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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 1-6, 17, and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Pub. 2020/0229218 to Chen et al.
In regard amended claim 1, Chen teaches or discloses a transmission processing method, performed by a first node, the method comprising:
receiving first indication information sent by a second node (see paragraphs [0042], and [0091], the receiving unit is used for receiving first indication information sent by a network device),
wherein the first indication information is used for indicating a target multiplexing mode of the first node (see paragraph [0078], [0079], the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on multiple uplink channels in a time division multiplexing mode, or the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on a first uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels),
wherein the second node is a donor node or a parent node of the first node (see Fig. 3, paragraphs [0022], [0023], and [0024], network device).
In regard claim 2, Chen teaches or discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first indication information is further used for indicating at least one of the following: scheduling of a distributed unit DU and scheduling of a mobile termination MT (see paragraphs [0006], [0009], [0010], [0023], [0036], and [0044], sending the first indication information to the terminal device includes: sending a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling to the terminal device, wherein the RRC signaling includes the first indication information; or, sending a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Cell (CE) to the terminal device, wherein the MAC CE includes the first indication information. Sending the first indication information to the terminal device includes: sending first Downlink Control Information (DCI) to the terminal device, wherein the first DCI includes the first indication information).
In regard claim 3, Chen teaches or discloses the method according to claim 1, further comprising:
performing transmission or scheduling in the target multiplexing mode (see paragraphs [0044], [0079], [0110], and [0131], the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on the multiple uplink channels in a time division multiplexing mode).
In regard claim 4, Chen teaches or discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein the performing scheduling or transmission in the target multiplexing mode comprises at least one of the following:
performing periodic transmission or scheduling in the target multiplexing mode (see paragraphs [0022], [0036], [0042], [0078], and [0079], the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on the multiple uplink channels in a time division multiplexing (TDM) mode. The first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on the multiple uplink channels in the TDM mode. The first indication information indicates the terminal device to send uplink information corresponding to each downlink in the TDM mode on multiple independent uplink channels); and
performing transmission or scheduling in the target multiplexing mode in a preset time periodicity.
In regard claim 5, Chen teaches or discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein after the step of receiving first indication information sent by a second node (see paragraphs [0013], [0022], [0023], and [0024], the first indication information indicates the terminal device to send uplink information corresponding to each downlink in a time division multiplexing (TDM) mode on multiple independent uplink channels), the method further comprises:
performing, in a case that the first indication information is not received, transmission or scheduling in a default multiplexing mode (see paragraphs [0079], [0080], [0091], [0092], [0131], [0133], [0134], and [0138]).
In regard amended claim 6, Chen teaches or discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first indication information is carried on a physical downlink control channel PDCCH, downlink control information DCI, a medium access control control element MAC CE, radio resource control RRC, or a backhaul access protocol control protocol data unit (see paragraphs [0009], [0010], [0011], [0023], [0085], and [0087], sending the first indication information to the terminal device includes: sending a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling to the terminal device, wherein the RRC signaling includes the first indication information; or, sending a Media Access Control (MAC) Control Cell (CE) to the terminal device, wherein the MAC CE includes the first indication information).
In regard claim 17, Chen teaches or discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving first indication information sent by a second node comprises receiving, based on a second preset periodicity, the first indication information sent by the second node (see paragraphs [0022], [0023], [0042], and [0131], the receiving unit is used for receiving first indication information sent by a network device, wherein the first indication information is used for indicating a terminal device to simultaneously send multiple pieces of uplink information corresponding to multiple downlinks on multiple uplink channels).
In regard amended claim 19, Chen teaches or discloses a communication device, comprising: a memory, a processor, and a program stored in the memory and runnable on the processor (see Fig. 7), wherein the program is executed by the processor to perform:
receiving first indication information sent by a second node (see paragraphs [0042], and [0091], the receiving unit is used for receiving first indication information sent by a network device), wherein the first indication information is used for indicating a target multiplexing mode of the first node (see paragraph [0078], [0079], the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on multiple uplink channels in a time division multiplexing mode, or the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on a first uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels),
wherein the second node is a donor node or a parent node of the first node (see Fig. 3, paragraphs [0022], [0023], and [0024], network device).
In regard amended claim 20, Chen teaches or discloses a readable storage medium, wherein the readable storage medium stores a program or an instruction (see paragraph [0045], a computer readable medium for storing a computer program), the program or the instruction is executed by a processor to perform (see paragraphs [0046] and [0047]):
receiving first indication information sent by a second node (see paragraphs [0042], and [0091], the receiving unit is used for receiving first indication information sent by a network device),
wherein the first indication information is used for indicating a target multiplexing mode of the first node (see paragraph [0078], [0079], the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on multiple uplink channels in a time division multiplexing mode, or the first indication information is used for indicating the terminal device to send the multiple pieces of uplink information on a first uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels),
wherein the second node is a donor node or a parent node of the first node (see Fig. 3, paragraphs [0022], [0023], and [0024], network device).
In regard claim 21, Chen teaches or discloses the communication device according to claim 19, wherein after receiving first indication information sent by a second node, the program is executed by the processor (see paragraphs [0045], [0046], and [0047]) to further perform a step of:
performing, in a case that the first indication information is not received, transmission or scheduling in a default multiplexing mode (see paragraphs [0078], [0079], [0110], and [0131]).
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.
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.
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 non-obviousness.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of US Pub. 2021/0058981 to Da et al. (hereinafter Da).
In regard claim 16, Chen may not explicitly teach or disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein an indication granularity associated with the target multiplexing mode comprises at least one of the following: M time units and N frequency domain units, wherein both M and N are positive integers, the time unit is a sub-frame, a slot, a symbol, or a periodicity, and the frequency domain element comprises a physical resource block PRB, a sub-band, a precoding resource block group PRG, a sub-carrier, or a resource element RE.
However, Da teaches or discloses wherein an indication granularity associated with the target multiplexing mode comprises at least one of the following: M time units and N frequency domain units (see paragraphs [0005], NR supports different multiplexing modes between SSB and RMSI CORESET. The time division multiplexing mode is also referred to as “Mode 1”; [1, and 2] refers to a multiplexing mode in which SSB and RMSI CORESET occur at different times. For time division multiplexing “Mode 1”, the time division multiplexing manner of the RMSI CORESET and the associated SSB is shown in FIG. 1, where “A” is the carrier bandwidth and has a granularity of RMSI RB (Resource Block); “B” is the bandwidth occupied by the RMSI CORESET at a granularity of RMSI RB; “C” is the bandwidth occupied by the SSB at a granularity of SSB RB; “D” is a frequency domain offset indication of RMSI CORESET relative to SSB, with a granularity of RMSI RB), wherein both M and N are positive integers, the time unit is a sub-frame, a slot, a symbol, or a periodicity, and the frequency domain element comprises a physical resource block PRB, a sub-band, a precoding resource block group PRG, a sub-carrier, or a resource element RE (see paragraphs [0149], [179], [0181], and [0187]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify data transmission network device of Chen by including wherein an indication granularity associated with the target multiplexing mode comprises at least one of the following: M time units and N frequency domain units suggested by Da. This modification would provide to improve, and correctness of the protocol configuration is ensured read in paragraph [0115].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-16 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-6 and 16-20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHIRIN SAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3082. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri, 10:30am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayaz R. Sheikh can be reached at (571) 272 - 3795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Date: 01/16/2026
/PHIRIN SAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476