Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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. Applicant's amendment filed on 11/24/2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 4, 5, 9, 10, 13, 14 and 18-20 have been amended. Claims 3 and 12 are cancelled and claims 21 & 22 are added new. Claims 1, 2, 4-11 and 13-22 are still pending in this application with claims 1, 10, 19 and 20 being independent.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 2, 4-11 and 13-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US Pub. No: 2018/0124753 A1) in view of MediaTek Inc. (3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #103-e, R1-2008963, “On Multi-cell PDSCH Scheduling via Single DCI”, dated OCT/NOV, 2020).
Regarding claim 1, Sun et al. teach a method in an apparatus for receiving downlink control information (DCI) (see Abstract and Figures 6 & 10), the method comprising:
receiving, by the apparatus, a first stage DCI in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (see Figures 2 & 10 and para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS may transmit the first DCI portion within a control region (e.g., a PDCCH region or DL burst) of a current slot (e.g., a DL-centric slot) to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103]);
decoding, by the apparatus, the first stage DCI in the PDCCH, the first stage DCI explicitly indicating a scheduling information of a second stage DCI (see para [0103] wherein identifying a search space within a control section of the current slot and performing blind decoding of a first DCI portion within the search space and based on the first DCI portion, the physical control channel processing circuitry 643/UE identifying resource elements within a downlink traffic region of the slot (e.g., within the PDSCH region) carrying a second DCI portion/second stage DCI, is mentioned), the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission (see para [0073] wherein first DCI portion may be transmitted within the control region (e.g., DL burst 402) of the DL-centric slot 400 and a second DCI portion, referred to as a DCI piggyback, may be transmitted within the downlink traffic region 404 (e.g., within the PDSCH region) of the slot 400, is mentioned and also the first DCI portion may include initial control information regarding a downlink assignment/PDSCH, such as the resource assignment, and wherein the first DCI portion also including piggyback control information about the second DCI portion and, the piggyback control information may indicate the number of resource elements (size) and code rate of the second DCI portion, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission” and also see para [0104]);
receiving, by the apparatus, the second stage DCI in a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (see para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS further transmitting the second DCI portion/second stage DCI within a downlink traffic region (e.g., PDSCH) of the current slot to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103]);
decoding, by the apparatus, the second stage DCI in the first PDSCH (see para [0103] wherein based on the first DCI portion, the physical control channel processing circuitry 643/UE identifying resource elements within a downlink traffic region of the slot (e.g., within the PDSCH region) carrying a second DCI portion and decoding the second DCI portion/second stage DCI, is mentioned and also see para [0124]); wherein the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission (see para [0124] wherein the second DCI portion may occupy all of the time-frequency resources of the downlink traffic region of the slot/PDSCH (that includes and is equivalent to “the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission”), is mentioned).
Sun et al. is silent in teaching the above method comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI.
However, MediaTek Inc. teaches a method (see page 1, Introduction and page 4, under section ‘2-stage DCI aggregation’) comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI (see page 4, under ‘section i.e. 2-stage DCI aggregation’, 2nd para wherein the 1st stage DCI consisting of information related to 2nd stage DCI that includes the modulation order of the second stage DCI, is mentioned).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above method of Sun et al. to have the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI, disclosed by MediaTek Inc. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently providing 1st stage DCI aggregation and 2nd stage DCI aggregation for cross-carrier scheduling in wireless communication system.
Regarding claim 10, Sun et al. teach a method in a network element for transmitting downlink control information (DCI) (see Abstract and Figures 5 & 10), the method comprising: transmitting, by the network element, a first stage DCI in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), the first stage DCI explicitly indicating a scheduling information of a second stage DCI (see Figures 2 & 10 and para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS may transmit the first DCI portion/first stage DCI within a control region (e.g., a PDCCH region or DL burst) of a current slot (e.g., a DL-centric slot) to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103] wherein the first DCI portion including piggyback control information indicating the size (e.g., number of resource elements) of the second DCI portion/second stage DCI, location (e.g., starting resource element) of the second DCI portion, is mentioned), the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission (see para [0073] wherein first DCI portion may be transmitted within the control region (e.g., DL burst 402) of the DL-centric slot 400 and a second DCI portion, referred to as a DCI piggyback, may be transmitted within the downlink traffic region 404 (e.g., within the PDSCH region) of the slot 400, is mentioned and also the first DCI portion may include initial control information regarding a downlink assignment/PDSCH, such as the resource assignment, and wherein the first DCI portion also including piggyback control information about the second DCI portion and, the piggyback control information may indicate the number of resource elements (size) and code rate of the second DCI portion, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission” and also see para [0104]);
transmitting, by the network element, the second stage DCI in a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (see para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS further transmitting the second DCI portion/second stage DCI within a downlink traffic region (e.g., PDSCH) of the current slot to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103]); wherein the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission (see para [0124] wherein the second DCI portion may occupy all of the time-frequency resources of the downlink traffic region of the slot/PDSCH (that includes and is equivalent to “the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission”), is mentioned).
Sun et al. is silent in teaching the above method comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI.
However, MediaTek Inc. teaches a method (see page 1, Introduction and page 4, under section ‘2-stage DCI aggregation’) comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI (see page 4, under ‘section i.e. 2-stage DCI aggregation’, 2nd para wherein the 1st stage DCI consisting of information related to 2nd stage DCI that includes the modulation order of the second stage DCI, is mentioned).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above method of Sun et al. to have the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI, disclosed by MediaTek Inc. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently providing 1st stage DCI aggregation and 2nd stage DCI aggregation for cross-carrier scheduling in wireless communication system.
Regarding claims 2 & 11, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the methods of claims 1/10.
Sun et al. further teach the methods of claims 1/10, wherein the scheduling information of the second stage DCI comprises parameters of at least one of a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, a spatial domain resource of the second stage DCI (see para [0103] wherein based on the first DCI portion, the physical control channel processing circuitry 643/UE identifying resource elements within a downlink traffic region of the slot (e.g., within the PDSCH region) carrying a second DCI portion/second stage DCI, is mentioned and also see para [0106] wherein the second DCI portion further including uplink grant for the scheduled entity that corresponds to a frequency division duplexed uplink grant within the duration of the current slot or a time division duplexed uplink grant within a subsequent slot, is mentioned).
Regarding claims 4 & 13, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the methods of claims 1/10.
Sun et al. further teach the methods of claims 1/10, wherein the second stage DCI indicates at least one of the following: scheduling information for one PDSCH, scheduling information for multiple PDSCH, scheduling information for one PUSCH, scheduling information for multiple PUSCH, scheduling information for one PDSCH and one PUSCH, scheduling information for one PDSCH and multiple PUSCH, scheduling information for multiple PDSCH and one PUSCH, scheduling information for multiple PDSCH and multiple PUSCH, scheduling information for sidelink, partial scheduling information for at least one PUSCH and/or at least one PDSCH, wherein the partial scheduling information is an update to scheduling information in the first stage DCI, partial scheduling information for at least one PUSCH and/or at least one PDSCH, wherein remaining scheduling information for the at least one PUSCH and/or at least one PDSCH is included in the first stage DCI, configuration information related to an artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML) function and configuration information related to a non-AI/ML function (see para [0104] wherein the second DCI portion may include remaining control information regarding the downlink assignment/scheduling information for one PDSCH, is mentioned and also see paragraphs [0106] & [0124]).
Regarding claims 5 & 14, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the methods of claims 1/10.
Sun et al. further teach the methods of claims 1/10, wherein the apparatus receives the first stage DCI and the second stage DCI time division multiplexed or frequency division multiplexed or time division multiplexed and frequency division multiplexed and wherein the network element transmits the first stage DCI and the second stage DCI in time division multiplexed or frequency division multiplexed or time division multiplexed and frequency division multiplexed (see Fig. 9 and para [0119]).
Regarding claim 6, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the method of claims 1.
Sun et al. further teach the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving downlink data using PDSCH resources indicated by scheduling information in the second stage DCI (see para [0106] wherein the second DCI portion further including one or more additional DCI, each containing an additional downlink assignment (or uplink grant) of PDSCH for the scheduled entity 600, is mentioned and also see para [0104]); wherein the scheduling information indicated in the first stage DCI comprises values from a first set of values for scheduling parameters, the scheduling information in the second stage DCI comprises values from a second set of values for scheduling parameters (see para [0104] wherein the first DCI portion further including initial control information regarding a downlink assignment for the scheduled entity (or group of scheduled entities including the scheduled entity 600), such as the resource assignment (that includes values from a first set of values for scheduling parameters), rank and modulation order of the downlink assignment & the second DCI portion including remaining control information regarding the downlink assignment (that includes values from a second set of values for scheduling parameters), is mentioned), and the first set of values and the second set of values is separately predefined or configured for indicating one or more of: whether retransmission is enabled, inclusion of retransmission related parameters, modulation order options, coding rate options, options for number of transport blocks, options for number of MIMO layers, options for time/frequency domain resource allocation types and/or locations (see paragraphs [0104] & [0113] wherein control information (that includes the first set of values and the second set of values) including the resource assignment, rank and modulation order of the downlink assignment, is mentioned).
Regarding claim 15, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the method of claims 10.
Sun et al. further teach the method of claim 10, further comprising: transmitting downlink data using PDSCH resources indicated by scheduling information in the second stage DCI (see para [0106] wherein the second DCI portion further including one or more additional DCI, each containing an additional downlink assignment (or uplink grant) of PDSCH for the scheduled entity 600, is mentioned and also see para [0104]); wherein the scheduling information indicated in the first stage DCI comprises values from a first set of values for scheduling parameters, the scheduling information in the second stage DCI comprises values from a second set of values for scheduling parameters (see para [0104] wherein the first DCI portion further including initial control information regarding a downlink assignment for the scheduled entity (or group of scheduled entities including the scheduled entity 600), such as the resource assignment (that includes values from a first set of values for scheduling parameters), rank and modulation order of the downlink assignment & the second DCI portion including remaining control information regarding the downlink assignment (that includes values from a second set of values for scheduling parameters), is mentioned), and the first set of values and the second set of values is separately predefined or configured for indicating one or more of: whether retransmission is enabled; inclusion of retransmission related parameters; modulation order options; coding rate options; options for number of transport blocks; options for number of MIMO layers; options for time/frequency domain resource allocation types, and/or locations (see paragraphs [0104] & [0113] wherein control information (that includes the first set of values and the second set of values) including the resource assignment, rank and modulation order of the downlink assignment, is mentioned).
Regarding claims 7 & 16, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the methods of claims 1/10.
Sun et al. further teach the methods of claims 1/10, wherein the first stage DCI and the second stage DCI are received in a first carrier or the first stage DCI is received in a first carrier and the second stage DCI is received in a second carrier different from the first carrier and wherein the first stage DCI and the second stage DCI are transmitted in a first carrier or the first stage DCI is transmitted in a first carrier and the second stage DCI is transmitted in a second carrier different from the first carrier (see para [0081] wherein control channel generation and transmission circuitry 542 operating in coordination with the resource assignment and scheduling circuitry 541 to place the DL user data traffic and/or control information (that includes both the first stage DCI and the second stage DCI) onto a time division duplex (TDD) or frequency division duplex (FDD) carrier/first carrier by including the DL user data traffic and/or control information within one or more slots in accordance with the resources assigned to the DL user data traffic and/or control information, is mentioned and also see para [0083]).
Regarding claims 8 & 17, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the methods of claims 1/10, respectively.
MediaTek Inc. further teaches the methods of claims 1/10, wherein the second stage DCI comprises scheduling information for multiple carriers (see page 4, under section ‘2-stage DCI aggregation’, 3rd bullet wherein the 2nd stage aggregated DCI consisting of two parts and the scheduling information for the scheduling cells being aggregated based on the serving cell identification of each scheduled serving cell/carrier, is mentioned and also see page 4, Fig.2 wherein the 2nd stage DCI showing scheduling information for multiple/2 carriers/cells, is mentioned) (and the same motivation is maintained as in claims 1/10).
Regarding claims 9 & 18, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the methods of claims 1/10, respectively.
MediaTek Inc. further teaches the methods of claims 1/10, wherein the second stage DCI comprises: an indication of whether there is scheduling information for each of N carriers and scheduling information for each of N carriers when the indication indicates there is scheduling information for each of N carriers, where N≥2/wherein the second stage DCI comprises, for each of N carriers, where N≥2: an indication of whether there is scheduling information for the carrier, scheduling information for the carrier when the indication indicates there is scheduling information for the carrier (see page 4, under section ‘2-stage DCI aggregation’, 3rd bullet wherein the 2nd stage aggregated DCI consisting of two parts including scheduling information specifically for the scheduled cells and the scheduling information for the scheduling cells being aggregated based on the serving cell identification of each scheduled serving cell/carrier, is mentioned and also see page 4, Fig.2 wherein the 2nd stage DCI showing scheduling information for multiple/2 carriers/cells, is mentioned) (and the same motivation is maintained as in claims 1/10)..
Regarding claim 19, Sun et al. teach an apparatus (see Abstract and Figure 6/apparatus) comprising: at least one processor (see Fig.6, processor and para [0099]); and a computer readable storage medium operatively coupled to the at least one processor(see Fig.6, computer readable storage medium 606 and para [01000]), the computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor (see para [0100]), the programming comprising instructions to: receive a first stage DCI in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (see Figures 2 & 10 and para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS may transmit the first DCI portion within a control region (e.g., a PDCCH region or DL burst) of a current slot (e.g., a DL-centric slot) to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103]);
decode the first stage DCI in physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), the first stage DCI explicitly indicating a scheduling information of a second stage DCI (see para [0103] wherein identifying a search space within a control section of the current slot and performing blind decoding of a first DCI portion within the search space and based on the first DCI portion, the physical control channel processing circuitry 643/UE identifying resource elements within a downlink traffic region of the slot (e.g., within the PDSCH region) carrying a second DCI portion/second stage DCI, is mentioned), the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission (see para [0073] wherein first DCI portion may be transmitted within the control region (e.g., DL burst 402) of the DL-centric slot 400 and a second DCI portion, referred to as a DCI piggyback, may be transmitted within the downlink traffic region 404 (e.g., within the PDSCH region) of the slot 400, is mentioned and also the first DCI portion may include initial control information regarding a downlink assignment/PDSCH, such as the resource assignment, and wherein the first DCI portion also including piggyback control information about the second DCI portion and, the piggyback control information may indicate the number of resource elements (size) and code rate of the second DCI portion, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission” and also see para [0104]);
receive the second stage DCI in a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (see para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS further transmitting the second DCI portion/second stage DCI within a downlink traffic region (e.g., PDSCH) of the current slot to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103]); decode the second stage DCI in the first PDSCH (see para [0103] wherein based on the first DCI portion, the physical control channel processing circuitry 643/UE identifying resource elements within a downlink traffic region of the slot (e.g., within the PDSCH region) carrying a second DCI portion and decoding the second DCI portion/second stage DCI, is mentioned and also see para [0124]); wherein the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission (see para [0124] wherein the second DCI portion may occupy all of the time-frequency resources of the downlink traffic region of the slot/PDSCH (that includes and is equivalent to “the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission”), is mentioned).
Sun et al. is silent in teaching the above apparatus comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI.
However, MediaTek Inc. teaches an apparatus (see page 1, Introduction and page 4, under section ‘2-stage DCI aggregation’) comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI (see page 4, under ‘section i.e. 2-stage DCI aggregation’, 2nd para wherein the 1st stage DCI consisting of information related to 2nd stage DCI that includes the modulation order of the second stage DCI, is mentioned).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above apparatus of Sun et al. to have the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI, disclosed by MediaTek Inc. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently providing 1st stage DCI aggregation and 2nd stage DCI aggregation for cross-carrier scheduling in wireless communication system.
Regarding claim 20, Sun et al. teach a network element (see Abstract and Figure 5/network element) comprising: at least one processor (see Fig.5, processor 504 and para [0075]); and a computer readable storage medium operatively coupled to the at least one processor (see Fig.5, block 506 for computer readable storage medium and para [0076]), the computer readable storage medium storing programming for execution by the at least one processor (see para [0077]), the programming comprising instructions to: transmit a first stage DCI in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), the first stage DCI explicitly indicating a scheduling information of a second stage DCI (see Figures 2 & 10 and para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS may transmit the first DCI portion/first stage DCI within a control region (e.g., a PDCCH region or DL burst) of a current slot (e.g., a DL-centric slot) to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103] wherein the first DCI portion including piggyback control information indicating the size (e.g., number of resource elements) of the second DCI portion/second stage DCI, location (e.g., starting resource element) of the second DCI portion, is mentioned), the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission (see para [0073] wherein first DCI portion may be transmitted within the control region (e.g., DL burst 402) of the DL-centric slot 400 and a second DCI portion, referred to as a DCI piggyback, may be transmitted within the downlink traffic region 404 (e.g., within the PDSCH region) of the slot 400, is mentioned and also the first DCI portion may include initial control information regarding a downlink assignment/PDSCH, such as the resource assignment, and wherein the first DCI portion also including piggyback control information about the second DCI portion and, the piggyback control information may indicate the number of resource elements (size) and code rate of the second DCI portion, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission” and also see para [0104]);
transmit the second stage DCI in a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (see para [0124] wherein the scheduling entity/BS further transmitting the second DCI portion/second stage DCI within a downlink traffic region (e.g., PDSCH) of the current slot to scheduled entity/UE, is mentioned and also see para [0103]); wherein the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission (see para [0124] wherein the second DCI portion may occupy all of the time-frequency resources of the downlink traffic region of the slot/PDSCH (that includes and is equivalent to “the first PDSCH is a physical channel without data transmission”), is mentioned).
Sun et al. is silent in teaching the above network element comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI.
However, MediaTek Inc. teaches a system (see page 1, Introduction and page 4, under section ‘2-stage DCI aggregation’) comprising the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI (see page 4, under ‘section i.e. 2-stage DCI aggregation’, 2nd para wherein the 1st stage DCI consisting of information related to 2nd stage DCI that includes the modulation order of the second stage DCI, is mentioned).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above network element of Sun et al. to have the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI, disclosed by MediaTek Inc. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently providing 1st stage DCI aggregation and 2nd stage DCI aggregation for cross-carrier scheduling in wireless communication system.
Regarding claims 21 & 22, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach the apparatus/network element of claims 19/20, respectively.
Sun et al. further teach the apparatus/network element of claims 19/20, wherein the scheduling information of the second stage DCI comprises parameters of at least one of a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, a spatial domain resource of the second stage DCI (see para [0103] wherein based on the first DCI portion, the physical control channel processing circuitry 643/UE identifying resource elements within a downlink traffic region of the slot (e.g., within the PDSCH region) carrying a second DCI portion/second stage DCI, is mentioned and also see para [0106] wherein the second DCI portion further including uplink grant for the scheduled entity that corresponds to a frequency division duplexed uplink grant within the duration of the current slot or a time division duplexed uplink grant within a subsequent slot, is mentioned).
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant’s amendment of independent claims 1, 10, 19 and 20 necessitated new citations and explanations of the references as mentioned above under Claim Rejections.
7. In pages 9-11 of Applicant’s Remarks, regarding amended independent claim 1, Applicant mainly mentions that the cited reference Sun does not disclose or
suggest "the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI and coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission," as recited in amended claim 1.
However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees to the above statements of the Applicant as follows. The cited reference Sun et al. (US Pub. No: 2018/0124753 A1) clearly teach the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission (see para [0073] wherein first DCI portion may be transmitted within the control region (e.g., DL burst 402) of the DL-centric slot 400 and a second DCI portion, referred to as a DCI piggyback, may be transmitted within the downlink traffic region 404 (e.g., within the PDSCH region) of the slot 400, is mentioned and also the first DCI portion may include initial control information regarding a downlink assignment/PDSCH, such as the resource assignment, and wherein the first DCI portion also including piggyback control information about the second DCI portion and, the piggyback control information may indicate the number of resource elements (size) and code rate of the second DCI portion, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “the first stage DCI further indicating coding rate of the second stage DCI and partial or full scheduling information for a data channel transmission” and also see para [0104]).
The cited reference MediaTek Inc. clearly teaches the first stage DCI further indicating modulation order of the second stage DCI (see page 4, under ‘section i.e. 2-stage DCI aggregation’, 2nd para wherein the 1st stage DCI consisting of information related to 2nd stage DCI that includes the modulation order of the second stage DCI, is mentioned). Thus, Sun et al. and MediaTek Inc. together teach all the limitations of independent claim 1 and similarly of other independent claims 10, 19 and 20, as already mentioned above under Claim Rejections.
8. The rejection of all other claims is already mentioned above under Claim Rejections.
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
XIONG et al. (US Pub. No: 2020/0022175 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to the use of New Radio carrier aggregation using the same or mixed numerologies as between component carriers in wireless communication system.
YUAN et al. (US Pub. No: 2023/0232407 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to the use of a two-stage downlink control information (DCI) scheme for scheduling resources for multiple user equipments (UEs).
Papasakellariou (US Pub. No: 2018/0019843 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to supporting transmissions with variable durations on different cells.
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/SRINIVASA R REDDIVALAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477 1/12/2026