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 .
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 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.
DETAILED ACTION
1. The application of Wang et al. for the "COMMUNICATION METHOD AND RELATED APPARATUS" filed 01/04/2024 has been examined. This application is a Continuation of PCT/CN2022/104031, filed 07/06/2022, and claims foreign priority to 202110769413.6, filed 07/07/2021 in China. The preliminary amendment filed 01/23/2024 has been entered and made of record. Claims 1-20 are pending in the present application.
2. The applicant should use this period for response to thoroughly and very closely proof read and review the whole of the application for correct correlation between reference numerals in the textual portion of the Specification and Drawings along with any minor spelling errors, general typographical errors, accuracy, assurance of proper use for Trademarks TM, and other legal symbols @, where required, and clarity of meaning in the Specification, Drawings, and specifically the claims (i.e., provide proper antecedent basis for “the'' and “said'' within each
claim). Minor typographical errors could render a Patent unenforceable and so the applicant is
strongly encouraged to aid in this endeavor.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless -
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use,
on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed
invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an
application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the
patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed
before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
4. Claims 1-3, 6, 12, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dimou et al. (US#2023/0046231).
Regarding claims 1-2, Dimou discloses a communication method, comprising: receiving first control information in a first time period based on a mapping relationship, wherein the mapping relationship comprises a first mapping relationship between a first parameter set and a first time period, the first parameter set comprises a first parameter (Figs. 13-15; para [0245], [0250]: receiving, by the BS from the UE, the first PUCCH signal in the first beam direction during a first time period; and receiving, by the BS from the UE, the second PUCCH signal in the second beam direction during a second time period different from the first time period).
Regarding claim 3, Dimou discloses the communication method of claim 1 as set forth above. Dimou further teaches wherein the mapping relationship further comprises a second mapping relationship between a second parameter set and a second time period, the second parameter set comprises a second parameter, and wherein-the first parameter is different from the second parameter (Fig. 10E; para [0174]: in the scheme 1050, the UE 1015 may transmit the first PUCCH signal (carrying the NACK) using the beam 1002a and the second PUCCH signal (carrying the NACK) using the beam 1002b in consecutive time periods during a time period 1004 (e.g., a slot 202) when the BeamTransmissionForNack parameter 1016 indicates that the multiple beams for NACK transmissions are to be transmitted in a beam-switching manner).
Regarding claim 6, Dimou discloses the communication method of claim 1 as set forth above. Dimou further teaches wherein the first time period comprises any one of: one or more time domain symbols, one or more slots, and one or more subframes (Fig. 2; para [0064]: The different resources may be different in a time domain, a frequency domain, and/or a spatial domain).
Regarding claim 12, Dimou discloses the communication method of claim 1 as set forth above. Dimou further teaches wherein the first time period is associated with a first time periodicity and a first time offset; or the first time period is associated with a first time start position and a first time length (Fig. 6B; para [0127]: starting physical resource block (PRB) 602, a number of PRBs 604, a starting symbol 606, and a number of symbols 608 in the UL control channel configuration).
Regarding claim 18, Dimou discloses the communication method of claim 1 as set forth above. Dimou further teaches wherein receiving indication information, wherein the indication information indicates the resource granularity (Fig. 2; para [0092]: UL and/or DL communica tions at a time-granularity of slots 202 or mini-slots 208).
Regarding claim 20, it is apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 1 examined above. Therefore, claim 20 is analyzed and rejected as previously discussed in paragraph above with respect to claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed
invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1,148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
6. 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.
7. Claims 4, 9, 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dimou et al. (US#2023/0046231) in view of Jang et al. (US#2023/0087223).
Regarding claim 4, Dimou et al. (US#2023/0046231) discloses the wireless communication of claim 1 as set forth in the paragraph 5 above. However, Dimou reference does not explicitly disclose wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of control resource set (CORESET) configuration information, a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), reference signal configuration information, and a control information transmission mode. In the same field of endeavor, Jang et al. (US#2023/0087223) teaches in Fig. 4 a diagram for describing a configuration of a CORESET of a downlink control channel in a next-generation wireless communication system, in which a UE BWP 4-10 may be configured on a frequency domain and two CORESETs (CORESET #1 4-01 and CORESET #2 4-02) may be configured in one slot 4-20 on a time domain. The CORESETs 4-01 and 4-02 may be configured to a specific frequency resource 4-03 within the entire UE bandwidth part 4-10 on the frequency domain. The CORESETs 4-01 and 4-02 may be configured with one or more OFDM symbols on the time domain and may be defined by a CORESET duration 4-04 (para [0090]-[0091] & para [0113]-[0114]).
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 an apparatus for transmitting and receiving data in mobile communication system of Dimou by including the scheduling time information of the at least one beam instructs the terminal to receive or send a signal at a scheduling time indicated by the scheduling time information of the at least one beam suggested by Jang. This modification would provide for accurately and efficiently performing or improve of scheduling transmissions for resource management and reduced delay (see Jang para [0200] background and intention content).
Regarding claim 16, Dimou in view of Jang teaches the method of claim 4. Jang et al. (US#2023/0087223) further teaches wherein the control resource set (CORESET) configuration information is used to configure a control resource set, the RNTI identifies a terminal device, the reference signal configuration information is used to configure a reference signal, and the control information transmission mode indicates a transmission mode of the control information (para [0090]-[0091] & para [0113]-[0114]: the UE may be configured with a CORESET for a DL control channel through which DCI for scheduling a system information block (SIB) may be transmitted from an MIB of a physical broadcast channel (PBCH). Different RNTIs may be used according to the purpose of the DCI message).
Regarding claim 17, Dimou teaches the method of claim 4. Jang et al. (US#2023/ 0087223) further teaches wherein the control information transmission mode comprises group control information transmission and single control information transmission (para [0009]: control information to a plurality of transmission points, panels, or beams, for cooperative communication between the plurality of transmission points, panels, or beams).
Regarding claim 9, Dimou teaches the method of claim 6. Jang et al. (US#2023/0087223) further teaches wherein the control information transmission mode further comprises a second control information transmission mode, and the second control information transmission mode indicates that the first control information corresponds to one terminal (para [0333]: the UE may obtain the control information with respect to the PDSCHs transmitted from the different TRPs TRP #0 through TRP #(N−1), through DCIs DCI #0 through DCI #(N−1) having the same DCI formats and the same payloads).
Regarding claim 14, Dimou teaches the method of claim 1. Jang et al. (US#2023/ 0087223) further teaches that performing channel estimation on the first control information in the first time period based on the first mapping relationship, wherein a resource granularity of the channel estimation is N1 control channel elements (CCEs) or N2 preset quantity of resource element groups (REGs), and N1 and N₂ are integers greater than 0 (Fig. 5; para [0124]-[0126]: A specific downlink control channel may be transmitted by being mapped to one or more CCEs 5-04 according to an aggregation level (AL) in the CORESET).
Regarding claim 15, Dimou in view of Jang teaches the method of claim 14. Jang et al. (US#2023/0087223) further teaches that obtaining configuration information, wherein the configuration information indicates the mapping relationship (Fig. 5; para [0098], [0124]-[0125]: control information indicating radio resource mapping information of a control channel, scheduling control information with respect to an additional data channel for transmitting system information, etc.).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claim 5 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claims, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 7-8, 10-11, 13, 19 depend on the objected claim 5 above.
9. The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art of record fails to disclose or suggest wherein the control resource set configuration information indicates a time-frequency position corresponding to the first control information, the radio network temporary identifier is used to parse the first control information, the reference signal configuration information indicates a time-frequency position and/or a sequence corresponding to a reference signal, and the control information transmission mode indicates a transmission mode of the first control information, as specifically recited in the claims.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The Lee et al. (US#11,545,759) is cited to show method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving signal in a wireless communication system.
The Froberg Olsson et al. (US#11,695,497) shows configurable DCI formatting indicator.
The Zhang et al. (US#11,510,227) shows UL transmission in discovery RS measurement timing configuration window.
The Kwak et al. (US#11,743,914) shows CORESET configuration for reduced bandwidth user equipments.
The Gao et al. (US#11,595,175) shows methods and apparatuses for transmitting control information.
The Byun et al. (US#11,115,835) shows method and device for performing D2D communication by sharing UL resource and sidelink resource in wireless communication system.
The Lee et al. (US#10,375,661) shows method for transmitting synchronization signal for D2D communication in wireless communication system and apparatus therefor.
The Lee et al. (US#10,506,548) shows method and apparatus for transmitting buffer status report for bi-directional transmission in wireless communication system.
The Parkvall et al. (US#10,367,677) shows network architecture, methods, and devices for a wireless communications network.
The John Wilson et al. (US#10,547,429) search candidates in multi-link control channel.
The Xu et al. (US#2021/0135809) shows apparatus and method in wireless communication system.
11. Applicant's future amendments need to comply with the requirements of MPEP § 714.02, MPEP § 2163.04 and MPEP § 2163.06.
"with respect to newly added or amended claims, applicant should show support in the original disclosure for the new or amended claims." See MPEP § 714.02 and § 2163.06 ("Applicant should * * * specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure."); and MPEP § 2163.04 ("If applicant amends the claims and points out where and/or how the originally filed disclosure supports the amendment(s), and the examiner finds that the disclosure does not reasonably convey that the inventor had possession of the subject matter of the amendment at the time of the filing of the application, the examiner has the initial burden of presenting evidence or reasoning to explain why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims."). See In re Smith, 458 F.2d 1389, 1395, 173 USPQ 679, 683 (CCPA 1972) In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d at 262,191 USPQ at 96 (emphasis added). "The use of a confusing variety of terms for the same thing should not be permitted.
New claims and amendments to the claims already in the application should be scrutinized not only for new matter but also for new terminology. While an applicant is not limited to the nomenclature used in the application as filed, he or she should make appropriate amendment of the specification whenever this nomenclature is departed from by amendment of the claims so as to have clear support or antecedent basis in the specification for the new terms appearing in the claims. This is necessary in order to insure certainty in construing the claims in the light of the specification." Ex parte Kotler, 1901 C.D. 62, 95 O.G. 2684 (Comm'r Pat. 1901). See 37 CFR 1.75, MPEP § 608.01 (i) and § 1302.01.
Note that examiners should ensure that the terms and phrases used in claims presented late in prosecution of the application (including claims amended via an examiner's amendment) find clear support or antecedent basis in the description so that the meaning of the terms in the claims may be ascertainable by reference to the description, see 37 CFR 1,75(d)(1 ). If the examiner determines that the claims presented late in prosecution do not comply with 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1), applicant will be required to make appropriate amendment to the description to provide clear support or antecedent basis for the terms appearing in the claims provided no new matter is introduced."
"USPTO personnel are to give claims their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the supporting disclosure." In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 1054-55, 44 USPQ2d 1023,1027-28 (Fed. Cir. 1997). MPEP § 2106. "
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to M. Phan whose telephone number is (571) 272-3149. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon - Fri from 6:00 to 3:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Chirag Shah, can be reached on (571) 272-3144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is (571) 272-2600.
13. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have any questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at toll free 1-866-217-9197.
Mphan
01/09/2026
/MAN U PHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477