DETAILED ACTION
This communication is response to the amendment filed 06/18/2026. Claims 15-20, 30, and 37-40 are pending and presented for examination.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/18/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the Non-Final Rejection on 03/18/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 15-20, 30, and 37-40 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. The amendment to the independent claims necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 15-20, 30, and 37-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. 2020/0204333 to Agiwal et al. (hereafter Agiwal) in view of US 202/0044723 to Cirik et al. (hereafter Cirik).
Regarding claim 1, Agiwal discloses method of bandwidth part (BWP) switching (see Agiwal, Fig 1-Fig 4), comprising:
starting/restarting, by a terminal device, a timer associated with an active BWP in a cell (see Agiwal, ¶ 0017: starting or restarting the DL BWP inactivity timer associated with the active DL BWP or the serving cell; ¶ 0029: based on identifying that there is no ongoing random access procedure or the ongoing random access procedure is successful, starting or restarting the DL BWP inactivity timer associated with the active DL BWP or the serving cell; ¶ 0208: start or restart the BWP Inactivity Timer(bwp-InactivityTimer) associated with this active DL BWP) in response to the active BWP satisfying a starting/restarting condition of the timer (see Agiwal, ¶ 0017: starting or restarting the DL BWP inactivity timer associated with the active DL BWP or the serving cell; identifying whether there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with at least one of the active DL BWP, the serving cell, or the active UL BWP and the active DL BWP has the same BWP identifier as the active UL BWP, or the ongoing random access procedure associated with the active DL BWP or the serving cell is successfully completed based on reception of the PDCCH; ¶ 0206; ¶ 0207); and
switching, by the terminal device, from the active BWPs to a default downlink BWP or an initial downlink BWP in response to expiration of the timer (see Agiwal, ¶ 0011: determining whether a bandwidth part (BWP) inactivity timer associated with an active downlink (DL) BWP of a serving cell expires; determining whether a switching of the active DL BWP associated with the BWP inactivity timer is required, in a case that the BWP inactivity timer associated with the active DL BWP expires; and switching the active DL BWP to a default DL BWP or initial DL BWP, in case that the switching of the at active DL BWP is required; ¶ 0014: the switching the active DL BWP comprises switching the active DL BWP to a default DL BWP or initial DL BWP, in case that at least one of the active DL BWP is the only active DL BWP of the serving cell, the information indicating that switching the active DL BWP based on an expiration of the BWP inactivity timer is received; ¶ 0073: upon expiry of BWP inactivity timer, active DL BWP is switched to default DL BWP; ¶ 0111; ¶ 0112),
wherein the starting/restarting condition of the timer comprises: a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) is received by the terminal device in a configured downlink assignment (see Agiwal, ¶ 0074: if a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) is transmitted in a configured uplink grant or received in a configured downlink assignment; ¶ 0077: the UE start or restart the BWP Inactivity Timer (bwp-InactivityTimer) associated with the active DL BWP), or an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) addressed to a cell- radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) or a group-radio network temporary identifier (G- RNTI) by the terminal device (see Agiwal, ¶ 0074: In NR, for a serving cell, if a PDCCH addressed to cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) or configured scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI) indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received on the active BWP; or if a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI or CS-RNTI indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received for the active BWP; ¶ 0076: if the ongoing random access procedure associated with this serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of this PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI; ¶ 0207: if the ongoing random access procedure associated with this active DL BWP of this serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of this PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI).
Agiwal does not explicitly disclose “and an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) addressed to a cell- radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) or a group-radio network temporary identifier (G- RNTI) by the terminal device.”
However, Cirik discloses wherein the starting/restarting condition of the timer comprises: a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) is received by the terminal device in a configured downlink assignment, and an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) addressed to a cell- radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) or a group-radio network temporary identifier (G- RNTI) by the terminal device (see Cirik, ¶ 0264: if a MAC-PDU is transmitted in a configured uplink grant or received in a configured downlink assignment: if an ongoing random access procedure associated with the activated serving cell is successfully completed in response to receiving a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI, the MAC entity may start or restart the BWP inactivity timer associated with the active DL BWP).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the above teaching as taught by Cirik and incorporate it into the system of Agiwal to improve performance and transmission efficiency of wireless network (see Cirik, ¶ 0158).
Regarding claim 16, Agiwal in view of Cirik discloses the method of claim 15, wherein switching, by the terminal device, from the active BWP to the default downlink BWP or the initial downlink BWP in response to expiration of the timer, comprises: switching, by the terminal device, from the active BWP to the default downlink BWP indicated by a default downlink BWP-identifier (ID) in response to the terminal device being configured with the default downlink BWP-ID and expiration of timer (see Agiwal, ¶ 0034 and ¶ 0044: wherein the switching of the active DL BWP to the another DL BWP includes: switching the active DL BWP to a default DL BWP, if the default DL BWP-ID is configured, or switching the active DL BWP to an initial DL BWP, if the default DL BWP-ID is not configured).
Regarding claim 17, Agiwal in view of Cirik discloses the method of claim 15, wherein switching, by the terminal device, from the active BWP to the default downlink BWP or the initial downlink BWP in response to expiration of the timer, comprises: switching the terminal device from the active BWP to the initial downlink BWP in response to the terminal device not being configured with a default downlink BWP-identifier (ID) and expiration of the timer (see Agiwal, ¶ 0034 and ¶ 0044: wherein the switching of the active DL BWP to the another DL BWP includes: switching the active DL BWP to a default DL BWP, if the default DL BWP-ID is configured, or switching the active DL BWP to an initial DL BWP, if the default DL BWP-ID is not configured).
Regarding claim 18, Agiwal in view of Cirik discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the starting/restarting condition of the timer further comprises: a PDCCH indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received by the terminal device on the active BWP, and an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of the PDCCH addressed to a (C-RNTI) or a G-RNTI by the terminal device, or no ongoing random access procedure associated with the serving cell exists, wherein the PDCCH indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is addressed to one of: a C-RNTI, a configured scheduling-radio network temporary identifier (CS-RNTI), a G- RNTI, or a configured scheduling-group-radio network temporary identifier (G-CS-RNTI) (see Agiwal, ¶ 0074-¶ 0076: for a serving cell, if a PDCCH addressed to cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) or configured scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI) indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received on the active BWP; or if a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI or CS-RNTI indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received for the active BWP…if there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with this serving cell; or if the ongoing random access procedure associated with this serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of this PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI; ¶ 0205-¶ 0211; ¶ 0229-¶ 0232).
Also, Cirik discloses wherein the starting/restarting condition of the timer further comprises: a PDCCH indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received by the terminal device on the active BWP, and an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of the PDCCH addressed to a (C-RNTI) or a G-RNTI by the terminal device, or no ongoing random access procedure associated with the serving cell exists, wherein the PDCCH indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is addressed to one of: a C-RNTI, a configured scheduling-radio network temporary identifier (CS-RNTI), a G- RNTI, or a configured scheduling-group-radio network temporary identifier (G-CS-RNTI) (see Cirik, ¶ 0264: if a BWP inactivity timer is configured, for an activated serving cell, if a default DL BWP is configured, and an active DL BWP is not a BWP indicated by the default DL BWP; or if the default DL BWP is not configured, and an active DL BWP is not the initial downlink BWP: if a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI or CS-RNTI indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received on the active BWP or for the active BWP; or if a MAC-PDU is transmitted in a configured uplink grant or received in a configured downlink assignment: if an ongoing random access procedure associated with the activated serving cell is successfully completed in response to receiving a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI, the MAC entity may start or restart the BWP inactivity timer associated with the active DL BWP).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the above teaching as taught by Cirik and incorporate it into the system of Agiwal to improve performance and transmission efficiency of wireless network (see Cirik, ¶ 0158).
Regarding claim 19, Agiwal in view of Cirik discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the starting/restarting condition of the timer further comprises: a PDCCH indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received by the terminal device for the active BWP, and an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of the PDCCH addressed to a C-RNTI or a G-RNTI by the terminal device, or no ongoing random access procedure associated with the serving cell exists, wherein the PDCCH indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is addressed to one of: a G-RNTI or a G-CS-RNTI. (see Agiwal, ¶ 0074: for a serving cell, if a PDCCH addressed to cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) or configured scheduling RNTI (CS-RNTI) indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received on the active BWP; or if a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI or CS-RNTI indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received for the active BWP; or if a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) is transmitted in a configured uplink grant or received in a configured downlink assignment; ¶ 0075: if there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with this serving cell; ¶ 0076: if the ongoing random access procedure associated with this serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of this PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI; ¶ 0205¶ 0211; ¶ 0230-¶ 0232).
Regarding claim 20, Agiwal discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the starting/restarting condition of the timer further comprises: an MAC PDU is transmitted in a configured uplink grant and a listen before talk (LBT) failure indication is not received by the terminal device from layers lower than an MAC layer (see Agiwal, ¶ 0074: if a medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) is transmitted in a configured uplink grant or received in a configured downlink assignment; ¶ 0077: the UE start or restart the BWP Inactivity Timer (bwp-InactivityTimer) associated with the active DL BWP), and
an ongoing random access procedure associated with a serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of the PDCCH addressed to a C-RNTI or a G-RNTI by the terminal device, or no ongoing random access procedure associated with the serving cell exists (see Agiwal, ¶ 0206: if there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with this active DL BWP of this serving cell; ¶ 0207: if the ongoing random access procedure associated with this active DL BWP of this serving cell is successfully completed upon reception of this PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI; ¶ 0215: start or restart the BWP Inactivity Timer(bwp-InactivityTimer) associated with the active DL BWP having the same BWP ID as this active UL BWP).
Regarding claim 30, it is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 1. Although phrased as an apparatus claim, the claim is nevertheless simple repetitions of the subject matter of claim 1.
Regarding claim 37, it is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 2 and 3. Although phrased as an apparatus claim, the claim is nevertheless simple repetitions of the subject matter of claims 2 and 3.
Regarding claim 38, it is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 4. Although phrased as an apparatus claim, the claim is nevertheless simple repetitions of the subject matter of claim 4.
Regarding claim 39, it is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 5. Although phrased as an apparatus claim, the claim is nevertheless simple repetitions of the subject matter of claim 5.
Regarding claim 40, it is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 6. Although phrased as an apparatus claim, the claim is nevertheless simple repetitions of the subject matter of claim 6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2020/0045745 to Cirik discloses the base station and/or the wireless device (e.g., a MAC entity of a base station and/or a wireless device) may start or restart the BWP inactivity timer (e.g., BWP-InactivityTimer) associated with the active DL BWP, for example, if one or more of the following occur: if a BWP-InactivityTimer is configured for an activated serving cell, if a Default-DL-BWP is configured and an active DL BWP is not a BWP indicated by the Default-DL-BWP, and/or if the Default-DL-BWP is not configured and the active DL BWP is not the initial DL BWP; and/or if one or more of the following occur: if a PDCCH addressed to C-RNTI or CS-RNTI indicating downlink assignment or uplink grant is received on or for the active BWP, if a MAC-PDU is transmitted in a configured uplink grant or received in a configured downlink assignment, and/or if an ongoing random access procedure associated with the activated Serving Cell is successfully completed in response to receiving a PDCCH addressed to a C-RNTI (see ¶ 0239).
US 2024/0163953 to TSUBOI et al. discloses in a case that the PDCCH addressed to a C-RNTI or a CS-RNTI indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant is received in the Active DL BWP, the PDCCH addressed to a C-RNTI or a CS-RNTI indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant for the Active DL BWP is received, the MAC PDU is transmitted in a configured uplink grant, or the MAC PDU is received in a configured downlink assignment, the MAC entity performs the processing of the following (A-1-1): in a case that the random access procedure associated with the serving cell is not being performed, or the random access procedure being performed associated with the serving cell successfully completed in response to reception of the PDCCH addressed to the C-RNTI, start or restart the BWP deactivation timer associated with the Active DL BWP (see ¶ 0385 and ¶ 0386).
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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/RASHEED GIDADO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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