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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-4, 7-16, and 19-24 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 § 103
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.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-16, and 19-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roessel; Sabine et al. US PGPUB 20110205976 A1, further in view of Chou; Chie-Ming et al. US PGPUB 11664942 B2.
Regarding claim 1. Roessel teaches A method performed by an apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving a first indication indicating an uplink carrier; (Fig. 3A, ulcc-ToAddModList. and [0073] [0073] This is one exemplary embodiment for an LTE Release 8-like extension of the radio resources available to the RRC connection, and also defines the UE-specific/connection-specific DL CC signalling carrier indices as well as the UL CC signalling carrier indices that are valid for this RRC connection,)
receiving a second indication indicating a downlink carrier, ([0064] In an embodiment, the network sends its PDCCH for scheduling the UE for radio resources on a DL CC of the UE's active set of CCs) wherein the second indication is different from the first indication; ([0064] PDCCH vs. [0073] RRC)
It does not teach further comprising: receiving an indication of a bandwidth part (BWP), wherein the BWP is in a particular carrier, and wherein the particular carrier is the uplink carrier or the downlink carrier; and
wherein receiving the indication of the BWP comprises receiving an indication of a BWP index without receiving an explicit indication of the particular carrier, and wherein the BWP index uniquely maps to the particular carrier.
communicating, with the device, on the BWP.
However, Chou teaches
receiving an indication of a bandwidth part (BWP), wherein the BWP is in a particular carrier, (step 942, DCI#2 with BWP index #4 and CC#2) and wherein the particular carrier is the uplink carrier or the downlink carrier; (col 16, line 42-45, “where the DCI message includes the resource allocation of SCell 906 (e.g., RB2 in CC #2) and the corresponding BWP index (e.g. BWP index #4) that corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions (with a corresponding BWP configuration) of SCell 906 (e.g., BWP configuration #4).”) and
wherein receiving the indication of the BWP comprises receiving an indication of a BWP index without receiving an explicit indication of the particular carrier, (col 7, lines 30-35 “ Thereafter, each cell can simply transmit an BWP index corresponding a particular set of RAN parameters, which in turn corresponds to a particular PHY composition of a BWP”)
and wherein the BWP index uniquely maps to the particular carrier. (col 7, lines 16-30 “During the execution of the RAN profile indexing operation, a cell assigns each of PHY compositions 1 through N of the respective BWP configurations 1 through N with a corresponding BWP index (e.g., BWP indices 1 through N, wherein N is an integer). Each BWP index has a specific mapping with the PHY composition of the corresponding BWP configuration (e.g., L1 configuration in LTE/LTE-A system). Each of the BWP indices 1 through N and each of the PHY compositions 1 through N have one-to-one correspondence.”)
communicating, with the device, on the BWP. (Fig. 9A, step 944, see col 16, lines 45-50 “In action 944 (of action 940), SCell 906 transmits data/control signaling to UE 902 on RB2 in a component carrier via a PDCCH (e.g., via PDCCH #4 in CC #2) based on BWP configuration #4.”
In order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency (col 7, line 40).
Roessel and Chou are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of single BWP index in Chou in order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency.
Regarding claim 2. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 1, and Roessel teaches wherein the uplink carrier and the downlink carrier are in a same spectrum or in different spectrums. ([0037] While the example at FIG. 1B illustrates 5 CCs of 20 MHz each spanning a total contiguous bandwidth of 100 MHz, other embodiments of CA may have non-contiguous CCs and/or CCs which do not even belong the same frequency band (for example the spectrum blocks might even be far apart in terms of frequency such as 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz). Other CA embodiments may have an asymmetric DL/UL CA which for example may be built by combining a frequency division duplex FDD carrier with a time division duplex TDD carrier. LTE-A is not the only CA-type system.)
Regarding claim 3. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 1, Roessel teaches wherein the first indication and the second indication are received in same or different signaling, (Fig. 3A, dlcc-ToAddModList and ulcc-toAddModList are sent in RRCConfig signaling) wherein the first indication indicates a carrier index of the uplink carrier, and wherein the second indication indicates a carrier index of the downlink carrier. ([0086] In another exemplary but non-limiting embodiment, to minimize/reduce the downlink signaling overhead associated with the RRC (re-)configuration of the CCs, and to ensure a consistent indexing of CCs used for the signaling carrier indications, the signaling carrier indications are linked to their CC )ARFCN. Specifically, this means that in the proposed DLCC-ToAddMod 310 and ULCC-ToAddMod 312 of FIG. 3A,)
Regarding claim 4. Roessel and Chou teach Roessel teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the first indication indicates activation or deactivation of the uplink carrier, and the second indication indicates activation or deactivation of the downlink carrier. (Fig. 3A, dlcc-ToAddModList, ulcc-ToAddModList dlcc-ToDeleteList, ulcc-ToDeleleLIst)
Regarding claim 8. Roessel and Chou teach Rossel teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with the device on multiple uplink carriers, including the uplink carrier. ([0036] Each CC has DL and UL resources for enabling increased data rates such as for example by simultaneously scheduling an active UE across multiple CCs to better distribute traffic.)
Regarding claim 9. Roessel and Chou teach Rossel teaches The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving at least one message configuring linkage between the downlink carrier and at least one of the multiple uplink carriers. ([0061] Upon connection establishment the UE receives RRC signaling 200 with two signaling carrier indications. pointing respectively to the UL and to the DL on CC#5.)
Regarding claim 10. Roessel and Chou teach Rossel teaches The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one message configures linkage between the downlink carrier and a particular uplink carrier, and wherein the method further comprises: receiving, on the downlink carrier, information scheduling an uplink transmission; transmitting the uplink transmission on the particular uplink carrier. ([0106] Further at FIG. 6B at block 612 the UE utilizes the indication to determine at least one of a downlink component carrier and an uplink component carriers to which the RRC signaling is to be applied. In one of the examples above the RRC signaling is a PDCCH on the DL and the signaling carrier indication points to which (DL or UL) CC on which the allocated resources are located.)
Regarding claim 11. Roessel and Chou teach Rossel teaches The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one message configures linkage between the downlink carrier and a particular uplink carrier, (([0061] Upon connection establishment the UE receives RRC signaling 200 with two signaling carrier indications. pointing respectively to the UL and to the DL on CC#5.) and
wherein the method further comprises: receiving a downlink transmission on the downlink carrier; transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback corresponding to the downlink transmission on the particular uplink carrier. ([0064] In an embodiment, the network sends its PDCCH for scheduling the UE for radio resources on a DL CC of the UE's active set of CCs, and the UE sends its acknowledgement or negative acknowledgement for that same PDCCH on the UL CC that maps to the DL CC,)
Regarding claim 12. Roessel and Chou teach Rossel The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving information scheduling an uplink transmission, the information also indicating a particular one of the multiple uplink carriers on which the uplink transmission is scheduled and/or a particular one of the multiple uplink carriers on which a reference signal is to be transmitted. ([0074] FIG. 3B is another exemplary example of RRC signaling along with a new DLPhysicalConfigDedicated-r10 and ULPhysicalConfigDedicated-r10 information element that points to which DL and UL CC the RRC signaling relates according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the FIG. 3B examples the PDSCH and PDCCH are configured on the DL and the PUSCH and PUCCH are configured on the UL, as well as antenna ports and sounding reference signal information.)
Regarding claim 13. Roessel teaches A method performed by a device, the method comprising: transmitting a first indication indicating an uplink carrier; (Fig. 3A, ulcc-ToAddModList. and [0073] [0073] This is one exemplary embodiment for an LTE Release 8-like extension of the radio resources available to the RRC connection, and also defines the UE-specific/connection-specific DL CC signalling carrier indices as well as the UL CC signalling carrier indices that are valid for this RRC connection,)
transmitting a second indication indicating a downlink carrier, ([0064] In an embodiment, the network sends its PDCCH for scheduling the UE for radio resources on a DL CC of the UE's active set of CCs) wherein the second indication is different from the first indication; ([0064] PDCCH vs. [0073] RRC)
It does not teach further comprising: transmitting an indication of a bandwidth part (BWP), wherein the BWP is in a particular carrier, and wherein the particular carrier is the uplink carrier or the downlink carrier; and
wherein transmitting the indication of the BWP comprises receiving an indication of a BWP index without receiving an explicit indication of the particular carrier, and wherein the BWP index uniquely maps to the particular carrier.
communicating with an apparatus on the BWP.
However, Chou teaches
transmitting an indication of a bandwidth part (BWP), wherein the BWP is in a particular carrier, (step 942, DCI#2 with BWP index #4 and CC#2) and wherein the particular carrier is the uplink carrier or the downlink carrier; (col 16, line 42-45, “where the DCI message includes the resource allocation of SCell 906 (e.g., RB2 in CC #2) and the corresponding BWP index (e.g. BWP index #4) that corresponds to one of the plurality of sets of PHY compositions (with a corresponding BWP configuration) of SCell 906 (e.g., BWP configuration #4).”) and
wherein transmitting the indication of the BWP comprises receiving an indication of a BWP index without receiving an explicit indication of the particular carrier, (col 7, lines 30-35 “ Thereafter, each cell can simply transmit an BWP index corresponding a particular set of RAN parameters, which in turn corresponds to a particular PHY composition of a BWP”)
and wherein the BWP index uniquely maps to the particular carrier. (col 7, lines 16-30 “During the execution of the RAN profile indexing operation, a cell assigns each of PHY compositions 1 through N of the respective BWP configurations 1 through N with a corresponding BWP index (e.g., BWP indices 1 through N, wherein N is an integer). Each BWP index has a specific mapping with the PHY composition of the corresponding BWP configuration (e.g., L1 configuration in LTE/LTE-A system). Each of the BWP indices 1 through N and each of the PHY compositions 1 through N have one-to-one correspondence.”)
communicating with an apparatus on the BWP. (Fig. 9A, step 944, see col 16, lines 45-50 “In action 944 (of action 940), SCell 906 transmits data/control signaling to UE 902 on RB2 in a component carrier via a PDCCH (e.g., via PDCCH #4 in CC #2) based on BWP configuration #4.”
In order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency (col 7, line 40).
Roessel and Chou are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of single BWP index in Chou in order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency.
Regarding claim 14. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 13, Roessel teaches wherein the uplink carrier and the downlink carrier are in a same spectrum or in different spectrums. ([0037] While the example at FIG. 1B illustrates 5 CCs of 20 MHz each spanning a total contiguous bandwidth of 100 MHz, other embodiments of CA may have non-contiguous CCs and/or CCs which do not even belong the same frequency band (for example the spectrum blocks might even be far apart in terms of frequency such as 700 MHz and 2.1 GHz). Other CA embodiments may have an asymmetric DL/UL CA which for example may be built by combining a frequency division duplex FDD carrier with a time division duplex TDD carrier. LTE-A is not the only CA-type system.)
Regarding claim 15. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 13, Roessel teaches wherein the first indication and the second indication are transmitted in same or different signaling, (Fig. 3A, dlcc-ToAddModList and ulcc-toAddModList are sent in RRCConfig signaling) wherein the first indication indicates a carrier index of the uplink carrier, and wherein the second indication indicates a carrier index of the downlink carrier. ([0086] In another exemplary but non-limiting embodiment, to minimize/reduce the downlink signaling overhead associated with the RRC (re-)configuration of the CCs, and to ensure a consistent indexing of CCs used for the signaling carrier indications, the signaling carrier indications are linked to their CC
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first indication indicates activation or deactivation of the uplink carrier, and the second indication indicates activation or deactivation of the downlink carrier.)
Regarding claim 16. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 13, Roessel teaches wherein the first indication indicates activation or deactivation of the uplink carrier, and the second indication indicates activation or deactivation of the downlink carrier. (Fig. 3A, dlcc-ToAddModList, ulcc-ToAddModList dlcc-ToDeleteList, ulcc-ToDeleleLIst)
Regarding claim 19. Roessel and Chou teach An apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory storing processor-executable instructions that, (Roessel Fig. 4, UE 10, DP 10A, Mem 108, Prog 10C) when executed, cause the processor to perform the method in claim 1. It is rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 20. Roessel and Chou teach A device comprising: a processor; and a memory storing processor-executable instructions (Roessel Fig. 4, base station 12, DP 12A, Mem 12B, Prog 12C etc) that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the method recited in claim 13. It is rejected for the same reason.
Regarding claim 21. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 13, Roessel doesn’t teach wherein the device is configured to communicate with the apparatus on a plurality of carriers, including the uplink carrier and the downlink carrier, wherein each one of the plurality of carriers includes at least one BWP, wherein the plurality of carriers includes a first carrier and a second carrier, and wherein the method further comprises: transmitting at least one message indicating that a first BWP on the first carrier is to be deactivated and that a second BWP on the second carrier is to be activated.
However, Chou teaches wherein the device is configured to communicate with the apparatus on a plurality of carriers, including the uplink carrier and the downlink carrier, (Fig. 2A-B, component carrier 200A-C where 200B is downlink, and 200C is uplink)
wherein each one of the plurality of carriers includes at least one BWP, (Fig. 1, BWP 101-103 … in Component Carrier 100A) wherein the plurality of carriers includes a first carrier and a second carrier, (fig. 2B, component carrier 200B and 200C) and
wherein the method further comprises: transmitting at least one message indicating that a first BWP on the first carrier is to be deactivated and that a second BWP on the second carrier is to be activated. (col 15 line 65 to col 16, line 5 “In some implementations, PCell 904 may provide the RRC signaling for RAN profile indexing with the configuration of SCell 906. The RAN profile indexing of SCell 906 is still valid even SCell 906 has been deactivated and then be re-activated by PCell 904. Therefore, PCell 904 does not need to re-provide RRC signaling for the RAN profile indexing of SCell 906, when SCell 906 is re-activated by PCell 904.)
In order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency (col 7, line 40).
Roessel and Chou are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of single BWP index in Chou in order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency.
Regarding claim 22. Roessel and Chou teach he method of claim 13, Chou teaches wherein the device is configured to receive communications from the apparatus on multiple uplink carriers, including the uplink carrier. (Fig. 2A and 2B, BWP 202A, DL & UL in Component Carrier 200A, and BWP 202C(UL in CC 200C) In order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency (col 7, line 40).
Roessel and Chou are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of single BWP index in Chou in order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency.
Regarding claim 23. Roessel and Chou The method of claim 22, Chou teaches further comprising transmitting at least one message configuring linkage between the downlink carrier and at least one of the multiple uplink carriers. (Fig. 9A, message 942, configuration CC#2 on CC#1)
In order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency (col 7, line 40).
Roessel and Chou are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of single BWP index in Chou in order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency.
Regarding claim 24. Roessel and Chou teaches The method of claim 23, wherein the at least one message configures linkage between the downlink carrier and a particular uplink carrier, and wherein the method further comprises: transmitting, on the downlink carrier, information scheduling an uplink transmission; and receiving the uplink transmission on the particular uplink carrier. (Fig. 9A, message 942, configuration CC#2 on CC#1)
In order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency (col 7, line 40).
Roessel and Chou are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of single BWP index in Chou in order to reduce the signaling overhead and latency.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Roessel and Chou as rejected in claim 1 above, further in view of KANG; Jiwon et al. US PGPUB 20210298038 A1
Regarding claim 7. Roessel and Chou teach The method of claim 1, Roessel teaches wherein the apparatus is configured to communicate with the device on a plurality of carriers, including the uplink carrier and the downlink carrier, (([0036] Each CC has DL and UL resources for enabling increased data rates such as for example by simultaneously scheduling an active UE across multiple CCs to better distribute traffic.)
wherein the plurality of carriers includes a first carrier and a second carrier, (([0036] Each CC has DL and UL resources for enabling increased data rates such as for example by simultaneously scheduling an active UE across multiple CCs to better distribute traffic.)
Roessel does not teach
wherein each one of the plurality of carriers includes at least one BWP,
wherein the method further comprises: receiving at least one message indicating that a first BWP on the first carrier is to be deactivated and that a second BWP on the second carrier is to be activated; deactivating the first BWP and activating the second BWP. However, Kang teaches
wherein each one of the plurality of carriers includes at least one BWP, ([0127] UE may be configured up to four BWPs for each of DL and UL per CC via RRC.) and communicating, with the device, on the BWP. (Fig. 10, S1010 and S1020, receive reference signal in second BWP)
wherein the method further comprises: receiving at least one message indicating that a first BWP on the first carrier is to be deactivated and that a second BWP on the second carrier is to be activated; deactivating the first BWP and activating the second BWP. ([0129] That is, the base station may configure at least one DL/UL BWP in a terminal associated with a wideband CC, may activate at least one DL/UL BWP of DL/UL BWP(s) (by L1 signaling or MAC CE or RRC signaling) configured in a specific time. Switching to another configured DL/UL BWP (by L1 signaling or MAC CE or RRC signaling) may be indicated or switching to a predetermined DL/UL BWP may be performed when a timer value expires based on a timer. In this case, the activated DL/UL BWP is defined as an active DL/UL BWP.)
in order to improve CSI reporting by using multiple BWPs. ([0004-0005])
Roessel and Kang are analogous art in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person with ordinary skill in the art to modify the method in Roessel with the technique of multiple configuration of BWP per CC in Kang in order to improve CSI reporting.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHAOHUI YANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7527. The examiner can normally be reached 9 AM to 5 PM M-F.
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/ZHAOHUI YANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/MARCUS SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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