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 .
Response to Amendment
The Reply filed on 03/12/2026 been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 13-15, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US2023/0042048A1, “Kim”) in view of Matsumura et al. (US 2024/0251405 A1, “Matsumura”).
Regarding claim 1:
Kim discloses a method performed by a terminal (e.g., Fig. 2, 200) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: determining whether uplink control information (UCI) (e.g., [0222], CG-UCI) is multiplexed in a first physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) including more than one transport block (e.g., [0222], CG PUSCH 1A) or whether the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) including the UCI (e.g., [0272], [0299]); receiving information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH (e.g., [0180], [0186], configuration of resources for CG PUSCH ID 1, Fig. 9); and transmitting the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI based on the determination (e.g., [0183], [0222], CG-UCI may be included in a selected CG PUSCH).
Kim is silent regarding receiving a configuration information indicating whether the terminal is able to multiplex uplink control information (UCI) in a first physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) including more than one transport block; and determining whether the UCI is multiplexed in the first PUSCH or whether the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI based on the configuration information.
Matsumura teaches a terminal receiving a configuration information indicating whether the terminal is able to multiplex uplink control information (UCI) in a first physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) including more than one transport block; and determining whether the UCI is multiplexed in the first PUSCH or whether the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI based on the configuration information (e.g., [0280], “At least one of the above-described embodiments may be applied to a case where the UE is configured with specific information related to the above-described embodiments by higher layer signaling … the specific information may be information indicating enabling of two CWs for a PUSCH, information indicating enabling of UCI multiplexing on two CWs, information indicating enabling of UCI multiplexing on one of two CWs.”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Matsumura to include the features receiving a configuration information indicating whether the terminal is able to multiplex uplink control information (UCI) in a first physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) including more than one transport block and determining whether the UCI is multiplexed in the first PUSCH or whether the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI based on the configuration information, in order to improve performance of PUSCH including multiple CWs.
Regarding claim 2:
Kim further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI based on the determination includes at least one of:
in case of determining that the UCI is multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in a time domain, multiplexing the UCI of the PUCCH in the first PUSCH, and transmitting the multiplexed first PUSCH (e.g., [0162], [0222]);
in case of determining that the UCI is not multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in the time domain, transmitting the PUCCH; in case of determining that the UCI is not multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH does not overlap with any second PUSCH including one transport block in the time domain, transmitting the PUCCH; in case of determining that the UCI is not multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH overlaps with a second PUSCH including one transport block in the time domain, multiplexing the UCI of the PUCCH in the second PUSCH including one transport block, and transmitting the multiplexed second PUSCH or transmitting the first PUSCH including more than one transport block; in case of determining that the UCI is not multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in the time domain, simultaneously transmitting the PUCCH and the first PUSCH; in case of determining that the UCI is not multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in a same serving cell in the time domain, transmitting the PUCCH; in case of determining that the UCI is not multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in a different serving cell in the time domain, simultaneously transmitting the PUCCH and the first PUSCH; in case of determining that the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in the time domain, simultaneously transmitting the PUCCH and the first PUSCH; or in case of determining that the first PUSCH is not simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI, when the PUCCH overlaps with the first PUSCH in the time domain, transmitting the PUCCH.
Regarding claim 3:
Kim further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the determining of whether the UCI is multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block or whether the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI includes: receiving a first configuration indicating whether the UCI can be multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block or whether the first PUSCH can be simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI; and determining whether the UCI can be multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block or whether the first PUSCH can be simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI based on the first configuration (e.g., [0163], [0286], [0299]).
Regarding claim 4:
Kim is silent regarding transmitting a capability indication including at least one of: an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in one of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in all of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, or an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in at least one of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, wherein the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH is transmitted based on the capability indication.
Matsumura teaches a terminal transmitting a capability indication including at least one of: an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in one of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in all of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, or an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in at least one of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, wherein the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH is transmitted based on the capability indication (e.g., [0262]-[0265]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Matsumura to include the features transmitting a capability indication including at least one of: an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in one of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in all of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, or an indication that the terminal can multiplex the UCI in at least one of the more than one transport block included in the first PUSCH, wherein the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH is transmitted based on the capability indication, in order to ensure network configuration compatibility for the terminal.
Regarding claim 6:
Kim further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein in case that the UCI can be multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, the method further comprises receiving a third configuration indicating a number or scale of resources on the first PUSCH that are allocated for UCI multiplexing in the first PUSCH (e.g., [0186], a resource list for a CG PUSCH ID 1).
Regarding claim 13:
Kim further discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes at least one of a configured uplink grant or DCI (e.g., [0180], [0186], configuration of resources for CG PUSCH ID 1).
Regarding claim 14:
Kim discloses a terminal (e.g., Fig. 2, 200) in a wireless communication system, the terminal comprising: a transceiver (Fig. 2, 230); and a controller (Fig. 2, 210) coupled to the transceiver and configured to: determine whether uplink control information (UCI) is multiplexed in a first physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) including more than one transport block or whether the first PUSCH is simultaneously transmitted with a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) including the UCI, receive information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH, and transmit the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI based on the determination. (See similar features discussed in rejection of claim 1.)
Regarding claim 15:
See rejection of claim 2.
Regarding claims 19 and 20:
See rejections of claims 1 and 14. Claims 19 and 20 are directed to a base station and a corresponding method including features similar to those recited by claims 1 and 14.
Claims 5 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Matsumura, and further in view of Khoshnevisan et al., US 2023/0354339 A1, (“Khoshnevisan”).
Regarding claim 5:
Kim does not disclose receiving a second configuration indicating a maximum number of transport blocks included in a PUSCH.
Khoshnevisan teaches receiving a second configuration indicating a maximum number of transport blocks included in a PUSCH (e.g., [0133]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Khoshnevisan to include the feature receiving a second configuration indicating a maximum number of transport blocks included in a PUSCH, in order to enable flexible configuration of transport blocks in a PUSCH.
Regarding claim 16:
Kim further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: receive a first configuration indicating whether the UCI can be multiplexed in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block or whether the first PUSCH can be simultaneously transmitted with the PUCCH including the UCI (e.g., [[0163], [0286], [0299]); and in case that the UCI can be multiplex in the first PUSCH including more than one transport block, receive a third configuration indicating a number or scale of resources on the first PUSCH that are allocated for UCI multiplexing in the first PUSCH (e.g., [0186]).
Kim is silent regarding receive a second configuration indicating a maximum number of transport blocks included in a PUSCH.
Khoshnevisan teaches receiving a second configuration indicating a maximum number of transport blocks included in a PUSCH (e.g., [0133]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Khoshnevisan to include the feature receiving a second configuration indicating a maximum number of transport blocks included in a PUSCH, in order to enable flexible configuration of transport blocks in a PUSCH.
Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Matsumura, and further in view of Singh et al., US 2023/0291510 A1, (“Singh”).
Regarding claim 7:
Kim does not disclose wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling the first PUSCH, and wherein the DCI indicates at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a priority indicator field, a downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field, a beta offset indicator field separately for each of the more than one transport block.
Singh teaches receiving downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling the first PUSCH, and wherein the DCI indicates at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a priority indicator field, a downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field, a beta offset indicator field separately for each of the more than one transport block (e.g., [0139], [0140]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Singh to include the features wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling the first PUSCH, and wherein the DCI indicates at least one of a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, a new data indicator field, a redundancy version field, a priority indicator field, a downlink assignment indicator (DAI) field, a beta offset indicator field separately for each of the more than one transport block, in order to improve spectrum efficiency of transmitting multiple transport blocks.
Regarding claim 17:
See similar features discussed in rejection of claim 7.
Claims 8-10, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim and Matsumura, and further in view of Yang et al., US 2024/0057079A1, (“Yang”).
Regarding claim 8:
Kim does not disclose wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block, and wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI includes: generating a first medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) for the first transport block based on data in one or more logical channels (LCs) or logical channel groups (LCGs), and transmitting only the first transport block in the first PUSCH, in case that there is no data available for transmission for any of the one or more LCs or any of the one or more LCGs after the first MAC PDU is generated.
Yang teaches receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block (e.g., [0143], [0162], [0171]), and generating a first medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) for the first transport block based on data in one or more logical channels (LCs) or logical channel groups (LCGs) (e.g., [0127], [0158]-[0160]) and transmitting only the first transport block in the first PUSCH, in case that there is no data available for transmission for any of the one or more LCs or any of the one or more LCGs after the first MAC PDU is generated (e.g., [0163], [0164], [0166]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Yang to include the features wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block, and wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI includes: generating a first medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (PDU) for the first transport block based on data in one or more logical channels (LCs) or logical channel groups (LCGs), and transmitting only the first transport block in the first PUSCH, in case that there is no data available for transmission for any of the one or more LCs or any of the one or more LCGs after the first MAC PDU is generated, in order to improve spectrum efficiency of transmitting multiple transport blocks.
Regarding claim 9:
Kim does not disclose wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block, and wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI includes: generating a first MAC PDU for the first transport block based on data in one or more LCs or one or more LCGs, generating a second MAC PDU for the second transport block by using one or more padding bits, in case that there is no data available for transmission for any of the one or more LCs or any of the one or more LCGs after the first MAC PDU is generated, and transmitting the first transport block and the second transport block in the first PUSCH.
Yang teaches receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block (e.g., [0143], [0162], [0171]), and generating a first MAC PDU for the first transport block based on data in one or more LCs or one or more LCGs (e.g., [0127], [0158]-[0160]) and generating a second MAC PDU for the second transport block by using one or more padding bits, in case that there is no data available for transmission for any of the one or more LCs or any of the one or more LCGs after the first MAC PDU is generated, and transmitting the first transport block and the second transport block in the first PUSCH (e.g., [0151], [0163], [0164],).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Yang to include the features wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block, and wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI includes: generating a first MAC PDU for the first transport block based on data in one or more LCs or one or more LCGs, generating a second MAC PDU for the second transport block by using one or more padding bits, in case that there is no data available for transmission for any of the one or more LCs or any of the one or more LCGs after the first MAC PDU is generated, and transmitting the first transport block and the second transport block in the first PUSCH, in order to improve spectrum efficiency of transmitting multiple transport blocks.
Regarding claim 10:
Kim does not disclose wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block, and wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI includes: generating a first MAC PDU and a second MAC PDU based on one or more data available for transmission for one or more LCs or one or more LCGs, so that the one or more data available for transmission are uniformly included in the first MAC PDU and the second MAC PDU, and transmitting the first MAC PDU and the second MAC PDU in the first PUSCH by using the first transport block and the second transport block.
Yang teaches receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block (e.g., [0143], [0162], [0171]), and generating a first MAC PDU and a second MAC PDU based on one or more data available for transmission for one or more LCs or one or more LCGs, so that the one or more data available for transmission are uniformly included in the first MAC PDU and the second MAC PDU, and transmitting the first MAC PDU and the second MAC PDU in the first PUSCH by using the first transport block and the second transport block (e.g., [0127], [0146], [0151], [0163], [0164]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Kim based on the teaching from Yang to include the features wherein the receiving of the information for scheduling transmission of the first PUSCH includes receiving a DCI for scheduling the first PUSCH including a first transport block and a second transport block, and wherein the transmitting of the first PUSCH or the PUCCH including the UCI includes: generating a first MAC PDU and a second MAC PDU based on one or more data available for transmission for one or more LCs or one or more LCGs, so that the one or more data available for transmission are uniformly included in the first MAC PDU and the second MAC PDU, and transmitting the first MAC PDU and the second MAC PDU in the first PUSCH by using the first transport block and the second transport block, in order to improve spectrum efficiency of transmitting multiple transport blocks.
Regarding claim 18:
See rejection of claim 10.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 and 12 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
Rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 over Kim.
With respect to independent claims 1, 14, 19, and 20, Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of a new ground of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Kim and Matsumura.
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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/BO HUI A ZHU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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