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 .
2. The following is a non-final Office action in response to Applicant submission received on 2/1/2024.
3. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
Foreign Priority
4. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Oath/Declaration
5. The applicant's oath/declaration filed on 01/12/2022 has been reviewed by the examiner and is found to conform to the requirements prescribed in 37 C.F.R. 1.63.
Drawings
6. The applicant’s drawings submitted on 01/12/2022 are acceptable for examination purposes.
Information Disclosure Statement
7. The information disclosure statement submitted by Applicant is in compliance with the provision of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. It has been placed in the application file and the information referred to therein has been considered as to the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sarkis et al. (US 20200351903 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sarkis discloses a control resource monitoring method (para. [0150]: directed to a UE 115-a may receive a number of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmissions which may include control information (e.g., DCI)), comprising: determining, by a terminal, a virtual object and/or an object group ([0168]: UE 115-a may also assume configurations of high priority and low priority cells to be distinct in order to determine where DCI was received. UE 115-a may differentiate cells (e.g., as physical or virtual cells) based on one or more cell parameters such as cell ID); determining, by the terminal, a control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object and/or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the object group based on the determined virtual object and/or object group ([0169]: during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support); and monitoring, by the terminal, a control resource according to the control resource processing capability ([0165]: UE 115-a may receive data or control information corresponding to a high priority cell indicating a scheduled high priority transmission); wherein the virtual object and/or object group is determined according to at least one of the following: a resource for self-scheduling for a first object ([0167]: UE 115-a may receive a downlink transmission with an associated scheduling DCI format. The DCI format may, in some examples, include a carrier indicator... As a result, UE 115-a may be self-scheduled on the same carrier, or a specific field in DCI may be used to indicate transmission priority. Such an addition of an explicit field may allow for virtual cross carrier scheduling); and a resource for scheduling the first object by a second object ([0167]: UE 115-a may receive a downlink transmission with an associated scheduling DCI format. The DCI format may, in some examples, include a carrier indicator... As a result, UE 115-a may be self-scheduled on the same carrier, or a specific field in DCI may be used to indicate transmission priority. Such an addition of an explicit field may allow for virtual cross carrier scheduling); wherein the first object is scheduled by at least two objects ([0172]: UE may receive a PDCCH transmission 305-a at a first time, and may receive a PDCCH transmission 310-a at a second, later, time. PDCCH 305-a and PDCCH 310-a may be examples of scheduling PDCCH transmissions, and may include scheduling and control information (e.g., DCI) which may allocate resources for scheduled transmissions), and the second object is at least part of the objects that schedule the first object ([0169]: UE 115-a may communicate with a base station 105-a that it is able to support both high priority and low priority transmissions simultaneously. For example, during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support. The total number of cells UE 115-a may support in a given band or band combination may be different from the actual combination of high and low priority cells UE 115-a may report for the band or band combination).
Regarding claim 2, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the virtual object is determined according to the self-scheduling resource of the first object (Sarkis, para. [0167] UE 115-a may be self-scheduled on the same carrier, or a specific field in DCI may be used to indicate transmission priority) and the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object (Sarkis, para. [0167]: Such an addition of an explicit field may allow for virtual cross carrier scheduling).
Regarding claim 3, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein a control resource processing capability corresponding to the self-scheduling resource of the first object ([0169]: during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support) and a control resource processing capability corresponding to the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object are a control resource processing capability corresponding to the first virtual object (para. [0169]: during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support. [0161] the cells may be virtual cells).
Regarding claim 4, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the terminal, that objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same object group ([0163]: DCI 215 may not include a carrier indicator, and the PUSCH may be scheduled on the same component carrier as the PDCCH is received, and may be scheduled using the same transmission priority as the PDCCH), and/or determining, by the terminal, that control resource processing capabilities corresponding to objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same object group.
Regarding claim 5, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 4, wherein the determining, by the terminal, that objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same object group ([0163]: DCI 215 may not include a carrier indicator, and the PUSCH may be scheduled on the same component carrier as the PDCCH is received, and may be scheduled using the same transmission priority as the PDCCH), and/or determining, by the terminal, that control resource processing capabilities corresponding to objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same object group comprises: determining, by the terminal based on a reference SCS corresponding to the obtained object or a reference SCS corresponding to a control resource processing capability corresponding to the obtained object, that the objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same target object group, or determining that control resource processing capabilities corresponding to objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same target object group.
Regarding claim 6, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 4, wherein the determining, by the terminal, that objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same object group ([0163]: DCI 215 may not include a carrier indicator, and the PUSCH may be scheduled on the same component carrier as the PDCCH is received, and may be scheduled using the same transmission priority as the PDCCH), and/or determining, by the terminal, that control resource processing capabilities corresponding to objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same object group comprises one or more of the following: determining, by the terminal based on the reference SCS corresponding to the first-type object, that first-type objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same first-type object group, and/or determining, by the terminal based on the reference SCS corresponding to the control resource processing capability corresponding to the first-type object, that the control resource processing capabilities corresponding to the first-type objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same first-type object group; and determining, by the terminal based on the reference SCS corresponding to the second-type object, that the second-type object corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same second-type object group, and/or determining, by the terminal based on the reference SCS corresponding to the control resource processing capability corresponding to the second-type object, that the control resource processing capabilities corresponding to the second-type objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same second-type object group; wherein the first-type object is a virtual object, and the second-type object is a configured object; or the first-type object is a virtual object, and the second-type object is a non-virtual object.
Regarding claim 7, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 6, wherein in a case that the second-type object is a configured object, the determining, by the terminal, that second-type objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same second-type object group comprises: determining, by the terminal, that among configured objects, objects corresponding to the same reference SCS other than a first excluded object belong to the same second-type object group; and/or in a case that the second-type object is a configured object, the determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capabilities corresponding to the second-type objects corresponding to the same reference SCS belong to the same second-type object group comprises: determining, by the terminal, that among the control resource processing capabilities corresponding to the configured objects, the control resource processing capabilities corresponding to the objects corresponding to the same reference SCS other than a control resource processing capability corresponding to a first excluded object belong to the same second-type object group; wherein the first excluded object comprises at least one of the following: the first object or the self-scheduling resource of the first object; and the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object (para. [0166]: UE 115-a is self-scheduled, both data and control information may be included on the same cell (e.g., if the PDCCH is on the same cell as the PDSCH/PUSCH), and UE 115-a may use the self-scheduled cell configuration to indicate high priority or low priority transmissions).
Regarding claim 8, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 4, wherein the virtual object or the control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object has a reference subcarrier bandwidth SCS, and the reference SCS comprises any one of the following: an SCS of the first object or the self-scheduling resource of the first object; an SCS of the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; the largest SCS of the SCS of the first object or the self-scheduling resource of the first object and the SCS of the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; the smallest SCS of the SCS of the first object or the self-scheduling resource of the first object and the SCS of the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; the weighted sum of the SCS of the first object or the self-scheduling resource of the first object and the SCS of the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; an SCS of a control resource processing capability corresponding to the first object or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the self-scheduling resource of the first object; an SCS of a control resource processing capability corresponding to the second object or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; the largest SCS of the SCS of the control resource processing capability corresponding to the first object or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the self-scheduling resource of the first object and the SCS of the control resource processing capability corresponding to the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; the smallest SCS of the SCS of the control resource processing capability corresponding to the first object or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the self-scheduling resource of the first object and the SCS of the control resource processing capability corresponding to the second object or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; the weighted sum of the SCS of the control resource processing capability corresponding to the first object or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the self-scheduling resource of the first object and the SCS of the control resource processing capability corresponding to the second object or the resource of scheduling the first object by the second object; a predefined SCS; and a configured SCS (para. [0166]: UE 115-a is self-scheduled, both data and control information may be included on the same cell (e.g., if the PDCCH is on the same cell as the PDSCH/PUSCH), and UE 115-a may use the self-scheduled cell configuration to indicate high priority or low priority transmissions).
Regarding claim 9, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the determining a control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object and/or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the object group comprises: determining, by the terminal, a total number of objects ([0169]: UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support. The total number of cells UE 115-a may support in a given band or band combination may be different from the actual combination of high and low priority cells UE 115-a may report for the band or band combination); and determining, by the terminal, the control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object and/or the control resource processing capability corresponding to the object group based on the total number of objects ([0169]: the number of cells UE 115-a may support may be based on a number of factors, such as resources allocated to the UE, capabilities of the UE, and so on).
Regarding claim 10, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein the determining, by the terminal, the total number of objects comprises: determining, by the terminal, the total number of objects based on at least one of the number of first-type objects, the number of second-type objects, and the size of the object group ([0169]: the number of cells UE 115-a may support may be based on a number of factors, such as resources allocated to the UE, capabilities of the UE, and so on); or, wherein the determining, by the terminal, the total number of objects comprises: determining, by the terminal, the total number of objects based on the total number of first-type objects and/or the total number of second-type objects; wherein the total number of first-type objects is determined according to the number of first-type objects or the size of the first-type object group; and/or the total number of second-type objects is determined according to the number of second-type objects or the second-type object group.
Regarding claim 11, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 10, wherein the determining, by the terminal, the total number of objects further comprises: removing, by the terminal, a duplication factor from the number of first-type objects, the number of second-type objects, the size of the object group, the size of a first-type object group, and/or the size of a second-type object group; or removing, by the terminal, the duplication factor from the total number of objects ( [0235 the second downlink control information includes a format that excludes a carrier indicator).
Regarding claim 12, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein the determining, by the terminal, a control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object and/or the object group comprises at least one of the following: in a case that the total number of objects is not greater than a maximum processing number, or in a case that the total number of objects minus the first duplication factor is not greater than the maximum processing number, determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capability is a first capability ([0135]-[01369]: monitoring capability for grouped transmission objects may not exceed the maximum processing capability of a single transmission object and, when within the limit a corresponding monitoring capability is assigned); in a case that the total number of objects is greater than the maximum processing number, or in a case that the total number of objects minus the second duplication factor is greater than the maximum processing number, determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capability is a second capability; and in a case that the total number of objects is greater than the maximum processing number, or in a case that the total number of objects minus the third duplication factor is greater than the maximum processing number, determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capability is a third capability.
Regarding claim 13, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capability is the first capability comprises: determining, by the terminal, the first capability according to a preset control resource processing capability ([0169]: the number of cells UE 115-a may support may be based on a number of factors, such as resources allocated to the UE, capabilities of the UE); the determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capability is the second capability comprises: determining, by the terminal, the second capability based on at least two of a preset control resource processing capability, the maximum processing number, the size of the object group, and the total number of objects ([0169]: the number of cells UE 115-a may support may be based on a number of factors, such as resources allocated to the UE, capabilities of the UE); and the determining, by the terminal, that the control resource processing capability is the third capability comprises: determining, by the terminal, the third capability based on the preset control resource processing capability and the second capability, or determining, by the terminal, the third capability based on the first capability and the second capability ([0169]: the number of cells UE 115-a may support may be based on a number of factors, such as resources allocated to the UE, capabilities of the UE).
Regarding claim 14, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the determining, by the terminal, the second capability based on at least two of a preset control resource processing capability, the maximum processing number, the size of the object group, and the total number of objects comprises: removing, by the terminal, the duplication factor from the size of the object group, and determining the second capability based on at least two of the preset control resource processing capability, the maximum processing number, the size of the object group, and the total number of objects; or removing, by the terminal, the duplication factor from the total number of objects ([0180]: UE capability report may include information regarding a number of cells having respective priorities that UE 115-b supports. In such cases, UE 115-b may report that it supports a quantity of high-priority cells, a quantity of low-priority cells, or a combination thereof), and determining the second capability based on at least two of the preset control resource processing capability, the maximum processing number, the size of the object group, and the total number of objects ([0180]: UE capability report may include information regarding a number of cells having respective priorities that UE 115-b supports. In such cases, UE 115-b may report that it supports a quantity of high-priority cells, a quantity of low-priority cells, or a combination thereof).
Regarding claim 15, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of resources of the first object , the second object, and an object other than the first object scheduled by the second object , and the object coefficient is associated with a control resource processing capability corresponding to at least one of the resources of the first object, the second object, and the object other than the first object scheduled by the second object ([0160]: UE 115-a may support switching between a high priority configuration to low priority configuration based on a priority indication or other parameters it may receive (e.g., bandwidth allocation).
Regarding claim 16, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 15, wherein the object coefficient corresponding to the second object and/or the object coefficient corresponding to the resource of the object other than the first object scheduled by the second object comprises any one of the following: a number of objects scheduled by the second object ([0169]: UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support. The total number of cells UE 115-a may support in a given band or band combination may be different from the actual combination of high and low priority cells UE 115-a may report for the band or band combination); the result of a number of objects scheduled by the second object minusing a duplication factor; and a number of objects other than the first object among objects scheduled by the second object.
Regarding claim 17, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises any of the following: a cell ([0161 the cells may be virtual cells); a carrier; a frequency; a time domain resource set; a frequency domain resource set; a time-frequency domain resource set; a bandwidth part (BWP); and a resource pool.
Regarding claim 18, Sarkis discloses the method according to claim 16, wherein the duplication factor is any one of the following: a preset value; the number of the first objects ([0169]: the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority); a configured value on the network side ; a value reported by the terminal ; the number of the second objects; and a number of second objects corresponding to a particular first object.
Regarding claim 19, Sarkis discloses a terminal (FIG. 9: UE 900), comprising a processor (FIG. 9: Processor 940), a memory (FIG. 9: Memory 930), and a program stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor ([0258] : discloses code on the memory to perform functions), wherein the program, when executed by the processor, causes the terminal to perform: determining a virtual object and/or an object group (([0168]: UE 115-a may also assume configurations of high priority and low priority cells to be distinct in order to determine where DCI was received. UE 115-a may differentiate cells (e.g., as physical or virtual cells) based on one or more cell parameters such as cell ID); determining a control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object and/or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the object group based on the determined virtual object and/or object group ([0169]: during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support); and monitoring a control resource according to the control resource processing capability ([0165]: UE 115-a may receive data or control information corresponding to a high priority cell indicating a scheduled high priority transmission); wherein the virtual object and/or object group is determined according to at least one of the following: a resource for self-scheduling for a first object ([0167]: UE 115-a may receive a downlink transmission with an associated scheduling DCI format. The DCI format may, in some examples, include a carrier indicator... As a result, UE 115-a may be self-scheduled on the same carrier, or a specific field in DCI may be used to indicate transmission priority. Such an addition of an explicit field may allow for virtual cross carrier scheduling); and a resource for scheduling the first object by a second object([0167]: search if UE 115-a is self-scheduled, both data and control information may be included on the same cell (e.g., if the PDCCH is on the same cell as the PDSCH/PUSCH), and UE 115-a may use the self-scheduled cell configuration to indicate high priority or low priority transmissions), and the second object is at least part of the objects that schedule the first object ([0169]: UE 115-a may communicate with a base station 105-a that it is able to support both high priority and low priority transmissions simultaneously. For example, during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support. The total number of cells UE 115-a may support in a given band or band combination may be different from the actual combination of high and low priority cells UE 115-a may report for the band or band combination).
Regarding claim 20, Sarkis discloses a non-transitory readable storage medium (FIG. 9: Memory 930), wherein the non-transitory readable storage medium stores a program or an instruction, wherein the program or the instruction ([0258]: discloses code on the memory to perform functions), when executed by a processor (FIG. 9: Processor 940), causes the processor to perform: determining a virtual object and/or an object group ([0168]: UE 115-a may also assume configurations of high priority and low priority cells to be distinct in order to determine where DCI was received. UE 115-a may differentiate cells (e.g., as physical or virtual cells) based on one or more cell parameters such as cell ID); determining a control resource processing capability corresponding to the virtual object and/or a control resource processing capability corresponding to the object group based on the determined virtual object and/or object group ([0169]: during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support); and monitoring a control resource according to the control resource processing capability ([0165]: UE 115-a may receive data or control information corresponding to a high priority cell indicating a scheduled high priority transmission); wherein the virtual object and/or object group is determined according to at least one of the following: a resource for self-scheduling for a first object ([0166]: if UE 115-a is self-scheduled, both data and control information may be included on the same cell (e.g., if the PDCCH is on the same cell as the PDSCH/PUSCH), and UE 115-a may use the self-scheduled cell configuration to indicate high priority or low priority transmissions); and a resource for scheduling the first object by a second object ([0167]: UE 115-a may receive a downlink transmission with an associated scheduling DCI format. The DCI format may, in some examples, include a carrier indicator... As a result, UE 115-a may be self-scheduled on the same carrier, or a specific field in DCI may be used to indicate transmission priority. Such an addition of an explicit field may allow for virtual cross carrier scheduling); wherein the first object is scheduled by at least two objects ([0172]: UE may receive a PDCCH transmission 305-a at a first time, and may receive a PDCCH transmission 310-a at a second, later, time. PDCCH 305-a and PDCCH 310-a may be examples of scheduling PDCCH transmissions, and may include scheduling and control information (e.g., DCI) which may allocate resources for scheduled transmissions), and the second object is at least part of the objects that schedule the first object ([0169]: UE 115-a may communicate with a base station 105-a that it is able to support both high priority and low priority transmissions simultaneously. For example, during capability reporting, UE 115-a may notify the base station of a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration, which may include the number of high priority cells it may support in addition to the number of low priority cells it may support. The total number of cells UE 115-a may support in a given band or band combination may be different from the actual combination of high and low priority cells UE 115-a may report for the band or band combination).
Conclusion
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
--- Noirot-Nerin (US 20050010905 A1) teaches a comparison engine or another application may provide a warning and propose to remove the extraneous duplicate parameter in the given object, if the duplicate parameters are determined to have minimal or no effect. If the values are different, then the comparison engine may process parameters using different logic based on the particular application.
--- NIMBALKER et al. (US 20230353321 A1) discloses a network node that has a radio interface and a processing circuitry configured to use a physical downlink control channel, PDCCH, on a secondary cell, SCell, to schedule a physical shared channels on a primary cell, PCell and further configured to determine a limit for the PDCCH Blind Decodings and CCEs, BDs/CCEs, for the primary and secondary cells.
--- Yi (US 20200280337 A1) discloses a user equipment (UE) reports UE capability for supporting a flexible carrier aggregation in a single cell to a network, receives a configuration of the flexible carrier aggregation from the network, and communicates with the network via multiple physical carriers configured by the flexible carrier aggregation. The multiple physical carriers may be mapped to the single cell by the flexible carrier aggregation. Or, one physical carrier may be mapped to multiple cells by the flexible carrier aggregation.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEAN F VOLTAIRE whose telephone number is (571)272-3953. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:30 PM.
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, REBECCA E. SONG can be reached at (571)270-3667. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JEAN F VOLTAIRE/Examiner, Art Unit 2417
/PAUL H. MASUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2417
Prosecution Insights