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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 8-14, 16-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MODERATOR(OPPO):"Summary - 3GPPDRAFT; R1-2101842,3rd GENERATION PARTNER SHIPPROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES (from IDS filed by Applicant on 06/15/23) in view of Choi US 20230284227
1. A channel transmission method, performed by a terminal device, the terminal device being configured to transmit a plurality of uplink control channels in a second time unit, wherein the plurality of uplink control channels comprises a fourth uplink control channel for transmitting fourth uplink control information, UCI, and a fifth uplink control channel for transmitting fifth UCI, wherein the fifth UCI has a priority is higher than the fourth UCI, and at least two uplink control channels in the plurality of uplink control channels overlap (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5 : "PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ- ACK"):
wherein the method comprises:
receive configuration information from a network device, wherein the configuration information indicates the second time unit (NPL: p.37-40 section 2.3: "DCI/RRC configuration"):
wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols (NPL: p.46 chap.2.4.1 : "The time unit for solving the collision of PUCCHs with different L1 priority indexes should be the HP PUCCH time unit.");
wherein the second time unit, the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI, and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI are each a slot (NPL: p.62: "LP HARQ-ACK can be linked to a HP time unit (slot/sub-slot), i.e., put the LP HARQ-Ack in the set of Q of the HP slot/sub-slot");
transmit the fourth UCI and the fifth UCI through one channel in the second time unit if a second agreed condition is satisfied (NPL: p.1 chap.2.1 "Multiplexing a high-priority HARQ-ACK and a low-priority HARQ-ACK into a PUCCH");
NPL merely discloses the term “processor”
Choi further teaches processer (Choi: fig. 43, unit 100s-200s);
Choi further teaches receive configuration information from a network device, wherein the configuration information indicates the second time unit (Choi: fig. 12, 37-38 [0004, 0010-0011, 0173, 0589] receive indication or configuration, e.g., Information about the slot configuration should be transmitted to the terminals; DCI may include at least one of slot index information)
wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols (Choi: fig. 18-22 e.g., see fig. 21 - LP UCI mapped on symbol 4-5, & 9 – HP UCI mapped on symbols 0-1, 3, 6, & 8 [0292, 0307] - a time division multiplexed (TDMed) PUCCH structure may also be possible. Here, in the TDMed PUCCH structure, HP UCI may be transmitted in some symbols by dividing the selected PUCCH resource in a time domain, and LP UCI may be transmitted in some remaining symbols. This may be designed by substituting the PRB or subcarrier mentioned in the first to fifth methods with a symbol that is a unit of time);
wherein the second time unit, the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI, and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI are each a slot (Choi: fig. 13 [0360] transmitting UCIs of LP PUCCH and HP PUCCH through one new PUCCH);
transmit the fourth UCI and the fifth UCI through one channel in the second time unit if a second agreed condition is satisfied (Choi: fig. 13 [0360] transmitting UCIs of LP PUCCH and HP PUCCH through one new PUCCH)
Thus, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to include the above recited limitation into NPL’s invention in order to determine a UCI to be dropped from among a first UCI having a first priority and a second UCI having a second priority or to multiplex the first UCI and the second UCI, under the condition in which a first PUCCH, to which the first UCI is mapped, and a second PUCCH, to which the second UCI is mapped, overlap in at least one symbol with respect to time, as taught by Choi.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second agreed condition is an agreed condition regarding information carried by the fourth UCI and information carried by the fifth UCI (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5:"PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ-ACK").
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second agreed condition comprises one of the following: the fifth UCI is high priority hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback information, and the fourth UCI is low priority HARQ feedback information; and the fifth UCI is a high priority scheduling request (SR), and the fourth UCI is low priority HARQ feedback information (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5 :"PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ-ACK").
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third agreed condition is an agreed condition regarding information carried by the fourth UCI and information carried by the fifth UCI (NPL: p.42 chap.2.4.1: "If no enough resource for both HP and LP HARQ-ACK [...] LP HARQ-ACK is dropped").
6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third agreed condition comprises at least one of the following: the second agreed condition is not satisfied; and the fifth UCI comprises a high priority SR, and the fourth UCI comprises low priority CSI (NPL: p.110 see Table 6. URLLC/eMBB UL transmission collision resolution).
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fourth uplink control channel overlaps with the fifth uplink control channel (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5:"PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ-ACK").
21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fourth UCI further comprises low priority channel state information (CSI) (Choi: [0144]).
22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises dropping, by the terminal device, the fourth UCI if the fourth satisfies a third agreed condition wherein the third agreed condition comprises the fifth UCI comprises high priority HARQ feedback information, and the fourth UCI comprises low priority SR (NPL: p.42, 52 chap.2.4.1 : "If no enough resource for both HP and LP HARQ-ACK [...] LP HARQ-ACK is dropped").
Regarding claims 9-14, 16-20, 23 the independent claim and each dependent claim are related to the same limitation set for hereinabove in claims 1-3, 5-6, 8 & 21-22 where the difference used is a “network & terminal” with a processor and a memory (Choi: Referring to FIG. 43, includes a processor 210/120, a memory 230 [783]) and the wordings of the claims were interchanged within the claim itself or some of the claims were presented as a combination of two or more previously presented limitations. This change does not affect the limitation of the above treated claims. Adding these phrases to the claims arid interchanging the wording did not introduce new limitations to these claims. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 8-14, 16-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MODERATOR(OPPO):"Summary - 3GPPDRAFT; R1-2101842,3rd GENERATION PARTNER SHIPPROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES (from IDS filed by Applicant on 06/15/23) in view of Li US 20200344788
1. A channel transmission method, performed by a terminal device, the terminal device being configured to transmit a plurality of uplink control channels in a second time unit, wherein the plurality of uplink control channels comprises a fourth uplink control channel for transmitting fourth uplink control information, UCI, and a fifth uplink control channel for transmitting fifth UCI, wherein the fifth UCI has a priority is higher than the fourth UCI, and at least two uplink control channels in the plurality of uplink control channels overlap (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5 : "PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ- ACK"):
wherein the method comprises:
receive configuration information from a network device, wherein the configuration information indicates the second time unit (NPL: p.37-40 section 2.3: "DCI/RRC configuration"):
wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols (NPL: p.46 chap.2.4.1 : "The time unit for solving the collision of PUCCHs with different L1 priority indexes should be the HP PUCCH time unit.");
wherein the second time unit, the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI, and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI are each a slot (NPL: p.62: "LP HARQ-ACK can be linked to a HP time unit (slot/sub-slot), i.e., put the LP HARQ-Ack in the set of Q of the HP slot/sub-slot");
transmit the fourth UCI and the fifth UCI through one channel in the second time unit if a second agreed condition is satisfied (NPL: p.1 chap.2.1 "Multiplexing a high-priority HARQ-ACK and a low-priority HARQ-ACK into a PUCCH");
NPL merely discloses the term “processor”
Li further teaches processer (Li: fig. 3, unit 300s),
Li further teaches wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols (Li: fig. 10-11 [0014, 0023, 0045, 0175] e.g., a time domain resource or time window) in order to determine a priority of the second UCI is higher than a priority of the first UCI.
Thus, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to include the above recited limitation into NPL’s invention in order to determine a priority of the second UCI is higher than a priority of the first UCI and to ensure, as much as possible, that a data transmission service having a higher priority is not affected, and provide a high-quality uplink data transmission service for a user, as taught by Li.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second agreed condition is an agreed condition regarding information carried by the fourth UCI and information carried by the fifth UCI (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5:"PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ-ACK").
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second agreed condition comprises one of the following: the fifth UCI is high priority hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback information, and the fourth UCI is low priority HARQ feedback information; and the fifth UCI is a high priority scheduling request (SR), and the fourth UCI is low priority HARQ feedback information (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5 :"PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ-ACK").
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third agreed condition is an agreed condition regarding information carried by the fourth UCI and information carried by the fifth UCI (NPL: p.42 chap.2.4.1: "If no enough resource for both HP and LP HARQ-ACK [...] LP HARQ-ACK is dropped").
6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the third agreed condition comprises at least one of the following: the second agreed condition is not satisfied; and the fifth UCI comprises a high priority SR, and the fourth UCI comprises low priority CSI (NPL: p.110 see Table 6. URLLC/eMBB UL transmission collision resolution).
7. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of the following: the second time unit is a time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI; the second time unit is a time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI; and the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI (NPL: p.46 chap.2.4.1 : "The time unit for solving the collision of PUCCHs with different L1 priority indexes should be the HP PUCCH time unit.").
8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fourth uplink control channel overlaps with the fifth uplink control channel (NPL: p.10 proposal 3.5:"PUCCH carrying high-priority HARQ-ACK overlaps with another PUCCH carrying low-priority HARQ-ACK").
21. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fourth UCI further comprises low priority channel state information (CSI) (Li: [0006]).
22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises dropping, by the terminal device, the fourth UCI if the fourth satisfies a third agreed condition wherein the third agreed condition comprises the fifth UCI comprises high priority HARQ feedback information, and the fourth UCI comprises low priority SR (NPL: p.42, 52 chap.2.4.1 : "If no enough resource for both HP and LP HARQ-ACK [...] LP HARQ-ACK is dropped").
Regarding claims 9-14, 16-20, 23 the independent claim and each dependent claim are related to the same limitation set for hereinabove in claims 1-3, 5-6, 8 & 21-22 where the difference used is a “network & terminal” with a processor and a memory (Choi: Referring to FIG. 43, includes a processor 210/120, a memory 230 [783]) and the wordings of the claims were interchanged within the claim itself or some of the claims were presented as a combination of two or more previously presented limitations. This change does not affect the limitation of the above treated claims. Adding these phrases to the claims arid interchanging the wording did not introduce new limitations to these claims. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 4/1/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant Argument:
According to amended claim 1, the prior art(s) does not Teach the claimed “second time unit”.
Response to Arguments:
With respect to the above argument, Examiner would like to draw attention to that it is the claims that define the claimed invention, and it is claims, not specifications that are anticipated or unpatentable. Constant v. Advanced Micro-Devices Inc., 7 USPQ2d 1064.
In addition, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (p.62) of NPL, for example: "LP HARQ-ACK can be linked to a HP time unit (slot/sub-slot), i.e., put the LP HARQ-Ack in the set of Q of the HP slot/sub-slot" (herein it’s considered same as the second time unit).
Applicant Argument:
According to amended claim 1, the prior art(s) does not Teach the claimed “wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols”.
Response to Arguments:
In addition, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (p.46 chap.2.4.1) of NPL, for example: "The time unit for solving the collision of PUCCHs with different L1 priority indexes should be the HP PUCCH time unit." (herein it’s considered same as wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols).
Furthermore, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (fig. 11-14, 18-22 e.g., see fig. 21) of Choi, for example: LP UCI mapped on symbol 4-5, & 9 – HP UCI mapped on symbols 0-1, 3, 6, & 8 [0292, 0307] - a time division multiplexed (TDMed) PUCCH structure may also be possible. Here, in the TDMed PUCCH structure, HP UCI may be transmitted in some symbols by dividing the selected PUCCH resource in a time domain, and LP UCI may be transmitted in some remaining symbols. This may be designed by substituting the PRB or subcarrier mentioned in the first to fifth methods with a symbol that is a unit of time (herein it’s considered same as wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols).
Applicant Argument:
According to amended claim 1, the prior art(s) does not Teach the claimed “second time unit”.
Response to Arguments:
With respect to the above argument, Examiner would like to draw attention to that it is the claims that define the claimed invention, and it is claims, not specifications that are anticipated or unpatentable. Constant v. Advanced Micro-Devices Inc., 7 USPQ2d 1064.
In addition, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (p.62) of NPL, for example: "LP HARQ-ACK can be linked to a HP time unit (slot/sub-slot), i.e., put the LP HARQ-Ack in the set of Q of the HP slot/sub-slot" (herein it’s considered same as the second time unit).
In addition, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (fig. 4 10-11 [0014, 0023, 0045, 0175, 0153-0175]) of Li, for example: the first PUCCH corresponds to L continuous time domain resources in L time units in time domain. The L continuous time domain resources respectively belong to the L time units. The time unit may be a slot, or may be another time unit such as a subframe or a mini slot. The L continuous time domain resources in the L time units have a same start position and length (herein it’s considered same as the second time unit).
Applicant Argument:
According to amended claim 1, the prior art(s) does not Teach the claimed “wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols”.
Response to Arguments:
In addition, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (p.46 chap.2.4.1) of NPL, for example: "The time unit for solving the collision of PUCCHs with different L1 priority indexes should be the HP PUCCH time unit." (herein it’s considered same as wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols).
Furthermore, the Examiner would like to draw attention to (fig. 4 10-11 [0014, 0023, 0045, 0175, 0153-0175]) of Li, for example: determines a time domain position of a first PUCCH, where the first PUCCH is used to carry first UCI … In some cases, the first PUCCH occupies one continuous time domain resource in one time unit in time domain. Alternatively, the first PUCCH corresponds to L continuous time domain resources in L time units in time domain. The L continuous time domain resources respectively belong to the L time units. The time unit may be a slot, or may be another time unit such as a subframe or a mini slot. The L continuous time domain resources in the L time units have a same start position and length (herein it’s considered same as wherein the second time unit is a maximum time unit or a minimum time unit among the time unit corresponding to the fourth UCI and the time unit corresponding to the fifth UCI, the minimum time unit is a time unit having a smallest number of time-domain symbols, and the maximum time unit is a time unit having a largest number of time-domain symbols).
Thus, for the above reason, the prior art meet the claim limitation.
The examiner stresses that the claims are too broad and require detail or specialization of the steps as recited in the claims. Alone and as claimed, the limitations are too open.
Examiner has cited particular portions of the references as applied to each claim limitation for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Regarding all other arguments presented by applicant, the arguments are substantially the same as those which have already been addressed above and in the interest of brevity; the Examiner directs the applicant to those responses above.
Remark:
In addition, an interview could expedite the prosecution.
Conclusion
Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sulaiman Nooristany whose telephone number is 571-270-1929. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday: 8:30am to 5:00pm (EST). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeff 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 an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SULAIMAN NOORISTANY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415
Prosecution Insights