DETAILED ACTION
Claim(s) 1-20 have been examined and are pending.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Remarks/Comments
Status of Claims
In the Non-Final Rejection mailed October 21, 2025, the status of the claims was as follows: Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 20, were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LI (US 20250063566 A1). Claim(s) 3, 10, and 17, were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of LIN (US 20230027895 A1). Claim(s) 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of ELSHAFIE (US 20220322405 A1).
Responsive to the Non-Final Rejection, Applicants have amended each of independent claim(s) 1, 8, and 15, to recite a limitation, where, “…a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device…”. Further responsive to the Non-Final Rejection, Applicants have presented arguments with respect to the amended independent claims.
In light of the arguments and amendments a new ground of rejection has been made in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1). Applicant' s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Furthermore the amendments raise a new matter issue which is addressed below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Each of independent claim(s) 1, 8, and 15, have been amended to recite a limitation, where, “…a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device…”. Applicants cite [Par. 179] of Instant Application for support of this amendment. [Par. 179] recites the following:
[0179] The wireless device may multiplex UTO-UCI (e.g., the plurality of bits of/representing the
UCI-UTO) in a CG PUSCH transmission for/associated with the CG configuration. The CG
PUSCH transmission in which the UTO-UCI is multiplexed may be transmitted via CG radio
resources of/associated with the CG configuration. The CG radio resource may be determined
based on the first configuration parameters of the CG configuration (c.g., in case the CG
configuration is a type 1 CG configuration) or may be determined based on the first configuration parameters of the CG configuration and based on an activation DCI indicating activation of the CG configuration. The wireless device may determine, based on the first configuration parameters of
the CG configuration, a plurality of CG PUSCH transmission occasions. The plurality of the CG
PUSCH transmission occasions may be after/subsequent to the timing of the transmission of the
CG PUSCH transmission/ UTO-UCI. Each bit in the plurality of bits of the UTO-UCI bitmap may
be mapped to/associated with a corresponding CG PUSCH transmission occasion subsequent to the
PUSCH transmission carrying the UTO-UCI. The first number bits of the UTO-UCI may have a
one-to-one mapping/association to the first number subsequent CG PUSCH transmission occasions
in ascending order of start times. A first bit in the plurality of bits of the UTO-UCI may be associated with/correspond to a first CG PUSCH transmission occasion, in the plurality of CG PUSCH transmission occasions, and may have a first value. The first value of the first bit (c.g., a value of one) may indicate that the wireless device will not transmit CG PUSCH in the corresponding first CG PUSCH transmission occasion (e.g., the first CG PUSCH transmission occasion corresponding to the first bit). A second bit in the plurality of bits of the UTO-UCI may be associated with/correspond to a second CG PUSCH transmission occasion, in the plurality of CG PUSCH transmission occasions, and may have a second value. The second value (e.g., a value of zero) of the second bit may indicate that the wireless device may transmit CG PUSCH in the corresponding second CG PUSCH transmission occasion (e.g., the second CG PUSCH transmission occasion corresponding to the second bit).
The cited passage of the Instant Application, supports a second value of a second bit, which indicates that a second configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless. The cited passage is silent on a second value of the first bit. Thus, the Instant Application as originally filed does not appear to support amendments made to claim(s) 1, 8, and 15. Accordingly claim(s) 1, 8, and 15, have been rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. Claim(s) 2-7, 9-14, and 16-20 have also been rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement, by virtue of dependency on any one of independent claim(s) 1, 8, or 15.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 20, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1)
In regards to claim 1, LI (US 20250063566 A1) teaches a method comprising: receiving, by a wireless device, first configuration parameters of a configured grant configuration (“[0003] In the conventional technology, a terminal (also referred to as user equipment, UE) may be configured with one or more configured grant (CG) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resources, where the CG PUSCH may be a type 1 or type 2 CG PUSCH. For the type 1 CG PUSCH, the terminal may perform transmission on this resource after higher layer configuration. For the type 2 CG PUSCH, the terminal may perform transmission on this resource after higher layer configuration and activation through DCI. Regardless of whether the CG PUSCH is the type 1 or type 2 CG PUSCH, after the CG PUSCH resource is configured or activated, the UE may transmit uplink data on the CG PUSCH when there is a service requirement. However, a base station side may only perform blind detection on the CG PUSCH resource to determine whether the UE is using the CG PUSCH. Even if the UE is not using the CG PUSCH, the base station cannot recycle the CG PUSCH for other purposes. This causes a waste of some uplink transmission resources…[0046] As a low-latency and low-overhead uplink transmission solution, uplink CG PUSCH transmission mainly includes a type 1 CG PUSCH and a type 2 CG PUSCH. The type 1 CG PUSCH directly takes effect after radio resource control (RRC) configuration (including a periodicity, a slot offset within a cycle, a time-frequency domain resource, and the like), without additional activation signaling. The type 2 CG PUSCH takes effect after both RRC configuration and L1 signaling (DCI) activation. The CG PUSCH is used in typical services scenarios such as ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). To further meet a requirement of a URLLC service for a lower latency and higher reliability, the CG PUSCH is further enhanced in NR Rel-16. The Rel-16 allows a network side to configure and activate a plurality of sets of type 1 and/or type 2 CG PUSCHs for UE. [0047] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a type 1 CG PUSCH and a type 2 CG PUSCH according to an embodiment of this application. Resources are preconfigured semi-statically over a network. When a data packet arrives, the data packet may be directly transmitted on a configured or activated CG resource… [0062] For example, when the terminal is configured with one or more CG PUSCH resources and the terminal transmits data only on some CG PUSCHs, the terminal may report other unused CG PUSCHs, namely, the releasable uplink transmission resource, to the network-side device by using the UCI...); and multiplexing uplink control information (UCI) in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission for the configured grant configuration ( See , “[0064] Optionally, that the terminal sends the UCI to the network-side device may be: sending the UCI to the network-side device in a PUSCH, or sending the UCI to the network-side device in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).”, where sending UCI in a PUSCH is regarded as being equivalent to multiplexing the UCI in the PUSCH), wherein: the UCI comprises a plurality of bits comprising a first bit; each bit, in the plurality of bits, is associated with a corresponding configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion in a plurality of configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions; and a first value of the first bit indicates that a first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion, corresponding to the first bit, is not used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device; (“[0067] Optionally, for a releasable uplink transmission resource reported by the terminal, the terminal cannot perform uplink transmission on the uplink transmission resource. [0068] Optionally, for a non-releasable uplink transmission resource reported by the terminal, the terminal may perform uplink transmission on the uplink transmission resource… [0073] Optionally, the UCI may include at least one of the following:
[0074] (1) First UCI, where the first UCI is used to indicate a releasable uplink transmission resource in a target set.[0075] Optionally, the target set may be any uplink transmission resource set indicated by the first UCI… [0087] (2) Second UCI, where the second UCI is used to indicate that an uplink transmission resource within a target time range is releasable. [0088] Optionally, the target time range may be any time range indicated by the second UCI. [0100] Optionally, the first UCI may include a bitmap, and the bitmap is used to indicate the releasable uplink transmission resource in the target set…[0106] Optionally, a length of the bitmap may be determined based on the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set, or determined based on the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0107] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set. [0108] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set minus 1. [0109] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0110] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle minus 1. [0111] Optionally, the first UCI may indicate a number of a releasable PUSCH transmission occasion in the target set. [0112] Optionally, the first UCI may indicate a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion and the number of consecutive releasable PUSCH transmission occasions. [0113] For example, PUSCH transmission occasions in the second PUSCH set are numbered 0, 1, 2, and so on. The terminal determines that five PUSCH transmission occasions numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are releasable. The terminal may indicate the numbers of the five releasable PUSCH transmission occasions by using the first UCI; or the terminal may indicate that the PUSCH transmission occasion numbered 2 is a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion, and indicate that a total of five consecutive PUSCH transmission occasions are releasable, so that the network-side device can determine the releasable PUSCH transmission occasions based on the indication by the first UCI.”).
The feature for CG-PUSCH configurations of LI differs from that of claim 1, in that LI is silent on a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involved configured grants (CG) for PUSCH transmissions.
TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) teaches where a second value (i.e. A value of “1”) of the first bit (i.e. one of the bits of the bitmap) indicates that a first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by a wireless device (“[0045] According to some embodiments, in NR-U, configured grant (CG) based Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is a way to achieve better uplink performances, by limiting the contention steps before the actual transmission can occur. Within a COT, whether CG PUSCH transmission is allowed in the shared uplink resource can be controlled by (Downlink Control Information) DCI 2_0. In one embodiment, if allowed by indication in DCI 2_0, the shared uplink resource can be also used for CG transmission. In another embodiment, if allowed by indication in DCI 2_0, only the resources allowed by higher layer, e.g., by a bitmap, can be used. In another embodiment, outside a COT, CG PUSCH transmission is allowed on high layer configured slots, e.g., by a bitmap. A value ‘1’ in the bitmap can indicate one or multiple consecutive slots are applicable for CG PUSCH, while ‘0’ indicate that these resources cannot be used for this purpose, or vice versa.”).
Thus, based upon the teachings of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the CG-PUSCH feature of LI, by adopting a feature where a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device, as similarly seen in TALARICO, to thus arrive at claim 1. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to provide a benefit of additional flexibility for CG-PUSCH configuration.
In regards to claim 8, LI (US 20250063566 A1) teaches a wireless device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to (LI [0295] describes a wireless device, terminal, with one more processors, and memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors “[0295] FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in FIG. 10, an embodiment of this application further provides a communication device 1000, including a processor 1001 and a memory 1002. The memory 1002 stores a program or instructions capable of running on the processor 1001. For example, in a case that the communication device 1000 is a terminal, when the program or instructions are executed by the processor 1001, the steps in the foregoing embodiments of the information reporting method corresponding to a terminal are implemented, with the same technical effect achieved. In a case that the communication device 1000 is a network-side device, when the program or instructions are executed by the processor 1001, the steps in the foregoing embodiments of the information reporting method corresponding to a network-side device are implemented, with the same technical effect achieved. To avoid repetition, details are not described herein again.”, cause the terminal to perform the following): receive first configuration parameters of a configured grant configuration (“[0003] In the conventional technology, a terminal (also referred to as user equipment, UE) may be configured with one or more configured grant (CG) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resources, where the CG PUSCH may be a type 1 or type 2 CG PUSCH. For the type 1 CG PUSCH, the terminal may perform transmission on this resource after higher layer configuration. For the type 2 CG PUSCH, the terminal may perform transmission on this resource after higher layer configuration and activation through DCI. Regardless of whether the CG PUSCH is the type 1 or type 2 CG PUSCH, after the CG PUSCH resource is configured or activated, the UE may transmit uplink data on the CG PUSCH when there is a service requirement. However, a base station side may only perform blind detection on the CG PUSCH resource to determine whether the UE is using the CG PUSCH. Even if the UE is not using the CG PUSCH, the base station cannot recycle the CG PUSCH for other purposes. This causes a waste of some uplink transmission resources…[0046] As a low-latency and low-overhead uplink transmission solution, uplink CG PUSCH transmission mainly includes a type 1 CG PUSCH and a type 2 CG PUSCH. The type 1 CG PUSCH directly takes effect after radio resource control (RRC) configuration (including a periodicity, a slot offset within a cycle, a time-frequency domain resource, and the like), without additional activation signaling. The type 2 CG PUSCH takes effect after both RRC configuration and L1 signaling (DCI) activation. The CG PUSCH is used in typical services scenarios such as ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). To further meet a requirement of a URLLC service for a lower latency and higher reliability, the CG PUSCH is further enhanced in NR Rel-16. The Rel-16 allows a network side to configure and activate a plurality of sets of type 1 and/or type 2 CG PUSCHs for UE. [0047] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a type 1 CG PUSCH and a type 2 CG PUSCH according to an embodiment of this application. Resources are preconfigured semi-statically over a network. When a data packet arrives, the data packet may be directly transmitted on a configured or activated CG resource… [0062] For example, when the terminal is configured with one or more CG PUSCH resources and the terminal transmits data only on some CG PUSCHs, the terminal may report other unused CG PUSCHs, namely, the releasable uplink transmission resource, to the network-side device by using the UCI...); and
multiplex uplink control information (UCI) in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission for the configured grant configuration ( See , “[0064] Optionally, that the terminal sends the UCI to the network-side device may be: sending the UCI to the network-side device in a PUSCH, or sending the UCI to the network-side device in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).”, where sending UCI in a PUSCH is regarded as being equivalent to multiplexing the UCI in the PUSCH), wherein: the UCI comprises a plurality of bits comprising a first bit; each bit, in the plurality of bits, is associated with a corresponding configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion in a plurality of configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions; a first value of the first bit indicates that a first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion, corresponding to the first bit, is not used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device; (“[0067] Optionally, for a releasable uplink transmission resource reported by the terminal, the terminal cannot perform uplink transmission on the uplink transmission resource. [0068] Optionally, for a non-releasable uplink transmission resource reported by the terminal, the terminal may perform uplink transmission on the uplink transmission resource… [0073] Optionally, the UCI may include at least one of the following:
[0074] (1) First UCI, where the first UCI is used to indicate a releasable uplink transmission resource in a target set.[0075] Optionally, the target set may be any uplink transmission resource set indicated by the first UCI… [0087] (2) Second UCI, where the second UCI is used to indicate that an uplink transmission resource within a target time range is releasable. [0088] Optionally, the target time range may be any time range indicated by the second UCI. [0100] Optionally, the first UCI may include a bitmap, and the bitmap is used to indicate the releasable uplink transmission resource in the target set…[0106] Optionally, a length of the bitmap may be determined based on the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set, or determined based on the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0107] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set. [0108] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set minus 1. [0109] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0110] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle minus 1. [0111] Optionally, the first UCI may indicate a number of a releasable PUSCH transmission occasion in the target set. [0112] Optionally, the first UCI may indicate a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion and the number of consecutive releasable PUSCH transmission occasions. [0113] For example, PUSCH transmission occasions in the second PUSCH set are numbered 0, 1, 2, and so on. The terminal determines that five PUSCH transmission occasions numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are releasable. The terminal may indicate the numbers of the five releasable PUSCH transmission occasions by using the first UCI; or the terminal may indicate that the PUSCH transmission occasion numbered 2 is a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion, and indicate that a total of five consecutive PUSCH transmission occasions are releasable, so that the network-side device can determine the releasable PUSCH transmission occasions based on the indication by the first UCI.”).
The feature for CG-PUSCH configurations of LI differs from that of claim 8, in that LI is silent on a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involved configured grants (CG) for PUSCH transmissions.
TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) teaches where a second value (i.e. A value of “1”) of the first bit (i.e. one of the bits of the bitmap) indicates that a first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by a wireless device (“[0045] According to some embodiments, in NR-U, configured grant (CG) based Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is a way to achieve better uplink performances, by limiting the contention steps before the actual transmission can occur. Within a COT, whether CG PUSCH transmission is allowed in the shared uplink resource can be controlled by (Downlink Control Information) DCI 2_0. In one embodiment, if allowed by indication in DCI 2_0, the shared uplink resource can be also used for CG transmission. In another embodiment, if allowed by indication in DCI 2_0, only the resources allowed by higher layer, e.g., by a bitmap, can be used. In another embodiment, outside a COT, CG PUSCH transmission is allowed on high layer configured slots, e.g., by a bitmap. A value ‘1’ in the bitmap can indicate one or multiple consecutive slots are applicable for CG PUSCH, while ‘0’ indicate that these resources cannot be used for this purpose, or vice versa.”).
Thus, based upon the teachings of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the CG-PUSCH feature of LI, by adopting a feature where a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device, as similarly seen in TALARICO, to thus arrive at claim 8. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to provide a benefit of additional flexibility for CG-PUSCH configuration.
In regards to claim 15, LI (US 20250063566 A1) teaches a system comprising: a base station; and a wireless device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to (See [Fig. 1 and Par. 41] which describe a system, wireless communication system, comprising a base station, network-side device/access network device/base station, and a wireless device, terminal). Also See [Par. 295] which discloses the structure of the wireless device, terminal, “[0295] FIG. 10 is a schematic structural diagram of a communication device according to an embodiment of this application. As shown in FIG. 10, an embodiment of this application further provides a communication device 1000, including a processor 1001 and a memory 1002. The memory 1002 stores a program or instructions capable of running on the processor 1001. For example, in a case that the communication device 1000 is a terminal, when the program or instructions are executed by the processor 1001, the steps in the foregoing embodiments of the information reporting method corresponding to a terminal are implemented, with the same technical effect achieved. In a case that the communication device 1000 is a network-side device, when the program or instructions are executed by the processor 1001, the steps in the foregoing embodiments of the information reporting method corresponding to a network-side device are implemented, with the same technical effect achieved. To avoid repetition, details are not described herein again.” ):
receive, from the base station, first configuration parameters of a configured grant configuration (“[0003] In the conventional technology, a terminal (also referred to as user equipment, UE) may be configured with one or more configured grant (CG) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resources, where the CG PUSCH may be a type 1 or type 2 CG PUSCH. For the type 1 CG PUSCH, the terminal may perform transmission on this resource after higher layer configuration. For the type 2 CG PUSCH, the terminal may perform transmission on this resource after higher layer configuration and activation through DCI. Regardless of whether the CG PUSCH is the type 1 or type 2 CG PUSCH, after the CG PUSCH resource is configured or activated, the UE may transmit uplink data on the CG PUSCH when there is a service requirement. However, a base station side may only perform blind detection on the CG PUSCH resource to determine whether the UE is using the CG PUSCH. Even if the UE is not using the CG PUSCH, the base station cannot recycle the CG PUSCH for other purposes. This causes a waste of some uplink transmission resources…[0046] As a low-latency and low-overhead uplink transmission solution, uplink CG PUSCH transmission mainly includes a type 1 CG PUSCH and a type 2 CG PUSCH. The type 1 CG PUSCH directly takes effect after radio resource control (RRC) configuration (including a periodicity, a slot offset within a cycle, a time-frequency domain resource, and the like), without additional activation signaling. The type 2 CG PUSCH takes effect after both RRC configuration and L1 signaling (DCI) activation. The CG PUSCH is used in typical services scenarios such as ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC). To further meet a requirement of a URLLC service for a lower latency and higher reliability, the CG PUSCH is further enhanced in NR Rel-16. The Rel-16 allows a network side to configure and activate a plurality of sets of type 1 and/or type 2 CG PUSCHs for UE. [0047] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a type 1 CG PUSCH and a type 2 CG PUSCH according to an embodiment of this application. Resources are preconfigured semi-statically over a network. When a data packet arrives, the data packet may be directly transmitted on a configured or activated CG resource… [0062] For example, when the terminal is configured with one or more CG PUSCH resources and the terminal transmits data only on some CG PUSCHs, the terminal may report other unused CG PUSCHs, namely, the releasable uplink transmission resource, to the network-side device by using the UCI...); and
multiplex uplink control information (UCI) in a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission for the configured grant configuration ( See , “[0064] Optionally, that the terminal sends the UCI to the network-side device may be: sending the UCI to the network-side device in a PUSCH, or sending the UCI to the network-side device in a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH).”, where sending UCI in a PUSCH is regarded as being equivalent to multiplexing the UCI in the PUSCH),
wherein: the UCI comprises a plurality of bits comprising a first bit; each bit, in the plurality of bits, is associated with a corresponding configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion in a plurality of configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions; a first value of the first bit indicates that a first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion, corresponding to the first bit, is not used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device; (“[0067] Optionally, for a releasable uplink transmission resource reported by the terminal, the terminal cannot perform uplink transmission on the uplink transmission resource. [0068] Optionally, for a non-releasable uplink transmission resource reported by the terminal, the terminal may perform uplink transmission on the uplink transmission resource… [0073] Optionally, the UCI may include at least one of the following:
[0074] (1) First UCI, where the first UCI is used to indicate a releasable uplink transmission resource in a target set.[0075] Optionally, the target set may be any uplink transmission resource set indicated by the first UCI… [0087] (2) Second UCI, where the second UCI is used to indicate that an uplink transmission resource within a target time range is releasable. [0088] Optionally, the target time range may be any time range indicated by the second UCI. [0100] Optionally, the first UCI may include a bitmap, and the bitmap is used to indicate the releasable uplink transmission resource in the target set…[0106] Optionally, a length of the bitmap may be determined based on the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set, or determined based on the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0107] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set. [0108] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set minus 1. [0109] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0110] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle minus 1. [0111] Optionally, the first UCI may indicate a number of a releasable PUSCH transmission occasion in the target set. [0112] Optionally, the first UCI may indicate a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion and the number of consecutive releasable PUSCH transmission occasions. [0113] For example, PUSCH transmission occasions in the second PUSCH set are numbered 0, 1, 2, and so on. The terminal determines that five PUSCH transmission occasions numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are releasable. The terminal may indicate the numbers of the five releasable PUSCH transmission occasions by using the first UCI; or the terminal may indicate that the PUSCH transmission occasion numbered 2 is a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion, and indicate that a total of five consecutive PUSCH transmission occasions are releasable, so that the network-side device can determine the releasable PUSCH transmission occasions based on the indication by the first UCI.”).
The feature for CG-PUSCH configurations of LI differs from that of claim 15, in that LI is silent on a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involved configured grants (CG) for PUSCH transmissions.
TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) teaches where a second value (i.e. A value of “1”) of a first bit (i.e. one of the bits of the bitmap) indicates that a first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by a wireless device (“[0045] According to some embodiments, in NR-U, configured grant (CG) based Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) is a way to achieve better uplink performances, by limiting the contention steps before the actual transmission can occur. Within a COT, whether CG PUSCH transmission is allowed in the shared uplink resource can be controlled by (Downlink Control Information) DCI 2_0. In one embodiment, if allowed by indication in DCI 2_0, the shared uplink resource can be also used for CG transmission. In another embodiment, if allowed by indication in DCI 2_0, only the resources allowed by higher layer, e.g., by a bitmap, can be used. In another embodiment, outside a COT, CG PUSCH transmission is allowed on high layer configured slots, e.g., by a bitmap. A value ‘1’ in the bitmap can indicate one or multiple consecutive slots are applicable for CG PUSCH, while ‘0’ indicate that these resources cannot be used for this purpose, or vice versa.”).
Thus, based upon the teachings of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the CG-PUSCH feature of LI, by adopting a feature where a second value of the first bit indicates that the first configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device, as similarly seen in TALARICO, to thus arrive at claim 15. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to provide a benefit of additional flexibility for CG-PUSCH configuration.
In regards to claim(s) 2, 9, and 16, LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) suggest the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions are after the timing of the UCI (See, LI where it recites, “[0065] Optionally, the releasable uplink transmission resource indicated by the UCI may be a releasable uplink transmission resource located after the PUSCH for transmitting the UCI, or a releasable uplink transmission resource located after the PUCCH for transmitting the UCI.”).
In regards to claim(s) 6, 13, and 20, LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) suggest the method of claim 1, further comprising determining the plurality of configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions based on the first configuration parameters (See LI, where it recites, “[0062] For example, when the terminal is configured with one or more CG PUSCH resources and the terminal transmits data only on some CG PUSCHs, the terminal may report other unused CG PUSCHs, namely, the releasable uplink transmission resource, to the network-side device by using the UCI… [0075] Optionally, the target set may be any uplink transmission resource set indicated by the first UCI.[0076] Optionally, the target set may include a first CG PUSCH set or a second CG PUSCH set. The first CG PUSCH set may include a CG PUSCH configured and/or activated for the terminal. The second CG PUSCH set may be a group of CG PUSCHs determined according to a predefined rule or configured by a higher layer… [0084] Optionally, the second CG PUSCH set may include at least one of the following: [0085] (1) one or more transmission occasions corresponding to a single CG configuration (Config) (CG PUSCHs corresponding to the plurality of transmission occasions may be continuous or discontinuous in time domain); and [0086] (2) transmission occasions corresponding to a plurality of CG configurations, where a specific CG configuration may include one or more transmission occasions corresponding to the CG configuration, and the transmission occasions may overlap in time domain (and may belong to different uplink carriers (UL Carrier) or serving cells when overlapping in time domain), and may be continuous or discontinuous in time domain.”).
In regards to claim(s) 7 and 14, LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) suggest the method of claim 1, wherein the UCI is for indication of one or more unused configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions (See, LI where it recites, “[0056] In view of the foregoing problems, the embodiments of this application provide a solution. A terminal may notify a network-side device of whether one or more specific uplink transmission resources are releasable by reporting uplink control information (UCI), to release a redundant uplink transmission resource, reduce a waste of resources, and improve resource utilization… [0059] Step 300: A terminal determines UCI, where the UCI is used to indicate a releasable uplink transmission resource… [0062] For example, when the terminal is configured with one or more CG PUSCH resources and the terminal transmits data only on some CG PUSCHs, the terminal may report other unused CG PUSCHs, namely, the releasable uplink transmission resource, to the network-side device by using the UCI… [0106] Optionally, a length of the bitmap may be determined based on the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set, or determined based on the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0107] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set. [0108] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the number of PUSCH configurations or PUSCH transmission occasions in the target set minus 1. [0109] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle. [0110] For example, the length of the bitmap may be equal to the total number of transmission occasions of all PUSCHs in the target set within one cycle minus 1… [0113] For example, PUSCH transmission occasions in the second PUSCH set are numbered 0, 1, 2, and so on. The terminal determines that five PUSCH transmission occasions numbered 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are releasable. The terminal may indicate the numbers of the five releasable PUSCH transmission occasions by using the first UCI; or the terminal may indicate that the PUSCH transmission occasion numbered 2 is a releasable initial PUSCH transmission occasion, and indicate that a total of five consecutive PUSCH transmission occasions are releasable, so that the network-side device can determine the releasable PUSCH transmission occasions based on the indication by the first UCI.”).
Claim(s) 3, 10, and 17, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) in view of LIN (US 20230027895 A1).
In regards to claim(s) 3, 10, and 17, the combination of LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) is silent on the method of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of bits further comprise a second bit that has a second value; and a second configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion, corresponding to the second bit, is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involved configured grants (CG) for PUSCH transmissions. LIN (US 20230027895 A1) for examples suggests a bitmap comprises a plurality of bits, where each of plurality of bits corresponds to a configured grant (CG) PUSCH transmission occasion, and where each of the bits can indicate whether or not a CG PUSCH transmission occasion is used by a wireless device (“[0214]…For yet another example, the skipping indicator can be a bitmap, where each bit of the bitmap is associated with one or more CG PUSCH transmission occasion(s) for one or a group of CG PUSCH configuration(s). A bit indicates whether or not to skip CG PUSCH transmission(s) in associated CG PUSCH transmission occasion(s). For example, the bitmap can be associated with a number of configured CG PUSCH transmission occasion(s) for a next CG PUSCH transmission period.”).
Thus based upon the teachings of LIN, it would have been obvious to a person ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the configured grant (CG) feature of the combination of LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1), such that each of the bits of the bitmap can indicate whether or not a corresponding CG PUSCH transmission occasion is used, to thus arrive at the method of claim 1, wherein: the plurality of bits further comprise a second bit that has a second value; and a second configured grant PUSCH transmission occasion, corresponding to the second bit, is used for a configured grant PUSCH transmission by the wireless device, in order to provide a benefit of effectively utilizing PUSCH transmission resources.
Claim(s) 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) in view of ELSHAFIE (US 20220322405 A1).
In regards to claim(s) 4, 11, and 18, the combination of LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) is silent on the method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second configuration parameter indicating a first number of the plurality of bits. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving resource configurations in cellular communication networks. ELSHAFIE (US 20220322405 A1) teaches feature for a resource configuration involving receiving a configuration parameter indicating a first number, N, of a plurality of bits, where a number of transmissions occasions is the first number (“[0065] In some aspects, radio resource control (RRC) signaling or medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) may be used to indicate a bitmap (e.g., with a certain configured size N, where N is an integer greater than 1). The bitmap may indicate a pattern (e.g., also referred to herein as a transmission pattern) of used and unused data channel occasions when the UE detects a type of DMRS (e.g., DMRS 2). For example, if the size N is equal to 3 for a bitmap, the bitmap may include 3 bits, each indicating whether a data channel transmission is skipped. In some cases, the size N of the bitmap may be signaled to the UE separately from the bitmap itself. For example, the size N may be signaled via RRC, while the bitmap itself may be signaled in a MAC-CE or DCI. In other aspects, both the bitmap and size N may be signaled in DCI. The integer N may be an indication of a quantity of data channels associated with a transmission pattern indicated by a bitmap, and the bitmap may indicate whether each of the data channels is skipped.”).
Thus, based upon the teachings of ELSHAFIE (US 20220322405 A1) it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the resource configuration of the combination of LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1), to receive an additional configuration parameter indicating a size of the bitmap (i.e. bitmap for CG PUSCH Occasions in LI), where the size of the bitmap is used to indicate a number of transmission occasions (i.e. CG PUSCH Transmission Occasions, seen in LI) as similarly seen in ELSAHFIE, to arrive at claim 4. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification by a desire to realize the bitmap taught by LI. Thus, based upon the desire, a person of ordinary skill in the art would thus lean upon ELSHAFIE, which shows a reliable means for configuring a bitmap in order to realize the bitmap taught by LI.
In regards to claim 5, 12, and 19, the combination of LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1) is silent on the method of claim 4, wherein a number of the plurality of configured grant PUSCH transmission occasions is the first number. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving resource configurations in cellular communication networks. ELSHAFIE (US 20220322405 A1) teaches feature for a resource configuration involving receiving a configuration parameter indicating a first number, N, of a plurality of bits, where a number of transmissions occasions is the first number (“[0065] In some aspects, radio resource control (RRC) signaling or medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) may be used to indicate a bitmap (e.g., with a certain configured size N, where N is an integer greater than 1). The bitmap may indicate a pattern (e.g., also referred to herein as a transmission pattern) of used and unused data channel occasions when the UE detects a type of DMRS (e.g., DMRS 2). For example, if the size N is equal to 3 for a bitmap, the bitmap may include 3 bits, each indicating whether a data channel transmission is skipped. In some cases, the size N of the bitmap may be signaled to the UE separately from the bitmap itself. For example, the size N may be signaled via RRC, while the bitmap itself may be signaled in a MAC-CE or DCI. In other aspects, both the bitmap and size N may be signaled in DCI. The integer N may be an indication of a quantity of data channels associated with a transmission pattern indicated by a bitmap, and the bitmap may indicate whether each of the data channels is skipped.”).
Thus, based upon the teachings of ELSHAFIE (US 20220322405 A1) it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the resource configuration of the combination of LI (US 20250063566 A1) in view of TALARICO (US 20220131725 A1), to receive an additional configuration parameter indicating a size of the bitmap (i.e. bitmap for CG PUSCH Occasions in LI), where the size of the bitmap is used to indicate a number of transmission occasions (i.e. CG PUSCH Transmission Occasions, seen in LI) as similarly seen in ELSAHFIE, to arrive at claim 5. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification by a desire to realize the bitmap taught by LI. Thus, based upon the desire, a person of ordinary skill in the art would thus lean upon ELSHAFIE, which shows a reliable means for configuring a bitmap in order to realize the bitmap taught by LI.
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.
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/TARELL A HAMPTON/Examiner, Art Unit 2476 /AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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