DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an amendment filed on 02/02/2026.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 02/02/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-5 are pending
Claims 1-5 are amended
Claims 1-5 remain rejected.
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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xuelong Wang (US 20230050170 A1), hereinafter referenced as Wang.
Regarding claims 1 and 5, Wang teaches a communication control method used in a mobile communication system for providing a multicast broadcast service (MBS) from a network apparatus to a user equipment (Para. [0005]-Wang discloses apparatus and methods are provided for group scheduling configuration and uplink HARQ configuration for the NR multicast services ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission, transmits multicast control information via RRC message, schedules the multicast PDSCH transmission, and indicates the uplink HARQ feedback information to the UE ... the SIB message includes control Resource Set and/or search space. Para. [0039]-Wang discloses in the NR system, a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service), the communication control method comprising the steps of:
broadcasting, by the network apparatus, a System Information Block (SIB) type 1 to be used in scheduling of an MBS system information block (Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP. Para. [0005-0006]-Wang discloses group scheduling configuration ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission … the UE receives a broadcasting system information block (SIB) configuration for one or more multicast transmissions in a new radio (NR) network, wherein the broadcasting SIB includes bandwidth part (BWP) for the one or more multicast transmissions);
broadcasting, by the network apparatus, the MBS system information block based on the scheduling indicated by the SIB type 1 (Para. [0005-0006]-Wang discloses group scheduling configuration ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission … the UE receives a broadcasting system information block (SIB) configuration for one or more multicast transmissions in a new radio (NR) network, wherein the broadcasting SIB includes bandwidth part (BWP) for the one or more multicast transmissions. Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP); and
transmitting, by the network apparatus, scheduling information of an MBS traffic channel on an MBS control channel (Para. [0005]-Wang discloses the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission, transmits multicast control information via RRC message, schedules the multicast PDSCH transmission, and indicates the uplink HARQ feedback information to the UE. Fig. 1, Para. [0025]-Wang discloses scheduling for NR multicast is done by the gNB central unit (gNB-CU). MCCH provides the list of all NR multicast services with ongoing sessions transmitted on MTCH(s), including each NR multicast service ID (expressed by NR multicast group ID or NR multicast session ID), associated group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI), scheduling information, etc),
the SIB type 1 comprises a search space identifier for a user equipment to receive the MBS control channel (Figs. 5A-B, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Claim [2]-Wang discloses the broadcasting SIB includes at least one element comprising: a Control Resource Set and a search space identifier (ID) indicating a search space of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a multimedia broadcast radio network temporary identifier (MB-RNTI). Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP), and
the search space identifier indicates a search space that is a resource range to be decoded by the user equipment in a physical downlink control channel associated with the MBS control channel (Figs. 5A-B, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Claim [2]-Wang discloses the broadcasting SIB includes at least one element comprising: a Control Resource Set and a search space identifier (ID) indicating a search space of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a multimedia broadcast radio network temporary identifier (MB-RNTI)).
Regarding claim 2, Wang teaches the communication control method according to claim 1,
Wang further teaches the search space identifier is used in common for the MBS system information block and a system information block other than the SIB type 1 (Fig. 5A, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Fig. 3, Para. [0030]-Wang discloses PDCCH 310 includes common search space (CSS) 311 and 313, UE-specific search space (USS) 312, and 314. An exemplary PDSCH 320 includes MCCH 321, other data fields 322 and MTCH 323. The MCCH 321 is scheduled by gNB in the CSS 311 of PDCCH with multimedia broadcast RNTI (MB-RNTI) scrambled. MB-RNTI is MCCH logical channel specific RNTI, with fixed value specified in MAC (e.g., the value can be FFFD). MTCH 323 is scheduled by gNB in the CSS 313 of PDCCH with group RNTI (G-RNTI) scrambled. At step 331, the UE searches the common search space 311 of PDCCH 310 with MB-RNTI according to the primary indication within Cell system information. Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP).
Regarding claims 3 and 4, Wang teaches an apparatus configured to control a user equipment configured to communicate with a network apparatus providing a multicast broadcast service (MBS), the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory (Para. [0005]-Wang discloses apparatus and methods are provided for group scheduling configuration and uplink HARQ configuration for the NR multicast services ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission, transmits multicast control information via RRC message, schedules the multicast PDSCH transmission, and indicates the uplink HARQ feedback information to the UE ... the SIB message includes control Resource Set and/or search space. Para. [0039]-Wang discloses in the NR system, a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service), the processor configured to
receive from the network apparatus, a System Information Block (SIB) type 1 to be used in scheduling of an MBS system information block (Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP. Para. [0005-0006]-Wang discloses group scheduling configuration ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission … the UE receives a broadcasting system information block (SIB) configuration for one or more multicast transmissions in a new radio (NR) network, wherein the broadcasting SIB includes bandwidth part (BWP) for the one or more multicast transmissions),
receive from the network apparatus, the MBS system information block based on the scheduling indicated by the SIB type 1 (Para. [0005-0006]-Wang discloses group scheduling configuration ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission … the UE receives a broadcasting system information block (SIB) configuration for one or more multicast transmissions in a new radio (NR) network, wherein the broadcasting SIB includes bandwidth part (BWP) for the one or more multicast transmissions. Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP), and
receive from the network apparatus, scheduling information of an MBS traffic channel on an MBS control channel (Para. [0005]-Wang discloses the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission, transmits multicast control information via RRC message, schedules the multicast PDSCH transmission, and indicates the uplink HARQ feedback information to the UE. Fig. 1, Para. [0025]-Wang discloses scheduling for NR multicast is done by the gNB central unit (gNB-CU). MCCH provides the list of all NR multicast services with ongoing sessions transmitted on MTCH(s), including each NR multicast service ID (expressed by NR multicast group ID or NR multicast session ID), associated group radio network temporary identifier (G-RNTI), scheduling information, etc),
the SIB type 1 comprises a search space identifier for a user equipment to receive the MBS control channel (Figs. 5A-B, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Claim [2]-Wang discloses the broadcasting SIB includes at least one element comprising: a Control Resource Set and a search space identifier (ID) indicating a search space of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a multimedia broadcast radio network temporary identifier (MB-RNTI). Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP), and
the search space identifier indicates a search space that is a resource range to be decoded by the user equipment in a physical downlink control channel associated with the MBS control channel (Figs. 5A-B, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Claim [2]-Wang discloses the broadcasting SIB includes at least one element comprising: a Control Resource Set and a search space identifier (ID) indicating a search space of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a multimedia broadcast radio network temporary identifier (MB-RNTI)).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's Arguments/Remarks, filed on 02/02/2026, with respect to the 35 USC § 103 rejection of claims 1-5 have been fully considered. Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
In the remarks, on pages 7 and 8, Lines [23-25 and 1-9], Applicant argues that, “…Park at most merely appears to relate to static configuration for Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) and does not suggest this specific hierarchical scheduling relationship between SIBl and an MES-specific SIB,” and “…there is no disclosure or suggestion in Wang or Park of placing the search space identifier for the MBS control channel in an upper-level SIB, such as SIB Type 1, which schedules the MBS SIB ... neither Wang nor Park discloses or suggests a SIB Type 1 that both schedules an MBS SIB and contains a search space identifier for an MBS control channel” respectively.
However, Wang teaches broadcasting, by the network apparatus, a System Information Block (SIB) type 1 to be used in scheduling of an MBS system information block (Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP. Para. [0005-0006]-Wang discloses group scheduling configuration ... the gNB broadcasts the SIB message related to multicast transmission … the UE receives a broadcasting system information block (SIB) configuration for one or more multicast transmissions in a new radio (NR) network, wherein the broadcasting SIB includes bandwidth part (BWP) for the one or more multicast transmissions); … the SIB type 1 comprises a search space identifier for a user equipment to receive the MBS control channel (Figs. 5A-B, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Claim [2]-Wang discloses the broadcasting SIB includes at least one element comprising: a Control Resource Set and a search space identifier (ID) indicating a search space of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a multimedia broadcast radio network temporary identifier (MB-RNTI). Para. [0039]-Wang discloses a new broadcast SIB (e.g. SIBx) is defined to carry the information related to multicast (and broadcast) transmission. It contains the information required by UE to acquire the control information associated with the transmission of NR multicast (and broadcast) service. In NR, the BWP is defined within one carrier. The system information (e.g. SIB1) is delivered over the initial BWP), and the search space identifier indicates a search space that is a resource range to be decoded by the user equipment in a physical downlink control channel associated with the MBS control channel (Figs. 5A-B, Para. [0040]-Wang discloses the control Resource Set and/or search space indicated by a search space ID, is transmitted over the broadcasting SIB indicating a search space of a PDCCH to help the UE to search the PDCCH scrambled by MB-RNTI. Claim [2]-Wang discloses the broadcasting SIB includes at least one element comprising: a Control Resource Set and a search space identifier (ID) indicating a search space of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) scrambled by a multimedia broadcast radio network temporary identifier (MB-RNTI)).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
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/OO/
Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472