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 . Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8-14, 16, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NPL “Summary #4 of AI 8.4.3 for HARQ for NTN” (hereinafter referred to as ZTE).
RE Claim 1¸ ZTE discloses A Physical Downlink Shared CHannel (PDSCH) transmission method (See ZTE Sections 1, 4), comprising:
determining, by a network-side device, a first time when a second Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process corresponding to a second PDSCH scheduled by the network-side device is the same as a first HARQ process corresponding to a first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – determining timing when it comes to consecutive scheduling of PDSCH with the same HARQ process), wherein the first PDSCH is a PDSCH scheduled by the network-side device before scheduling of the second PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – first PDSCH is scheduled before second PDSCH (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” bullet point)), the first time is related to first information, and the first information indicates whether a terminal feeds back a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – based on whether HARQ feedback is enabled/disabled, if disabled, HARQ-ACK is not fed back for PDSCH etc… (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)); and
transmitting, by the network-side device, the second PDSCH at a time point not earlier than the first time (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – transmitting consecutive PDSCHs wherein second PDSCH is not earlier than first PDSCH (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)).
RE Claim 2¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the determining, by a network-side device, a first time comprises:
determining, by the network-side device, the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information (See ZTE Section 5; “Agreement” – enabling/disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling), wherein the indicating manner comprises at least one of the following:
being indicated by higher-layer signaling (See ZTE Section 5; “Agreement” – enabling/disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling (i.e. higher layer signaling)); or being indicated by Downlink Control Information (DCI).
RE Claim 3¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein the determining, by the network-side device, the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the higher-layer signaling and the first information indicates that the terminal does not feed back a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 5; “Agreement” – enabling/disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling (i.e. higher layer signaling)), determining, by the network-side device, the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI or a predefined rule (See ZTE Section 4, pg. 11 – i.e. “Definition 1” – X is defined from the end of the reception of the last PDSCH…for a given HARQ process with disabled feedback to the start of the DCI scheduling another PDSCH).
wherein the first DCI is DCI for scheduling the first PDSCH (See ZTE pg. 13; Section 4 – last paragraph – if the first uplink symbol in the PUSCH allocation for a transport block, including the DM-RS, as defined by the slot offset K2 and the start and length indicator SLIV of the scheduling DCI and including the effect of the timing advance, is no earlier than at symbol L2, here L2 is defined as the next uplink symbol with its CP starting Tproc,2 after the end of the reception of the last symbol of the PDCCH carrying the DCI scheduling the PUSCH, then the UE shall transmit the transport block; Section 3, pg. 6 – timing values in DCI scheduling PDSCH).
RE Claim 5¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein the determining the first time based on the content of the first information comprises:
when the first information indicates that the terminal feeds back a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH, determining the first time based on an end position of a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – if HARQ-ACK is enabled, HARQ process is only available once the HARQ-ACK information of previous scheduling for a given HARQ process is received (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)); or
when the first information indicates that the terminal does not feed back a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH, determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI or the predefined rule,
wherein the first DCI is DCI for scheduling the first PDSCH.
RE Claim 8¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 5 above, wherein the predefined rule comprises:
the first time being determined based on a position of T1 time after an end position of the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – determining the gap between PDSCH and HARQ (K1 – dl-DataToUL-ACK) (i.e. “For the process timing:” bullet point)).
RE Claim 9¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 8 above, wherein:
the T1 time is predefined, or the T1 time is determined based on a PDSCH processing time (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – …the minimum required time for PDSCH processing… (i.e. “For the process timing:” bullet point));
the T1 time is determined based on a subcarrier spacing of PDSCH, or the T1 time is related to a terminal capability;
the T1 time is reported by the terminal to the network-side device; or
the T1 time is an end time corresponding to a maximum number of retransmissions.
RE Claim 10¸ ZTE discloses A Physical Downlink Shared CHannel (PDSCH) reception method, comprising:
receiving, by a terminal, a second PDSCH when a second Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process corresponding to the second PDSCH is the same as a first HARQ process corresponding to a first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” –timing when it comes to consecutive scheduling of PDSCH with the same HARQ process) and a transmit time of the second PDSCH is not earlier than a first time (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – receiving consecutive PDSCHs wherein second PDSCH is not earlier than first PDSCH (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)),
wherein the first PDSCH is a PDSCH scheduled by a network-side device before scheduling of the second PDSCH, the first time is related to first information (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – first PDSCH is scheduled before second PDSCH (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” bullet point)), and
the first information indicates whether the terminal feeds back a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – based on whether HARQ feedback is enabled/disabled, if disabled, HARQ-ACK is not fed back for PDSCH etc… (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)).
RE Claim 11, ZTE discloses a PDSCH reception method, as set forth in claim 10 above, further comprising:
not expecting the terminal to receive the second PDSCH prior to the first time when the second HARQ process corresponding to the second PDSCH scheduled by the network-side device is the same as the first HARQ process corresponding to the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – receiving consecutive PDSCHs wherein second PDSCH is not earlier than first PDSCH for same HARQ process (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)).
RE Claim 12¸ ZTE discloses A network-side device (See ZTE Sections 1, 4), comprising:
A memory storing computer-readable instructions (See ZTE Sections 1, 4 – network devices have memory), and
a processor coupled to the memory and configured to execute the computer-readable instructions, wherein the computer-readable instructions (See ZTE Sections 1, 4 – network devices have processors), when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determining a first time when a second Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest (HARQ) process corresponding to a second PDSCH scheduled by the network-side device is the same as a first HARQ process corresponding to a first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – determining timing when it comes to consecutive scheduling of PDSCH with the same HARQ process), wherein the first PDSCH is a PDSCH scheduled by the network-side device before scheduling of the second PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – first PDSCH is scheduled before second PDSCH (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” bullet point)), the first time is related to first information, and the first information indicates whether a terminal feeds back a Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest ACKnowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – based on whether HARQ feedback is enabled/disabled, if disabled, HARQ-ACK is not fed back for PDSCH etc… (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)); and
transmitting the second PDSCH at a time point not earlier than the first time (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – transmitting consecutive PDSCHs wherein second PDSCH is not earlier than first PDSCH (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)).
RE Claim 13¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein the determining a first time comprises:
Determining the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information (See ZTE Section 5; “Agreement” – enabling/disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling), wherein the indicating manner comprises at least one of the following:
being indicated by higher-layer signaling (See ZTE Section 5; “Agreement” – enabling/disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling (i.e. higher layer signaling)); or being indicated by Downlink Control Information (DCI).
RE Claim 14¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 13 above, wherein the determining the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the higher-layer signaling and the first information indicates that the terminal does not feed back a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 5; “Agreement” – enabling/disabling on HARQ feedback for downlink transmission should be at least configurable per HARQ process via UE specific RRC signaling (i.e. higher layer signaling)), determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI or a predefined rule (See ZTE Section 4, pg. 11 – i.e. “Definition 1” – X is defined from the end of the reception of the last PDSCH…for a given HARQ process with disabled feedback to the start of the DCI scheduling another PDSCH).
wherein the first DCI is DCI for scheduling the first PDSCH (See ZTE pg. 13; Section 4 – last paragraph – if the first uplink symbol in the PUSCH allocation for a transport block, including the DM-RS, as defined by the slot offset K2 and the start and length indicator SLIV of the scheduling DCI and including the effect of the timing advance, is no earlier than at symbol L2, here L2 is defined as the next uplink symbol with its CP starting Tproc,2 after the end of the reception of the last symbol of the PDCCH carrying the DCI scheduling the PUSCH, then the UE shall transmit the transport block; Section 3, pg. 6 – timing values in DCI scheduling PDSCH).
RE Claim 16¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein the determining the first time based on the content of the first information comprises:
when the first information indicates that the terminal feeds back a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH, determining the first time based on an end position of a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – if HARQ-ACK is enabled, HARQ process is only available once the HARQ-ACK information of previous scheduling for a given HARQ process is received (i.e. “For the PDSCH scheduling:” and “For the process timing:” bullet points)); or
when the first information indicates that the terminal does not feed back a HARQ-ACK for the first PDSCH, determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI or the predefined rule,
wherein the first DCI is DCI for scheduling the first PDSCH.
RE Claim 19¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 16 above, wherein the predefined rule comprises:
the first time being determined based on a position of T1 time after an end position of the first PDSCH (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – determining the gap between PDSCH and HARQ (K1 – dl-DataToUL-ACK) (i.e. “For the process timing:” bullet point)).
RE Claim 20¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein:
the T1 time is predefined, or the T1 time is determined based on a PDSCH processing time (See ZTE Section 4; “PDSCH” – …the minimum required time for PDSCH processing… (i.e. “For the process timing:” bullet point));
the T1 time is determined based on a subcarrier spacing of PDSCH, or the T1 time is related to a terminal capability;
the T1 time is reported by the terminal to the network-side device; or
the T1 time is an end time corresponding to a maximum number of retransmissions.
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.
Claims 4, 6-7, 15, 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL “Summary #4 of AI 8.4.3 for HARQ for NTN” (hereinafter referred to as ZTE) in view of Guo et al. (US# 2024/0214126 hereinafter referred to as Guo).
RE Claim 4¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 2 above. ZTE does not specifically disclose wherein the determining, by the network-side device, the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the DCI, determining, by the network-side device, the first time according to a predefined rule or determining the first time based on the content of the first information.
However, Guo teaches of wherein the determining, by the network-side device, the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the DCI, determining, by the network-side device (See Guo [0076]-[0077] – DCI enabling/disabling HARQ-ACK), the first time according to a predefined rule or determining the first time based on the content of the first information (See Guo [0106] – predefined rules for first time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the PDSCH transmission system, as disclosed in ZTE, wherein the determining, by the network-side device, the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the DCI, determining, by the network-side device, the first time according to a predefined rule or determining the first time based on the content of the first information, as taught in Guo. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce overhead (See Guo [0034], [0075]).
RE Claim 6¸ ZTE discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 5 above. ZTE does not specifically disclose wherein the determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI comprises:
determining, according to the feedback timing indication in the first DCI, a time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK; and
determining a target position of the time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK as the first time.
However, Guo teaches of wherein the determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication (See Guo [0076]-[0077] – based on if HARQ is enabled/disabled) in first DCI comprises:
determining, according to the feedback timing indication in the first DCI, a time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK (See Guo [0045], [0063] – K1 value PDSCH-to-HARQ in DCI); and
determining a target position of the time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK as the first time (See Guo [0008], [0019], [0028]-[0029] – i.e. start/end positions for HARQ-ACK).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the PDSCH transmission system, as disclosed in ZTE, wherein the determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI comprises:
determining, according to the feedback timing indication in the first DCI, a time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK; and
determining a target position of the time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK as the first time, as taught in Guo. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce overhead (See Guo [0034], [0075]).
RE Claim 7¸ ZTE, modified by Guo, discloses a PDSCH transmission method, as set forth in claim 6 above, wherein the target position comprises one of the following:
an end position (See Guo [0008], [0019], [0028]-[0029] – end position);
a start position (See Guo [0008], [0019], [0028]-[0029] – start position);
a start or end position of a predefined symbol (See Guo [0039] – PDSCH end symbol); or
an end position of a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) or Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH) for transmitting the HARQ-ACK.
RE Claim 15¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 13 above. ZTE does not specifically disclose wherein the determining the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the DCI, determining the first time according to a predefined rule or determining the first time based on the content of the first information.
However, Guo teaches of wherein the determining the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the DCI, determining (See Guo [0076]-[0077] – DCI enabling/disabling HARQ-ACK), the first time according to a predefined rule or determining the first time based on the content of the first information (See Guo [0106] – predefined rules for first time).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the PDSCH transmission system, as disclosed in ZTE, wherein the determining the first time based on at least one of an indicating manner for the first information and content of the first information comprises:
when the first information is indicated by the DCI, determining the first time according to a predefined rule or determining the first time based on the content of the first information, as taught in Guo. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce overhead (See Guo [0034], [0075]).
RE Claim 17¸ ZTE discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 16 above. ZTE does not specifically disclose wherein the determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI comprises:
determining, according to the feedback timing indication in the first DCI, a time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK; and
determining a target position of the time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK as the first time.
However, Guo teaches of wherein the determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication (See Guo [0076]-[0077] – based on if HARQ is enabled/disabled) in first DCI comprises:
determining, according to the feedback timing indication in the first DCI, a time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK (See Guo [0045], [0063] – K1 value PDSCH-to-HARQ in DCI); and
determining a target position of the time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK as the first time (See Guo [0008], [0019], [0028]-[0029] – i.e. start/end positions for HARQ-ACK).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the PDSCH transmission system, as disclosed in ZTE, wherein the determining the first time according to a feedback timing indication in first DCI comprises:
determining, according to the feedback timing indication in the first DCI, a time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK; and
determining a target position of the time unit for feeding back the HARQ-ACK as the first time, as taught in Guo. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce overhead (See Guo [0034], [0075]).
RE Claim 18¸ ZTE, modified by Guo, discloses a network-side device, as set forth in claim 17 above, wherein the target position comprises one of the following:
an end position (See Guo [0008], [0019], [0028]-[0029] – end position);
a start position (See Guo [0008], [0019], [0028]-[0029] – start position);
a start or end position of a predefined symbol (See Guo [0039] – PDSCH end symbol); or
an end position of a Physical Uplink Control CHannel (PUCCH) or Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH) for transmitting the HARQ-ACK.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wu (US# 2023/0231661 – which teaches of multiple PDSCHs in same HARQ process).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steve R Young whose telephone number is (571)270-7518. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chirag G Shah can be reached at (571) 272-3144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STEVE R YOUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477