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 § 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) 21, 24-28, 31-35 and 38-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] in view of Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319].
As claims 21, 28 and 35, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] discloses an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor, configured to: receive/generating a first message, wherein the first message comprises information of a configuration that is related to physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetition transmission [Par. 0110 discloses Base station send configuration information to UE to how to pair the PDCCH candidates sequences into the sets of PDCCH candidates for transmission repetitions], the configuration that is related to the PDCCH repetition transmission is configured for determining M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences, each group of PDCCH candidate sequences of the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences comprises 2 PDCCH candidates, the 2 PDCCH candidates of each group of PDCCH candidate sequences associated with for sending same downlink control information [Par. 0126-0127, 0130, 0302 discloses a group of two PDCCH candidate sequences which carries a same DCI content, from multiple groups of two of PDCCH candidate sequences], the 2 PDCCH candidates of each group of PDCCH candidate sequences are separately located on different symbols [Par. 0126 discloses pair of PDCCH multiplexed into slot or different slot “symbols”], M is a positive integer [Par. 0127, M is integer], and wherein each PDCCH candidate in the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences meets a first condition [Par. 0146-0151, 0230, 0307 discloses PDCCH candidates in the group meet condition such as no overlap, capability decoding the PDCCH repetitions, group limitation based on capability of UE]; and parse/sending the first message [Fig 8]. However, Grossmann fails to discloses the first message comprises information of a configuration that is related to parameters for reception of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetition transmission, the configuration that is related to the parameters for the reception of the PDCCH repetition transmission is configured for associated with determining M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences. In the same field of endeavor, Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319] discloses the first message comprises information of a configuration that is related to parameters for reception of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetition transmission, the configuration that is related to the parameters for the reception of the PDCCH repetition transmission is configured for associated with determining M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences [Fig 3, Ref 105 send a configuration message [Fig 3, Ref 310-320] includes information that related to the parameters [Fig 3, Ref 305] for receiving of PDCCH candidates wherein the PDCCH candidates form into the groups wherein each group includes two PDCCH candidates which includes same DCI, Fig 2 discloses intra-slot each PDCCH is at different symbol].
Since, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] suggests the use of intra-slot and UE’s capability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply a method and system comprising the first message comprises information of a configuration that is related to parameters for reception of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetition transmission, the configuration that is related to the parameters for the reception of the PDCCH repetition transmission is configured for associated with determining M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences as disclosed by Khoshnevisan into the teaching of Grossmann [US 2023/0125672]. The motivation would have been to provide a reliability communication.
As claims 24, 31 and 38, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] implicitly discloses a total quantity of control channel elements (CCEs) corresponding to the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences is less than or equal to a preset first value [Par. 0132, 0134 discloses each PDCCH in a group is mapped to one CCE; So AL-1 – AL-16 has 34 CCEs which is mapped 17 groups of PDCCHs. Total CCEs 34 corresponds to 17 groups of PDCCHs is equal preset value such as 34], and each PDCCH candidate comprises one or more CCEs [Par. 0282].
As claims 25, 32 and 39, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] discloses the total quantity of CCEs corresponding to the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences is a sum of a quantity of CCEs corresponding to the first PDCCH candidate in each group of PDCCH candidate sequences in the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences is first preset value [Par. 0132, 0134 discloses each PDCCH in a group is mapped to one CCE; So AL-1 – AL-16 has 34 CCEs which is mapped 17 groups of PDCCHs. Total CCEs of the first PDCCH candidate of groups of PDCCHs is equal preset value such as 17].
As claims 26, 33 and 40, Khoshnevisan discloses before receiving the first message, send a second message, wherein the second message comprises a capability that is supported by a terminal device and that is related to the parameters for the reception of the PDCCH repetition transmission [Fig 3, Ref 305], and the capability that is supported by the terminal device and that is related to the parameters for the reception of the PDCCH repetition transmission is associated determining the first condition [Fig 3, Ref 305 UE supports decoding and combining the PDCCH repetition according the reported capability, Par. 0061].
As claims 27 and 34, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] discloses the capability that is supported by the terminal device and that is related to the PDCCH repetition transmission [Par. 0209 with G groups of PDCCH candidates] comprises a total quantity of CCEs corresponding to each group of PDCCH candidate sequences of the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences is a preset first value [Par. 0132, 0134 discloses each PDCCH in a group is mapped to one CCE; So AL-1 – AL-16 has 34 CCEs which is mapped 17 groups of PDCCHs. Total CCEs of each of groups of PDCCHs is preset value such as two].
Claim(s) 22-23, 29-30 and 36-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] and Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319] as applied to claims 21, 28, 35 above, and further in view of Takahashi [US 2023/0362956].
As claims 22, 29 and 36, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] and Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319] fail to disclose what Takahashi [US 2023/0362956] discloses the first condition comprises a time interval between the 2 PDCCH candidates in each group of PDCCH candidate sequences of the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences comprises is less than 7 orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols [Fig 6-8, the spacing between the first and second is less than 7 symbols, Par. 0081].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply a method and system comprising spacing between the repetitions PDCCH candidates as disclosed by Takahashi into the teaching of Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] and Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319]. The motivation would have been to prevent data loss.
As claims 23, 30 and 37, Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] and Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319] fail to disclose what Takahashi [US 2023/0362956] discloses the time interval between the 2 PDCCH candidates in each group of PDCCH candidate sequences of the M groups of PDCCH candidate sequences is between a start symbol of a first PDCCH candidate in the 2 PDCCH candidates and an end symbol of a 2nd PDCCH candidate in the 2 PDCCH candidates, and each PDCCH candidate occupies one or more symbols [Fig 6-8, each of the first and second PDCCH occupies one symbol, spacing between the start symbol of first and end symbol of the second PDCCH, Par. 0081].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply a method and system comprising spacing between the repetitions PDCCH candidates as disclosed by Takahashi into the teaching of Grossmann [US 2023/0125672] and Khoshnevisan [US 2022/0225319]. The motivation would have been to prevent data loss.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEVEN HIEU D NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3159. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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/STEVEN HIEU D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414