DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to amendment
2. This is a Final Office action in response to applicant's remarks/arguments filed on 03/20/2026.
3. Status of the claims:
• No claims have been amended.
• Claim 15 has been canceled.
• Claim 21 has been added.
• Claims 1-14, 16-21 are currently pending and have been examined.
Response to remarks/arguments
4. Applicant’s remarks/arguments filed on 03/20/2026 with respect to the rejection of claims 1-14, 16-20 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
5. On pages 1-2 of Applicant’s remarks dated 03/20/2026, the applicant states that LIN does not teach “...identify at least one valid candidate resource within the
bandwidth, the at least one valid candidate resource comprising a candidate resource with less than at least one predetermined threshold amount of punctured resource elements; wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to monitor comprises ... configured to monitor a subset of the plurality of candidate resources, the subset including the at least one valid candidate resource”.
6. In response to applicant’s remarks, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Lin expressly addresses situations in which PDCCH candidates overlap with unavailable or punctured resource elements and teaches determining which candidates remain suitable for monitoring and decoding. In particular, Lin teaches that a UE determines whether a PDCCH candidate is fully confined or partially confined within a configured resource block (RB) set and thereafter adjusts monitoring behavior accordingly, see at least Lin [0010]-[0017]. Moreover, Lin teaches that candidates affected by puncturing need not necessarily be discarded in all circumstances. Rather, Lin discloses multiple approaches that may include: ignoring certain candidates; rate matching around unavailable REs; and monitoring candidates that remain decodable despite partial puncturing. Accordingly, a UE may determine a mapping of PDCCH candidates corresponding to a configured RB set. The PDCCH-candidate mapping may be based on the first number of bits N of the frequency resource bitmap provided by the CORESET configuration. The UE may ignore the PDCCH candidates that are not fully overlapped with the RB set (e.g., the PDCCH candidate 251) due to the RB set size misalignment. In this case, the PDCCH-candidate mapping may be the same in all of the RB sets 110, 111, but a number of PDCCH candidates that the UE processes in each RB set might be different. For example, the UE may only process PDCCH candidates 252, 253, and 254. Alternatively, the UE may instead ignore an entirety of the CORESET resource allocation 131 containing the punctured PDCCH candidate 251, including non-punctured PDCCH candidate 252 therein, while processing only the PDCCH candidates 253, 254 of the CORESET resource allocation 130 that contains no punctured PDCCH candidates. That is, a simpler UE behavior may entirely ignore any CORESET resource allocation that is not confined within an RB set, and may instead only monitor the RB sets where the configured CORESET resource allocation fully overlaps the corresponding RB set, see at least FIGS. 2-4, para. [0070-0072]. Furthermore, Applicant's statement that methods of Lin are based on a binary approach is not supported by the reference. The reference teaches that a UE might detect a punctured PDCCH candidate when any of the associated RB sets are not available from the channel-sensing outcome. However, use of the punctured PDCCH by the UE may be undesirable in terms of PDCCH-decoding performance, due to potential loss of information during data transmission, see at least para. [0061]. The claim recites a threshold value without further limitations that specifies what the threshold value is. That is, the predetermined threshold amount of punctured resource element can be 1 punctured resource element since the threshold value is not specified in the claim.
Please the rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
8. 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.
9. Claims 1-10, 12-14, 16-19, 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LIN et al. (EP 3890231 A1).
Regarding claim 1, LIN discloses an apparatus (para. 25) comprising: at least one processor (para. 25); and at least one memory including computer program code (para. 25: computer having computer code); the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (para. 27: The computer code, when executed on the processor), cause the apparatus at least to:
monitor a plurality of candidate resources within a bandwidth of a radio communication channel (LIN, abstract, para. 12-14, 22-23: a UE monitoring multiple frequency-domain monitoring occasions (i.e., multiple candidate resources / CORESET/PDCCH candidates) within the carrier/bandwidth);
determine that puncturing is applied to some frequency domain resource elements within said bandwidth (LIN, abstract, para. 12-14, 22-24: discusses partially-confined/partially-available CORESETs which the UE adjusts for) — e.g., the CORESET resource is only partially confined within the first RB set); and
identify at least one valid candidate resource within the bandwidth, the at least one valid candidate resource comprising a candidate resource with less than at least one predetermined threshold amount of punctured resource elements (LIN, para. 10-17: teaches adjusting monitoring (e.g., ignoring or rate-matching partially confined candidates) which supports identifying which candidates remain valid for decoding when some REs are unavailable);
wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to monitor comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to monitor a subset of the plurality of candidate resources, the subset including the at least one valid candidate resource (LIN, para. 20-23, 30: adjusting the PDCCH-monitoring protocol may include ignoring a PDCCH candidate of the CORESET resource. LIN further explicitly teaches ignoring problematic/partially-confined PDCCH candidates (i.e., monitor a reduced subset) which maps to selecting a subset that excludes invalid/punctured candidates).
Regarding claim 2, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to monitor comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: monitor each valid candidate resource within the subset to determine whether the valid candidate resource comprises at least one punctured frequency domain resource element and where to apply a masking function to mask a punctured portion of the at least one valid candidate resource prior to monitoring the at least one valid candidate resource (LIN, para. 62: Issues resulting from a punctured PDCCH may be addressed by including multiple frequency-domain-monitoring locations of the CORESET in a search space set configuration, such that each CORESET-monitoring location in the frequency domain is associated with a CORESET in an RB set that is for wideband operation. Accordingly, a PDCCH candidate may be completely detected within a single RB set when the associated sensing of the channel is successful and the RB set is available).
Regarding claim 3, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one predetermined threshold amount comprises one of: a percentage value indicative of a ratio of punctured frequency domain resource elements and all frequency domain resource elements within the candidate resource; or an indication of a number of frequency domain resource elements that are punctured within the candidate resource (LIN, para. 61-62, 69: Issues resulting from a punctured PDCCH may be addressed by including multiple frequency-domain-monitoring locations of the CORESET in a search space set configuration, such that each CORESET-monitoring location in the frequency domain is associated with a CORESET in an RB set that is for wideband operation. Accordingly, a PDCCH candidate may be completely detected within a single RB set when the associated sensing of the channel is successful and the RB set is available).
Regarding claim 4, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set of candidate resources comprises candidate resources of at least two different sizes in at least two different aggregation levels, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to identify comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: compare punctured resource elements within the plurality of candidate resources with a plurality of predetermined threshold amounts (LIN, para. 69-70: a UE might detect a punctured PDCCH candidate when any of part of the PDCCH candidate is not within a corresponding RB set. For example, a UE might detect punctured PDCCH candidate 251 that includes both a portion 262 included within the first RB set 111, and a punctured portion 261 not included within the first RB set 111. Other PDCCH candidates 252, 253, 254 that are not punctured may be found in their respective RB sets 110, 111. As described above, use of a punctured PDCCH candidate 251 may decrease performance of PDCCH-decoding operations. Accordingly, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a UE may determine a mapping of PDCCH candidates corresponding to a configured RB set. The PDCCH-candidate mapping may be based on the first number of bits N RBG, et 0 size of the frequency resource bitmap provided by the CORESET configuration).
Regarding claim 5, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to identify comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: compare the punctured resource elements within the plurality of candidate resources in at least two of the at least two different aggregation levels with at least two corresponding different predetermined threshold amounts (LIN, para. 69-70: a UE might detect a punctured PDCCH candidate when any of part of the PDCCH candidate is not within a corresponding RB set. For example, a UE might detect punctured PDCCH candidate 251 that includes both a portion 262 included within the first RB set 111, and a punctured portion 261 not included within the first RB set 111. Other PDCCH candidates 252, 253, 254 that are not punctured may be found in their respective RB sets 110, 111. As described above, use of a punctured PDCCH candidate 251 may decrease performance of PDCCH-decoding operations. Accordingly, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a UE may determine a mapping of PDCCH candidates corresponding to a configured RB set. The PDCCH-candidate mapping may be based on the first number of bits N RBG, et 0 size of the frequency resource bitmap provided by the CORESET configuration).
Regarding claim 6, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to further cause the apparatus to: determine the at least one predetermined threshold amount (LIN, para. 75: punctured PDCCH candidates may be avoided by network configuration ensuring the first N RBG, set 0 size bits of the frequency resource bitmap can be applied to all RB sets.).
Regarding claim 7, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to determine comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: receive a signal comprising an indication of said at least one predetermined threshold amount (LIN, para. 53-57: the CORESET frequency domain resource allocation may be determined by a first number of bits "N RBG, set 0 size" of a frequency resource bitmap, where N RBG, set 0 size = .Math. N RB, set 0 size – N RB offset/6 .Math., where N RB, set 0 size corresponds to a number of available RBs in the RB set 0).
Regarding claim 8, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to determine comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: receive a signal indicating puncturing is applied (LIN, para. 69: a UE might detect a punctured PDCCH candidate when any of part of the PDCCH candidate is not within a corresponding RB set. For example, a UE might detect punctured PDCCH candidate 251 that includes both a portion 262 included within the first RB set 111, and a punctured portion 261 not included within the first RB set 111. Other PDCCH candidates 252, 253, 254 that are not punctured may be found in their respective RB sets 110, 111.).
Regarding claim 9, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the signal indicating puncturing is applied further comprises an indication of which frequency domain resource elements are subject to puncturing (LIN, para. 62: Issues resulting from a punctured PDCCH may be addressed by including multiple frequency-domain-monitoring locations of the CORESET in a search space set configuration, such that each CORESET-monitoring location in the frequency domain is associated with a CORESET in an RB set that is for wideband operation.).
Regarding claim 10, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to determine comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: determine from a synchronization raster point at which the primary and secondary synchronization signals are detected and a location of a synchronization block that puncturing is applied (LIN, para. 53: When there are several RB sets (e.g., when there are several monitoring locations, the CORESET resource may be configured within each RB set. As mentioned above, a bitmap may be used for each RB set. To simplify the configuration of the CORESET for the feature of multiple frequency-domain-monitoring locations, the CORESET frequency domain resource bitmap may be reinterpreted. For example, the CORESET frequency domain may be represented by a bitmap, which has one-to-one mapping for six (6) consecutive RBs. Accordingly, the UE may avoid monitoring all of the bandwidth, and instead may monitor only the relevant BWP.).
Regarding claim 12, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to determine and monitor comprises the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to cause the apparatus to: monitor the subset of said plurality of candidate resources by using the hashing function further adjusted to shift a starting frequency point by an amount reflecting an amount of puncturing at a lower end of the bandwidth (LIN, para. 56: If a CORESET configuration is assigned by the base station to the UE, then the UE may be aware of the range of the frequency. The range of the frequency in the frequency domain may be mapped to an RB index, as described above, where the first bit of the CORESET configuration bitmap may map to the PRB index, with N BWP start indicating a start point (e.g., a lowest available frequency associated with the CORESET configuration).).
Regarding claim 13, LIN discloses the apparatus according claim 1, wherein the radio communication channel comprises a control channel, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code configured to further cause the apparatus to: decode control signals received in the at least one valid candidate resource of the control channel, the apparatus being configured to operate according to the decoded control signals (LIN, para. 76: a UE, which is aware that the base station is capable of performing rate-matching, may perform decoding, and may decode an entirety of the PDCCH candidate 362, although the code rate may be relatively very high. The UE may determine the PDCCH-candidate mapping in a configured RB set based on the first bits of the frequency resource bitmap provided by the CORESET configuration.).
Regarding claim 14, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to: generate a signal indicating that puncturing is to be applied to a bandwidth of a radio communication channel, the signal providing an indication of frequency domain resource elements within the bandwidth that are to be punctured (LIN, para. 45: The CORESET configuration may provide a set of resource blocks (RBs), and may also provide a symbol duration for monitoring PDCCH candidates. For example, a CORESET frequency domain resource may be indicated by a bitmap in the frequency domain. The bits of the bitmap may have a one-to-one mapping with consecutive, non-overlapping groups of RBs within the bandwidth of the downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP). Each group of RBs may have six (6) physical resource blocks (PRBs)).
Regarding claim 16, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to: transmit new radio reduced bandwidth signals within dedicated spectrum bandwidths of less than 5 MHZ (LIN, para. 49: for UEs operating in NR-U (NR-U being the unlicensed spectrum (e.g. 2.4 MHZ) wherein Wi-Fi, and anything else, can operate, thereby making coordination with various UEs more complicated) a carrier bandwidth part (BWP), which is larger than the sub-band bandwidth for single-channel-sensing).
Regarding claim 17, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to cause the apparatus to: transmit the new radio reduced bandwidth signals within a portion of the radio communication channel, and other signals within a further portion of the radio communication channel (LIN, para. 49: for UEs operating in NR-U (NR-U being the unlicensed spectrum wherein Wi-Fi, and anything else, can operate, thereby making coordination with various UEs more complicated) a carrier bandwidth part (BWP), which is larger than the sub-band bandwidth for single-channel-sensing, might not be fully utilized for transmission due to unpredictable channel-sensing outcomes. Because the BWP in NR-U is relatively very large, when channel-sensing is performed, the UE may segment the relative BWP (e.g., having a bandwidth of about 80 MHz) into individual units or sections (e.g., into four 20 MHz sections) with one or more of the sections being unavailable or occupied. For example, if the BWP is large, it may not be fully utilized for transmission).
Regarding claim 18, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to further cause the apparatus to: generate a signal indicative of at least one of a threshold amount of punctured frequency domain resource elements within the candidate resources, frequency domain resource elements within the candidate resources below the threshold amount being indicative of a valid candidate resource (LIN, para. 45: The CORESET configuration may provide a set of resource blocks (RBs), and may also provide a symbol duration for monitoring PDCCH candidates. For example, a CORESET frequency domain resource may be indicated by a bitmap in the frequency domain. The bits of the bitmap may have a one-to-one mapping with consecutive, non-overlapping groups of RBs within the bandwidth of the downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP). Each group of RBs may have six (6) physical resource blocks (PRBs).).
Regarding claim 19, LIN discloses the apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the at least one processor and the computer program code are configured to further cause the apparatus to: generate a signal indicative of a plurality of predetermined threshold amounts of punctured frequency domain resource elements corresponding to a plurality of different aggregation levels (LIN, para. 48: a PDCCH candidate within a CORESET resource allocation may include a set of control channel elements (CCEs) that depend on a corresponding aggregation level. A CCE may include six (6) resource element groups (REGs). Each REG may be a group of twelve (12) consecutive resource elements (REs). Accordingly, a UE may monitor a set of REs for PDCCH candidates that are located in the corresponding time and frequency domains based on the CORESET and search space set configuration).
Regarding claim 21, LIN discloses a method (LIN, para. [0002]: method of monitoring downlink control signaling) comprising:
monitoring a plurality of candidate resources within a bandwidth of a radio communication channel (LIN, abstract, para. 12-14, 22-23: a UE monitoring multiple frequency-domain monitoring occasions (i.e., multiple candidate resources / CORESET/PDCCH candidates) within the carrier/bandwidth.);
determining that puncturing is applied to some frequency domain resource elements within said bandwidth (LIN, abstract, para. 12-14, 22-24: discusses partially-confined/partially-available CORESETs which the UE adjusts for) — e.g., the CORESET resource is only partially confined within the first RB set); and
identifying at least one valid candidate resource within the bandwidth, the at least one valid candidate resource comprising a candidate resource with less than at least one predetermined threshold amount of punctured resource elements (LIN, para. 10-17: teaches adjusting monitoring (e.g., ignoring or rate-matching partially confined candidates) which supports identifying which candidates remain valid for decoding when some REs are unavailable),
wherein the monitoring comprises monitoring a subset of the plurality of candidate resources, the subset including the at least one valid candidate resource (LIN, para. 20-23, 30: adjusting the PDCCH-monitoring protocol may include ignoring a PDCCH candidate of the CORESET resource. LIN further explicitly teaches ignoring problematic/partially-confined PDCCH candidates (i.e., monitor a reduced subset) which maps to selecting a subset that excludes invalid/punctured candidates).
Claim Objections
10. Claims 11 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
11. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The above claim limitations of the invention distinguish over the prior art of record in that the closest prior art of record, the Examiner found neither prior art cited in its entirely, nor based on the prior art, found any motivation to combine any of said prior art references which teach the applicants claimed limitations.
Conclusion
12. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
13. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEAN F VOLTAIRE whose telephone number is (571)272-3953. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:30 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, REBECCA E. SONG can be reached at (571)270-3667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEAN F VOLTAIRE/Examiner, Art Unit 2417
/PAUL H. MASUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2417
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