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, 11, 16, 20, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Pub. 2021/0028912 to Xu et al. (hereinafter Xu).
In regard amended claim 1, Xu teaches or discloses a resource determination method, comprising:
determining, by a terminal device, according to a bandwidth capability supported by the terminal device and bandwidth information obtained from system information, a frequency
domain resource for transmission of first information in a random access procedure (see paragraphs [0169], [0177], [0183], [0204], [0256], and [0208], the UE may determine a spatial domain filter of a transmit (Tx) beam based on a spatial domain filter of the corresponding. The UE may perform an uplink beam selection procedure to determine the spatial domain filter of the Tx beam. The UE may determine, based on the one or more RACH parameters, a time-frequency resource. The UE may determine when to start the time window based on a PRACH occasion that the UE uses to transmit the preamble. The UE may start the time window one or more symbols after a last symbol of the preamble (e.g., at a first PDCCH occasion from an end of a preamble transmission). The UE may identify the RAR based on a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI). RNTIs may be used depending on one or more events initiating the random access procedure. The one or more UE capability messages may comprise a radio frequency capability of the Tx wireless device (e.g., Tx UE). The radio frequency capability may comprise at least one of: a UE capability of carrier aggregation band combinations, a UE capability of maximum carrier aggregated bandwidth, and a UE capability of radio frequency bandwidth. The UE may determine a time-frequency resource for a CORESET based on RRC messages. The UE may determine a CCE-to-REG mapping (e.g., interleaved or non-interleaved, and/or mapping parameters) for the CORESET based on configuration parameters of the CORESET. The UE may determine a PUCCH resource from the PUCCH resource set for UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI, and/or SR) transmission. The UE may determine the PUCCH resource based on a PUCCH resource indicator in a DCI (e.g., with a DCI format 1_0 or DCI for 1_1) received on a PDCCH);
wherein the bandwidth information comprises an initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP),
and the first information is uplink information in the random access procedure (see paragraph [0224], a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) and downlink (DL) BWPs to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell. For the PCell, an initial active BWP may be a first BWP used for initial access).
In regard amended claim 11, Xu teaches or discloses a resource determination method, comprising:
determining, by a network device, according to a bandwidth capability supported by a
terminal device and bandwidth information carried in system information, a frequency domain
resource for transmission of first information in a random access procedure (see paragraphs [0018], [0175], [0177], [0193], [0201], and [0224], the base station may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH on one or more control resource sets (CORESETs). A CORESET may comprise a time-frequency resource in which the UE tries to decode a DCI using one or more search spaces. The base station may configure a size and a location of the CORESET in the time-frequency domain. A network (e.g., a gNB and/or an ng-eNB of a network) and/or the UE may initiate a random access procedure. A network may initiate a random access procedure for a handover and/or for establishing time alignment for an SCell addition. The base station (gNB) may configure a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) and downlink (DL) BWPs to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell),
wherein the bandwidth information comprises an initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP),
and the first information is uplink information in the random access procedure (see paragraph [0224], a base station (gNB) may configure a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell. For the PCell, an initial active BWP may be a first BWP used for initial access).
In regard amended claim 16, Xu teaches or discloses a terminal device (see Fig. 15), comprising:
a processor (see Fig. 15, element 1518); and
a memory storing computer readable programs which, when executed by the processor,
are operable with the processor to (see Fig. 15, elements 1524 and 1518):
determine, according to a bandwidth capability supported by the terminal device and
bandwidth information obtained from system information, a frequency domain resource for
transmission of first information in a random access procedure (see paragraphs [0169], [0177], [0183], [0204], [0256], and [0208], the UE may determine a spatial domain filter of a transmit (Tx) beam based on a spatial domain filter of the corresponding. The UE may perform an uplink beam selection procedure to determine the spatial domain filter of the Tx beam. The UE may determine, based on the one or more RACH parameters, a time-frequency resource. The UE may determine when to start the time window based on a PRACH occasion that the UE uses to transmit the preamble. The UE may start the time window one or more symbols after a last symbol of the preamble (e.g., at a first PDCCH occasion from an end of a preamble transmission). The UE may identify the RAR based on a Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI). RNTIs may be used depending on one or more events initiating the random access procedure. The one or more UE capability messages may comprise a radio frequency capability of the Tx wireless device (e.g., Tx UE). The radio frequency capability may comprise at least one of: a UE capability of carrier aggregation band combinations, a UE capability of maximum carrier aggregated bandwidth, and a UE capability of radio frequency bandwidth. The UE may determine a time-frequency resource for a CORESET based on RRC messages. The UE may determine a CCE-to-REG mapping (e.g., interleaved or non-interleaved, and/or mapping parameters) for the CORESET based on configuration parameters of the CORESET. The UE may determine a PUCCH resource from the PUCCH resource set for UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI, and/or SR) transmission. The UE may determine the PUCCH resource based on a PUCCH resource indicator in a DCI (e.g., with a DCI format 1_0 or DCI for 1_1) received on a PDCCH),
wherein the bandwidth information comprises an initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP),
and the first information is uplink information in the random access procedure (see paragraph [0224], a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) and downlink (DL) BWPs to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell. For the PCell, an initial active BWP may be a first BWP used for initial access.
In regard amended claim 20, Xu teaches or discloses a network device (see Fig. 15), comprising:
a processor (see Fig. 15, element 1508); and
a memory storing computer readable programs which, when executed by the processor,
are operable with the processor to (see Fig. 15, elements 1514 and 1508):
determine, according to a bandwidth capability supported by a terminal device and bandwidth information carried in system information, a frequency domain resource for transmission of first information in a random access procedure (see paragraphs [0018], [0175], [0177], [0193], [0201], and [0224], the base station may transmit a DCI via a PDCCH on one or more control resource sets (CORESETs). A CORESET may comprise a time-frequency resource in which the UE tries to decode a DCI using one or more search spaces. The base station may configure a size and a location of the CORESET in the time-frequency domain. A network (e.g., a gNB and/or an ng-eNB of a network) and/or the UE may initiate a random access procedure. A network may initiate a random access procedure for a handover and/or for establishing time alignment for an SCell addition. The base station (gNB) may configure a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) and downlink (DL) BWPs to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell),
wherein the bandwidth information comprises an initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP),
and the first information is uplink information in the random access procedure (see paragraph [0224], a base station (gNB) may configure a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell. For the PCell, an initial active BWP may be a first BWP used for initial access).
In regard claim 23, Xu teaches or discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the third bandwidth is a center bandwidth of the initial uplink BWP (see paragraph [0124], a UE may expect that a center frequency for a downlink BWP is the same as a center frequency for an uplink BWP), or the third bandwidth is an edge bandwidth of the initial uplink BWP.
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.
Claims 10, 14, 15, 19, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of US Pub. 2022/0210806 to Rastegardoost et al. (hereinafter Rastegardoost).
In regard claim 10, Xu may not explicitly teach or disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal).
However, Rastegarddoost teaches or disclose wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) (see paragraphs [0238], [0272], [0273], [0284], and [0302], UE power saving may be enabled and battery lifetime enhancements may be considered for reduced capability UEs (RedCap UEs) in applicable use cases (e.g., delay tolerant use case). Functionalities may be studied that will allow devices with reduced capabilities (RedCap UEs) to be explicitly identifiable to networks and network operators and allow operators to restrict their access if desired. Reduced Capability (RedCap) UEs may require modified handling of different uplink and/or downlink signals and/or channels. For example, due to the reduced capability compared to a normal/legacy UE (e.g., reduced supported bandwidth, and/or limited antennas, and/or restricted processing capabilities, and/or prolonged processing time, etc.), the RedCap UE may not be able to effectively use cell-specific resources that have been designed for legacy UEs without those hardware restrictions. For a RedCap UE in RRC_CONNECTED mode, the network may be able to configure UE-specific parameters and schedule resources in an appropriate way for the specific RedCap restriction/reduced capabilities).
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 bandwidth part switching for sidelink communication of Xu by including wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) suggested by Rastergarddoost. This modification would provide improving a reliability of Msg3 PUSCH transmission, and at the same time, enable identification of RedCap UEs during Msg3 transmission read in paragraph [0284].
In regard claim 14, Xu may not explicitly teach or disclose the method of claim 11, wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal).
However, Rastegarddoost teaches or disclose wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) (see paragraphs [0238], [0272], [0273], [0284], and [0302], UE power saving may be enabled and battery lifetime enhancements may be considered for reduced capability UEs (RedCap UEs) in applicable use cases (e.g., delay tolerant use case). Functionalities may be studied that will allow devices with reduced capabilities (RedCap UEs) to be explicitly identifiable to networks and network operators and allow operators to restrict their access if desired. Reduced Capability (RedCap) UEs may require modified handling of different uplink and/or downlink signals and/or channels. For example, due to the reduced capability compared to a normal/legacy UE (e.g., reduced supported bandwidth, and/or limited antennas, and/or restricted processing capabilities, and/or prolonged processing time, etc.), the RedCap UE may not be able to effectively use cell-specific resources that have been designed for legacy UEs without those hardware restrictions. For a RedCap UE in RRC_CONNECTED mode, the network may be able to configure UE-specific parameters and schedule resources in an appropriate way for the specific RedCap restriction/reduced capabilities).
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 bandwidth part switching for sidelink communication of Xu by including wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) suggested by Rastergarddoost. This modification would provide improving a reliability of Msg3 PUSCH transmission, and at the same time, enable identification of RedCap UEs during Msg3 transmission read in paragraph [0284].
In regard amended claim 15, Xu teaches or discloses the method of claim 11, further comprising at least one of:
determining the frequency domain resource for transmission of uplink information in the random access procedure according to the initial uplink BWP configured for the terminal device, wherein the initial uplink BWP is configured according to the bandwidth capability supported by the terminal device (see paragraphs [0177], [0186], [0193], [0205], [0206], and [0208], the UE may determine, based on the one or more RACH parameters, a time-frequency resource and/or an uplink transmit power for transmission of the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313. Based on the one or more RACH parameters, the UE may determine a reception timing and a downlink channel for receiving the Msg 2 1312 and the Msg 4 1314. The UE may determine and/or switch an uplink carrier for the Msg 1 1311 and/or the Msg 3 1313 based on a channel clear assessment (e.g., a listen-before-talk). There may be five PUCCH formats and the UE may determine a PUCCH format based on a size of the UCI (e.g., a number of uplink symbols of UCI transmission and a number of UCI bits). PUCCH format 0 may have a length of one or two OFDM symbols and may include two or fewer bits. After determining a PUCCH resource set from a plurality of PUCCH resource sets, the UE may determine a PUCCH resource from the PUCCH resource set for UCI (HARQ-ACK, CSI, and/or SR) transmission. The UE may determine the PUCCH resource based on a PUCCH resource indicator in a DCI (e.g., with a DCI format 1_0 or DCI for 1_1) received on a PDCCH); and
determining the frequency domain resource for transmission of downlink information in the random access procedure according to the initial downlink BWP configured for the terminal device, wherein the initial downlink BWP is configured according to the bandwidth capability supported by the terminal device;
the initial uplink BWP configured is RedCap terminal specific, and the initial downlink BWP configured is RedCap terminal specific (see paragraphs [0224], a wireless device (UE) with uplink (UL) bandwidth parts (BWPs) and downlink (DL) BWPs to enable bandwidth adaptation (BA) on a PCell. If carrier aggregation is configured, the gNB may further configure the UE with at least DL BWP(s) (i.e. there may be no UL BWPS in the UL) to enable BA on an SCell. For the PCell, an initial active BWP may be a first BWP used for initial access. For the SCell, a first active BWP is a second BWP configured for the UE to first operate at the SCell when the SCell is activated.
Xu may not explicitly teach or disclose wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal), the initial uplink BWP configured is RedCap terminal specific, and the initial downlink BWP configured is RedCap terminal specific.
However, Rastegarddoost teaches or discloses wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) (see paragraphs [0238], and [0272], UE power saving may be enabled and battery lifetime enhancements may be considered for reduced capability UEs (RedCap UEs) in applicable use cases (e.g., delay tolerant use case). Functionalities may be studied that will allow devices with reduced capabilities (RedCap UEs) to be explicitly identifiable to networks and network operators and allow operators to restrict their access if desired. For example, Reduced Capability (RedCap) UEs may require modified handling of different uplink and/or downlink signals and/or channels).
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 bandwidth part switching for sidelink communication of Xu by including wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) suggested by Rastergarddoost. This modification would provide improving a reliability of Msg3 PUSCH transmission, and at the same time, enable identification of RedCap UEs during Msg3 transmission read in paragraph [0284].
In regard claim 19, Xu may not explicitly teach or disclose the terminal device of claim 16, wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability.
However, Rastegarddoost teaches or disclose wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) (see paragraphs [0238], [0272], [0273], [0284], and [0302], UE power saving may be enabled and battery lifetime enhancements may be considered for reduced capability UEs (RedCap UEs) in applicable use cases (e.g., delay tolerant use case). Functionalities may be studied that will allow devices with reduced capabilities (RedCap UEs) to be explicitly identifiable to networks and network operators and allow operators to restrict their access if desired. Reduced Capability (RedCap) UEs may require modified handling of different uplink and/or downlink signals and/or channels. For example, due to the reduced capability compared to a normal/legacy UE (e.g., reduced supported bandwidth, and/or limited antennas, and/or restricted processing capabilities, and/or prolonged processing time, etc.), the RedCap UE may not be able to effectively use cell-specific resources that have been designed for legacy UEs without those hardware restrictions. For a RedCap UE in RRC_CONNECTED mode, the network may be able to configure UE-specific parameters and schedule resources in an appropriate way for the specific RedCap restriction/reduced capabilities).
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 bandwidth part switching for sidelink communication of Xu by including wherein the terminal device is a terminal with reduced capability (RedCap terminal) suggested by Rastergarddoost. This modification would provide improving a reliability of Msg3 PUSCH transmission, and at the same time, enable identification of RedCap UEs during Msg3 transmission read in paragraph [0284].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9, 21, 22, 24, and 25 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, 10, 11, 14, 16, 19, and 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: 01/27/2026
/PHIRIN SAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476