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 (IDS) submitted on 5/5/2025 has been entered and considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 19-22, and 29-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lei at al. (US 2022/0360381, Lei hereinafter). Regarding claims 1 and 29, Lei teaches a method and an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (User Equipment (UE); Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0047]-[0048]), comprising: at least one memory (The UE may be comprised of a memory; Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0047]-[0048]); and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (The UE may be comprised of a processor coupled to the memory; Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0047]-[0048]), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: configure a pair of unrestricted bandwidth parts (BWPs) for communication with a network entity (As can be seen in at least step 410 of Fig. 4 and step 510 of Fig. 5, a UE may receive, from a network entity, a group common BWP configuration indicating a group common BWP shared by a group of UEs including the UE. As is discussed in at least paragraph [0110], a group common BWP may be an unrestricted BWP. As is discussed in at least paragraph [0072], the group common BWP may be a group common downlink BWP, a group common uplink BWP, or both. Configuration of both a group common downlink BWP and a group common uplink BWP may thus be interpreted as a pair of unrestricted BWPs; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0072]-[0073], [0084]-[0085], [0110]), wherein the pair of unrestricted BWPs includes an unrestricted uplink (UL) BWP and an unrestricted downlink (DL) BWP (As is discussed in at least paragraph [0072], the group common BWP may be a group common downlink BWP, a group common uplink BWP, or both. Configuration of both a group common downlink BWP and a group common uplink BWP may be interpreted as a pair of unrestricted BWPs that includes an unrestricted uplink (UL) BWP and an unrestricted downlink (DL) BWP; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0072]-[0073], [0084]-[0085], [0110]); and perform, based on at least one of the unrestricted UL BWP or the unrestricted DL BWP, a BWP operation for the communication with the network entity (As can be seen in at least step 430 of Fig. 4 and steps 520-530 of Fig. 5, a BWP operation for communication with the network entity may be performed on at least one of the unrestricted UL BWP or the unrestricted DL BWP; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), wherein the BWP operation includes one or more of a BWP switch or a small data transmission (SDT) with the network entity (As can be seen in at least step 430 of Fig. 4 and step 520 of Fig. 5, the BWP operation may include at least a BWP switch; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]). Regarding claim 2, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 1. Lei further teaches a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (The UE may be comprised of a transceiver coupled to the processor; Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0047]-[0048]), wherein to perform the BWP operation for the communication with the network entity, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to perform the BWP operation via the transceiver (The UE may be interpreted as performing BWP operations for communication via the transceiver; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0047]-[0048], [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), wherein the network entity is one of a primary cell (PCell) of the UE, a primary secondary cell (PSCell) of the UE, or a secondary cell (SCell) of the UE (The network entity (e.g., base station) may be interpreted as one of a primary cell (PCell) of the UE, a primary secondary cell (PSCell) of the UE, or a secondary cell (SCell) of the UE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), and wherein a radio resource configuration (RRC) state of the UE is an RRC connected state or an RRC inactive state if the network entity is the PCell, and the RRC state of the UE is the RRC connected state if the network entity is the PSCeII or the SCell (UEs in communication with base stations are described as being in at least an RRC connected state; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0035], [0070], [0079], [0081]). Regarding claim 3, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 2. Lei further teaches the network entity is one of the PCell, the PSCeII, or a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) SCell of the UE (The network entity (e.g., base station) may be interpreted as one of the PCell, the PSCeII, or a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) SCell of the UE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), and wherein the unrestricted UL BWP includes one or more of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource (Uplink resources may include at least PRACH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]), a PUCCH resource (Uplink resources may include at least PUCCH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]), a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource (Uplink resources may include at least SRS resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]), or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource (Uplink resources may include at least PUSCH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]). Regarding claim 4, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 2. Lei further teaches the unrestricted DL BWP includes dedicated physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resources (Downlink resources may include at least PDCCH and/or PDSCH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0080], [0085], [0095], [0101]-[0107]), and the unrestricted DL BWP does not include control resource set (CORESET) zero (CORESET#0) and cell-defining (CD) - synchronization signal block (CD-SSB) (An unrestricted BWP may not have any synchronization signal block (SSB) transmissions and/or may not have a configured CORESET 0 in it; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0110]). Regarding claim 5, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 4. Lei further teaches the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: receive, via a resource outside of the unrestricted DL BWP, a downlink (DL) reference signal (RS) (Group common reference signals (RSs) may be configured separately from the group common BWP configuration; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0114]); and measure the DL RS (Group common reference signals (RSs) may be measured; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0114]). Regarding claims 19 and 30, Lei teaches a method and an apparatus for wireless communication at a network entity (Network entity (e.g., base station); Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0045]-[0046]), comprising: at least one memory (The network entity may be comprised of a memory; Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0045]-[0046]); and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (The network entity may be comprised of processor coupled to the memory; Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0045]-[0046]), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: configure a pair of unrestricted bandwidth parts (BWPs) for communication with a user equipment (UE) (As can be seen in at least step 410 of Fig. 4 and step 510 of Fig. 5, network entity may configure a UE with a group common BWP configuration indicating a group common BWP shared by a group of UEs including the UE. As is discussed in at least paragraph [0110], a group common BWP may be an unrestricted BWP. As is discussed in at least paragraph [0072], the group common BWP may be a group common downlink BWP, a group common uplink BWP, or both. Configuration of both a group common downlink BWP and a group common uplink BWP may thus be interpreted as a pair of unrestricted BWPs. Please also see Figs. 6-7 for the methods from the perspective of the network entity; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0072]-[0073], [0084]-[0085], [0110]), wherein the pair of unrestricted BWPs includes an unrestricted uplink (UL) BWP and an unrestricted downlink (DL) BWP (As is discussed in at least paragraph [0072], the group common BWP may be a group common downlink BWP, a group common uplink BWP, or both. Configuration of both a group common downlink BWP and a group common uplink BWP may be interpreted as a pair of unrestricted BWPs that includes an unrestricted uplink (UL) BWP and an unrestricted downlink (DL) BWP; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0072]-[0073], [0084]-[0085], [0110]); and perform, based on at least one of the unrestricted UL BWP or the unrestricted DL BWP, a BWP operation for the communication with the UE (As can be seen in at least step 630 of Fig. 6 and steps 720-730 of Fig. 7, a BWP operation for communication with the UE may be performed on at least one of the unrestricted UL BWP or the unrestricted DL BWP; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0091], [0096]-[0097], [0110]), wherein the BWP operation includes one or more of a BWP switch or a small data transmission (SDT) with the UE (As can be seen in at least step 720 of Fig. 7, the BWP operation may include at least a BWP switch; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0096], [0110]). Regarding claim 20, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 19. Lei further teaches a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor (The base station may be comprised of a transceiver coupled to the processor; Lei; Figs. 2 and 4-7; [0045]-[0046]), wherein to perform the BWP operation for the communication with the UE, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to perform the BWP operation via the transceiver (The base station may be interpreted as performing BWP operations for communication via the transceiver; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0045]-[0046], [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), wherein the network entity is one of a primary cell (PCell) of the UE, a primary secondary cell (PSCeII) of the UE, or a secondary cell (SCell) of the UE (The network entity (e.g., base station) may be interpreted as one of a primary cell (PCell) of the UE, a primary secondary cell (PSCell) of the UE, or a secondary cell (SCell) of the UE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), and wherein a radio resource configuration (RRC) state of the UE is an RRC connected state or an RRC inactive state if the network entity is the PCell, and the RRC state of the UE is the RRC connected state if the network entity is the PSCeIIor the SCell (UEs in communication with base stations are described as being in at least an RRC connected state; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0035], [0070], [0079], [0081]). Regarding claim 21, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 20. Lei further teaches the network entity is one of the PCell, the PSCeII, or a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) SCell of the UE (The network entity (e.g., base station) may be interpreted as one of the PCell, the PSCeII, or a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) SCell of the UE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0080]-[0081], [0086]-[0087], [0110]), and the unrestricted UL BWP includes one or more of: a physical random access channel (PRACH) resource (Uplink resources may include at least PRACH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]), a PUCCH resource (Uplink resources may include at least PUCCH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]), a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource (Uplink resources may include at least SRS resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]), or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource (Uplink resources may include at least PUSCH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0074], [0080]-[0081], [0101]-[0107]). Regarding claim 22, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 20. Lei further teaches the unrestricted DL BWP includes dedicated physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) and physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resources (Downlink resources may include at least PDCCH and/or PDSCH resources; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0080], [0085], [0095], [0101]-[0107]), and the unrestricted DL BWP does not include control resource set (CORESET) zero (CORESET#0) and cell-defining (CD) - synchronization signal block (CD-SSB) (An unrestricted BWP may not have any synchronization signal block (SSB) transmissions and/or may not have a configured CORESET 0 in it; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0110]).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 6-10, 15-16, 23-25, and 27-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lei at al. (US 2022/0360381, Lei hereinafter) in view of QUALCOMM INCORPORATED: “BW Reduction for RedCap UE”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 Meeting #106bis-e, R1-2110193, 3rd Generation Partnership Project, Mobile Competence Centre, 650, Route Des Lucioles, F-06921, Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France, Vol. RAN WG1, No. e-Meeting, 20211011 – 20211019, 2 October 2021, 28 Pages, XP052059129 (provided by Applicant, Qualcomm hereinafter). Regarding claim 6, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 2. However, although Lei illustrates DL and UL bandwidths as potentially having different center frequencies (Lei; Figs. 3B and 3D; [0049]), Lei does not specifically disclose a first center frequency of the unrestricted DL BWP and a second center frequency of the unrestricted UL BWP have a frequency gap greater than zero Qualcomm teaches a first center frequency of the unrestricted DL BWP and a second center frequency of the unrestricted UL BWP have a frequency gap greater than zero (As can be seen in at least Fig. 4, a first center frequency of the unrestricted DL BWP and a second center frequency of the unrestricted UL BWP have a frequency gap greater than zero; Qualcomm; Fig. 4; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 7, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 2. Lei further teaches the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: receive, from the network entity, one or more of: BWP switching configuration information (As can be seen in at least step 410 of Fig. 4 and step 510 of Fig. 5, network entity may configure a UE with a group common BWP configuration indicating a group common BWP shared by a group of UEs including the UE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0072]-[0073], [0084]-[0085], [0110]). However, Lei does not specifically disclose BWP switching configuration information comprises one or more of: a DL-to-UL retuning gap for switching from a DL reception based on the unrestricted DL BWP to an UL transmission based on the unrestricted UL BWP, or an UL-to-DL retuning gap for switching from the UL transmission to the DL reception. Qualcomm teaches BWP switching configuration information comprises one or more of: a DL-to-UL retuning gap for switching from a DL reception based on the unrestricted DL BWP to an UL transmission based on the unrestricted UL BWP (As can be seen in at least Fig. 5 and its corresponding description, a retuning time/gap is used for switching from DL to UL transmission and/or from UL to DL transmission; Qualcomm; Fig. 5; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2), or an UL-to-DL retuning gap for switching from the UL transmission to the DL reception (As can be seen in at least Fig. 5 and its corresponding description, a retuning time/gap is used for switching from DL to UL transmission and/or from UL to DL transmission; Qualcomm; Fig. 5; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 8, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 2. Lei further teaches to perform the BWP operation for the communication with the network entity, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: receive a BWP switch trigger for the BWP switch (At least the signaling in step 420 and/or step 510 may be interpreted as a BWP switch trigger for the BWP switch; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0079], [0084]-[0085], [0110]). However, Lei does not specifically disclose performing the BWP switch from an active wideband BWP to a pair of default DL/UL BWPs comprising a default DL BWP and a default UL BWP. Qualcomm teaches performing the BWP switch from an active wideband BWP to a pair of default DL/UL BWPs comprising a default DL BWP and a default UL BWP (As can be seen in at least Figs. 4-6 and their corresponding description, the BWP switch may include switching from a wider bandwidth to a pair of narrower DL/UL BWPs, which may be interpreted as a pair of default DL/UL BWPs comprising a default DL BWP and a default UL BWP; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 9, Lei and Qualcomm teach the limitations of claim 8. Lei further teaches to receive the BWP switch trigger, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: receive the BWP switch trigger via one of: downlink control information (DCI) (The BWP switch trigger is described as being received via PDCCH (i.e., DCI); Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0081]), a medium access control (MAC) - control element (MAC-CE) (The BWP switch trigger is described as being received via MAC CE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0081]), or an RRC reconfiguration (The BWP switch trigger is described as being received via RRC message; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0081]). Regarding claim 10, Lei and Qualcomm teach the limitations of claim 8. Lei further teaches the BWP switch trigger is based on a BWP inactivity timer (The BWP switch is described as being based on a received timer, which may be interpreted as a BWP inactivity timer; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0081], [0105]-[0107]). Regarding claim 15, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 2. Lei further teaches to perform the BWP operation for the communication with the network entity, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: perform the communication with the network entity based on at least one of non-cell-defining (NCD) - synchronization signal block (NCD-SSB) or a tracking reference signal (TRS) (Communication may be performed based on at least tracking reference signal(s) (TRS); Lei; Figs. 4-11; [0112]-[0114], [0123], [0136]). However, Lei does not specifically disclose the communication comprises small data transmission (SDT). Qualcomm teaches the communication comprises small data transmission (SDT) (Small data transmission (SDT) is discussed as being performed in connection with at least Fig. 6; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 16, Lei and Qualcomm teach the limitations of claim 15. Lei further teaches the RRC state of the UE is one of the RRC connected state or the RRC inactive state (UEs in communication with base stations are described as being in at least an RRC connected state; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0035], [0070], [0079], [0081]), the communication is a first communication (Communication between the UE and the base station may be interpreted as comprising at least a first communication; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0035], [0070], [0079], [0081]). Qualcomm further teaches the communication comprises small data transmission (SDT) (Small data transmission (SDT) is discussed as being performed in connection with at least Fig. 6; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2), and wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: change the RRC state of the UE to another one of the RRC connected state or the RRC inactive state (At least the discussion of Fig. 6 discusses changing the UE to RRC inactive or idle state; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2); and perform a second SDT with the network entity via the pair of unrestricted BWPs for the first SDT (Small data transmission (SDT) is discussed as being performed in connection with at least Fig. 6. The discussion of Fig. 6 also discusses at least transmitting paging information after switching to RRC inactive or idle state, which may be interpreted as at least a second SDT; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 23, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 20. However, although Lei illustrates DL and UL bandwidths as potentially having different center frequencies (Lei; Figs. 3B and 3D; [0049]), Lei does not specifically disclose a first center frequency of the unrestricted DL BWP and a second center frequency of the unrestricted UL BWP have a frequency gap greater than zero. Qualcomm teaches a first center frequency of the unrestricted DL BWP and a second center frequency of the unrestricted UL BWP have a frequency gap greater than zero (As can be seen in at least Fig. 4, a first center frequency of the unrestricted DL BWP and a second center frequency of the unrestricted UL BWP have a frequency gap greater than zero; Qualcomm; Fig. 4; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 24, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 20. Lei further teaches the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: transmit, from the UE, one or more of: BWP switching configuration information (As can be seen in at least step 410 of Fig. 4 and step 510 of Fig. 5, network entity may configure a UE with a group common BWP configuration indicating a group common BWP shared by a group of UEs including the UE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0072]-[0073], [0084]-[0085], [0110]). However, Lei does not specifically disclose BWP switching configuration information comprises one or more of: a DL-to-UL retuning gap for switching from a DL reception based on the unrestricted DL BWP to an UL transmission based on the unrestricted UL BWP, or an UL-to-DL retuning gap for switching from the UL transmission to the DL reception. Qualcomm teaches BWP switching configuration information comprises one or more of: a DL-to-UL retuning gap for switching from a DL reception based on the unrestricted DL BWP to an UL transmission based on the unrestricted UL BWP (As can be seen in at least Fig. 5 and its corresponding description, a retuning time/gap is used for switching from DL to UL transmission and/or from UL to DL transmission; Qualcomm; Fig. 5; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2), or an UL-to-DL retuning gap for switching from the UL transmission to the DL reception (As can be seen in at least Fig. 5 and its corresponding description, a retuning time/gap is used for switching from DL to UL transmission and/or from UL to DL transmission; Qualcomm; Fig. 5; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 25, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 20. Lei further teaches the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: transmit, for the UE, a BWP switch trigger for the BWP switch (At least the signaling in step 420 and/or step 510 may be interpreted as a BWP switch trigger for the BWP switch; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0079], [0084]-[0085], [0110]), wherein the transmission of the BWP switch trigger is via one of: downlink control information (DCI) (The BWP switch trigger is described as being received via PDCCH (i.e., DCI); Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0081]), a medium access control (MAC) - control element (MAC-CE) (The BWP switch trigger is described as being received via MAC CE; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0081]), or an RRC reconfiguration (The BWP switch trigger is described as being received via RRC message; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0078]-[0081]). However, Lei does not specifically disclose the BWP switch is from an active wideband BWP to a pair of default DL/UL BWPs comprising a default DL BWP and a default UL BWP. Qualcomm teaches the BWP switch is from an active wideband BWP to a pair of default DL/UL BWPs comprising a default DL BWP and a default UL BWP (As can be seen in at least Figs. 4-6 and their corresponding description, the BWP switch may include switching from a wider bandwidth to a pair of narrower DL/UL BWPs, which may be interpreted as a pair of default DL/UL BWPs comprising a default DL BWP and a default UL BWP; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 27, Lei teaches the limitations of claim 20. Lei further teaches to perform the BWP operation for the communication with the UE, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: perform the communication with the UE based on at least one of non-cell-defining (NCD) - synchronization signal block (NCD-SSB) or a tracking reference signal (TRS) (Communication may be performed based on at least tracking reference signal(s) (TRS); Lei; Figs. 4-11; [0112]-[0114], [0123], [0136]). However, Lei does not specifically disclose the communication comprises small data transmission (SDT). Qualcomm teaches the communication comprises small data transmission (SDT) (Small data transmission (SDT) is discussed as being performed in connection with at least Fig. 6; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5). Regarding claim 28, Lei and Qualcomm teach the limitations of claim 27. Lei further teaches the RRC state of the UE is one of the RRC connected state or the RRC inactive state (UEs in communication with base stations are described as being in at least an RRC connected state; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0035], [0070], [0079], [0081]), the communication is a first communication (Communication between the UE and the base station may be interpreted as comprising at least a first communication; Lei; Figs. 4-8; [0035], [0070], [0079], [0081]). Qualcomm further teaches the communication comprises small data transmission (SDT) (Small data transmission (SDT) is discussed as being performed in connection with at least Fig. 6; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2), and wherein the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is further configured to: perform, via the pair of unrestricted BWPs for the first SDT, a second SDT with the UE after a change of the RRC state of the UE to another one of the RRC connected state or the RRC inactive state (Small data transmission (SDT) is discussed as being performed in connection with at least Fig. 6. The discussion of Fig. 6 also discusses at least receiving paging information after switching to RRC inactive or idle state, which may be interpreted as at least a second SDT; Qualcomm; Figs. 4-6; Sections 2.1.1-2.1.2). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Qualcomm regarding bandwidth part configuration with the teachings as in Lei regarding bandwidth part configuration. The motivation for doing so would have been to increase performance by reducing bandwidth for reduced capability devices (Qualcomm; Section 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-14, 17-18, and 26 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/ERIC MYERS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474