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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDSs), submitted on 08 November 2023 and 08 November 2023, were filed after the mailing date of the patent application on 28 September 2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings, received on 08 September 2023, are acceptable for examination.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities: Said claims recite “the sub-codebook comprises feedback bits for both the DCI and the M-DCI” while Claim 1 recites, in the alternative, that “feedback bits for at least one of: downlink control information (DCI) scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission via code block groups (CBGs); or a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH transmissions for a cell”. Here, if Examiner were to only rely on one of the two alternatives to perform the rejection, then this claim language requires that Examiner be able to disclose or teach both the DCI and the M-DCI. In order to improve claim clarity, Examiner respectfully suggests amending to “the sub-codebook comprises feedback bits for [[both]] either the DCI [[and]] or the M-DCI”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yin et al. (US 20200374045 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Yin”) in view of Yang et al. (US 20230171043 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Yang”).
Regarding Claim 1, Yin discloses a wireless device comprising:
one or more processors (¶24, Yin discloses a user equipment (UE) comprising a processor); and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device (¶24 & ¶214, Yin discloses the UE further comprising a memory, such as a "computer readable medium", storing program code, that, when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform a method) to:
transmit, via an uplink resource, a sub-codebook (¶170-173 & Fig. 2 & Fig. 3, Yin discloses transmit, via a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) or a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), at least one Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) sub-codebook. Examiner correlates either the PUCCH or the PUSCH to "an uplink resource") comprising feedback bits (¶28-29, Yin discloses that each HARQ sub-codebook comprises bits) for at least one of:
downlink control information (DCI) scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) reception via code block groups (CBGs) (¶52-53, Yin discloses a fallback downlink control information (DCI) scheduling a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) reception via code block groups (CBGs)).
However, Yin does not disclose [feedback bits for:] a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH receptions for a cell, wherein a number of the feedback bits is based on a larger of a first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and a second number of the CBGs.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches [feedback bits for:]
a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH receptions for a cell (¶334 & Fig. 10 (330), Yang discloses a downlink control information (DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCHs for reception by the UE for a wireless network comprising the BS and the UE. Examiner correlates the PDSCHs received by the UE to "multiple PDSCH receptions". Examiner correlates the wireless network of the BS and the UE to "a cell"),
wherein a number of the feedback bits is based on a larger of a first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and a second number of the CBGs (¶226, Yang discloses that the number of acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment (A/N) bits is a largest value of either a maximum number of PDSCHs (including the case where spatial bundling is configured) schedulable by any multi-TTI DCI (in a serving cell) and a maximum number of CBGs configured for any PDSCH).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin by requiring [feedback bits for:] a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH receptions for a cell, wherein a number of the feedback bits is based on a larger of a first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and a second number of the CBGs as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 2, Yin in view of Yang discloses the wireless device of claim 1.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the instructions further cause the wireless device to receive one or more configuration parameters indicating:
the first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI (¶226 & ¶333, Yang discloses that a maximum number of PDSCHs (including the case where spatial bundling is configured) schedulable by any multi-TTI DCI (in a serving cell) may be signaled via higher layer signaling); and
the second number of the CBGs (¶226 & ¶333, Yang discloses that a maximum number of CBGs configured for any PDSCH may be signaled via higher layer signaling).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by receive one or more configuration parameters indicating: the first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and the second number of the CBGs as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 3, Yin in view of Yang discloses the wireless device of claim 1.
Yin further discloses wherein the CBGs are for CBG-based reception of a transport block (TB) (¶28, Yin discloses that the code block groups (CBGs) are for reception of at least one transport block (TB)).
Regarding Claim 4, Yin in view of Yang discloses the wireless device of claim 1.
Yin further discloses the instructions further cause the wireless device to receive the DCI (¶52-53, Yin discloses receiving the fallback downlink control information (DCI)).
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits (¶88, Yang discloses that each DCI may comprise a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) where the PRI indicates the PUCCH resource for transmission of uplink control information (UCI) where the UCI may contain HARQ feedback).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by requiring that the DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 5, Yin in view of Yang discloses the wireless device of claim 1.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the instructions further cause the wireless device to receive the M-DCI (¶334 & Fig. 10 (330), Yang discloses receiving the DCI), wherein the M-DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits (¶88, Yang discloses that each DCI may comprise a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) where the PRI indicates the PUCCH resource for transmission of uplink control information (UCI) where the UCI may contain HARQ feedback).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by requiring that the instructions further cause the wireless device to receive the M-DCI and the DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 6, Yin in view of Yang discloses the wireless device of claim 1.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches each of the multiple PDSCH receptions corresponds to a single transport block (¶90, Yang discloses that the PDSCH may be configured to carry a single transport block (TB)).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by requiring that each of the multiple PDSCH receptions corresponds to a single transport block as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 7, Yin in view of Yang discloses the wireless device of claim 1.
Yin further discloses the sub-codebook comprises feedback bits for both the DCI and the M-DCI (¶65, Yin discloses that a codebook comprises a first sub-codebook for codeblock group (CBG) based PDSCH transmission and a second sub-codebook for transport block (TB) based PDSCH transmission).
Regarding Claim 8, Yin discloses a base station comprising:
one or more processors (¶25, Yin discloses a base station (BS) comprising a processor); and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the base station (¶25 & ¶214, Yin discloses the BS further comprising a memory, such as a "computer readable medium", storing program code, that, when executed by the processor, cause the UE to perform a method) to:
receive, from a wireless device and via an uplink resource, a sub-codebook (¶170-173 & Fig. 2 & Fig. 3, Yin discloses receive, from a user equipment (UE) and via a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) or a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), at least one Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) sub-codebook. Examiner correlates either the PUCCH or the PUSCH to "an uplink resource") comprising feedback bits (¶28-29, Yin discloses that each HARQ sub-codebook comprises bits) for at least one of:
downlink control information (DCI) scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission via code block groups (CBGs) (¶52-53, Yin discloses a fallback downlink control information (DCI) scheduling a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) reception via code block groups (CBGs)).
However, Yin does not disclose [feedback bits for:] a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH receptions for a cell, wherein a number of the feedback bits is based on a larger of a first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and a second number of the CBGs.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches [feedback bits for:]
a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH receptions for a cell (¶334 & Fig. 10 (330), Yang discloses a downlink control information (DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCHs for reception by the UE for a wireless network comprising the BS and the UE. Examiner correlates the PDSCHs received by the UE to "multiple PDSCH receptions". Examiner correlates the wireless network of the BS and the UE to "a cell"),
wherein a number of the feedback bits is based on a larger of a first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and a second number of the CBGs (¶226, Yang discloses that the number of acknowledgment/negative acknowledgment (A/N) bits is a largest value of either a maximum number of PDSCHs (including the case where spatial bundling is configured) schedulable by any multi-TTI DCI (in a serving cell) and a maximum number of CBGs configured for any PDSCH).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin by requiring [feedback bits for:] a multi-PDSCH scheduling DCI (M-DCI) scheduling multiple PDSCH receptions for a cell, wherein a number of the feedback bits is based on a larger of a first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and a second number of the CBGs as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 9, Yin in view of Yang discloses the base station of claim 8.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the instructions further cause the base station to transmit one or more configuration parameters indicating:
the first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI (¶226 & ¶333, Yang discloses that a maximum number of PDSCHs (including the case where spatial bundling is configured) schedulable by any multi-TTI DCI (in a serving cell) may be signaled via higher layer signaling); and
the second number of the CBGs (¶226 & ¶333, Yang discloses that a maximum number of CBGs configured for any PDSCH may be signaled via higher layer signaling).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by transmit one or more configuration parameters indicating: the first number of schedulable PDSCHs by the M-DCI and the second number of the CBGs as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 10, Yin in view of Yang discloses the base station of claim 8.
Yin further discloses the CBGs are for CBG-based transmission of a transport block (TB) (¶28, Yin discloses that the code block groups (CBGs) are for reception of at least one transport block (TB)).
Regarding Claim 11, Yin in view of Yang discloses the base station of claim 8.
Yin further discloses the instructions further cause the base station to transmit the DCI (¶52-53, Yin discloses receiving the fallback downlink control information (DCI)).
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits (¶88, Yang discloses that each DCI may comprise a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) where the PRI indicates the PUCCH resource for transmission of uplink control information (UCI) where the UCI may contain HARQ feedback).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by requiring that the DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 12, Yin in view of Yang discloses the base station of claim 8.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the instructions further cause the base station to transmit the M-DCI (¶334 & Fig. 10 (330), Yang discloses transmitting the DCI), wherein the M-DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits (¶88, Yang discloses that each DCI may comprise a Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource indicator (PRI) where the PRI indicates the PUCCH resource for transmission of uplink control information (UCI) where the UCI may contain HARQ feedback).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by requiring that the instructions further cause the base station to transmit the M-DCI and the M-DCI indicates the uplink resource for the feedback bits as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 13, Yin in view of Yang discloses the base station of claim 8.
Yang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches each of the multiple PDSCH transmissions corresponds to a single transport block (¶90, Yang discloses that the PDSCH may be configured to carry a single transport block (TB)).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yin in view of Yang by requiring that each of the multiple PDSCH receptions corresponds to a single transport block as taught by Yang because the efficiency of wireless signal transmission/reception procedures is improved (Yang, ¶4).
Regarding Claim 14, Yin in view of Yang he base station of claim 8.
Yin further discloses the sub-codebook comprises feedback bits for both the DCI and the M-DCI (¶65, Yin discloses that a codebook comprises a first sub-codebook for codeblock group (CBG) based PDSCH transmission and a second sub-codebook for transport block (TB) based PDSCH transmission).
Regarding Claim 15, Claim 15 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 16, Claim 16 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 2.
Regarding Claim 17, Claim 17 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 3.
Regarding Claim 18, Claim 18 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 4.
Regarding Claim 19, Claim 19 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 5.
Regarding Claim 20, Claim 20 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 6.
Internet Communications
Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC NOWLIN whose telephone number is (313)446-6544. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00PM-10:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIC NOWLIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2474