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
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 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 20claimed 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.
2. Claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-10, 12-13, 15-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi (WO 2017/209585, hereinafter Yi) in view of Youn et al. (US 2011/0002273, hereinafter Youn).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Yi discloses a user equipment (UE) (900 of fig. 25) comprising: a processor (910) configured to: identify first information associated with a set of subframe (SF) groups including a first SF group and a second SF group (page 05; para 01-02; page 27; para 01-02; subframe grouping), wherein the set of SF groups comprise a number of slots (page 07; last para; each subframe comprises of two slots and each group of subframes comprises of number of slots based on the number of subframes in the group); and a transceiver (930) operably coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to: receive second information related to a numerology (page 12, last para; page 18, last para; page 19 last para and page 20; first para – group specific control data send to UE) and slot length associated with the set of SF groups (page 27; para 01-02; page 28; para 01 – subcarrier spacing), and receive or transmit a signal in the SF based on the numerology and slot length included in the second information (page 20; para 01; and page 28; para 01; UE performs transmission and reception based on the control information that include numerology and subcarrier spacing/slot length information).
Yi does not explicitly disclose to determine, based on the first information, whether a SF belongs to the first SF group or the second SF group.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses determining, based on the first information, whether a SF belongs to the first SF group or the second SF group (Para 0015; 0027; 0029-0031 and 0032-0036; 0043; 0060-0063; 0067-0074; the subframe bitmap indicates subframe grouping information). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi’s method/system by having Youn’s disclosure in order to improve resource utilization by supporting variable TTIs.
Regarding claim 8, Yi discloses a base station (800 of fig. 25) comprising: a processor (810) configured to generate second information related to a numerology
(page 12, last para; page 18, last para; page 19 last para and page 20; first para – group specific control data send to UE) and slot length associated with a set of subframe (SF) groups (page 27; para 01-02; page 28; para 01 – subcarrier spacing),
wherein the set of SF groups comprise a number of slots (page 07; last para; each subframe comprises of two slots and each group of subframes comprises of number of slots based on the number of subframes in the group); and
a transceiver (830) operably coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to: transmit the second information related to the numerology (page 12, last para; page 18, last para; page 19 last para and page 20; first para – group specific control data send to UE) and slot length associated with the set of SF groups (page 27; para 01-02; page 28; para 01 – subcarrier spacing), and transmit or receive a signal in a SF based on the numerology and slot length included in the second information (page 20; para 01; and page 28; para 01; UE performs transmission and reception based on the control information that include numerology and subcarrier spacing/slot length information),
wherein: first information associated with the set of SF groups including a first SF group and a second SF group is identified (page 05; para 01-02; page 27; para 01-02; subframe grouping).
Yi does not explicitly disclose whether the SF belongs to the first SF group or the second SF group is determined based on the first information.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses whether the SF belongs to the first SF group or the second SF group is determined based on the first information. (Para 0015; 0027; 0029-0031 and 0032-0036; 0043; 0060-0063; 0067-0074; the subframe bitmap indicates subframe grouping information). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi’s method/system by having Youn’s disclosure in order to improve resource utilization by supporting variable TTIs.
Regarding claims 2, and 9, Yi discloses wherein the numerology and slot length comprises a first numerology and a first slot length (page 05, para 01; first numerology with a reference subcarrier spacing) and a second numerology and a second slot length (page 05, para 01-02; second numerology with a specific subcarrier spacing different from the reference subcarrier spacing); and the transceiver is further configured to: receive or transmit the signal in the SF based on the first numerology and the first slot length (page 11, para 02-03; page 12; para 01; a UE may support only one numerology at a time or support more than one numerologies simultaneously depending on its capability. In terms of UE capability, the UE may indicate whether the UE can support only a subset of numerologies which can be used in a TDM manner, or the UE can support all numerologies with a TDM manner), and receive or transmit the signal in the SF based on the second numerology and the second slot length (page 18; last para….page 19; first para; numerology and/or starting/ending of data transmission (or the corresponding short TTI index) may be configured dynamically via scheduling information).
Yi does not explicitly disclose that receiving or transmitting the signal in the SF is based on
a determination that the SF belongs to the first SF group or to the second SF group.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses that receiving or transmitting the signal in the SF is based on a determination that the SF belongs to the first SF group or to the second SF group (para 0068-0073). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi’s method/system by having Youn’s disclosure in order to improve resource utilization by supporting variable TTIs.
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Yi discloses identify a slot length for the first SF group (page 7; para 02; slot length) and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups (page 15; para 01-02; The first NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the first numerology, and the second NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the second numerology. The reference subcarrier spacing may be a 15 kHz, and the specific subcarrier spacing may be power of 2 for the reference subcarrier spacing – so reference subcarrier spacing is commonly applicable because the specific subcarrier spacing is multiple of the reference subcarrier spacing), and determine a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the first SF group based on the slot length and the SCS (page 08; para 02; page 13; para 01; page 29; para 01-02; the number of OFDM symbols and the number of subcarriers may vary depending on the length of a CP, frequency spacing; different number of OFDM symbol may be placed within a subframe depending on numerologies (e.g. 14 OFDM symbols with 15 kHz subcarrier spacing in normal CP, 28 OFDM symbols with 30 kHz OFDM symbols in normal CP, 28 OFDM symbols with 60 kHz subcarrier spacing). A minimum time-unit may be an OFDM symbol based on RSC or 2 OFDM symbols based on RSC or 7 OFDM symbols based on RSC); and the transceiver is further configured to receive a broadcast signaling indicating a slot length for the second SF group (page 11; para 02-03; page 13; para 02; page 14; para 03; page 18; para 02; page 29; para 01).
Regarding claims 5, and 12 , Yi discloses wherein: the processor is further configured to: identify a slot length for the first SF group (page 7; para 02; slot length) and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups (page 15; para 01-02; The first NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the first numerology, and the second NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the second numerology. The reference subcarrier spacing may be a 15 kHz, and the specific subcarrier spacing may be power of 2 for the reference subcarrier spacing – so reference subcarrier spacing is commonly applicable because the specific subcarrier spacing is multiple of the reference subcarrier spacing), and the transceiver is further configured to: receive at least one of the signal on overhead channels or a broadcast signal including configuration information for numerology associated with the second SF group in SFs belonging to the first SF group (page 11; para 02-03; page 13; para 02; page 14; para 03; page 18; para 02; The NR carrier may be operated with a base numerology where initial access related signals/channels (such as synchronization signals and physical broadcast channel (PBCH)) are transmitted. Hereinafter, unless otherwise stated, the base numerology will be used. Also, more than one NR carriers may be overlapped in frequency domain and semi-static frequency sharing may also be supported; and also, cross scheduling).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, Yi discloses wherein the configuration information includes at least one of a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot, a number of subcarriers per physical resource block (PRB), a slot duration, a cyclic prefix (CP) length, or a subcarrier spacing (page 08; para 02; length of a CP, number of OFDM symbols per slot).
Regarding claims 10, Yi discloses that the transceiver is further configured to transmit a broadcast signaling indicating a slot length for the second SF group (page 11; para 02-03; page 13; para 02; page 14; para 03; page 18; para 02; page 29; para 01); a slot length for the first SF group (page 7; para 02; slot length) and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups are identified (page 15; para 01-02; The first NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the first numerology, and the second NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the second numerology. The reference subcarrier spacing may be a 15 kHz, and the specific subcarrier spacing may be power of 2 for the reference subcarrier spacing – so reference subcarrier spacing is commonly applicable because the specific subcarrier spacing is multiple of the reference subcarrier spacing), and a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the first SF group is determined based on the slot length and the SCS (page 08; para 02; page 13; para 01; page 29; para 01-02; the number of OFDM symbols and the number of subcarriers may vary depending on the length of a CP, frequency spacing; different number of OFDM symbol may be placed within a subframe depending on numerologies (e.g. 14 OFDM symbols with 15 kHz subcarrier spacing in normal CP, 28 OFDM symbols with 30 kHz OFDM symbols in normal CP, 28 OFDM symbols with 60 kHz subcarrier spacing). A minimum time-unit may be an OFDM symbol based on RSC or 2 OFDM symbols based on RSC or 7 OFDM symbols based on RSC); and the transceiver is further configured to receive a broadcast signaling indicating a slot length for the second SF group (page 11; para 02-03; page 13; para 02; page 14; para 03; page 18; para 02; page 29; para 01).
Regarding claim 16, Yi discloses receiving or transmitting the signal in the SF based on a first numerology and a first slot length (page 11, para 02-03; page 12; para 01; a UE may support only one numerology at a time or support more than one numerologies simultaneously depending on its capability. In terms of UE capability, the UE may indicate whether the UE can support only a subset of numerologies which can be used in a TDM manner, or the UE can support all numerologies with a TDM manner), and receiving or transmitting the signal in the SF based on a second numerology and a second slot length (page 18; last para….page 19; first para; numerology and/or starting/ending of data transmission (or the corresponding short TTI index) may be configured dynamically via scheduling information),
wherein the numerology and slot length comprises the first numerology and the first slot length (page 05, para 01; first numerology with a reference subcarrier spacing) and the second numerology and the second slot length (page 05, para 01-02; second numerology with a specific subcarrier spacing different from the reference subcarrier spacing).
Yi does not explicitly disclose that receiving or transmitting the signal in the SF is based on
a determination that the SF belongs to the first SF group or to the second SF group.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses that receiving or transmitting the signal in the SF is based on a determination that the SF belongs to the first SF group or to the second SF group (para 0068-0073). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi’s method/system by having Youn’s disclosure in order to improve resource utilization by supporting variable TTIs.
Regarding claim 19, Yi discloses identifying a slot length for the first SF group (page 7; para 02; slot length) and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups (page 15; para 01-02; The first NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the first numerology, and the second NRG is a set of frequency and time resources based on the second numerology. The reference subcarrier spacing may be a 15 kHz, and the specific subcarrier spacing may be power of 2 for the reference subcarrier spacing – so reference subcarrier spacing is commonly applicable because the specific subcarrier spacing is multiple of the reference subcarrier spacing), and receiving at least one of the signal on overhead channels or a broadcast signal including configuration information for numerology associated with the second SF group in SFs belonging to the first SF group (page 11; para 02-03; page 13; para 02; page 14; para 03; The NR carrier may be operated with a base numerology where initial access related signals/channels (such as synchronization signals and physical broadcast channel (PBCH)) are transmitted. Hereinafter, unless otherwise stated, the base numerology will be used. Also, more than one NR carriers may be overlapped in frequency domain and semi-static frequency sharing may also be supported. The base numerology may be different per deployment scenario, and thus a UE may have to blindly search via initial access or synchronization procedure), wherein the configuration information includes at least one of a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot, a number of subcarriers per physical resource block (PRB), a slot duration, a cyclic prefix (CP) length, or a subcarrier spacing (page 08; para 02; length of a CP, number of OFDM symbols per slot).
Claims 7, 14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi/Youn in view of Laroia et al. (US 2006/0205356, hereinafter Laroia).
Regarding claim 7, Yi discloses that the transceiver is further configured to: receive, via a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB), a broadcast message (page 11, last para; page 13, para 02-03; page 33; last para; SIB).
Yi does not explicitly disclose that the broadcast message including configuration information for super slots, or receive a radio resource control (RRC) message including the configuration information for the super slots; the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; the super slots are used for identifying a unit of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) processing and scheduling operation for the SF belonging to the second SF group; each of the super slots is determined as a transmission time interval (TTI); and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content and payload for a time domain scheduling.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses that the broadcast message including configuration information for super slots (para 0032; 0045; 0061); the super slots are used for identifying a unit of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) processing (para 0002-0003) and scheduling operation for the SF belonging to the second SF group (para 0071-0074); each of the super slots is determined as a transmission time interval (TTI) (para 0027-0028).
Yi/Youn does not explicitly disclose that the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content and payload for a time domain scheduling.
In an analogous art, Laroia discloses that the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols (para 0103; 0196; 0218 -0220; each superslot including a first portion, e.g., of two consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods followed by a second portion, e.g., of 112 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods) and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content (para 0163; and 0204) and payload for a time domain scheduling (Para 0168-0169; 0172; 0205; and 0216; OFDM symbol in term of user data scheduled in time periods according to transmission scheduling). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi/Youn’s method/system by having Laroia’s disclosure in order to improve channel quality of a communication system.
Regarding claim 14, Yi discloses wherein the transceiver is further configured to: transmit, via a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB), a broadcast message (page 11, last para; page 13, para 02-03; page 33; last para; SIB).
Yi does not explicitly disclose that the broadcast message including configuration information for super slots, or transmit a radio resource control (RRC) message including the configuration information for the super slots; the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; the super slots are used for identifying a unit of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) processing and scheduling operation for the SF belonging to the second SF group; each of the super slots is determined as a transmission time interval (TTI); and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content and payload for a time domain scheduling.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses that the broadcast message including configuration information for super slots (para 0032; 0045; 0061); the super slots are used for identifying a unit of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) processing (para 0002-0003) and scheduling operation for the SF belonging to the second SF group (para 0071-0074); each of the super slots is determined as a transmission time interval (TTI) (para 0027-0028).
Yi/Youn does not explicitly disclose that the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content and payload for a time domain scheduling.
In an analogous art, Laroia discloses that the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols (para 0103; 0196; 0218 -0220; each superslot including a first portion, e.g., of two consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods followed by a second portion, e.g., of 112 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods) and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content (para 0163; and 0204) and payload for a time domain scheduling (Para 0168-0169; 0172; 0205; and 0216; OFDM symbol in term of user data scheduled in time periods according to transmission scheduling). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi/Youn’s method/system by having Laroia’s disclosure in order to improve channel quality of a communication system.
Regarding claim 20, Yi discloses receiving, via a master information block (MIB) or a system information block (SIB), a broadcast message (page 11, last para; page 13, para 02-03; page 33; last para; SIB).
Yi does not explicitly disclose that the broadcast message including configuration information for super slots, or receiving a radio resource control (RRC) message including the configuration information for the super slots; wherein: the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; the super slots are used for identifying a unit of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) processing and scheduling operation for the SF belonging to the second SF group; each of the super slots is determined as a transmission time interval (TTI); and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content and payload for a time domain scheduling.
In an analogous art, Youn discloses that the broadcast message including configuration information for super slots (para 0032; 0045; 0061); the super slots are used for identifying a unit of downlink (DL) and uplink (UL) processing (para 0002-0003) and scheduling operation for the SF belonging to the second SF group (para 0071-0074); each of the super slots is determined as a transmission time interval (TTI) (para 0027-0028).
Yi/Youn does not explicitly disclose that the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols; and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content and payload for a time domain scheduling.
In an analogous art, Laroia discloses that the super slots comprise a number of consecutive slots including a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols (para 0103; 0196; 0218 -0220; each superslot including a first portion, e.g., of two consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods followed by a second portion, e.g., of 112 consecutive OFDM symbol transmission time periods) and the number of OFDM symbols included in each of the super slots is used to identify downlink control information (DCI) content (para 0163; and 0204) and payload for a time domain scheduling (Para 0168-0169; 0172; 0205; and 0216; OFDM symbol in term of user data scheduled in time periods according to transmission scheduling). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi/Youn’s method/system by having Laroia’s disclosure in order to improve channel quality of a communication system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 4, 11 and 18 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.
Regarding claim 4, none of the prior art of record disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “ identify a slot length for the first SF group and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups, determine a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the first SF group based on the slot length and the SCS, and determine a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the second SF group as a function of the indicated value.” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations.
Regarding claim 11, none of the prior art of record disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “the transceiver is further configured to transmit a broadcast signal indicating a value that is used to determine a slot length for the second SF group; a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the second SF group is determined as a function of the indicated value; a slot length for the first SF group and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups are identified; and a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the first SF group is determined based on the slot length and the SCS” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations.
Regarding claim 18, none of the prior art of record disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “receiving a broadcast signaling indicating a value that is used to determine a slot length for the second SF group; identifying a slot length for the first SF group and a subcarrier spacing (SCS) commonly applicable to the first and the second SF groups; determining a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the first SF group based on the slot length and the SCS; receiving a broadcast signal indicating a value that is used to determine a slot length for the second SF group; and determining a number of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbols per slot for the second SF group as a function of the indicated value ” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations.
Conclusion
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMINA CHOUDHRY whose telephone number is (571)270-7102. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday (7:30 a.m. to 5.00p.m.).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached on (571)272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SAMINA F CHOUDHRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462