Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/3/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1, 8, 16, and 18 have been amended; Claims 3-4, 7, 10-11, 14-15, and 20-21 have been cancelled. Claims 1-2, 5-6, 8-9, 12-13, 16-19, and 22 are subject to examination.
Acknowledgement is made to the Applicant’s amendment to claims 1, 8, 16, and 18 to obviate the previous objections to claims 1, 8, 16, and 18. The previous objections to claims 1, 8, 16, and 18 are hereby withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 8, and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
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.
Claims 1-2, 5-6, 8-9, 12-13, 16-19, and 22 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 1, 8, and 16, the claims each recite the limitation “switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the first switching delay set.” This limitation renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether “the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP” recited in this limitation corresponds to “a first uplink BWP and a first downlink BWP” previously recited in each claim.
Regarding Claim 17, the claim recites the limitation “when instructions in a storage medium are executed ...” This limitation renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether “a storage medium” recited in this limitation corresponds to the “A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” previously recited in claim 17.
Regarding Claim 18, the claim recites the limitation “switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the second switching delay set.” This limitation renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether “the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP” recited in this limitation corresponds to “a second uplink BWP and a second downlink BWP” previously recited in claim 1.
Regarding Claims 2, 5-6, 9, 12-13, 15, 19, and 22, the claims depend on independent claims 1, 8, or 16, and therefore inherit the 35 U.S.C. 112 issues of the independent claims.
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.
Claims 1-2, 5, 8-9, 12, 16-19, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (EP 3,609,251 A1, hereinafter “Li”) in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0256572 A1, hereinafter “Kim”).
Regarding Claim 1, Li teaches a bandwidth part (BWP) configuration method, performed by a terminal, comprising: determining a first BWP pair and a second BWP pair (Li: receiving, by a terminal, configuration information from a network device, where the configuration information is used to configure at least one frequency domain resource and a frequency domain resource associated with any frequency domain resource in the at least one frequency domain resource ... and determining, by the terminal based on the configuration information, the at least one frequency domain resource and the frequency domain resource associated with the any frequency domain resource in the at least one frequency domain resource, see paragraph [0034]);
wherein the first BWP pair comprises a first uplink BWP and a first downlink BWP (Li: Configure a correspondence between an uplink BP and a downlink BP, see paragraph [0158]),
the second BWP pair comprises a second uplink BWP and a second downlink BWP (Li: The correspondence between an uplink BP and a downlink BP may include ... a plurality of uplink BPs correspond to one downlink BP, see paragraph [0158]),
the first uplink BWP and the first downlink BWP have a same center frequency (Li: In a possible design, the frequency domain resources in the first frequency domain resource pair have a same center frequency, see paragraph [0047]), and
performing switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP (Li: The network device and the terminal transmit data on the uplink BP 1 and the downlink BP 1, see paragraph [0167]).
Li does not explicitly teach the second uplink BWP and the second downlink BWP have different center frequencies;
wherein the first BWP pair is associated with a first switching delay set, and the second BWP pair is associated with a second switching delay set; and
the first switching delay set and the second switching delay set comprise delay values for the terminal to switch between an uplink BWP and a downlink BWP, wherein the first switching delay set comprises a first number of delay values, the second switching delay set comprises a second number of delay values; and
at least one delay value in the second number of delay values is different from any delay value in the first number of delay values;
determining at least one of BWP configuration information of the terminal or a capability of the terminal, wherein at least one of the BWP configuration information or the capability of the terminal corresponds to the first BWP pair; and
performing switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the first switching delay set.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kim teaches the second uplink BWP and the second downlink BWP have different center frequencies (Kim: the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies, see paragraph [0115]);
wherein the first BWP pair is associated with a first switching delay set, and the second BWP pair is associated with a second switching delay set (Kim: When the terminal operates in the half-duplex scheme, a temporal gap may be required between DL reception and UL transmission. When operating in the TDD mode, since the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP are configured to have the same center frequency, only a circulator switch delay may be considered as the temporal gap between DL and UL ... When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies. In this case, a frequency separation may correspond to a duplex gap. Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission, see paragraphs [0114]-[0115]); and
the first switching delay set and the second switching delay set comprise delay values for the terminal to switch between an uplink BWP and a downlink BWP, wherein the first switching delay set comprises a first number of delay values, the second switching delay set comprises a second number of delay values; and at least one delay value in the second number of delay values is different from any delay value in the first number of delay values (Kim: When operating in the TDD mode, since the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP are configured to have the same center frequency, only a circulator switch delay may be considered as the temporal gap between DL and UL ... When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies ... Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission, see paragraphs [0114]-[0115]);
determining at least one of BWP configuration information of the terminal or a capability of the terminal, wherein at least one of the BWP configuration information or the capability of the terminal corresponds to the first BWP pair (Kim: the terminal may operate in both a time division duplexing (TDD) mode and a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode, but may also operate in a half-duplex scheme when operating in the FDD mode ... Whether the terminal is a RedCap terminal or a general terminal may be identified by capability signaling that the terminal transmits to the base station, see paragraph [0085]; The terminal may report to the base station a capability of operating only in the half-duplex scheme, see paragraph [0090]); and
performing switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the first switching delay set (Kim: When operating in the TDD mode, since the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP are configured to have the same center frequency, only a circulator switch delay may be considered as the temporal gap between DL and UL ... The terminal needs to receive a DL signal/channel and transmit a UL signal/channel in consideration of such the time (i.e., circulator switching delay), see paragraphs [0114]-[0116]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Li to include the features as taught by Kim above in order to improve system performance (Kim: see paragraph [0029]).
*Examiner’s Note: a “set” can constitute only a single value.
Regarding Claim 2, Li-Kim teaches the BWP configuration method according to claim 1, wherein the first downlink BWP is same as the second downlink BWP (Li: Configure a correspondence between an uplink BP and a downlink BP. The correspondence between an uplink BP and a downlink BP may include ... a plurality of uplink BPs correspond to one downlink BP, see paragraph [0158]).
Regarding Claim 5, Li-Kim teaches the BWP configuration method according to claim 1.
Kim further teaches a maximum delay value of the second switching delay set is greater than a maximum delay value of the first switching delay set (Kim: When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies. In this case, a frequency separation may correspond to a duplex gap. Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission, see paragraph [0115]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Kim is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 8, Li teaches a bandwidth part (BWP) configuration method, performed by a network side device, comprising: determining a first BWP pair and a second BWP pair (Li: receiving, by a terminal, configuration information from a network device, where the configuration information is used to configure at least one frequency domain resource and a frequency domain resource associated with any frequency domain resource in the at least one frequency domain resource, see paragraph [0034]);
wherein the first BWP pair comprises a first uplink BWP and a first downlink BWP (Li: Configure a correspondence between an uplink BP and a downlink BP, see paragraph [0158]),
the second BWP pair comprises a second uplink BWP and a second downlink BWP (Li: The correspondence between an uplink BP and a downlink BP may include ... a plurality of uplink BPs correspond to one downlink BP, see paragraph [0158]),
the first uplink BWP and the first downlink BWP have a same center frequency (Li: In a possible design, the frequency domain resources in the first frequency domain resource pair have a same center frequency, see paragraph [0047]), and
sending BWP configuration information to the terminal, causing the terminal to perform switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP when at least one of the BWP configuration information or a capability of the terminal corresponds to the first BWP pair (Li: The network device notifies the terminal of the activated uplink BP and the activated downlink BP. For example, the network device notifies the terminal of the activated uplink BP 1 and the activated downlink BP 1 ... The network device and the terminal transmit data on the uplink BP 1 and the downlink BP 1, see paragraphs [0166]-[0167]).
Li does not explicitly teach the second uplink BWP and the second downlink BWP have different center frequencies;
wherein the first BWP pair is associated with a first switching delay set, and the second BWP pair is associated with a second switching delay set; and
the first switching delay set and the second switching delay set comprise delay values for the terminal to switch between an uplink BWP and a downlink BWP, wherein the first switching delay set comprises a first number of delay values, the second switching delay set comprises a second number of delay values, and at least one delay value in the second number of delay values is different from any delay value in the first number of delay values; and
switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the first switching delay set.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kim teaches the second uplink BWP and the second downlink BWP have different center frequencies (Kim: the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies, see paragraph [0115]);
wherein the first BWP pair is associated with a first switching delay set, and the second BWP pair is associated with a second switching delay set (Kim: When the terminal operates in the half-duplex scheme, a temporal gap may be required between DL reception and UL transmission. When operating in the TDD mode, since the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP are configured to have the same center frequency, only a circulator switch delay may be considered as the temporal gap between DL and UL ... When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies. In this case, a frequency separation may correspond to a duplex gap. Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission, see paragraphs [0114]-[0115]); and
the first switching delay set and the second switching delay set comprise delay values for the terminal to switch between an uplink BWP and a downlink BWP, wherein the first switching delay set comprises a first number of delay values, the second switching delay set comprises a second number of delay values; and at least one delay value in the second number of delay values is different from any delay value in the first number of delay values (Kim: When operating in the TDD mode, since the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP are configured to have the same center frequency, only a circulator switch delay may be considered as the temporal gap between DL and UL ... When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies ... Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission, see paragraphs [0114]-[0115]); and
switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the first switching delay set performing switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the first switching delay set (Kim: When operating in the TDD mode, since the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP are configured to have the same center frequency, only a circulator switch delay may be considered as the temporal gap between DL and UL ... The terminal needs to receive a DL signal/channel and transmit a UL signal/channel in consideration of such the time (i.e., circulator switching delay), see paragraphs [0114]-[0116]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Li to include the features as taught by Kim above in order to improve system performance (Kim: see paragraph [0029]).
Regarding Claims 9 and 12, the limitations of claims 9 and 12 are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 2 and 5, and claims 9 and 12 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding Claim 16, Li teaches a device, comprising: a processor (Li: The communications apparatus may be a terminal ... the communications apparatus 1500 includes a communications module 1501, a processor 1502, see paragraph [0253]); and
a memory, configured to store processor-executable instructions (Li: the communications apparatus 1500 may further include the memory 1504, configured to store a program and the like. Specifically, the program may include program code, and the program code includes an instruction ... The processor 1502 executes an application program stored in the memory 1504, see paragraph [0257]).
Regarding all other limitations of claim 16, the limitations are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 1, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Regarding Claim 17, Li-Kim teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, which, when instructions in a storage medium are executed by a processor of a mobile terminal, enables the mobile terminal to execute the BWP configuration method according to claim 1 (Li: The communications apparatus may be a terminal ... the communications apparatus 1500 may further include the memory 1504, configured to store a program and the like ...The memory 1504 may include a RAM, and may further include a non-transitory storage (non-transitory memory), for example, at least one magnetic disk memory. The processor 1502 executes an application program stored in the memory 1504, to implement the foregoing function, see paragraphs [0254]-[0257]).
Regarding Claim 18, Li-Kim teaches the BWP configuration method according to claim 1.
Kim further teaches determining at least one of BWP configuration information of the terminal or a capability of the terminal, wherein at least one of the BWP configuration information or the capability of the terminal corresponds to the second BWP pair (Kim: the terminal may operate in both a time division duplexing (TDD) mode and a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode, but may also operate in a half-duplex scheme when operating in the FDD mode ... Whether the terminal is a RedCap terminal or a general terminal may be identified by capability signaling that the terminal transmits to the base station, see paragraph [0085]; The terminal may report to the base station a capability of operating only in the half-duplex scheme, see paragraph [0090]);
performing switching between the uplink BWP and the downlink BWP based on the second switching delay set (Kim: When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies. In this case, a frequency separation may correspond to a duplex gap. Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission ... The terminal needs to receive a DL signal/channel and transmit a UL signal/channel in consideration of such the time (i.e., circulator switching delay, ... BWP switching delay, etc.), see paragraphs [0115]-[0116]).
Regarding Claims 19 and 22, the limitations of claims 19 and 22 are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 2 and 5, and claims 19 and 22 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li-Kim in view of Zhou et al. (US 2021/0377988 A1, hereinafter “Zhou”).
Regarding Claim 6, Li-Kim teaches the BWP configuration method according to claim 1, wherein the second switching delay set at least comprises a BWP switching delay (Kim: When the terminal operates according to the half-duplex scheme in the FDD mode, the active DL BWP and the active UL BWP may have different center frequencies. In this case, a frequency separation may correspond to a duplex gap. Accordingly, an additional time (e.g., BWP switching delay) should be considered as a temporal gap from when the terminal performs DL reception to when the terminal performs UL transmission, see paragraph [0115]).
Li-Kim does not explicitly teach the second switching delay set at least comprises a first subset and a second subset, the first subset corresponds to a first capability of the terminal, and the second subset corresponds to a second capability of the terminal.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zhou teaches the second switching delay set at least comprises a first subset and a second subset, the first subset corresponds to a first capability of the terminal, and the second subset corresponds to a second capability of the terminal (Zhou: the BWP switching delay is based on a Type 1 delay or a Type 2 delay depending on a UE capability for the UE, see paragraph [0080]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Li-Kim to include the features as taught by Zhou above in order to accommodate the BWP switching delay requirement (Zhou: see paragraph [0010]).
Regarding Claim 13, the limitations of claim 13 are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 6, and claim 13 is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Conclusion
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/SHARMIN CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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