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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments with respect to claim 5 have been fully considered. The rejection of claims 5-8 under 35 U.S.C 112 (b) has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 5 and 9 have been fully considered, a new ground for rejection has been made in view of amendment. Claims 1, 5 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (See 103 rejection of claims 1 and 5 below).
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 5, lines 16-17, “a timer offset to the one timer value” should read “a timer set to the one timer value”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6, 8-10 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20230156572 A1 (hereinafter Reial), in view of US 20230269742 A1 (hereinafter Kuang).
Regarding claim 1, Reial teaches A communication apparatus comprising (Reial UE 600 in Fig. 6;
[0271] FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a UE 600 of a communication system.):
a receiver configured to (Reial wireless transceiver circuit 602 in Fig. 6; [0271] the UE may
include a wireless transceiver circuit 602 for providing a wireless communication interface with a network.):
receive, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information
and second information, the first information being used for configuring a plurality of search space set groups including a first search space set group, a second search space set group and a third search space set group, the second information being used for configuring one timer value, the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group (Reial step 2002 in Fig. 20; [0193] receiving (2002) a message from a network node configuring the UE with more than two search space groups.
[0011] A UE can be provided a group index for a respective search space set by searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16 for PDCCH monitoring on a serving cell indicated by searchSpaceSwitchingGroup-r16.
[0012] A UE can be provided, by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r16, a timer value.
[0138] Two groups of search space sets can be configured in Rel-16. If configured through the RRC parameters searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16 and searchSpaceSwitchingGroup-r16, then the UE can be switched between these two groups using either explicit or implicit mechanisms.
[0140] As shown in FIG. 3A, when the UE is in a first state 32 where it configured to monitor group0, then when the UE detects a DCI message having format 2-0 (referred to as DCI format 2-0, or more simply DCI 2-0) and the switching field searchSpaceSwitchTrigger is configured in the UE (Note: switching field is 1, i.e. group1), the UE transitions to a second state 34 where it starts a timer, monitors group1 and stops monitoring group0. When the UE is in the second state 34, if it detects DCI 2-0 and the switching field is 0, or when the timer expires, the UE transitions back to the first state 32, starts monitoring group0 again, and stops monitoring group1.
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group1 is the second search space set group; the timer (when the timer expires) is used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group.
[0177] Switching Among More than 2 SS Groups
[0178] In previous approaches, two SS groups can be specified for a given SS switching group, which may limit the ability to optimize SS adaptation for UE power savings or other purposes.
[0179] In one embodiment, an SS switching group may specify more than two switching groups, e.g. 4 or 8 SS groups. The groups may be configured via dedicated RRC signaling.
Fig. 7B Explicit search space switching - multiple group extension. Search space group0, group1, group2 ... groupN. as shown in Fig. 7B.
Note: group2 is the third search space set group.);
receive, from the base station, downlink control information (DCI) including an information field related to the PDCCH monitoring (Reial step 2004 in Fig. 20; [0193] receiving (2004) a downlink control information, DCI, message on a downlink control channel. The DCI message includes an indication of which of the more than two search space groups the UE is to start monitoring in response to receiving the DCI message.); and
a controller configured to (Reial processor 603 in Fig. 6; [0271] The UE 600 may also include a processing circuit 603 (also referred to as a processor) coupled to the wireless transceiver circuit 602 and the wireless transceiver circuit 602, and a memory circuit 605 (also referred to as memory) coupled to the processing circuit.):
start the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the second search space set group is performed based on a value set in the information field, and a timer set to the one the timer value expires (Reial [0139] A state diagram of the explicit switching procedure is illustrated in FIG. 3A. As shown therein, at any given time, a UE may be configured to monitor a first search space group (e.g. group0) or a second search space group (e.g., group1). The UE may be configured to monitor one search space group more densely than the other search space group. Thus, it may require less energy to monitor one search space group relative to the other, but the latency associated with the more sparsely monitored search space group may be higher.
[0140] As shown in FIG. 3A, when the UE is in a first state 32 where it configured to monitor group0, then when the UE detects a DCI message having format 2-0 (referred to as DCI format 2-0, or more simply DCI 2-0) and the switching field searchSpaceSwitchTrigger is configured in the UE (Note: switching field is 1, i.e. group1), the UE transitions to a second state 34 where it starts a timer, monitors group1 and stops monitoring group0. When the UE is in the second state 34, if it detects DCI 2-0 and the switching field is 0, or when the timer expires, the UE transitions back to the first state 32, starts monitoring group0 again, and stops monitoring group1.
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group1 is the second search space set group.); and
Although Reial teaches a timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group,
start the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the third search space set group is performed based on a value set in the information field, and the timer set to the timer value expires (Reial Fig. 7B; As shown in Fig. 7B, initially UE is in a state where it monitors group0 and stops monitoring other groups. When the DCI is detected and switching field indicates to switch to group2, UE transitions to a state where it starts a timer, monitors group2 and stops monitoring other groups. When the timer expires, the UE transitions back to the initial state, starts monitoring group 0 again and stops monitoring other groups (group2).
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group2 is the third search space set group.).
Reial does not explicitly teach the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group is the same as the timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group.
Kuang in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group is the same as the timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group (Kuang, Fig. 8A, [0018] FIG. 8A illustrate the switching between two search space set groups. [0311] The timer values can be configured per serving cell (or per serving cell group if cell group is configured). Thus, only one single timer value needs to be maintained across different SSSGs.).
By modifying Reial’s teachings of receive, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information and second information, the first information being used for configuring a plurality of search space set groups including a first search space set group, a second search space set group and a third search space set group, the second information being used for configuring one timer value, the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group; receive, from the base station, downlink control information (DCI) including an information field related to the PDCCH monitoring; and a controller configured to: start the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the second search space set group is performed based on a value set in the information field, and a timer set to the one the timer value expires; a timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group, start the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the third search space set group is performed based on a value set in the information field, and the timer set to the timer value expires with
Kuang’s teachings of the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group is the same as the timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group, the modification results in
receive, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information and second information, the first information being used for configuring a plurality of search space set groups including a first search space set group, a second search space set group and a third search space set group, the second information being used for configuring one timer value, the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group and controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group; and
receive, from the base station, downlink control information (DCI) including an information field related to the PDCCH monitoring; and a controller configured to:
start the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the second search space set group is performed based on a value set in the information field, and a timer set to the one the timer value expires; and
start the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the third search space set group is performed based on a value set in the information field, and the timer set to the timer value expires.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Reial with Kuang’s above teachings. The motivation is improving downlink control channel monitoring procedure (Kuang [0005]).
Claim 9 recites similar limitations of claim 1, is thus rejected under similar rational.
Regarding claim 5, Reial teaches A base station comprising (Reial network node 500 in Fig. 5; [0268] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating elements of a network node 500 of a communication system. the network node 500 may implement a gNodeB or eNodeB.):
a transmitter configured to (Reial wireless transceiver 502 in Fig. 5; [0269] The network node 500 may also include a wireless transceiver circuit 502 for providing a wireless communication interface with UEs.):
transmit, to a communication apparatus, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information and second information, the first information being used for configuring a plurality of search space set groups including a first search space set group, a second search space set group and a third search space set group, the second information being used for configuring one timer value, the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group (Reial step 1202 in Fig. 12; [0184] a network node in a communication system ... configuring (1202) a user equipment, UE, with more than two search space groups.
[0011] A UE can be provided a group index for a respective search space set by searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16 for PDCCH monitoring on a serving cell indicated by searchSpaceSwitchingGroup-r16.
[0012] A UE can be provided, by searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r16, a timer value.
[0138] Two groups of search space sets can be configured in Rel-16. If configured through the RRC parameters searchSpaceGroupIdList-r16 and searchSpaceSwitchingGroup-r16, then the UE can be switched between these two groups using either explicit or implicit mechanisms.
[0140] As shown in FIG. 3A, when the UE is in a first state 32 where it configured to monitor group0, then when the UE detects a DCI message having format 2-0 (referred to as DCI format 2-0, or more simply DCI 2-0) and the switching field searchSpaceSwitchTrigger is configured in the UE (Note: switching field is 1, i.e. group1), the UE transitions to a second state 34 where it starts a timer, monitors group1 and stops monitoring group0. When the UE is in the second state 34, if it detects DCI 2-0 and the switching field is 0, or when the timer expires, the UE transitions back to the first state 32, starts monitoring group0 again, and stops monitoring group1.
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group1 is the second search space set group; the timer (when the timer expires) is used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group.
[0177] Switching Among More than 2 SS Groups
[0178] In previous approaches, two SS groups can be specified for a given SS switching group, which may limit the ability to optimize SS adaptation for UE power savings or other purposes.
[0179] In one embodiment, an SS switching group may specify more than two switching groups, e.g. 4 or 8 SS groups. The groups may be configured via dedicated RRC signaling.
Fig. 7B Explicit search space switching - multiple group extension. Search space group0, group1, group2 ... groupN. as shown in Fig. 7B.
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group1 is the second search space set group; group2 is the third search space set group.
); and
transmit, to the communication apparatus, downlink control information (DCI) including an information field related to the PDCCH monitoring (Reial step 1206 in Fig. 12; [0184] generating (1204) a downlink control information, DCI, message, and transmitting (1206) the DCI message on a downlink control channel. The DCI message includes an indication of which of the more than two search space groups the UE is to start monitoring in response to receiving the DCI message.); wherein:
the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group is started in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the second search space set group is indicated based on a value set in the information field, and a timer set to the one timer value expires (Reial
[0139] A state diagram of the explicit switching procedure is illustrated in FIG. 3A. As shown therein, at any given time, a UE may be configured to monitor a first search space group (e.g. group0) or a second search space group (e.g., group1). The UE may be configured to monitor one search space group more densely than the other search space group. Thus, it may require less energy to monitor one search space group relative to the other, but the latency associated with the more sparsely monitored search space group may be higher.
[0140] As shown in FIG. 3A, when the UE is in a first state 32 where it configured to monitor group0, then when the UE detects a DCI message having format 2-0 (referred to as DCI format 2-0, or more simply DCI 2-0) and the switching field searchSpaceSwitchTrigger is configured in the UE (Note: switching field is 1, i.e. group1), the UE transitions to a second state 34 where it starts a timer, monitors group1 and stops monitoring group0. When the UE is in the second state 34, if it detects DCI 2-0 and the switching field is 0, or when the timer expires, the UE transitions back to the first state 32, starts monitoring group0 again, and stops monitoring group1.
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group1 is the second search space set group.); and
Although Reial teaches a timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group,
the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group is started in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the third search space set group is indicated based on a value set in the information field, and the timer set to the timer value expires (Reial
Fig. 7B; As shown in Fig. 7B, initially UE is in a state where it monitors group0 and stops monitoring other groups. When the DCI is detected and switching field indicates to switch to group2, UE transitions to a state where it starts a timer, monitors group2 and stops monitoring other groups. When the timer expires, the UE transitions back to the initial state, starts monitoring group 0 again and stops monitoring other groups (group2).
Note: group0 is the first search space set group; group2 is the third search space set group.).
Reial does not explicitly teach the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group is the same as the timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group.
Kuang in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group is the same as the timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group (Kuang, Fig. 8A, [0018] FIG. 8A illustrate the switching between two search space set groups. [0311] The timer values can be configured per serving cell (or per serving cell group if cell group is configured). Thus, only one single timer value needs to be maintained across different SSSGs.).
By modifying Reial’s teachings of transmit, to a communication apparatus, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information and second information, the first information being used for configuring a plurality of search space set groups including a first search space set group, a second search space set group and a third search space set group, the second information being used for configuring one timer value, the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group and controlling of the PDCCH monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group; and
transmit, to the communication apparatus, downlink control information (DCI) including an information field related to the PDCCH monitoring; wherein:
the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group is started in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the second search space set group is indicated based on a value set in the information field, and a timer set to the one timer value expires; and
a timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group,
the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group is started in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the third search space set group is indicated based on a value set in the information field, and the timer set to the timer value expires with
Kuang’s teachings of the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group is the same as the timer value for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group, the modification results in
transmit, to a communication apparatus, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information and second information, the first information being used for configuring a plurality of search space set groups including a first search space set group, a second search space set group and a third search space set group, the second information being used for configuring one timer value, the one timer value being used for controlling of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring from the second search space set group to the first search space set group and controlling of the PDCCH monitoring from the third search space set group to the first search space set group; and
transmit, to the communication apparatus, downlink control information (DCI) including an information field related to the PDCCH monitoring; wherein:
the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group is started in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the second search space set group is indicated based on a value set in the information field, and a timer set to the one timer value expires; and
the PDCCH monitoring according to the first search space set group is started in a case that the PDCCH monitoring according to the third search space set group is indicated based on a value set in the information field, and the timer set to the timer value expires.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Reial with Kuang’s above teachings. The motivation is improving downlink control channel monitoring procedure (Kuang [0005]).
Regarding claim 2, Reial in view of Kuang (hereinafter combination) teaches The communication
apparatus according to claim 1.
Reial teaches wherein the first search space set group is identified by a group index “0” (Reial [0154] UE “monitoring SS group 0” (or gr0) which formally corresponds to the UE “monitoring
PDCCH according to search space sets with group index 0”.),
the second search space set group is identified by a group index “1” (Reial [0154] similar
terminology is used for monitoring group 1. Note: group 1 is the second search space set group with group index 1.), and
the third search space set group identified by a group index “2” (Reial Fig. 7B; group2. group 2 is the third search space set group with group index 2.).
Claims 6 and 10 recite similar limitations of claim 2 respectively, are thus rejected under similar
rational.
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches The communication apparatus according to claim 1.
Reial teaches wherein the DCI including the information field is used for scheduling of a physical
downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Reial [0208] generating (1302) a scheduling downlink control information, DCI, message, the scheduling DCI message containing an explicit indication to a user equipment, UE, to switch search space group monitoring to a different search space group, and transmitting (1304) the DCI message on a downlink control channel. The UE switches monitoring search space groups in response to the explicit indication in the scheduling DCI message.
[0209] the scheduling DCI message includes a DCI message having DCI format 0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1, 0-2, or 1-2.
Note: DCI format 0-0, 0-1 and 0-2 are DCIs for uplink scheduling (PUSCH); DCI format 1-0, 1-1 and 1-2 are DCIs for downlink scheduling (PDSCH). ).
Claims 8 and 12 recite similar limitations of claim 4 respectively, are thus rejected under similar
rational.
Claim(s) 3, 7 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reial in view of Kuang as applied to claims 1, 5 and 9 above, and further in view of US 20230068855 A1 (hereinafter Ouchi).
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches The communication apparatus according to claim 1.
Reial does not explicitly teach wherein the one timer value is configured for each of one or more
downlink bandwidth parts (DL BWPs).
Ouchi in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches wherein the one timer value is configured for each of one or more downlink bandwidth parts (DL BWPs) (Ouchi [0483] searchSpaceSwitchingTimer-r16 is configured for each DL BWP.).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the combination with Ouchi’s above teachings. The motivation is efficiently performing communication between a UE and a base station (Ouchi [0008]).
Claims 7 and 11 recite similar limitations of claim 3 respectively, are thus rejected under similar
rational.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David Z Sun whose telephone number is (571)270-0750. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800am-0500pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Moo Jeong can be reached at 571-272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/D.Z.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2418
/Moo Jeong/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2418
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