DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to communications filed on February 6, 2024. Claims 1-21 are pending in the application.
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 filed on 2/6/2024 has been considered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claims 1-3, 6, 8-14, 16, 20, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (US 2023/0363043).
Regarding Claim 1, Huang teaches a method by a terminal configured with two or more serving cells, the method comprising:
receiving, by the terminal from a base station, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message, wherein the RRC message comprises a configuration parameter set of a first serving cell (“a method 1000 for a UE in a wireless communication system comprises receiving a RRC message comprising a DRX configuration (step 1002)” – See [0313]; “The DRX configuration(s) for on duration (time) (e.g., for a DRX group) may be and/or may comprise the length/duration of on duration time (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer) and/or the start offset to on duration time (e.g., drx-SlotOffset). The length/duration of on duration time (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer) may be (represent by and/or referred to) an on duration timer. The start offset to on duration time (e.g., drx-SlotOffset) may be applied to the start of the on duration timer (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer)” – See [0246]; “Serving Cells of a MAC entity may be configured by RRC in two DRX groups with separate DRX parameters. When RRC does not configure a secondary DRX group, there is only one DRX group and all Serving Cells belong to that one DRX group. When two DRX groups are configured, each Serving Cell is uniquely assigned to either of the two groups” – See [0116]; The UE receives an RRC message comprising configuration parameters of a DRX configuration for a serving cell);
receiving, by the terminal, downlink information, wherein the downlink information comprises a first field associated with the first serving cell, and wherein the first field indicates a first value (“The first indication may be a L1 and/or L2 signaling/indication (e.g., Downlink Control Information (DCI), MAC CE). The UE may receive one or multiple DRX configuration(s) in a RRC message (e.g., RRCSetup, RRCResume, or RRCReconfiguration). The first indication may indicate a pre-configured DRX configuration or a value of the DRX parameter” – See [0255]; The UE receives a first indication (downlink information) via DCI or MAC CE, wherein the first indication includes a first field indicating a value of a DRX parameter or a pre-configured DRX configuration); and
performing, by the terminal and based on the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell, an uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell in case that a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) is configured for the terminal; and the two or more serving cells are in Active Time of the DRX (“The UE may determine to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; The UE transmits the CSI report (uplink transmission) to the serving cell when DRX is configured for the UE, and the group of cells in the DRX group (i.e., two or more serving cells) associated with the DRX configuration are in DRX Active Time/on duration time),
wherein, for the uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell, the terminal performs Channel State Information (CSI) transmission in the first serving cell in case that a specific timer of the first serving cell is running (“The UE may determine to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; “the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; The Active Time occurs when drx-onDurationTimer (specific timer of the first serving cell) is running. The UE transmits the CSI report during the Active Time when drx-onDurationTimer is running); and
does not perform CSI transmission in the first serving cell in case that the specific timer of the first serving cell is not running (“The UE may determine not to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is not (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; “the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; The Active Time occurs when drx-onDurationTimer (specific timer of the first serving cell) is running. The UE does not transmit the CSI report outside of the Active Time when drx-onDurationTimer is not running).
Regarding Claim 2, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches receiving, by the terminal, the downlink information, wherein the first field associated with the first serving cell indicates a second value (“The first indication may be a L1 and/or L2 signaling/indication (e.g., Downlink Control Information (DCI), MAC CE). The UE may receive one or multiple DRX configuration(s) in a RRC message (e.g., RRCSetup, RRCResume, or RRCReconfiguration). The first indication may indicate a pre-configured DRX configuration or a value of the DRX parameter” – See [0255]; “The first indication may comprise and/or indicate value(s) of one or more DRX configurations” – See [0259]; The UE receives a first indication (downlink information) via DCI or MAC CE, wherein the first indication includes a first field indicating a plurality of DRX parameter values (i.e., a second value in addition to the first value)); and
performing, by the terminal, CSI transmission in the first serving cell in case that: the DRX is configured for the terminal; and the two or more serving cells are in Active Time of the DRX (“The UE may determine to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; The UE transmits the CSI report to the serving cell when DRX is configured for the UE, and the group of cells in the DRX group (i.e., two or more serving cells) associated with the DRX configuration are in DRX Active Time/on duration time).
Regarding Claim 3, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches receiving, by the terminal, the downlink information, wherein the first field associated with the first serving cell indicates a second value (“The first indication may be a L1 and/or L2 signaling/indication (e.g., Downlink Control Information (DCI), MAC CE). The UE may receive one or multiple DRX configuration(s) in a RRC message (e.g., RRCSetup, RRCResume, or RRCReconfiguration). The first indication may indicate a pre-configured DRX configuration or a value of the DRX parameter” – See [0255]; “The first indication may comprise and/or indicate value(s) of one or more DRX configurations” – See [0259]; The UE receives a first indication (downlink information) via DCI or MAC CE, wherein the first indication includes a first field indicating a plurality of DRX parameter values (i.e., a second value in addition to the first value)); and
not performing, by the terminal, CSI transmission in the first serving cell in case that: the DRX is configured for the terminal; and the two or more serving cells are not in Active Time of the DRX (“The UE may determine not to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is not (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; “the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; The Active Time occurs when drx-onDurationTimer (specific timer of the first serving cell) is running. The UE does not transmit the CSI report outside of the Active Time when drx-onDurationTimer is not running).
Regarding Claim 6, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches that for the uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell, the terminal: performs Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) transmission in the first serving cell in case that the specific timer of the first serving cell is running (“The UE may determine to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; “the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; The Active Time occurs when drx-onDurationTimer (specific timer of the first serving cell) is running. The UE transmits the SRS during the Active Time when drx-onDurationTimer is running); and
does not perform SRS transmission in the first serving cell in case that the specific timer of the first serving cell is not running (“The UE may determine not to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is not (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; “the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; The Active Time occurs when drx-onDurationTimer (specific timer of the first serving cell) is running. The UE does not transmit the SRS outside of the Active Time when drx-onDurationTimer is not running).
Regarding Claim 8, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches that the DRX is configured for the terminal in case that a DRX configuration parameter set is provided to the terminal (“a method 1000 for a UE in a wireless communication system comprises receiving a RRC message comprising a DRX configuration (step 1002)” – See [0313]; “The DRX configuration(s) for on duration (time) (e.g., for a DRX group) may be and/or may comprise the length/duration of on duration time (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer) and/or the start offset to on duration time (e.g., drx-SlotOffset). The length/duration of on duration time (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer) may be (represent by and/or referred to) an on duration timer. The start offset to on duration time (e.g., drx-SlotOffset) may be applied to the start of the on duration timer (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer)” – See [0246]; “Serving Cells of a MAC entity may be configured by RRC in two DRX groups with separate DRX parameters. When RRC does not configure a secondary DRX group, there is only one DRX group and all Serving Cells belong to that one DRX group. When two DRX groups are configured, each Serving Cell is uniquely assigned to either of the two groups” – See [0116]; DRX is configured for the UE when the UE is provided with the DRX parameters via RRC signaling).
Regarding Claim 9, Huang teaches the method of Claim 8. Huang further teaches that the DRX configuration parameter set comprises: a parameter related to a drx-onDurationTimer; a parameter related to a drx-InactivityTimer; a parameter related to a drx-RetransmissionTimerDL; and a parameter related to a drx-RetransmissionTimerUL (“RRC controls DRX operation by configuring the following parameters: drx-onDurationTimer … drx-InactivityTimer … drx-RetransmissionTimerDL … drx-RetransmissionTimerUL” – See [0099]-[0104]).
Regarding Claim 10, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches that the two or more serving cells are in Active Time of the DRX in case that: a drx-onDurationTimer is running; a drx-InactivityTimer is running; a drx-RetransmissionTimerDL; or a drx-RetransmissionTimerUL (“the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; The serving cells are in active time when drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer is running).
Regarding Claim 11, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches that the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell comprises: a parameter related to a length of the specific timer of the first serving cell; a parameter related to a cycle configured for the first serving cell; and a parameter related to a slot offset configured for the first serving cell (“RRC controls DRX operation by configuring the following parameters: drx-onDurationTimer … drx-SlotOffset … drx-LongCycleStartOffset” – See [0099]-[0105]; The parameter set includes drx-onDurationTimer (length of the specific timer of the first serving cell), drx-LongCycleStartOffset (parameter related to a cycle configured for the first serving cell), and drx-slotOffset (a slot offset configured for the first serving cell)).
Regarding Claim 12, Huang teaches the method of Claim 11. Huang further teaches that the parameter related to the length of the specific timer of the first serving cell indicates an active duration at a beginning of the cycle in the first serving cell (“the Active Time for Serving Cells in a DRX group includes the time while: drx-onDurationTimer or drx-InactivityTimer configured for the DRX group is running” – See [0117]-[0118]; drx-onDurationTimer (parameter related to the length of the specific timer of the first serving cell) indicates a duration of the Active Time at the beginning of the DRX cycle in the serving cell).
Regarding Claim 13, Huang teaches the method of Claim 10. Huang further teaches that a time point when the specific timer starts is determined based on: the cycle configured for the first serving cell; and the slot offset configured for the first serving cell (“drx-SlotOffset: the delay before starting the drx-onDurationTimer” – See [0101]; “drx-LongCycleStartOffset: the Long DRX cycle and drx-StartOffset which defines the subframe where the Long and Short DRX cycle starts” – See [0105]; The time when the drx-onDurationTimer starts is based on drx-SlotOffset (slot offset configured for the first serving cell) and the drx-LongCycleStartOffset (cycle configured for the first serving cell)).
Regarding Claim 14, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches that association between the first field and the first serving cell in the downlink information is determined based on information indicating the first serving cell (“a method 1000 for a UE in a wireless communication system comprises receiving a RRC message comprising a DRX configuration (step 1002)” – See [0313]; “The DRX configuration(s) for on duration (time) (e.g., for a DRX group) may be and/or may comprise the length/duration of on duration time (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer) and/or the start offset to on duration time (e.g., drx-SlotOffset). The length/duration of on duration time (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer) may be (represent by and/or referred to) an on duration timer. The start offset to on duration time (e.g., drx-SlotOffset) may be applied to the start of the on duration timer (e.g., drx-onDurationTimer)” – See [0246]; “Serving Cells of a MAC entity may be configured by RRC in two DRX groups with separate DRX parameters. When RRC does not configure a secondary DRX group, there is only one DRX group and all Serving Cells belong to that one DRX group. When two DRX groups are configured, each Serving Cell is uniquely assigned to either of the two groups” – See [0116]; The first field and the serving cell are associated based on a DRX group in the information which indicates the first serving cell).
Regarding Claim 16, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches that the downlink information is received based on a specific Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI) (“the UE's PDCCH monitoring activity for the MAC entity's C-RNTI, CI-RNTI, CS-RNTI, INT-RNTI, SFI-RNTI, SP-CSI-RNTI, TPC-PUCCH-RNTI, TPC-PUSCH-RNTI, TPC-SRS-RNTI, AI-RNTI, SL-RNTI, SLCS-RNTI and SL Semi-Persistent Scheduling V-RNTI” – See [0098]; The UE monitors the PDCCH for its RNTI).
Claims 20 and 21 are rejected based on reasoning similar to Claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2023/0363043) in view of Yi et al. (US 2021/0274535).
Regarding Claim 4, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches receiving, by the terminal, the downlink information, wherein the first field associated with the first serving cell indicates the first value (“The first indication may be a L1 and/or L2 signaling/indication (e.g., Downlink Control Information (DCI), MAC CE). The UE may receive one or multiple DRX configuration(s) in a RRC message (e.g., RRCSetup, RRCResume, or RRCReconfiguration). The first indication may indicate a pre-configured DRX configuration or a value of the DRX parameter” – See [0255]; The UE receives a first indication (downlink information) via DCI or MAC CE, wherein the first indication includes a first field indicating a value of a DRX parameter or a pre-configured DRX configuration); and
performing, by the terminal and based on the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell, the uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell (“The UE may determine to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; The UE transmits the CSI report to the serving cell).
Huang does not explicitly teach that the uplink transmission operation is performed in case that the DRX is not configured for terminal.
However, Yi teaches that the uplink transmission operation is performed in case that the DRX is not configured for terminal (“The wireless device may be sending/transmitting periodic CSI reports and/or SRSs frequently (e.g., based on the configuration), for example, if DRX is not configured” – See [0315]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang such that the uplink transmission operation is performed in case that the DRX is not configured for terminal. Motivation for doing so would be to enable frequent transmissions of CSI reports to be performed (See Yi, [0315]).
Regarding Claim 5, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang further teaches receiving, by the terminal, the downlink information, wherein the first field indicates a second value (“The first indication may be a L1 and/or L2 signaling/indication (e.g., Downlink Control Information (DCI), MAC CE). The UE may receive one or multiple DRX configuration(s) in a RRC message (e.g., RRCSetup, RRCResume, or RRCReconfiguration). The first indication may indicate a pre-configured DRX configuration or a value of the DRX parameter” – See [0255]; “The first indication may comprise and/or indicate value(s) of one or more DRX configurations” – See [0259]; The UE receives a first indication (downlink information) via DCI or MAC CE, wherein the first indication includes a first field indicating a plurality of DRX parameter values (i.e., a second value in addition to the first value)); and
performing, by the terminal, CSI transmission in the first serving cell (“The UE may determine to transmit SRS and/or CSI report if the symbol n is (considered/determined as) in DRX Active Time and/or on duration time” – See [0450]; The UE transmits the CSI report to the serving cell).
Huang does not explicitly teach that the CSI transmission is performed in case that the DRX is not configured for terminal.
However, Yi teaches that the CSI transmission is performed in case that the DRX is not configured for terminal (“The wireless device may be sending/transmitting periodic CSI reports and/or SRSs frequently (e.g., based on the configuration), for example, if DRX is not configured” – See [0315]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang such that the CSI transmission is performed in case that the DRX is not configured for terminal for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 4.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2023/0363043) in view of Jiang et al. (US 2025/0175840).
Regarding Claim 7, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang does not explicitly teach that the terminal performs CSI transmission, for the uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell, in a supplementary uplink in case that the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell comprises a second parameter related to the supplementary uplink.
However, Jiang teaches that the terminal performs CSI transmission, for the uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell, in a supplementary uplink in case that the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell comprises a second parameter related to the supplementary uplink (“if the default cell includes more than one uplink carrier, such as including NUL and SUL, on which uplink carrier of the cell that the CSI report is transmitted is indicated e.g. by a field for indicating an uplink carrier of the cell (such as UL-SUL indicator) included in DCI format 0_X” – See [0121]; CSI report is transmitted on a SUL (supplementary uplink) in response to a configuration parameter that configures the SUL as the uplink carrier).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang such that the terminal performs CSI transmission, for the uplink transmission operation of the first serving cell, in a supplementary uplink in case that the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell comprises a second parameter related to the supplementary uplink. Motivation for doing so would be to improve CSI feedback efficiency (See Jiang, [0145]).
Claims 15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2023/0363043) in view of Muller et al. (US 2021/0195521).
Regarding Claim 15, Huang teaches the method of Claim 1. Huang does not explicitly teach that the downlink information is received based on a specific common search space.
However, Muller teaches that the downlink information is received based on a specific common search space (“A common search space is also defined within which multiple user equipments commonly search for control messages/channels (e.g., PDCCH”) intended for them. In some embodiments, a search space is a set of candidate control channels (e.g., candidate PDCCHs) formed by control channel elements (CCEs) on a given aggregation level, which the user equipment 14 may attempt to decode. Regardless, according to some embodiments, during the wake-up monitoring period 24, the user equipment 14 is configured to only monitor the common search space (e.g., of the PDCCH) that is common to multiple user equipments. The radio network node 12 is correspondingly configured to, during the wake-up monitoring period 24, transmit the message 26 (or any control messages) only in the common search space (e.g., of the PDCCH)” – See [0054]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang such that the downlink information is received based on a specific common search space. Motivation for doing so would be to avoid the time, complexity, and power that would otherwise be required to decode a user-specific search space (See Muller, [0054]).
Regarding Claim 17, Huang teaches the method of Claim 16. Huang does not explicitly teach that the specific RNTI is used only for reception of the first information.
However, Muller teaches that the specific RNTI is used only for reception of the first information (“In this regard, the user equipment 14 according to some embodiments is configured with a so-called DRX radio network temporary identifier (RNTI), DRX-RNTI 22, also referred to herein as a C-DRX-RNTI as specifically applicable to C-DRX mode” – See [0048]; The RNTI is used only for receiving first information applicable to the DRX mode).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang such that the specific RNTI is used only for reception of the first information. Motivation for doing so would be to assign a single identifier to a group of UEs that are assigned to a same DRX on duration/active time cycle (See Muller, [0010]).
Regarding Claim 18, Huang in view of Muller teaches the method of Claim 15. Muller further teaches that the specific common search space is selected from one or more common search spaces (“A common search space is also defined within which multiple user equipments commonly search for control messages/channels (e.g., PDCCH”) intended for them. In some embodiments, a search space is a set of candidate control channels (e.g., candidate PDCCHs) formed by control channel elements (CCEs) on a given aggregation level, which the user equipment 14 may attempt to decode. Regardless, according to some embodiments, during the wake-up monitoring period 24, the user equipment 14 is configured to only monitor the common search space (e.g., of the PDCCH) that is common to multiple user equipments. The radio network node 12 is correspondingly configured to, during the wake-up monitoring period 24, transmit the message 26 (or any control messages) only in the common search space (e.g., of the PDCCH)” – See [0054]; The common search space is selected from among at least one available common search space).
Regarding Claim 19, Huang in view of Muller teaches the method of Claim 18. Muller further teaches that the one or more common search spaces are indicated in the configuration parameter set of the first serving cell (“A common search space is also defined within which multiple user equipments commonly search for control messages/channels (e.g., PDCCH”) intended for them. In some embodiments, a search space is a set of candidate control channels (e.g., candidate PDCCHs) formed by control channel elements (CCEs) on a given aggregation level, which the user equipment 14 may attempt to decode” – See [0054]; The common search space is indicated in configuration parameters of the serving cell).
Conclusion
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/SCOTT M SCIACCA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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