DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Cross Reference to Related Applications
2. This application is a National Stage application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/IB2022/052735, filed on March 25, 2022, which claims the benefit of international patent application serial number PCT/CN2021/082996, filed March 25, 2021, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety their entireties.
Priority
3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claims status
4. Based on the Response to Restriction Requirement filed on October 03, 2024, applicant elects, to prosecute Group I, as claims 1, 6-7, 33, 38 and 58 without traverse. Claims 1-16, 20, 29-30, 33, 35-38 and 58 are pending in the application and 2-5, 8-16, 20, 29-30 and 35-37 are withdrawn from consideration. Therefore, claims 1, 6-7, 33, 38 and 58 are pending for examination.
Drawings
5. The Examiner contends that the drawings submitted on September 13, 2023 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Claim Objections (minor informalities)
6. Claims 38 and 58 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 38, the claim recites:
“A method performed by a network node (e.g., a base station or network node that performs at least some of the functionality of the base station), the method comprising:
sending, to a wireless communication device, WCD, information that configures one or more parameters for an uplink configured grant; and
transmitting a multiple slot transport block, TB, from the WCD on physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, resources in accordance with the uplink configured grant”.
According to preamble of the claim, “a network node( base station)” is performing both “sending” and “transmitting” steps.
According to the subject matter of the claim and specification dated September 13, 2023, the base station is receiving a multiple slot transport block, TB from the wireless communication device.
It appears that the second step “transmitting” is a typographical error for “receiving”.
It appears that “…transmitting a multiple slot transport block, TB, from the WCD on physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, resources in accordance with the uplink configured grant” is a typographical error for “…receiving a multiple slot transport block, TB, from the WCD on physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, resources in accordance with the uplink configured grant”.
Regarding claim 58, the claim is objected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 38.
Appropriate corrections is required. Applicant’s cooperation is respectfully requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the claims. For the purpose of examinations, the examiner will interpret the claims as best understood.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
7. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
8. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
9. There are two separate requirements under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b). MPEP § 2171. The first is subjective and requires that the claims must set forth the subject matter that the Applicants regard as their invention. Id. The second is objective and requires that the claims must particularly point out and distinctively define the metes and bounds of the subject matter that will be protected by the patent grant (i.e., whether the scope of the claim is clear to one of ordinary skill in the art). Id.
10. Claim 38 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 38, the claims recites “A method performed…(e.g., a base station or network node…), the method comprising:…”. The phrase "… e.g. (example)" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
11. 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.
(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.
12. 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 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.
13. Claims 1, 33, 38 and 58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yi et al. (US 2022/0303988 A1), hereinafter “Yi”.
Regarding claim 1, Yi discloses a method performed by a wireless communication device, WCD (Figs. 8, 16, method for transmitting or receiving an uplink channel in a wireless communication system), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station, information (Figs. 8, 16, step 801, step 1601-1602, paragraphs [0081], [0097], [0130], [0216]-[0217], PUSCH transmission and TB processing over multi-slot (TBoMS) configuration information through higher layer signaling or L1 signaling) that configures one or more parameters (Figs. 8, 16, step 801, step 1601-1602, paragraphs [0081], [0097], [0130], [0216]-[0217], Table 6), for an uplink configured grant (Figs. 8, 16, step 801, step 1601-1602, paragraphs [0081], [0097], [0130], [0216]-[0217], Configured grant Types PUSCH transmission);
determining physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH (Figs. 8, 16, step 802-807, step 1603-1605, paragraphs [0101], [0105], [0107], [0130], [0216], UE may distinguish PUSCH to be actually transmitted based on the multi-slot information for TBoMS and the time domain resource allocation type in the configured time domain PUSCH resources), resources for transmission of a multiple slot transport block, TB (Figs. 8, 16, step 802-807, step 1603-1605, paragraphs [0101], [0105], [0130], [0216], multi-slot information), using the uplink configured grant, based on the one or more parameters (Figs. 8, 18, step 802-807, step 1603-1605, paragraphs [0101], [0105], [0130], [0216], Configured grant Types PUSCH transmission); and
transmitting the multiple slot TB on the determined PUSCH resources (Figs. 8, 16, step 808, step 1606, paragraphs [0109], [00110], [0130], [0217], actual PUSCH through the configured multi-slot resource).
Regarding claim 33, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 38, Yi discloses a method performed by a network node (e.g., a base station or network node that performs at least some of the functionality of the base station) (Figs. 8, 16, method for transmitting or receiving an uplink channel in a wireless communication system), the method comprising:
sending, to a wireless communication device, WCD (Figs. 8, 16, step 801, step 1601-1602, paragraphs [0081], [0097], [0130], [0216]-[0217], PUSCH transmission and TB processing over multi-slot (TBoMS) configuration information through higher layer signaling or L1 signaling), information that configures one or more parameters for an uplink configured grant (Figs. 8, 16, step 801, step 1601-1602, paragraphs [0081], [0097], [0130], [0216]-[0217], Configured grant Types PUSCH transmission); and
transmitting a multiple slot transport block, TB, from the WCD on physical uplink shared channel, PUSCH, resources in accordance with the uplink configured grant (Figs. 8, 16, step 808, step 1606, paragraphs [0109], [00110], [0130], [0217], actual PUSCH through the configured multi-slot resource).
Regarding claim 58, the claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 38.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
14. 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 of this title, 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.
15. Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi et al. (US 2022/0303988 A1), hereinafter “Yi” in view of Ly et al. (US 2022/0303983 A1), hereinafter “Ly”.
Regarding claim 6, Yi discloses the method according to claim 1.
While Yi implicitly refers to “transmitting the multiple slot TB comprises transmitting a number, K, of repetitions of the multiple slot TB, and a redundancy version, RV, granularity for the multiple slot TB is all slots of a repetition of the multiple slot TB” (Figs. 8, 16), Ly from the same or similar field of endeavor explicitly discloses transmitting the multiple slot TB comprises transmitting a number, K, of repetitions of the multiple slot TB (Fig. 4, paragraph [0059], reference numbers 425 and 435 respectively show four repetitions), and a redundancy version, RV, granularity for the multiple slot TB is all slots of a repetition of the multiple slot TB (Fig. 4, paragraph [0059], reference numbers 425 and 430, a respective RV may be used for each repetition of a multi-slot transmission).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “transmitting the multiple slot TB comprises transmitting a number, K, of repetitions of the multiple slot TB, and a redundancy version, RV, granularity for the multiple slot TB is all slots of a repetition of the multiple slot TB” as taught by Ly, in the system of Yi, so that it would provide communication of a transport block over multiple slots relates to wireless communication as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase (Ly, paragraph [0001]).
Regarding claim 7, Yi discloses the method according to claim 1.
While Yi implicitly refers to “transmitting the multiple slot TB comprises transmitting a number, K, of repetitions of the multiple slot TB, and a redundancy version, RV, granularity for the multiple slot TB is: (a) a subset of all slots of a repetition of the multiple slot T or (b) a single slot of a repetition of the multiple slot TB”, Ly from the same or similar field of endeavor explicitly discloses transmitting the multiple slot TB comprises transmitting a number, K, of repetitions of the multiple slot TB, and a redundancy version, RV, granularity for the multiple slot TB is: (a) a subset of all slots of a repetition of the multiple slot T (b) a single slot of a repetition of the multiple slot TB (Fig. 4, paragraphs [0059], in the RV cycling shown by reference number 435, an RV may be used only over symbols within a single slot; in the RV cycling shown by reference number 440, an RV may be used only over a consecutive set of symbols).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide “transmitting the multiple slot TB comprises transmitting a number, K, of repetitions of the multiple slot TB, and a redundancy version, RV, granularity for the multiple slot TB is: (a) a subset of all slots of a repetition of the multiple slot T (b) a single slot of a repetition of the multiple slot TB” as taught by Ly, in the system of Yi, so that it would provide communication of a transport block over multiple slots relates to wireless communication as the demand for mobile broadband access continues to increase (Ly, paragraph [0001]).
Conclusion
16. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SITHU KO whose telephone number is 571-272-8647. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Friday 8:30am-5:00pmEST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edan Orgad can be reached on 571-272-7884. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SITHU KO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414