DETAILED ACTION
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation is: “a control section” in claims 6, 9 and 10.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 6-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Huang (US Pub. 2022/0353873).
Regrading claims 6 and 11, Huang discloses a terminal, comprising:
a control section (par.0105 “a communications manager 1020”) that expects that a slot on which a first uplink control channel is transmitted on a first cell does not overlap with a slot on which a second uplink control channel is transmitted on a second cell in a case where dynamic switching is applied, wherein the dynamic switching switches a cell on which an uplink control channel is transmitted between the first cell and the second cell based on dynamic indication in downlink control information; and a transmission section (par.084 “the base station may configure….a first CC….. a second CC”, fig.3 elements 345, 350)
that transmits the first uplink control channel on the first cell (par.082 “PUCCH 210 may be transmitted only on PCC 235….a PUCCH 210 carrier switch may provide that one or more of first SCC 235 or second SCC 240…..PUCCH 210 may be configured by the base station 105-a…..such as PDCCH 220”, par.085 “the first cc may transmit PUCCH transmission……..time domain……. In cases where PUCCH carrier switch 340 is configured, the first cc may be a PCC that transmits first PUCCH 345, and the second CC may be a SCC that is configured to transmit control information and that transmits second PUCCH 350”).
Regrading claim 7, Huang discloses the first cell is a secondary cell (SCell) (par.082 “SCC 235”) and the second cell is a primary cell (PCell) or a primary secondary cell (PSCell) (par.082 “PCC 230”).
Regrading claim 8, Huang discloses the first uplink control channel comprises a response signal to a downlink signal (par.082 “PUCCH…..may be configured by the base station….PDCCH”).
Regrading claim 9, Huang discloses everything as claim 6 above. More specifically Huang discloses a base station (par.0137 “a communications manager 1420”, par.0161 “a transceiver 1725”, “a processor 1740”).
Regrading claim 10, Huang discloses everything as claim 6 above. More specifically Huang discloses a terminal comprising a control section (par.0105 “a transmitter 1015”, “a communications manager 1020”, par. 0129 “a processor”), a base station comprising a reception (par.0137 “the receiver 1410”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Tu Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)272-7883. The examiner can normally be reached on 8AM-5PM Eastern Time.
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/TU X NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642