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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 9, 10, 14, 17, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nemeth US 20220264402 in view of Wang US 20220006599.
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 17, Nemeth teaches a method, wherein the method comprises:
determining, by the terminal device, a first time unit based on the first information (see fig. 2B from time period starting at UL BWP transition and ending after PUSCH 4, PDCCH 4 may schedule PUSCH 4, PUSCH 4 is scheduled by PDCCH 4 before UL BWP transition and after UL BWP transition, [0030]), wherein the first time unit is for the terminal device to perform a bandwidth part (BWP) switching process, and wherein the first time unit comprises a second time unit (fig 2B time period comprising only UL BWP transition);
switching, by the terminal device, from the first frequency domain resource to the second frequency domain resource in the second time unit (fig. 2B UL BWP transition); and
performing, by the terminal device, data transmission on at least one of the first frequency domain resource or the second frequency domain resource in a period of time other than the second time unit in the first time unit (fig. 2B PUSCH 4).
Nemeth is silent on receiving, by a terminal device, first information from a network device on a first frequency domain resource, wherein the first information indicates the terminal device to switch to a second frequency domain resource.
Wang teaches receiving, by a terminal device, first information from a network device on a first frequency domain resource, wherein the first information indicates the terminal device to switch to a second frequency domain resource (For example, upon receiving a PDCCH that indicates to perform uplink BWP switching, the terminal also performs downlink BWP switching when performing the uplink BWP switching, [0072], PUSCH [0086]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the system of Nemeth by receiving, by a terminal device, first information from a network device on a first frequency domain resource, wherein the first information indicates the terminal device to switch to a second frequency domain resource, as shown by Wang. This modification would benefit the system by providing a proven, reliable method for informing the terminal to switch to a second frequency domain resource.
Regarding claims 2, 10, 18, performing the data transmission on the first frequency domain resource between a start moment of the first time unit and a start moment of the second time unit; or
performing the data transmission on the second frequency domain resource between an end moment of the second time unit and an end moment of the first time unit (fig. 2B, PUSCH 4).
Regarding claims 6, 14, a position of the second time unit in the first time unit is indicated by the network device; or
a position of the second time unit in the first time unit is preset (Examiner maintains position Nemeth teaches the second time unit in the first time unit is preset, fig. 2B).
Claim(s) 3, 11, 19, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the combination of Nemeth and Wang as applied to claims 1, 9, and 17 above, and further in view of Yang US 20220279485.
The combination is silent on a start moment of the first time unit is after a moment at which the first information is received;
the first information further indicates at least one of a length or an end moment of the first time unit.
Yang teaches on a start moment of the first time unit is after a moment at which the first information is received;
the first information further indicates at least one of a length or an end moment of the first time unit (receiving information on BWP switching timing from base station; and performing BWP switching, based on the information on BWP switching timing, wherein the information on BWP switching timing includes information on time point when the UE should start the BWP switching, the time point is after the information on BWP switching timing is received, [0009]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the system of the combination by a start moment of the first time unit is after a moment at which the first information is received; the first information further indicates at least one of a length or an end moment of the first time unit, as shown by Yang. This modification would benefit the system by enabling the terminal to know when to start the BWP switching.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, and 20 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the independent claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Applicant states Nemeth does not teach, “the first information indicates the terminal device to switch to a second frequency domain resource” (pg. 1 see “Claim Rejections”). The Examiner has clarified the rejection by incorporating the Wang reference.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RONALD B ABELSON whose telephone number is (571)272-3165. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30.
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/RONALD B ABELSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476