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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 14 and 20 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 20 of copending application No. 18/342,452 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both claims are directed to receiving control information for configuring a HARQ-ACK codebook and scheduling of feedback resources. Below is a table showing the correspondence between instant Claims 1, 14 and 20 and Claims 1 and 20 of the copending application, with differences underlined.
Claim No.
instant application
(18/367,326)
copending Application
(18/342,452)
Claim No.
1
A method for codebook feedback, comprising:
A wireless communication method, comprising:
1
receiving, by a first device, first control information from a second device,
receiving, by a first device, first control information transmitted by a second device,
wherein the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission,
wherein the first control information is for scheduling transmission of S physical channels,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format,
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2,
a maximum number of transmissions of M physical channels can be scheduled by the first control information format M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2,
S is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M,
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook, and
at least one physical channel among the S physical channels corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)-acknowledgment (ACK) codebook,
the HARQ ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource;
the first HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource,
the first control information comprises first scheduling counter information, and
the first scheduling counter information indicates an ordering of the first control information in control information transmitted by the second device within a HARQ feedback window; and
sending, by the first device, the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
transmitting, by the first device, the first HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
14
A method for codebook feedback, comprising:
A wireless communication method, comprising:
1
sending, by the second device, first control information to a first device,
receiving, by a first device, first control information transmitted by a second device,
wherein the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission,
wherein the first control information is for scheduling transmission of S physical channels,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format,
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2,
a maximum number of transmissions of M physical channels can be scheduled by the first control information format is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2,
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook, and
at least one physical channel among the S physical channels corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)-acknowledgment (ACK) codebook,
the HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource;
the first HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource,
S a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M,
the first control information comprises first scheduling counter information, and the first scheduling counter information indicates an ordering of the first control information in control information transmitted by the second device within a HARQ feedback window; and
receiving, by the second device, the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
transmitting, by the first device, the first HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
20
A terminal device, comprising
A first device, comprising:
20
a transceiver;
a transceiver; a memory configured to store computer programs; and a processor configured to invoke and execute the computer programs stored in the memory to cause the transceiver to:
wherein the transceiver is configured to receive first control information from a second device,
receive first control information transmitted by a second device,
the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission,
wherein the first control information is for scheduling transmission of S physical channels,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format,
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2,
a maximum number of transmissions of M physical channels can be scheduled by the first control information format,
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook, and
at least one physical channel among the S physical channels corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)- acknowledgment (ACK) codebook,
the HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource;
the first HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource,
M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, S is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to M,
the first control information comprises first scheduling counter information, and the first scheduling counter information indicates an ordering of the first control information in control information transmitted by the second device within a HARQ feedback window; and
the transceiver is further configured to send the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
transmit the first HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented. As indicated above, the subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the copending application and is covered by the copending application. The instant application and the copending application are claiming common subject matter, and the difference in limitation(s) are merely differences in wording. Therefore, Claims 1, 14 and 20 are rejected on the ground of provisional nonstatutory obviousness type double patenting in light of the copending application Claims 1 and 20
Claims 1, 14 and 20 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 29 of copending application No. 18/227,564 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both claims are directed to receiving control information for configuring a HARQ-ACK codebook and scheduling of feedback resources. Below is a table showing the correspondence between instant Claims 1, 14 and 20 and Claims 1 and 29 of the copending application, with differences underlined.
Claim No.
instant application
(18/367,326)
copending application
(18/227,564)
Claim No.
1
A method for codebook feedback, comprising:
A wireless communication method, comprising:
1
receiving, by a first device, first control information from a second device,
receiving, by a first device, first control information transmitted by a second device,
wherein the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission,
the first control information being used to schedule transmission of S physical channels,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell,
the first control information corresponding to a first control information format, and
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2,
transmission of a maximum number M of physical channels being schedulable by the first control information format, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2,
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook, and
at least one of the S physical channels corresponding to a first physical channel group or a first feedback bit group, the first physical channel group or the first feedback bit group corresponding to a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook,
the HARQ ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource;
the first HARQ- ACK codebook corresponding to a first feedback resource,
and S is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and smaller than or equal to M; and
sending, by the first device, the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
transmitting, by the first device, the first HARQ-ACK codebook via the first feedback resource;
wherein the first feedback bit group comprises a fixed number N pieces of feedback information, N is configured by the second device, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; and/or N is a positive integer smaller than M;
when S is smaller than or equal to N, feedback bit positions of the first S physical channels in feedback bit positions of the first feedback bit group are feedback bit positions of the S physical channels, and/or when S is greater than N, a feedback bit position of one physical channel in feedback bit positions of the first feedback bit group is a feedback bit position of at least two of the S physical channels adopting bunding feedback.
14
A method for codebook feedback, comprising:
A wireless communication method, comprising:
1
sending, by the second device, first control information to a first device,
receiving, by a first device, first control information transmitted by a second device,
wherein the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission,
the first control information being used to schedule transmission of S physical channels,
at least one of the S physical channels corresponding to a first physical channel group or a first feedback bit group,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell,
the first control information corresponding to a first control information format, and
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2,
transmission of a maximum number M of physical channels being schedulable by the first control information format, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, and
S is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and smaller than or equal to M; and
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook, and
the first physical channel group or the first feedback bit group corresponding to a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook,
the HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource;
the first HARQ- ACK codebook corresponding to a first feedback resource,
receiving, by the second device, the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
transmitting, by the first device, the first HARQ-ACK codebook via the first feedback resource;
wherein the first feedback bit group comprises a fixed number N pieces of feedback information, N is configured by the second device, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; and/or N is a positive integer smaller than M;
when S is smaller than or equal to N, feedback bit positions of the first S physical channels in feedback bit positions of the first feedback bit group are feedback bit positions of the S physical channels, and/or when S is greater than N, a feedback bit position of one physical channel in feedback bit positions of the first feedback bit group is a feedback bit position of at least two of the S physical channels adopting bunding feedback.
20
A terminal device, comprising
A first device, comprising:
29
a transceiver;
a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has a computer program stored thereon, and the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory to
perform the method according to claim 1 (see below)
wherein the transceiver is configured to receive first control information from a second device,
receiving, by a first device, first control information transmitted by a second device, (examiner’s note: which necessarily required a transceiver)
1
the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission,
the first control information being used to schedule transmission of S physical channels,
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell,
the first control information corresponding to a first control information format, and
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2,
transmission of a maximum number M of physical channels being schedulable by the first control information format, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2, and
S is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1 and smaller than or equal to M; and
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook, and
at least one of the S physical channels corresponding to a first physical channel group or a first feedback bit group, the first physical channel group or the first feedback bit group corresponding to a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook,
the HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource;
the first HARQ- ACK codebook corresponding to a first feedback resource,
the transceiver is further configured to send the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource.
transmitting, by the first device, the first HARQ-ACK codebook via the first feedback resource;
wherein the first feedback bit group comprises a fixed number N pieces of feedback information, N is configured by the second device, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1; and/or N is a positive integer smaller than M; when S is smaller than or equal to N, feedback bit positions of the first S physical channels in feedback bit positions of the first feedback bit group are feedback bit positions of the S physical channels, and/or when S is greater than N, a feedback bit position of one physical channel in feedback bit positions of the first feedback bit group is a feedback bit position of at least two of the S physical channels adopting bunding feedback.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented. As indicated above, the subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the copending application and is covered by the copending application. The instant application and the copending application are claiming common subject matter, and the difference in limitation(s) are merely differences in wording. Therefore, Claims 1, 14 and 20 are rejected on the ground of provisional nonstatutory obviousness type double patenting in light of the copending application Claims 1 and 29
Claim Objections
Claims 1-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: conjunctions (e.g. ‘and’) are missing throughout. All claims without a conjunction before the final limitation are interpreted as being inclusive, i.e. examiner is assuming there is an unclaimed ‘and’ where there is no conjunction. If applicant wishes the claims to be interpreted such that each limitation is required to be taught, ‘and’ should be added immediately before the final limitation of each limitation. Appropriate correction is required.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claim(s) 1, 13-14 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Medles (US 2019/0342041 A1).
Medles teaches configuration of physical resources for the purpose of HARQ-ACK feedback. See, for example, Fig. 9 recreated below.
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Regarding Claim 1, Medles teaches the below limitation(s):
receiving, by a first device, first control information from a second device, wherein the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission (Medles Fig 9 block 910 receive, by a processor of an apparatus (i.e. first device), a downlink control information (DCI) format comprising a resource indication (i.e. control information); [0004] DCI indicates PUCCH resource scheduled for HARQ-ACK information transmission),
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell (Fig 9 block 910 and [0004] HARQ-ACK codebook should be transmitted in a slot indicated by a value of a HARQ feedback timing indicator field in a corresponding DCI format),
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2 (examiner is interpreting "maximum number … is not less than 2" as the number of physical channel transmissions schedule by the control information is two or more; [0004] multiple (i.e. not less than 2) HARQ-ACK feedbacks corresponding to multiple PDSCH transmissions may be multiplexed; [0005] in LTE, network node may schedule a plurality of PDSCHs for downlink transmission and the UE needs to report the HARQ feedback information corresponding to each of the PDSCHs;),
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook ([0004] DCI indicates PUCCH resource (i.e. physical channel) scheduled for HARQ-ACK information transmission), and
the HARQ ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource ([0004] UE (first device) reports HARQ-ACK information (i.e. feedback) for corresponding downlink receptions in a HARQ-ACK codebook and PUCCH (uplink resource) may be used to carry HARQ-ACK feedbacks);
sending, by the first device, the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource (Fig 9 and [0059] block 930 transmit, by the processor, HARQ-ACK information (e.g. HARQ-ACK codebook) in the PUCCH resource (i.e. feedback resource)).
Regarding Claim 13, Medles teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Medles further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the first device is a terminal, the second device is a network device (Medles Fig 8 communication apparatus 810 (i.e. UE per [0045]) and network apparatus 820 (i.e. base station per [0046])),
the physical channel comprises a downlink physical channel ([0004] HARQ-ACK feedbacks correspond to multiple PDSCH (i.e. downlink physical channels)), and
the first feedback resource comprises an uplink resource ([0004] PUCCH (uplink resource) may be used to carry HARQ-ACK feedbacks); or
… (alternative limitations not required to be taught).
Regarding Claim 14, Medles teaches the below limitation(s):
sending, by the second device, first control information to a first device, wherein the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission (Medles Fig 9 block 910 receive, by a processor of an apparatus (i.e. first device), a downlink control information (DCI) format comprising a resource indication (i.e. control information); [0004] DCI indicates PUCCH resource scheduled for HARQ-ACK information transmission),
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell (Fig 9 block 910 and [0004] HARQ-ACK codebook should be transmitted in a slot indicated by a value of a HARQ feedback timing indicator field in a corresponding DCI format),
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2 (examiner is interpreting "maximum number … is not less than 2" as the number of physical channel transmissions schedule by the control information is two or more; [0004] multiple (i.e. not less than 2) HARQ-ACK feedbacks corresponding to multiple PDSCH transmissions may be multiplexed; [0005] in LTE, network node may schedule a plurality of PDSCHs for downlink transmission and the UE needs to report the HARQ feedback information corresponding to each of the PDSCHs;),
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook ([0004] DCI indicates PUCCH resource (i.e. physical channel) scheduled for HARQ-ACK information transmission), and
the HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource ([0004] UE (first device) reports HARQ-ACK information (i.e. feedback) for corresponding downlink receptions in a HARQ-ACK codebook and PUCCH (uplink resource) may be used to carry HARQ-ACK feedbacks);
receiving, by the second device, the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource (Fig 9 and [0059] block 930 transmit, by the processor, HARQ-ACK information (e.g. HARQ-ACK codebook) in the PUCCH resource (i.e. feedback resource)).
Regarding Claim 19, Medles teaches the limitation(s) of Claim 14.
Medles further teaches the below limitation(s):
wherein the HARQ-ACK codebook is used to carry feedback information corresponding to at least one of the following control information:
the first control information, wherein the first control information schedules a plurality of physical channel transmissions ((Medles [0004] DCI format should indicate the PUCCH resource scheduled for the HARQ-ACK information transmission, wherein multiple HARQ-ACK feedbacks corresponding to multiple PDSCH transmission may be multiplexed and transmitted)); or schedules a transmission of a physical channel and the physical channel corresponds to a CBG feedback; or schedules a transmission of a physical channel and the physical channel corresponds to a TB feedback;
… (alternative limitations not required to be taught).
Regarding Claim 20, Medles teaches the below limitation(s):
a transceiver; wherein the transceiver is configured to receive first control information from a second device (Medles [0011] an apparatus may comprise a transceiver capable of wireless communicating with a network node and may be capable of receiving a DCI format),
the first control information schedules at least one physical channel transmission (Fig 9 block 910 receive, by a processor of an apparatus (i.e. first device), a downlink control information (DCI) format comprising a resource indication (i.e. control information); [0004] DCI indicates PUCCH resource scheduled for HARQ-ACK information transmission),
the first control information corresponds to a first control information format on a first cell (Fig 9 block 910 and [0004] HARQ-ACK codebook should be transmitted in a slot indicated by a value of a HARQ feedback timing indicator field in a corresponding DCI format),
a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format on the first cell is not less than 2 (examiner is interpreting "maximum number … is not less than 2" as the number of physical channel transmissions schedule by the control information is two or more; [0004] multiple (i.e. not less than 2) HARQ-ACK feedbacks corresponding to multiple PDSCH transmissions may be multiplexed; [0005] in LTE, network node may schedule a plurality of PDSCHs for downlink transmission and the UE needs to report the HARQ feedback information corresponding to each of the PDSCHs;),
the at least one physical channel transmission corresponds to a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request-Acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) codebook ([0004] DCI indicates PUCCH resource (i.e. physical channel) scheduled for HARQ-ACK information transmission), and
the HARQ-ACK codebook corresponds to a first feedback resource ([0004] UE (first device) reports HARQ-ACK information (i.e. feedback) for corresponding downlink receptions in a HARQ-ACK codebook and PUCCH (uplink resource) may be used to carry HARQ-ACK feedbacks);
the transceiver is further configured to send the HARQ-ACK codebook on the first feedback resource (Fig 9 and [0059] block 930 transmit, by the processor, HARQ-ACK information (e.g. HARQ-ACK codebook) in the PUCCH resource (i.e. feedback resource)).
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.
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 nonobviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 2 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Medles (US 2019/0342041 A1) in view of Xiao (US 2022/0232603 A1).
Regarding Claim 14, Medles and Xiao disclose the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Medles further discloses the below limitation(s): wherein the first feedback resource is used to feed back at least two sets of feedback information corresponding to at least two sets of control information (Medles [0004] multiple (i.e. not less than 2) HARQ-ACK feedbacks corresponding to multiple PDSCH transmissions may be multiplexed), and
at least one set of the at least two sets of feedback information comprises feedback information of the at least one physical channel transmission scheduled by the first control information ([0005] in LTE, network node may schedule a plurality of PDSCHs for downlink transmission and the UE needs to report the HARQ feedback information corresponding to each of the PDSCHs);
Medles does not disclose the below limitation(s): sending, by the first device, a first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and a second H-ARQ- ACK subcodebook on the first feedback resource,
wherein the at least two sets of feedback information are respectively carried in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook which are cascaded;
wherein a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook is less than a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook.
In the same field of endeavor of configuring HARQ-ACK feedback, Xiao does disclose the below limitation(s): sending, by the first device, a first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and a second H-ARQ- ACK subcodebook on the first feedback resource (Xiao [0078] teaches usage of a plurality of HARQ-ACK sub-codebooks sent by terminal (i.e. first device) and [0079] base station (i.e. second device) obtains the HARQ-ACK codebook, which examiner is interpreting as comprising the sub-codebooks described in the previous paragraph),
wherein the at least two sets of feedback information are respectively carried in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook which are cascaded ([0078] M HARQ-ACK sub-codebooks are cascaded to form one joint codebook);
wherein a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook is less than a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook ([0078] the bit information of the kth HARQ-ACK sub-codebook is cascaded after the bit information of a (k-1)th HARQ-ACK sub-codebook).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the aforementioned method for codebook feedback to include cascading subcodebooks each with different bit information as taught by Xiao. The suggestion/motivation to do so would have been to cascade a plurality of subcodebook into a single codebook so that the subcodebooks for different feedback sizes can be communicated simultaneously. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Medles and Xiao to obtain the invention, as specified in the instant claim.
Regarding Claim 15, Medles and Xiao disclose the limitation(s) of Claim 14.
Medles further discloses the below limitation(s): wherein the first feedback resource is used to feed back at least two sets of feedback information corresponding to at least two sets of control information (Medles [0004] multiple (i.e. not less than 2) HARQ-ACK feedbacks corresponding to multiple PDSCH transmissions may be multiplexed), and
at least one set of the at least two sets of feedback information comprises feedback information of the at least one physical channel transmission scheduled by the first control information ([0005] in LTE, network node may schedule a plurality of PDSCHs for downlink transmission and the UE needs to report the HARQ feedback information corresponding to each of the PDSCHs);
Medles does not disclose the below limitation(s): sending, by the first device, a first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and a second H-ARQ- ACK subcodebook on the first feedback resource,
wherein the at least two sets of feedback information are respectively carried in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook which are cascaded;
wherein a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook is less than a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook.
In the same field of endeavor of configuring HARQ-ACK feedback, Xiao does disclose the below limitation(s): sending, by the first device, a first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and a second H-ARQ- ACK subcodebook on the first feedback resource (Xiao [0078] teaches usage of a plurality of HARQ-ACK sub-codebooks sent by terminal (i.e. first device) and [0079] base station (i.e. second device) obtains the HARQ-ACK codebook, which examiner is interpreting as comprising the sub-codebooks described in the previous paragraph),
wherein the at least two sets of feedback information are respectively carried in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook and the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook which are cascaded ([0078] M HARQ-ACK sub-codebooks are cascaded to form one joint codebook);
wherein a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the first HARQ-ACK subcodebook is less than a number of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the second HARQ-ACK subcodebook ([0078] the bit information of the kth HARQ-ACK sub-codebook is cascaded after the bit information of a (k-1)th HARQ-ACK sub-codebook).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the aforementioned method for codebook feedback to include cascading subcodebooks each with different bit information as taught by Xiao. The suggestion/motivation to do so would have been to cascade a plurality of subcodebook into a single codebook so that the subcodebooks for different feedback sizes can be communicated simultaneously. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Medles and Xiao to obtain the invention, as specified in the instant claim.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Medles in view of Kim (US 2022/0174707 A1).
Regarding Claim 11, Medles and Kim disclose the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Medles does not disclose the below limitation(s): wherein a number M3 of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on a third configuration parameter of a network device; or
a number M3 of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format.
In the same field of endeavor of configuring HARQ-ACK feedback, Kim does disclose the below limitation(s): wherein a number M3 of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on a third configuration parameter of a network device; or
a number M3 of bits of feedback information corresponding to each control information in the HARQ-ACK codebook is determined based on a maximum number of physical channel transmissions scheduled by the first control information format (Kim [0084] HARQ-ACK codebook size (i.e. number M3 of bits of feedback information) may be determined based on a maximum value among the configured per-CC N values (i.e. third parameter), where N is a maximum number of PDSCHs (or slots, TBs, minislots) that can be scheduled).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the aforementioned method for codebook feedback to include determine a codebook size in bits according based at least in part on a maximum number of PDSCHs as taught by Kim. The suggestion/motivation to do so would have been to identify a maximum HARQ-ACK codebook size in order to balance efficient resource assignment with possible congestion. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Medles and Kim to obtain the invention, as specified in the instant claim.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Medles in view of Khoshnevisan (US 2021/0050957 A1).
Regarding Claim 12, Medles and Khoshnevisan disclose the limitation(s) of Claim 1.
Medles further discloses the below limitation(s): determining a control channel detection opportunity based on first information, the first information comprising at least one of:
a time domain location of a last physical channel of one or more physical channels; a HARQ feedback timing set; a time unit length, wherein the time unit length is used to determine a time interval between first symbols of two consecutive control channel detection opportunities; a time domain offset between the first control information format and a first physical channel in the one or more physical channels scheduled by the first control information format ([0029] resource indication may comprise an offset value (e.g. K1), wherein the offset value may be indicated in terms of symbols (e.g. OFDM symbols)); or a time domain offset between the first control information format and a last physical channel in the one or more physical channels scheduled by the first control information format;
Medles does not disclose the below limitation(s): wherein the one or more physical channels is determined based on a Time Domain Resource Assignment (TDRA) table corresponding to the first control information format on the first cell.
In the same field of endeavor of configuring HARQ-ACK feedback, Khoshnevisan does disclose the below limitation(s): wherein the one or more physical channels is determined based on a Time Domain Resource Assignment (TDRA) table corresponding to the first control information format on the first cell (Khoshnevisan [0095] set of PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA) candidates may be denoted by R (from TDRA table configured or the default TDRA table)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the aforementioned method for codebook feedback to include using a TDRA table to determine a physical channel for feedback as taught by Khoshnevisan. The suggestion/motivation to do so would have been to store configuration of physical channels in a table so that a target physical channel can be identified more efficiently than dynamic channel selection. Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Medles and Khoshnevisan to obtain the invention, as specified in the instant claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 and 16-18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: a thorough and complete search has been conducted and no prior art has been found that solely, or in any reasonable combination, reads on each element of the indicated claim(s).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAWN D MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-8599. The examiner can normally be reached M-TR 8-5.
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/SHAWN D MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412