DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Amendment filed 3/5/2026. Claims 1-21, 24, and 36 have been canceled. Claims22-23, 25-35, and 37-42 are currently pending in the application. Claims 39-41 are withdrawn from consideration.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the previous grounds of rejection have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of newly cited Zhou et al. (U.S. Publication US 2023/0050307 A1).
Regarding amended independent claims 22, 32, and 42, Applicant argues that previously cited Zhang et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/0144797 A1) does not disclose the particular coupling between (a) multicast scheduling of first data for a particular HARQ process and (b) stopping the unicast retransmission timer that corresponds to that same HARQ process. The Examiner agrees with this interpretation of Zhang et al. Specifically, although Zhang et al. does disclose stopping a unicast or multicast timer when there is an overlap between multicast and unicast active duration (See paragraph 138 and paragraph 145 of Zhang et al.), Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose that a same HARQ process corresponds to the multicast and unicast transmissions. However, newly cited Zhou et al. discloses that multicast and unicast transmissions may use a same HARQ process ID when the multicast and unicast transmissions correspond to an initial transmission and a retransmission of the same data (See paragraph 314 of Zhou et al.). Using the same HARQ process ID for multicast and unicast transmission has the advantage of allowing corresponding transmissions and retransmissions of data to be linked by the HARQ process ID. Thus, it is believed that this claim limitation is rendered obvious in view of these teachings of Zhou et al.
Also Regarding amended independent claims 22, 32, and 42, Applicant argues that previously cited Zhang et al. does not disclose the first control information is scrambled by using a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), and wherein the second RNTI is used for one or more of: multicast, scheduling a multicast dynamic resource, scheduling a retransmission resource of the multicast dynamic resource, activating a multicast configured resource, reactivating the multicast configured resource, deactivating the multicast configured resource, or scheduling a retransmission resource of the multicast configured resource. The Examiner agrees with this interpretation of Zhang et al. Specifically, although Zhang et al. does disclose using a group-radio network temporary identifier, G-RNTI, which is a second RNTI, for the multicast downlink control information and corresponding to the multicast DRX cycle (See paragraphs 4, 17, and 78-79 of Zhang et al.), Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose the first control information is scrambled by using the G-RNTI. However, newly cited Zhou et al. discloses a DCI with CRC scrambled by a G-RNTI (See paragraph 269 of Zhou et al.). Scrambling a DCI using a G-RNTI has the advantage of allowing a device to monitor for and recognize control information corresponding to a multicast transmission identified by the G-RNTI. Thus, it is also believed that this claim limitation is rendered obvious in view of these teachings of Zhou et al. It is further, it is noted that amended claim 32 is silent regarding the limitation of scrambling the first control information using the second RNTI, thus Applicants argument regarding this claim limitation do not appear to properly apply to the language of claim 32.
Due to the new grounds of rejection, this action is made Non-Final. Please see the rejections below for further detail.
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.
Claims 22-23, 25-26, 28, 32-34, and 42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/0144797 A1) in view of Zhou et al. (U.S. Publication US 2023/0050307 A1).
With respect to claims 22 and 42, Zhang et al. discloses an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute instructions stored in a memory, to perform operations of a method (See the abstract and paragraph 7 of Zhang et al. for reference to an apparatus for wireless communication at a UE including a processor, memory coupled with the processor, and instructions stored in the memory executable by the processor to perform a wireless communication method). Zhang et al. also discloses receiving first control information transmitted in a multicast manner, wherein the first control information schedules first data (See paragraphs 139-141 and Figure 10 of Zhang et al. for reference to the UE receiving a multicast downlink control information carrying an indication of a resource allocation associated with a downlink data channel, i.e. a PDSCH, for a multicast message for the UE). Zhang et al. further discloses stopping a fifth timer (See paragraph 138 and paragraph 145 of Zhang et al. for reference to stopping a unicast retransmission timer, which is a fifth timer, when the unicast retransmission timer overlaps with a multicast active duration). Zhang et al. also discloses wherein the first data corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process (See paragraph 70 and paragraph 142 of Zhang et al. for reference to the data corresponding to a HARQ process). Zhang et al. further discloses the fifth timer is a retransmission timer corresponding to discontinuous reception (DRX) associated with unicast, and the fifth timer corresponds to a HARQ process (See paragraph 138 and paragraphs 144-145 of Zhang et al. for reference to the timer being a unicast retransmission timer that is associated with a HARQ process of the UE). Although Zhang et al. does disclose stopping a unicast or multicast timer when there is an overlap between multicast and unicast active duration (See paragraph 138 and paragraph 145 of Zhang et al.), Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose that a same HARQ process corresponds to the multicast and unicast transmissions. However, Zhou et al., in the field of communications, discloses that multicast and unicast transmissions may use a same HARQ process ID when the multicast and unicast transmissions correspond to an initial transmission and a retransmission of the same data (See paragraph 314 of Zhou et al.). Using the same HARQ process ID for multicast and unicast transmission has the advantage of allowing corresponding transmissions and retransmissions of data to be linked by the HARQ process ID. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Zhou et al., to combine using the same HARQ process ID for multicast and unicast transmission, as suggested by Zhou et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow corresponding transmissions and retransmissions of data to be linked by the HARQ process ID. Further, although Zhang et al. does disclose using a group-radio network temporary identifier, G-RNTI, which is a second RNTI, for the multicast downlink control information and corresponding to the multicast DRX cycle (See paragraphs 4, 17, and 78-79 of Zhang et al.), Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose the first control information is scrambled by using the G-RNTI. However, Zhou et al. also discloses a DCI with CRC scrambled by a G-RNTI (See paragraph 269 of Zhou et al.). Scrambling a DCI using a G-RNTI has the advantage of allowing a device to monitor for and recognize control information corresponding to a multicast transmission identified by the G-RNTI. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Zhou et al., to combine scrambling a DCI using a G-RNTI, as suggested by Zhou et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow a device to monitor for and recognize control information corresponding to a multicast transmission identified by the G-RNTI.
With respect to claim 23, Zhang et al. discloses stopping a second timer, wherein the second timer is a second retransmission timer corresponding to DRX associated with multicast, and the second timer corresponds to the first HARQ process (See paragraph 138 and paragraphs 142-143 of Zhang et al. for reference to stopping a multicast retransmission timer, which is a second timer, that is associated with the HARQ process of the UE when the multicast retransmission timer overlaps with a unicast active duration).
With respect to claim 25, Zhang et al. discloses wherein the DRX associated with multicast corresponds to the second RNTI (See paragraph 4, paragraph 78-79, and Figure 3 of Zhang et al. for reference to the multicast DRX cycle being associated with the G-RNTI).
With respect to claim 26, Zhang et al. discloses performing at least one of: receiving third control information transmitted in a unicast manner, wherein the third control information schedules third data, or receiving the third data, wherein the third data is transmitted in the unicast manner (See paragraphs 143-144 and Figure 10 of Zhang et al. for reference to receiving a unicast message, which is third data, in a unicast active duration). Zhang et al. also discloses starting or restarting a sixth timer, wherein the third data corresponds to the first HARQ process, the sixth timer is a HARQ round-trip time (RTT) timer corresponding to the DRX associated with unicast, and the sixth timer corresponds to the first HARQ process (See paragraph 144 of Zhang et al. for reference to initiating a unicast HARQ RTT timer, which is a sixth timer, wherein the unicast message and HARQ RTT timer correspond to the HARQ process of the UE).
With respect to claim 28, Zhang et al. discloses performing at least one of: receiving third control information transmitted in the multicast manner, wherein the third control information schedules third data; or receiving the third data, wherein the third data is transmitted in the multicast manner (See paragraphs 139-141, paragraph 145, and Figure 10 of Zhang et al. for reference to in another multicast active duration, illustrated as element 1055 in Figure 10, receiving multicast downlink control information indicating a resource allocation associated with multicast downlink data, which is third control information scheduling third data). Zhang et al. also discloses performing at least one of: starting or restarting a third timer; or starting or restarting a sixth timer, wherein the third data corresponds to the first HARQ process, the third timer is a HARQ RTT timer corresponding to the DRX associated with multicast, the third timer corresponds to the first HARQ process, the sixth timer is a second HARQ RTT timer corresponding to the DRX associated with unicast, and the sixth timer corresponds to the first HARQ process (See paragraph 142 and paragraph 145 of Zhang et al. for reference to initiating a multicast HARQ RTT timer, wherein the multicast HARQ RTT timer and the multicast data correspond to the HARQ process or the UE).
With respect to claim 32, Zhang et al. discloses a method (See the abstract of Zhang et al. for reference to a method for wireless communications). Zhang et al. also discloses performing at least one of: receiving second control information transmitted in a unicast manner, wherein the second control information schedules second data; or receiving the second data (See paragraphs 143-144 and Figure 10 of Zhang et al. for reference to receiving a unicast message, which is second data, in a unicast active duration). Zhang et al. also discloses stopping a second timer (See paragraph 138 and paragraphs 142-143 of Zhang et al. for reference to stopping a multicast retransmission timer, which is a second timer, when the multicast retransmission timer overlaps with a unicast active duration). Zhang et al. further discloses wherein the second data is transmitted in the unicast manner and the second data corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process (See paragraph 70 and paragraphs 143-144 of Zhang et al. for reference to receiving a unicast message, and for reference to the unicast message corresponding to a HARQ process of the UE). Zhang et al. also discloses the second timer is a second retransmission timer corresponding to discontinuous reception (DRX) associated with multicast, and the second timer corresponds to the a HARQ process (See paragraph 138 and paragraph 142-143 of Zhang et al. for reference to the timer being a multicast retransmission timer associated with a HARQ process of the UE). Zhang et al. discloses wherein the DRX associated with multicast corresponds to a second radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), wherein the second RNTI is used for one or more of: multicast, scheduling a multicast dynamic resource, scheduling a retransmission resource of the multicast dynamic resource, activating a multicast configured resource, reactivating the multicast configured resource, deactivating the multicast configured resource, and scheduling a retransmission resource of the multicast configured resource (See paragraph 4, paragraph 17, paragraph 78-79, and Figure 3 of Zhang et al. for reference to using a group-radio network temporary identifier, G-RNTI, which is a second RNTI, for the multicast downlink control information in the multicast DRX active duration). Although Zhang et al. does disclose stopping a unicast or multicast timer when there is an overlap between multicast and unicast active duration (See paragraph 138 and paragraph 145 of Zhang et al.), Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose that a same HARQ process corresponds to the multicast and unicast transmissions. However, Zhou et al., in the field of communications, discloses that multicast and unicast transmissions may use a same HARQ process ID when the multicast and unicast transmissions correspond to an initial transmission and a retransmission of the same data (See paragraph 314 of Zhou et al.). Using the same HARQ process ID for multicast and unicast transmission has the advantage of allowing corresponding transmissions and retransmissions of data to be linked by the HARQ process ID. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Zhou et al., to combine using the same HARQ process ID for multicast and unicast transmission, as suggested by Zhou et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow corresponding transmissions and retransmissions of data to be linked by the HARQ process ID.
With respect to claim 33, Zhang et al. discloses stopping a fifth timer, wherein the fifth timer is a retransmission timer corresponding to DRX associated with unicast, and the fifth timer corresponds to the first HARQ process (See paragraphs 138-145 and Figure 10 of Zhang et al. for reference to stopping a unicast retransmission timer, which is a fifth timer corresponding to DRX associated with unicast, when the unicast retransmission timer overlaps with a multicast active duration, wherein the unicast retransmission timer corresponds to the HARQ process of the UE).
With respect to claim 34, Zhang et al. discloses receiving first data on a second resource, wherein the second resource is a configured resource corresponding to multicast, and the first data corresponds to the first HARQ process; or receiving first control information transmitted in a multicast manner, wherein the first control information schedules the first data, and the first data corresponds to the first HARQ process (See paragraphs 139-142 and Figure 10 of Zhang et al. for reference to receiving multicast downlink control information, which is first control information, and a corresponding multicast message, which is first data, on a resource allocated by the multicast downlink control information, wherein the multicast message corresponds to the HARQ process of the UE).
Claims 27, 29-31, 35, and 37-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. in view of Zhou et al., and in further view of Babaei et al. (U.S. Publication US 2024/0224381 A1).
With respect to claim 27, Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose starting or restarting the fifth timer based on that the sixth timer expires and that the third data fails to be received or decoded. However, Babaei et al. in the field of communications, discloses performing a HARQ process wherein a drx-Retransmission TimerDL for the HARQ process is started in the first symbol after expiry of a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL and when data of the corresponding HARQ process was not successfully decoded (See paragraph 414 of Babaei et al.). Starting a retransmission timer after expiration of a RTT timer when data is not successfully decoded has the advantage of allowing the retransmission process of the data to be initiated such that another attempt to receive and successfully decode the data occurs. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Babaei et al., to combine starting a retransmission timer after expiration of a RTT timer when data is not successfully decoded, as suggested by Babaei et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow the retransmission process of the data to be initiated such that another attempt to receive and successfully decode the data occurs.
With respect to claim 29, Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose performing at least one of: starting or restarting a second timer based on that the third timer expires and that the third data fails to be received or decoded, wherein the second timer is a second retransmission timer corresponding to the DRX associated with multicast, and the second timer corresponds to the first HARQ process; or starting or restarting the fifth timer based on that the sixth timer expires and that the third data fails to be received or decoded. However, Babaei et al. discloses performing a HARQ process wherein a drx-Retransmission TimerDL for the HARQ process is started in the first symbol after expiry of a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL and when data of the corresponding HARQ process was not successfully decoded (See paragraph 414 of Babaei et al.). Starting a retransmission timer after expiration of a RTT timer when data is not successfully decoded has the advantage of allowing the retransmission process of the data to be initiated such that another attempt to receive and successfully decode the data occurs. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Babaei et al., to combine starting a retransmission timer after expiration of a RTT timer when data is not successfully decoded, as suggested by Babaei et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow the retransmission process of the data to be initiated such that another attempt to receive and successfully decode the data occurs.
With respect to claim 30, Zhang et al. discloses wherein the third control information is scrambled by using a second RNTI (See paragraph 4, paragraph 78-79, and Figure 3 of Zhang et al. for reference to using a group-radio network temporary identifier, G-RNTI, which is a second RNTI, for the multicast downlink control information).
With respect to claim 31, Zhang et al. discloses wherein the third data is transmitted on a configured resource corresponding to multicast (See paragraph 78-79 and Figure 3 of Zhang et al. for reference to multicast data being transmitted on a resource allocated by multicast downlink control information corresponding to a multicast active duration).
With respect to claim 35, Zhang et al. discloses performing one or more of: starting or restarting a third timer after first feedback information is sent, wherein the third timer is a HARQ round-trip time (RTT) timer corresponding to the DRX associated with multicast, and the third timer corresponds to the first HARQ process; or starting or restarting a sixth timer after the first feedback information is sent, wherein the sixth timer is a second HARQ RTT timer corresponding to the DRX associated with unicast, and the sixth timer corresponds to the first HARQ process, wherein the first feedback information indicates whether reception of the first data succeeds or fails (See paragraphs 142 and 144 of Zhang et al. for reference to initiating a multicast HARQ RTT timer after transmitting a multicast feedback message and initiating a unicast HARQ RTT timer after transmitting a unicast feedback message, wherein the feedback messages indicate whether messages were received or failure to receive the messages). Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose the HARQ RTT timers are initiated on a c-th symbol after feedback information is sent and c is an integer greater than 0. However, Babaei et al. discloses performing a HARQ process wherein a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL is started in the first symbol after the end of the corresponding transmission carrying the DL HARQ feedback, which corresponds to an embodiment wherein c is 1 (See paragraph 422 of Babaei et al.). Starting a RTT timer in the first symbol after the end of transmission of DL HARQ feedback has the advantage of allowing the device to wait for the corresponding response to the transmitted feedback thereby continuing the HARQ process. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Babaei et al., to combine starting a RTT timer in the first symbol after the end of transmission of DL HARQ feedback, as suggested by Babaei et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow the device to wait for the corresponding response to the transmitted feedback thereby continuing the HARQ process.
With respect to claim 37, Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose performing at least one of: starting or restarting the second timer based on that the third timer expires and that the first data fails to be received or decoded; or starting or restarting a fifth timer based on that the sixth timer expires and that the first data fails to be received or decoded, wherein the fifth timer is a retransmission timer corresponding to the DRX associated with unicast, and the fifth timer corresponds to the first HARQ process.
With respect to claim 38, Zhang et al. does not specifically disclose starting the second timer on a b-th symbol after the third timer expires, wherein b is an integer greater than 0.
With further respect to claims 37 and 38, Babaei et al. discloses performing a HARQ process wherein a drx-Retransmission TimerDL for the HARQ process is started in the first symbol after expiry of a drx-HARQ-RTT-TimerDL and when data of the corresponding HARQ process was not successfully decoded, which corresponds to an embodiment wherein b is 1 (See paragraph 414 of Babaei et al.). Starting a retransmission timer in the first symbol after expiration of a RTT timer when data is not successfully decoded has the advantage of allowing the retransmission process of the data to be initiated such that another attempt to receive and successfully decode the data occurs. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Babaei et al., to combine starting a retransmission timer in the first symbol after expiration of a RTT timer when data is not successfully decoded, as suggested by Babaei et al., within the system and method of Zhang et al., with the motivation being to allow the retransmission process of the data to be initiated such that another attempt to receive and successfully decode the data occurs.
Conclusion
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/JASON E MATTIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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