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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/26/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed on 05/04/2026 has been entered. Independent Claims 1 and 11 have been amended. Dependent claims 2, 7, 10-12, 17, and 20 have been amended. Claims 3 and 13 have been cancelled. No claims are new. Claims 1-2, 4-12, and 14-20 are still pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 1, under 35 USC § 103, 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 specified challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 8, 10-13, 16, 18, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibaike (Pub.: No.: US 20220094497 A1, hereafter “Shibaike”) in view of Zhou (Pub.: No.: US 20200196336 A1, hereafter “Zhou”).
Regarding Claim 1 and Claim 11
Shibaike teaches a Method and UE comprising
A method of a user equipment (UE) (Shibaike Fig. 8: 200) in a wireless communication network (Shibaike ¶0115: transmits), the method comprising: configuring (Shibaike Fig. 8: ST 103), by the UE (Shibaike Fig. 8: 200), a channel status information (CSI)-reference signal (RS) reception occasion (Shibaike ¶0115-¶0115: CSI-RS; Shibaike teaches a UE receiving a DCI report containing a CSI-RS in a wireless network);
Shibaike does not explicitly teach
monitoring, by the UE, downlink control information (DCI), wherein the DCI indicates a channel occupancy time (COT);
determining, by the UE, whether to cancel a reception of a CSI-RS based on whether any part of the CSI-RS reception occasion is not within a channel occupancy time (COT);
and cancelling, by the UE, the reception of the CSI-RS if it is determined that any part of the CSI-RS reception occasion not within the COT.
However, Zhou teaches
monitoring (Zhou Fig. 4: 405), by the UE (Zhou ¶0048: UE), downlink control information (DCI) (Zhou ¶0048: CCA, note UEs are configured dynamically through the DL control information, DCI, see ¶0033), wherein the DCI indicates a channel occupancy time (COT) (Zhou Fig. 4: 416; Zhou teaches the UE receiving a downlink control information which can contain the CCA, see Fig. 4, ¶0033, and ¶0048); determining (Zhou ¶0048: IS may inform the UE that the base station will use the COT), by the UE, that any part of the CSI-RS reception occasion (Zhou ¶0048: IS may comprise a CSI-RS) is not within the COT (Zhou ¶0048: at a beginning of the COT) in the indication in the DCI (Zhou Fig. 4: 416; Zhou teaches the IS containing a CSI-RS to show that the reception is within the base station’s COT allowance, see Fig. 4 and ¶0048); and cancelling (Zhou ¶0048: UE may limit monitoring), by the UE, reception of a CSI-RS at the CSI-RS reception occasion (Zhou ¶0048: outside of the IS monitor occasion) based on the determination that any part of the CSI-RS reception occasion not within the COT (Zhou ¶0048: may not monitor outside the IS monitor occasions) indicated in the DCI (Zhou Fig. 4: 416; Zhou teaches the UE limiting monitoring outside of the given IS monitor occasion as indicated by the IS, or CSI-RS, see Fig. 4 and ¶0048).
It would have been obvious for one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Shibaike by way of Zhou, to include an element that teaches the UE receiving a downlink control information which can contain the CCA, the IS containing a CSI-RS to show that the reception is within the base station’s COT allowance, and the UE limiting monitoring outside of the given IS monitor occasion as indicated by the IS as taught by Zhou in Fig. 4, ¶0033, and ¶0048, to better improve communication techniques by combining a known process with another known process for a known result, to better enable battery life in a limited charge environment and not unnecessarily monitor the channel if it’s not needed.
Claim 11 differs by the following limitation, which is also taught by the prior art, Shibaike teaches
A user equipment (UE), comprising: a transceiver (Shibaike Fig. 5: 214); a memory (Shibaike ¶0010: storage medium); and a processor (Shibaike Fig. 5: 212; Shibaike teaches the UE having a transmitter, storage medium, and controller, see Fig. 5 and ¶0010)
Regarding Claim 2 and Claim 12
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Shibaike further discloses
Wherein cancelling reception of the CSI-RS comprises cancelling (Shibaike ¶0210: terminal aborts transmission of CSI report) a portion of the CSI-RS that is not within the COT (Shibaike ¶0210: outside the configured time of the COT; Shibaike teaches aborting a transmission of a CSI report outside of the configured time of the COT, see ¶0210).
Regarding Claim 6 and Claim 16
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Shibaike further discloses
wherein a downlink (DL) transmission (Shibaike ¶0222: DCI) is determined to be configured by a higher layer (Shibaike ¶0222: RRC signaling) if the DL transmission (Shibaike Fig. 8: ST 107) is fully overlapped with a set of DL transmissions (Shibaike ¶0213: CSI reporting for the next COT by DCI; Shibaike teaches a DCI being configured by an RRC, which is used in the DCI for determining COT and its associated overlap, see Fig. 8, ¶0213, and ¶0222).
Regarding Claim 8 and Claim 18
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Shibaike further discloses
wherein reception of a DL transmission (Shibaike ¶0222: in the above embodiments) configured by a higher layer (Shibaike ¶0222: RRC signaling) is cancelled (Shibaike ¶0208: does not transmit) when any part of the DL transmission is not within a transmission duration (Shibaike ¶0208: LBT; Shibaike teaches RRC signaling in relation to the listen before talk systems causing the system to not transmit, see ¶0208 and ¶0222).
Regarding Claim 10 and Claim 20
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Shibaike further discloses
monitoring, by the UE, for a slot format indicator (SFI) (Shibaike ¶0041: SFI indicating a slot format of each COT), wherein the DCI (0213: resource of the CSI reporting in the COT terminal by DCI) comprises the SFI (Shibaike ¶0041: SFI indicating a slot format of each COT) and COT is indicated by the SFI (Shibaike ¶0041: SFI indicating a slot format of each COT; Shibaike teaches a SFI being taught by a DCI being taught by the COT to be used for LBT at the beginning of transmission).
Claim(s) 4-5, 7, 14-15, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibaike (Pub.: No.: US 20220094497 A1, hereafter “Shibaike”), in view of Zhou (Pub.: No.: US 20200196336 A1, hereafter “Zhou”), further in view of Kim (Pub. No.: US 20220132342 A1, hereafter “Kim”).
Regarding Claim 4 and Claim 14
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Shibaike in view of Zhou does not explicitly teach
further comprising configuring a timer for a predetermined duration, wherein reception of a portion of a downlink (DL) transmission configured by a higher layer is determined to be cancelled when a part of the DL transmission is not within the predetermined duration.
However, Kim teaches
further comprising configuring a timer (Kim ¶0913: timer value) for a predetermined duration (Kim ¶0913: timer value provided by a higher-layer parameter), wherein reception of a portion of a downlink (DL) transmission (Kim ¶0911: UE is provided) configured by a higher layer (Kim ¶0911: higher-layer parameter) is determined to be cancelled when a part of the DL transmission is not within the predetermined duration (Kim ¶0914: channel occupancy; Kim teaches a timer value determined by a higher-layer parameter for not within the channel occupancy duration, see ¶0911-¶0914).
It would have been obvious for one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Shibaike in view of Zhou, by way of Kim, to include an element that teaches a timer value determined by a higher-layer parameter for not within the channel occupancy duration, as taught by Kim in ¶0911-¶0914, to improve mobile broadband communication, massive MTC, ultra-reliable and low latency communication.
Regarding Claim 5 and Claim 15
Shibaike in view of Zhou, further in view of Kim teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 4. Kim further teaches
wherein the timer comprises a timer introduced for switching groups of search space sets (Kim ¶0911: indicating a position of a search space; Kim teaches the timer parameter being related to a search space, see ¶0911).
It would have been obvious for one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Shibaike by way of Zhou and further in view of Kim, to include an element that teaches the timer parameter being related to a search space, as taught by Kim in ¶0911, to improve mobile broadband communication, massive MTC, ultra-reliable and low latency communication.
Regarding Claim 7 and Claim 17
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Kim further teaches
wherein cancelling the reception of the CSI-RS is further based on the CSI-RS reception occasion (Kim ¶0347: CSI-RS) not being between a detected downlink control information (DCI) (Kim ¶0347: DCI format) and a scheduled physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (Kim ¶0347: PDSCH; Kim teaches canceling a reception of a CSI-RS based off of a DCI and PDSCH, see ¶0347).
It would have been obvious for one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Shibaike in view of Zhou, further by way of Kim, to include an element that teaches canceling a reception of a CSI-RS based off of a DCI and PDSCH, as taught by Kim in ¶0347, to improve mobile broadband communication, massive MTC, ultra-reliable and low latency communication.
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shibaike (Pub.: No.: US 20220094497 A1, hereafter “Shibaike”), further in view of Zhou (Pub.: No.: US 20200196336 A1, hereafter “Zhou”), and even further in view of Lim (Pub. No.: US 20220110152 A1, hereafter “Lim”).
Regarding Claim 9 and Claim 19
Shibaike in view of Zhou teaches a Method and UE comprising the method and UE as explained above in Claim 1. Shibaike in view of Zhou does not explicitly teach
wherein the UE comprises a frame based equipment (FBE).
However, Lim teaches
wherein the UE (Lim ¶0039: UE) comprises a frame based equipment (FBE) (Lim ¶0039: FBE; Lim teaches a UE using FBE, see ¶0039).
It would have been obvious for one skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Shibaike in view of Zhou, by way of Lim, to include an element that teaches a UE using FBE, as taught by Lim in ¶0039, to improve gNB configuration by allowing additional embodiments of a gNB such as UL initiated transmissions on resources where PRACH and AUL resources are configured.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN MICHAEL WHITAKER whose telephone number is (703)756-4763. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7:30am - 4:00pm.
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, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached on (571) 270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JUSTIN MICHAEL WHITAKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2415
/Sudesh M. Patidar/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415
