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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
1a. Claims 5 and 7-8 are objected to as dependent upon rejected claims, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
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.
2a. Claims 1-4, 6, 9-16 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over He (US 2022/0322401 A1) in view of Yang (US 20240107579 A1).
2b. Summary of the Cited Prior Art
He discloses a method for channel access in contention based network.
Yang discloses a method for multiple transmission in contention based network.
2c. Claim Analysis
Regarding Claim 1, He discloses:
A method for communicating in a mobile telecommunications network (Fig 1), the network comprising at least a first network node (Fig 1, gNB 120A) configured to communicate via a wireless interface with a second network node (Fig 1, UE 110),
wherein the wireless interface (Fig 4) comprises a first frequency band (Fig 4) in which access to resources in the frequency band is a contention-based access (see: a Type 1 CCA, the UE may maintain a contention window value CWp)
wherein the first network node (Fig 6, gNB) is configured with a first frame configuration (Fig 6, FFP1 for gNB, 602; Fig 7, 705) and
wherein the second network node (Fig 6, UE; Fig 705) is configured with a second frame configuration (Fig 6, FFP2 for UE, 604; Fig 7, 705),
the first frame configuration (Fig 6, FFP1 for gNB, 602) defining first frames having a transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) and an idle portion (Fig 4, Idle Period 412) and
the second frame configuration (Fig 6, FFp2 for UE, 604) defining second frames having a transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) and an idle portion (Fig 4, Idle Period 412), the method comprising:
transmitting (Fig 7, 715; [0041] … Two UL grants are configured for the UE, … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI and a second UL grant 808 that is, in this aspect, a CG-PUSCH), by the first network node (Fig 6, gNB) and in a first transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) of a first frame (Fig 6, FFP1 for gNB), a grant message (Fig 7, 715; [0041] … DG-PUSCH … CG-PUSCH) to the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110), the grant message (Fig 7, 715; [0041] … DG-PUSCH … CG-PUSCH) scheduling a first transmission,
wherein the grant message (Fig 7, 715; [0041] … DG-PUSCH … CG-PUSCH) indicates that the first transmission (Fig 7, UE performs the UL transmission 730) will be transmitted in a later transmission portion (Fig 4, latter UL transmission, 410 or 420) of the first frames (Fig 4, Fixed Frame Period 402 or 404), the later transmission portion (Fig 4, latter UL transmission, 410 or 420) starting after the start of the first transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA at gNB 406 or 414; Examiner’s Note: the latter UL transmission 410 or 420 start after CCA transmission at gNB 406 or 414):
performing (Fig 4, First CCA 406), by the first network node (Fig 6, gNB), a first contention-based access procedure (Fig 4, First CCA 406; see: A first CCA 406 is performed by the gNB prior to the first FFP 402) in respect of the later transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) :
if the first contention-based access procedure (Fig 4, First CCA 406 or Second CCA 414) is successful (Fig 4, Second CCA 414; see: [0032] … the second CCA 414 is successful at the gNB), the first network node (Fig 6, gNB) providing an indication (Fig 4, CCA succeeds 414) that the later transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) was successfully acquired (Fig 4, 418; see: [0032] … Thus, the gNB transmits on the DL 418 during the COT 416 and the UE detects the DL transmission 418 prior to a second scheduled UL transmission 420 in the COT 416; Examiner’s Note: the DL transmission 418 indicates COT is scheduled after CCA is successful 414);
Monitoring (Fig 7, 715), by the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) and based on the received grant (Fig 7, 715; [0041] … DG-PUSCH … CG-PUSCH), the indication (Fig 4, CCA succeeds 414); and
Determining (Fig 7, 715), by the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) and based on whether the indication (Fig 4, CCA succeeds 414) was detected (Fig 7, 715), whether the first network node (Fig 6, gNB) successfully acquired (Fig 4, CCA succeeds 414) the later transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) and, based on the determination (Fig 7, 715), the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110):
determining (Fig 7, 715) whether to transmit the first transmission (Fig 7, UE performs a Type 2A CCA, 725); and
if it is determined to transmit the first transmission (Fig 7, UE performs the UL transmission 730), transmitting the first transmission (Fig 8, PUSCH 810).
He does not elaborate frame configuration related to nodes.
However, discloses:
wherein the first network node (Fig 5B, BS) is configured with a first frame configuration (Fig 5B, BS frame configuration 524) and
wherein the second network node (Fig 5B, UE) is configured with a second frame (Fig 5B, UE frame configuration, 520 and 522).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate He’s method for channel access in contention based network with Yang’s method for multiple transmission in contention based network with the motivation being to improve spectral efficiency, lower costs (Yang, [0004]).
Regarding Claim 2, He discloses:
wherein: the first network node (Fig 6, gNB) is one of a base station (Fig 6, gNB), a terminal (Fig 1, UE 110), a relay node, a CU unit and a DU unit; and/or
the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) is one of a base station (Fig 6, gNB), a terminal (Fig 1, UE 110), a relay node, a CU unit and a DU unit.
Regarding Claim 3, He discloses:
wherein the first network node (Fig 6, gNB) is a base station (Fig 6, gNB) and the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) is a terminal (Fig 1, UE 110).
Regarding Claim 4, He discloses:
wherein transmitting the first transmission (Fig 7, UE performs the UL transmission 730) comprises identifying, based on the determination, a transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) to transmit the first transmission (Fig 7, UE performs the UL transmission 730), the identified transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) being one of the later transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) of the first frames (Fig 6, FFP1 for gNB) and a second transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) of the second frames (Fig 6, FFP2 for UE, 604); and
transmitting the first transmission (Fig 7, UE performs the UL transmission 730) according to the identified transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408).
Regarding Claim 6, He discloses:
further comprising the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110):
upon determining (Fig 7, 715) that the indication was not detected (Fig 6, Type 2A CCA failed 610; see: [0042] … the CAA 610 fails at the gNB, preventing the gNB from transmitting a DL transmission burst within the gNB-FFP 602), determining whether the first transmission overlaps (see: FIG. 6, [0041] … the gNB-FFP 602 overlaps multiple UE-FFPs 604) with an idle period (Fig 4, Idle period 412) of the second frames (Fig 6, FFP2 for UE, 604); and
if the first transmission overlaps (see: FIG. 6, [0041] … the gNB-FFP 602 overlaps multiple UE-FFPs 604) with an idle period of the second frames (Fig 6, FFP2 for UE, 604), determining not to transmit the first transmission (see: [0044] In 720, when the UE determines that no DG-PUSCH or CG-PUSCH meeting the conditions is scheduled for the following UE-FFP, the UE performs no UL transmissions during the UE-FFP).
Regarding Claim 9, He discloses:
further comprising the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) upon determining (Fig 7, 715) that the indication was not detected (see: [0044] In 720, when the UE determines that no DG-PUSCH or CG-PUSCH meeting the conditions is scheduled for the following UE-FFP), determining not to transmit the first transmission (see: [0044] … the UE performs no UL transmissions during the UE-FFP).
Regarding Claim 10, He discloses:
wherein a monitoring mode (Fig 7, 715) is configured for the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) using control signalling (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal), the monitoring mode determining (Fig 7, 715) whether the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) is configured to monitor the indication (Fig 4, CCA succeeds 414).
Regarding Claim 11, He discloses:
wherein determining (Fig 7, 715), when the indication is not detected (Fig 6, Type 2A CCA failed 610; see: [0042] … the CAA 610 fails at the gNB, preventing the gNB from transmitting a DL transmission burst within the gNB-FFP 602), whether to transmit the first transmission comprises determining (Fig 7, 715), based on a configuration received via control signalling (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal), whether to transmit (see: [0032] … the UE detects the DL transmission 418 …, the UE performs the second scheduled UL transmission 420) the first transmission in a second transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408) of the second frame (Fig 6, FFP2 for UE, 604) or to cancel the first transmission (see: [0044] … the UE performs no UL transmissions during the UE-FFP).
Regarding Claim 12, He discloses:
wherein the control signalling (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal) comprises one or more of RRC signalling, system information and downlink control information (DCI) signalling (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal).
Regarding Claim 13, He discloses:
wherein providing the indication (Fig 4, CCA failed 406 or CCA succeeds 414) comprises transmitting a downlink control signal (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal) comprising the indication (Fig 4, CCA failed 406 or CCA succeeds 414).
Regarding Claim 14, He discloses:
wherein providing the indication (Fig 4, CCA failed 406 or CCA succeeds 414) comprises implicitly providing the indication by transmitting in resources (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal) in the later transmission portion (Fig 4, CCA 406 and COT 408).
Regarding Claim 15, He discloses:
wherein the resources (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal) are used for one or more of:
transmitting downlink control information (see: [0041] … a DG-PUSCH scheduled with a CAPC value of p=4 by a scheduling DCI, downlink control signal) to at least the second network node (Fig 1, UE 110) and relating to a transmission other than the first transmission (Fig 4, First Schedule UL 410 and Second Schedule UL 420);
transmitting broadcast information;
transmitting broadcast system information;
transmitting a synchronisation signal; and transmitting a reference signal (Claim 4, scheduling one of a … a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a periodic channel status indicator reference signal (CSI-RS) for the UE during the BS-FFP).
Regarding Claim 16, the system claim discloses similar features as of Claim 1, and is rejected accordingly.
Regarding Claim 18, the system claim discloses similar features as of Claim 1, and is rejected accordingly.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jung-Jen Liu whose telephone number is 571-270-7643. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B. Yao can be reached on 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUNG LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473