cell/carrier of the PUCCH group (e.g. PCell/PSCell of a primary PUCCH group) to a second cell/carrier (determined cell) in the PUCCH group (e.g. a SCell in the primary PUCCH group) for transmission of PUCCH carrying HARQ feedback as shown in Figure 21 and spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175]; where the switching between a first cell in the first plurality of cells of the PUCCH group to a second cell in the first plurality of cells may be based on a timing pattern of applicable PUCCH cells, where the received RRC configuration parameters may indicate the timing pattern, and where the RRC configuration parameters may indicate a slot format (slot) of the first cell (cell corresponding to slot) indicating uplink, downlink, and flexible symbols as spoken of on page 17, paragraph [0171]; and where an IE-SPS-Config may be used to configure downlink semi-persistent transmission via PDSCH and corresponding HARQ-ACK transmission as spoken of on page 15, paragraph [0153].
Lastly, “transmit a PUCCH with the HARQ-ACK for the SPS PDSCH on the cell” is anticipated by the transmission of HARQ feedback via a PUCCH, where the HARQ feedback is associated with (relates to) corresponding downlink SPS configuration information as spoken of on page 20, paragraphs [0180]-[0181].
Regarding claim 37, “the UE receives Downlink control information (DCI) comprising an indicator indicating a cell for second PUCCH transmission, and transmits a PUCCH on a Secondary Cell (SCell) indicated by the indicator in the DCI” is anticipated by the wireless device that receives DCI associated with TPC-PUCCH RNTI comprising TPC commands (indicator); where the wireless device determines a TPC command based on the plurality of bits of the DCI and the TPC PUCCH index; and where the TPC command is applicable to a cell of a PUCCH group that is the PUCCH carrier used for PUCCH transmission (e.g. HARQ feedback transmission associated with a downlink TB or a SPS release DCI) as spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175].
Regarding claim 38, “wherein: the cell is either a Primary Cell (PCell) or a Secondary Cell (SCell) for a PUCCH” is anticipated by the wireless device that determines to switch a PUCCH carrier/cell (PUCCH cell switching) from a first cell/carrier of the PUCCH group (e.g. PCell/PSCell of a primary PUCCH group) to a second cell/carrier (determined cell) in the PUCCH group (e.g. a SCell in the primary PUCCH group) for transmission of PUCCH carrying HARQ feedback as shown in Figure 21 and spoken of on page 18, paragraph [0175].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/5/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding amended claim 32, Applicant argues that neither Babaei nor Saber teach the added limitations “determining, based on the first information for PUCCH transmission, a slot and a cell corresponding to the slot, wherein the determining relates to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) procedure for Semi Persistent Scheduling (SPS) Physical Downlink Shared channel (PDSCH); and transmitting a PUCCH with the HARQ-ACK for the SPS PDSCH on the cell”.
However, upon further review of the disclosure of Babaei, it is maintained that Babaei teaches the newly added limitations as described above.
Similar reasoning applies to amended claim 36.
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.
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/MICHAEL J MOORE JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467