nnnDETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s response filed on 01/12/2026 has been entered and made of record.
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 Status
Claims 21-22, 28 and 34-35 are amended.
No new claim is/are added.
Claims 21-40 are pending for examination.
Applicant Argument
Applicant’s arguments (remark pages 8-13), filed on 01/12/2026, with respect to claims 21-40 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection below which better address the claimed invention as amended. See the detailed Office Action bellow under 35 U.S.C. § 103 section.
This Office Action is made Final.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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.
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.
Claims 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shih et al. (US 20220022276 A1), hereinafter “Shih”, in view of R1-1911045 (IDS cited), and in view of Yi et al. (US 20200274750 A1), hereinafter “Yi”.
Per claim 21, 28 and 34:
Regarding claim 34, Shih teaches ‘An apparatus’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 2]: “User Equipment”; [FIG.A2]); ‘comprising: a memory’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [FIG.A2]: “Memory”); ‘with instructions stored thereon’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 46]: “a program code stored in the memory”); ‘at least one processor’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [FIG.A2]: “Processor”); ‘in communication with the memory, the at least one processor configured, upon execution of the instructions, to perform the following steps’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 46]: “the processor is configured to execute a program code stored in the memory to perform the method steps”);
‘receiving first configuration information from a network device, wherein the first configuration information is configured to be used to configure a first uplink bandwidth part (BWP) and a second uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 29]: “For each serving cell the network configures at least an initial downlink bandwidth part and one (if the serving cell is configured with an uplink) or two (if using supplementary uplink (SUL)) initial uplink bandwidth parts”, one normal UL BWP and one SUL BWP; [Page 34]: “An additional UL BWP is used for SDT procedure”, receive configuration to use two UL BWP);
‘the first uplink BWP does not include an active first uplink control channel resource, the second uplink BWP includes a first uplink control channel resource’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 28]: “Reconfiguration between a PUCCH and PUCCHless SCell is supported”; [Page 24]: “transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured”, one UL BWP could have PUCCH configured and the other UL BWP could have no PUCCH configured). However, Shih fails to expressly teach configure PUCCH only on one of UL BWP or SUL BWP;
‘the first uplink BWP and the second uplink BWP are on a same uplink carrier’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23, Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”; [Page 23]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”, both UL BWPs on a same UL carrier). However, Shih fails to expressly teach UL BWP and SUL BWP are on a same carrier;
‘determining the first uplink BWP and the second uplink BWP based on the first configuration information’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 30]-[Page 32]: “BWP-Uplink information element … BWP-UplinkCommon information element … BWP-UplinkDedicated information element”; [Page 34]: “a UL BWP other than the initial UL BWP of the Cell”; UE would determine both UL BWPs based on the configuration);
‘determining that uplink control information needs to be sent’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 24]: “transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured”; [Figure 9.2.2.5-3]: step 1: “RRCResumeRequest/RNA update”; [Page 8]: “The UE resumes from RRC_INACTIVE, providing the I-RNTI allocated by the last serving gNB and appropriate cause value, e.g., RAN notification area update”, needs to send uplink control information).
R1-1911045 in the same field of endeavor teaches if UE is configured with SUL, then network configures PUCCH (UL control resource) only on the BWP of one of normal UL or SUL (R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “PUCCH configuration for one BWP of the normal UL or SUL of a serving cell. If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL)”; [Table 1]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine R1-1911045’s teaching with that of Shih in order to support the presence of UL/SUL indicator in DCI Format 0_1 for UE to get correct BWP indicator (R1-1911045: [Page 1]: “In this contribution, we discuss whether UL/SUL indicator ( 1-bit) is present in DCI Format 0_1”; [Page 3]: “a UE won't be able to get correct Bandwidth part indicator unless it knows if UL/SUL indicator present or not (i.e., need shift 1-bit or not)”).
Combination of Shih and R1-1911045 teaches ‘determining whether the first uplink BWP is a currently-working active BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: “occasions are not configured for the active UL BWP: 2> switch the active UL BWP to BWP indicated by initialUplinkBWP”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … UL/SUL indicator can indicate PUCCH carrier and the following BWP indicator indicates UL BWP switching for PUCCH”. determine whether currently working active BWP configured with PUCCH);
‘switching from the first uplink BWP to the second uplink BWP’ (discussed in element above);
‘sending uplink control information on the first uplink control channel resource of the second uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 24]: “transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … UL/SUL indicator can indicate PUCCH carrier and the following BWP indicator indicates UL BWP switching for PUCCH”; UE could only send UL control information on the BWP which has PUCCH resource).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine R1-1911045’s teaching of UL/SUL indicator with that of Shih in order to support the presence of UL/SUL indicator in DCI Format 0_1 for UE to get correct BWP indicator (R1-1911045: [Page 1]: “In this contribution, we discuss whether UL/SUL indicator ( 1-bit) is present in DCI Format 0_1”; [Page 3]: “a UE won't be able to get correct Bandwidth part indicator unless it knows if UL/SUL indicator present or not (i.e., need shift 1-bit or not)”).
Combination of Shih and R1-1911045 does not expressly teach, but Yi in the same field of endeavor teaches UL BWP and SUL BWP are on a same carrier (Yi: [0216]: “the SUL carrier and the UL carrier is included in different BWPs but in the same carrier … In order to support a more robust system performance, a PUCCH carrier/cell and a PRACH carrier/cell may be included in the same carrier”; [0090]: “supplemental UL (SUL)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yi’s teaching with that of combination of Shih and R1-1911045 in order to achieve more robust system performance (see reference quote in element above).
Regarding claim 21, claim 21 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 34 (see rejection of claim 34 above).
Regarding claim 28, Shih teaches ‘A communication method’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 1]: “Method and apparatus for selecting Bandwidth part”);
‘comprising:
determining first configuration information; sending the first configuration information to a terminal device, wherein the first configuration information is configured to be used to configure a first uplink bandwidth part (BWP) and a second uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 29]: “For each serving cell the network configures at least an initial downlink bandwidth part and one (if the serving cell is configured with an uplink) or two (if using supplementary uplink (SUL)) initial uplink bandwidth parts”, one normal UL BWP and one SUL BWP; [Page 34]: “An additional UL BWP is used for SDT procedure”, determine and send configuration to terminal device to use two UL BWP);
‘the first uplink BWP does not include an active first uplink control channel resource, the second uplink BWP includes a first uplink control channel resource’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 28]: “Reconfiguration between a PUCCH and PUCCHless SCell is supported”; [Page 24]: “transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured”, one UL BWP could have PUCCH configured and the other UL BWP could have no PUCCH configured). However, Shih fails to expressly teach configure PUCCH only on one of UL BWP or SUL BWP;
‘the first uplink BWP and the second uplink BWP are on a same uplink carrier’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23, Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”; [Page 23]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”, both UL BWPs on a same UL carrier). However, Shih fails to expressly teach UL BWP and SUL BWP are on a same carrier;
‘wherein the uplink control information is uplink control information that needs to be sent by the terminal device’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 24]: “transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured”; [Figure 9.2.2.5-3]: step 1: “RRCResumeRequest/RNA update”; [Page 8]: “The UE resumes from RRC_INACTIVE, providing the I-RNTI allocated by the last serving gNB and appropriate cause value, e.g., RAN notification area update”, needs to send uplink control information).
R1-1911045 teaches if UE is configured with SUL, then network configures PUCCH (UL control resource) only on the BWP of one of normal UL or SUL (R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “PUCCH configuration for one BWP of the normal UL or SUL of a serving cell. If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL)”; [Table 1]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine R1-1911045’s teaching with that of Shih in order to support the presence of UL/SUL indicator in DCI Format 0_1 for UE to get correct BWP indicator (R1-1911045: [Page 1]: “In this contribution, we discuss whether UL/SUL indicator ( 1-bit) is present in DCI Format 0_1”; [Page 3]: “a UE won't be able to get correct Bandwidth part indicator unless it knows if UL/SUL indicator present or not (i.e., need shift 1-bit or not)”).
Combination of Shih and R1-1911045 teaches ‘indicating that the first uplink BWP is a currently-working active BWP of the terminal device using signaling’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: “occasions are not configured for the active UL BWP: 2> switch the active UL BWP to BWP indicated by initialUplinkBWP”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … UL/SUL indicator can indicate PUCCH carrier and the following BWP indicator indicates UL BWP switching for PUCCH”. indicate whether currently working active BWP configured with PUCCH);
‘receiving uplink control information on the first uplink control channel resource of the second uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 24]: “transmit PUCCH on the BWP, if configured”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … UL/SUL indicator can indicate PUCCH carrier and the following BWP indicator indicates UL BWP switching for PUCCH”; UE could only send UL control information on the BWP which has PUCCH resource).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine R1-1911045’s teaching of UL/SUL indicator with that of Shih in order to support the presence of UL/SUL indicator in DCI Format 0_1 for UE to get correct BWP indicator (R1-1911045: [Page 1]: “In this contribution, we discuss whether UL/SUL indicator ( 1-bit) is present in DCI Format 0_1”; [Page 3]: “a UE won't be able to get correct Bandwidth part indicator unless it knows if UL/SUL indicator present or not (i.e., need shift 1-bit or not)”).
Combination of Shih and R1-1911045 does not expressly teach, but Yi teaches UL BWP and SUL BWP are on a same carrier (Yi: [0216]: “the SUL carrier and the UL carrier is included in different BWPs but in the same carrier … In order to support a more robust system performance, a PUCCH carrier/cell and a PRACH carrier/cell may be included in the same carrier”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yi’s teaching with that of combination of Shih and R1-1911045 in order to achieve more robust system performance (see reference quote in element above).
Per claim 22 and 35:
Regarding claim 35, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the apparatus according to claim 34 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘wherein data and control information is sent and received only in the active BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 26]: “downlink assignment or uplink grant is received on the active BWP”; [Page 23]: “There can be at most one active BWP per cell … The BWP switching for a Serving Cell is used to activate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time”; send and receive data only in the active BWP).
Regarding claim 22, claim 22 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 35 (see rejection of claim 35 above).
Per claim 23 and 36:
Regarding claim 36, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the apparatus according to claim 35 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘switching from the second uplink BWP to the first uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23]: “Switching between configured BWPs happens by means of RRC signalling, DCI, inactivity timer or upon initiation of random access. When an inactivity timer is configured for a serving cell, the expiry of the inactivity timer associated to that cell switches the active BWP to a default BWP configured by the network”; [Page 36]: “In response to that the SDT procedure successfully completes … the UE could switch the active UL BWP back to the initial active UL BWP of the Cell”).
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 36 (see rejection of claim 36 above).
Per claim 24 and 37:
Regarding claim 37, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the apparatus according to claim 35 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘determining, according to a first rule or based on first indication information, to switch from the first uplink BWP to the second uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 34]: “In order to separate the UEs performing SDT from UEs not performing SDT, a UL BWP for SDT could be additionally configured for the Cell. The UL BWP for SDT could have different frequency bandwidth than the initial UL BWP of the Cell”; [Page 36]: “the UE could switch the active UL BWP (from the initial UL BWP) to the UL BWP for SDT if upper layer (e.g. RRC layer) indicates that the SDT procedure is to be performed on the UL BWP for SDT”; [Page 20]-[Page 22]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state … Configuration of the configured grant type 1 resources for small data transmission in UL for INACTIVE state”; [Page 2]: “configuredGrantConfig”; based on SDT transmission (a rule) and configuration of Configured Grant for SDT transmission);
‘wherein the first rule or the first indication information indicates to switch from the first uplink BWP to the second uplink BWP in response to a determination that the uplink control information needs to be sent’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 34]: “For RACH-based (i.e. 2-step and/or 4-step RA) SDT procedure (e.g. called SDT or SDT procedure in the following), since the UE may transmit the UL data together with the RRCResumeRequest message … a UL BWP for SDT could be additionally configured for the Cell”, need to send RRCResumeRequest message (UL control information) on SDT UL BWP; [Page 20]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state”);
‘wherein the first rule is predefined, and the first indication information is received from the network device’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 20]-[Page 22]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state … Configuration of the configured grant type 1 resources for small data transmission in UL for INACTIVE state”; [Page 33]: “The main objective of small data transmission is to enable the UE to transmit data in RRC_INACTIVE state without (or before) entering RRC_CONNECTED state. Possible solutions may be based on 2-step RA, 4-step RACH, and/or pre-configured PUSCH resources (e.g. similar to Type-1 configured grant in NR)”; [Page 2]: “configuredGrantConfig”; based on the predefined rule (SDT) and Configured Grant for SDT from network device);
‘determining, according to a second rule or based on second indication information, to switch from the second uplink BWP to the first uplink BWP, wherein the second rule or the second indication information indicates to switch from the second uplink BWP to the first uplink BWP in response to a determination that the sending of the uplink control information is completed, wherein the second rule is predefined, and the second indication information is from the network device’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 36]: “In response to that the SDT procedure successfully completes … the UE could switch the active UL BWP back to the initial active UL BWP of the Cell”; based on configuration of SDT from network and completion of SDT transmission (a predetermined rule)).
Regarding claim 24, claim 24 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 37 (see rejection of claim 37 above).
Regarding claim 29, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the method according to claim 28 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘sending first indication information to the terminal device, wherein the first indication information indicates to switch from the first uplink BWP to the second uplink BWP in response to the terminal device determining that uplink control information needs to be sent’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 34]: “In order to separate the UEs performing SDT from UEs not performing SDT, a UL BWP for SDT could be additionally configured for the Cell. The UL BWP for SDT could have different frequency bandwidth than the initial UL BWP of the Cell”; [Page 36]: “the UE could switch the active UL BWP (from the initial UL BWP) to the UL BWP for SDT if upper layer (e.g. RRC layer) indicates that the SDT procedure is to be performed on the UL BWP for SDT”; [Page 20]-[Page 22]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state … Configuration of the configured grant type 1 resources for small data transmission in UL for INACTIVE state”; [Page 2]: “configuredGrantConfig”; send Configured Grant for SDT transmission to indicate to switch from non-SDT UL BWP to SDT UL BWP for SDT transmission).
Regarding claim 30, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the method according to claim 29 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘sending second indication information to the terminal device, wherein the second indication information indicates to switch from the second uplink BWP to the first uplink BWP in response to the terminal device determining that the sending of the uplink control information is completed’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 34]: “In order to separate the UEs performing SDT from UEs not performing SDT, a UL BWP for SDT could be additionally configured for the Cell. The UL BWP for SDT could have different frequency bandwidth than the initial UL BWP of the Cell”; [Page 36]: “the UE could switch the active UL BWP (from the initial UL BWP) to the UL BWP for SDT if upper layer (e.g. RRC layer) indicates that the SDT procedure is to be performed on the UL BWP for SDT”; [Page 20]-[Page 22]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state … Configuration of the configured grant type 1 resources for small data transmission in UL for INACTIVE state”; [Page 2]: “configuredGrantConfig”; [Page 36]: “In response to that the SDT procedure successfully completes … the UE could switch the active UL BWP back to the initial active UL BWP of the Cell”; send Configured Grant for SDT transmission to indicate to switch from non-SDT UL BWP to SDT UL BWP for SDT transmission and to switch back to non-SDT UL BWP upon completion of SDT transmission).
Per claim 25, 31 and 38:
Regarding claim 38, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the apparatus according to claim 37 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘wherein the first indication information and the second indication information are configured to be received from the network device in a same message’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23]: “The BWP switching for a Serving Cell is used to activate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time. The BWP switching is controlled by the PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant”; [Page 20]-[Page 22]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state … Configuration of the configured grant type 1 resources for small data transmission in UL for INACTIVE state”, the same Configured Grant message for SDT would indicate to switch to SDL UL BWP for SDT transmission and switch back to non-SDT UL BWP upon completion of SDT transmission).
Regarding claim 25, claim 25 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 38 (see rejection of claim 38 above).
Regarding claim 31, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the method according to claim 30 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘wherein the first indication information and the second indication information are a same message’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23]: “The BWP switching for a Serving Cell is used to activate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time. The BWP switching is controlled by the PDCCH indicating a downlink assignment or an uplink grant”; [Page 20]-[Page 22]: “NR small data transmissions in INACTIVE state … Configuration of the configured grant type 1 resources for small data transmission in UL for INACTIVE state”, the same Configured Grant message for SDT would indicate to switch to SDL UL BWP for SDT transmission and switch back to non-SDT UL BWP upon completion of SDT transmission).
Per claim 26, 32 and 39:
Regarding claim 39, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the apparatus according to claim 34 (discussed above).
Combination of Shih and R1-1911045 teaches ‘wherein the first uplink BWP includes a deactivated first uplink control channel resource in a frequency range of the first uplink BWP’ (this is optional); ‘does not include any first link control channel resource in the frequency range of the first uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 28]: “PUCCHless SCell”; [Page 23, Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”: frequency range for BWP; [Page 23]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “PUCCH configuration for one BWP of the normal UL or SUL of a serving cell. If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … … per frequency range with PUCCH”; [Table 1]: Case A: SUL has no PUCCH configured);
‘the second uplink BWP includes the first uplink control channel resource in a frequency range of the second uplink BWP in an activated state or in a deactivated state’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23]: “The BWP switching for a Serving Cell is used to activate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time”; [Page 23, Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”: frequency range for BWP; [Page 23]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “PUCCH configuration for one BWP of the normal UL or SUL of a serving cell. If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … per frequency range with PUCCH”; [Table 1]: Case A: normal UL has PUCCH configured).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine R1-1911045’s teaching of UL/SUL indicator with that of Shih in order to support the presence of UL/SUL indicator in DCI Format 0_1 for UE to get correct BWP indicator (R1-1911045: [Page 1]: “In this contribution, we discuss whether UL/SUL indicator ( 1-bit) is present in DCI Format 0_1”; [Page 3]: “a UE won't be able to get correct Bandwidth part indicator unless it knows if UL/SUL indicator present or not (i.e., need shift 1-bit or not)”).
Regarding claim 26, claim 26 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 39 (see rejection of claim 39 above).
Regarding claim 32, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the method according to claim 28 (discussed above).
Combination of Shih and R1-1911045 teaches ‘wherein the first uplink BWP includes a deactivated first uplink control channel resource in a frequency range of the first uplink BWP’ (this is optional); ‘does not include any first link control channel resource in the frequency range of the first uplink BWP’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 28]: “PUCCHless SCell”; [Page 23, Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”: frequency range for BWP; [Page 23]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “PUCCH configuration for one BWP of the normal UL or SUL of a serving cell. If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … … per frequency range with PUCCH”; [Table 1]: Case A: SUL has no PUCCH configured);
‘the second uplink BWP includes the first uplink control channel resource in a frequency range of the second uplink BWP in an activated state or in a deactivated state’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23]: “The BWP switching for a Serving Cell is used to activate an inactive BWP and deactivate an active BWP at a time”; [Page 23, Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”: frequency range for BWP; [Page 23]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”. R1-1911045: [Page 2]: “PUCCH configuration for one BWP of the normal UL or SUL of a serving cell. If the UE is configured with SUL, the network configures PUCCH only on the BWPs of one of the uplinks (normal UL or SUL) … per frequency range with PUCCH”; [Table 1]: Case A: normal UL has PUCCH configured).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine R1-1911045’s teaching of UL/SUL indicator with that of Shih in order to support the presence of UL/SUL indicator in DCI Format 0_1 for UE to get correct BWP indicator (R1-1911045: [Page 1]: “In this contribution, we discuss whether UL/SUL indicator ( 1-bit) is present in DCI Format 0_1”; [Page 3]: “a UE won't be able to get correct Bandwidth part indicator unless it knows if UL/SUL indicator present or not (i.e., need shift 1-bit or not)”).
Per claim 27, 33 and 40:
Regarding claim 40, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the apparatus according to claim 34 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘wherein the second uplink BWP is located on either of two sides of bandwidth of the uplink carrier’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23: Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”: “BWP3”; [Page 3]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”; UL BWP (“BWP3”) on higher frequency side of bandwidth of the UL carrier).
Regarding claim 27, claim 27 recites the method implemented by the apparatus according to claim 40 (see rejection of claim 40 above).
Regarding claim 33, combination of Shih, R1-1911045 and Yi teaches the method according to claim 28 (discussed above).
Shih teaches ‘wherein the second uplink BWP is located on either of two sides of bandwidth of the uplink carrier’ (Shih: [PRO 63052217]: [Page 23: Figure 6.10-1]: “BA Example”: “BWP3”; [Page 3]: “To enable BA on the PCell, the gNB configures the UE with UL and DL BWP(s)”; UL BWP (“BWP3”) on higher frequency side of bandwidth of the UL carrier).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/G.F./Examiner, Art Unit 2462/YEMANE MESFIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2462