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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11, 12 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0397224) in view of Ma et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0388082).
Regarding claim 1, Lai et al. discloses a communication apparatus (see UE 700 in fig. 7) comprising:
a communicator (see transceiver 720 in fig. 7) configured to receive, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including information (read as the RRC parameter in para. 0148) used for determining that an information field related to physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring is present in a first downlink control information (DCI) format (read as DCI format 1_1 or any other format(s) in para. 0305, 0441) and a second DCI format (read as DCI format 0_1 or any other DCI format(s) in para. 0305, 0441), (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0148, 0197, 0200, 0305-0310, 0441; In para. 0148, …An explicit switching of two SS set groups may be achieved via detection of a specific DCI (e.g., DCI format 2_0). The UE may be configured with an RRC parameter, such as searchSpaceSwitchTrigger-r16. In para. 0305, …In some implementations, the control information (such as DCI, DCI format 0_0/0_1/0_2/1_0/1_1/1_2/2_0/2_1/2_2/2_3/2_4/2_5/2_6, or other DCI formats configured in the search space set) may indicate to the UE one or more than one of the following information: [0306] search space set group (ID) indication/switching [0307] search space set (ID) indication/switching [0308] control resource set (ID) indication/switching [0309] indicating/switching RRC parameter(s) configured in RRC parameter SearchSpace [0310] indicating/switching RRC parameter(s) configured in RRC parameter ControlResourceSet). Thus, the UE may be configured with an RRC parameter. The control information such as DCI formats (e.g., including first and second DCI formats) may be indicated to the UE in RRC parameter. In other words, the RRC parameter is used to indicates the existence of information field (e.g. dormancy information field) of first and second DCI formats for SSG switching for PDCCH monitoring; and
a controller (see processor 728 in fig. 7) configured to control the PDCCH monitoring in a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) of a serving cell (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0299, 0300; when a UE detects DCI format 0_1 in PDCCH in an active DL BWP of a PCell, the UE may switch PDCCH monitoring from a search space set group ID #1 to search space set group ID #0 of serving cell ID #2). The UE/controller controls the PDCCH monitoring in downlink BWP of a serving cell or PCell;
the controller is configured to:
determine, based on the information included in the RRC message, a presence of the information field related to the PDCCH monitoring in the first DCI format and the second DCI format (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0441; In para. 0441, 0442; the UE may receive DCI on a PDCCH, the DCI indicating an SSSG ID for a serving cell or a set of serving cells. In some implementations, the DCI may indicate SSSG switching. In some implementations, the serving cell or the set of serving cells is configured by an RRC parameter associated with SSSG switching or SCell dormancy. In some implementations, the DCI may be monitored in a USS set. In some implementations, the DCI may be one of a DCI format 0_1, a DC format 1_1, a DC format 0_2, and a DC format 1_2.) Thus, based on the RRC parameter comprising the control information (e.g., DCI formats) being configured in the UE, the UE has the knowledge of the configured RRC parameters comprising the DCI formats and implicitly detects the presence of the dormancy indication field in DCI format 1_1 and the presence of the dormancy indication field in DCI format 0_1;
perform switching of a search space sets group for the PDCCH monitoring based on a first value (read as the time instant value in para. 0442) set to the information field related to the PDCCH monitoring included in the first DCI format (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0441; In para. 0441, 0442; the UE may start PDCCH monitoring in a first SSSG and stop PDCCH monitoring in one or more second SSSG for the serving cell or the set of serving cells starting from a time instant determined by the UE upon determining that the DCI is successfully received. The UE may determine the time instant based on a time offset and the timing of the DCI.). The UE performs SSSG switching for PDCCH monitoring based on time instant (e.g., value) within the received DCI such as DCI format 1_1; and
perform the switching of the search space sets group for the PDCCH monitoring based on a second value (read as value 0 in para. 0300) set to the information field related to the PDCCH monitoring included in the second DCI format (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0300, 0305, 0441, 0442; when a UE detects DCI format 0_1 in PDCCH in an active DL BWP of a PCell, the UE may switch PDCCH monitoring from a search space set group ID #1 to search space set group ID #0 of serving cell ID #2 (and/or PCell) according to the ‘0’ value of the Dormancy indication field and the ‘10’ value of the carrier indicator field in the DCI format 0_1.). The UE perform SSSG switch based on the 0 value of the dormancy indication field in DCI format 0_1.
However, Lai et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein the first DCI format being used for scheduling of a physical downlink control channel (PDSCH), and the second DCI format being used for scheduling of physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).
Ma from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the first DCI format being used for scheduling of a physical downlink control channel (PDSCH), and the second DCI format being used for scheduling of physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Ma et al. see para. 0121; the network apparatus may perform uplink data transmission scheduling by using DCI format 0_0/0_1/0_2, etc., may perform downlink data transmission scheduling by using formats such as DCI format 1_0/1_1/1_2, etc.).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Lai et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Ma et al. wherein the first DCI format 1_1 being used for PDSCH and second DCI format 0_1 being used for PUSCH.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Claim 9 is rejected similarly to claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, Lai et al. discloses a base station (see BS 700 in fig. 7) comprising:
a communicator (see transceiver 720 in fig. 7) configured to transmit, to a communication apparatus, a radio resource control (RRC) message including information used for determining that an information field related to physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring is present in a first downlink control information (DCI) format (read as DCI format 1_1 or any other format(s) in para. 0305, 0441) and a second DCI format (read as DCI format 0_1 or any other DCI format(s) in para. 0305, 0441), (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0148, 0197, 0200, 0305-0310, 0441; In para. 0148, …An explicit switching of two SS set groups may be achieved via detection of a specific DCI (e.g., DCI format 2_0). The UE may be configured with an RRC parameter, such as searchSpaceSwitchTrigger-r16. In para. 0305, …In some implementations, the control information (such as DCI, DCI format 0_0/0_1/0_2/1_0/1_1/1_2/2_0/2_1/2_2/2_3/2_4/2_5/2_6, or other DCI formats configured in the search space set) may indicate to the UE one or more than one of the following information: [0306] search space set group (ID) indication/switching [0307] search space set (ID) indication/switching [0308] control resource set (ID) indication/switching [0309] indicating/switching RRC parameter(s) configured in RRC parameter SearchSpace [0310] indicating/switching RRC parameter(s) configured in RRC parameter ControlResourceSet). Thus, the BS configured the UE with an RRC parameter. The control information such as DCI formats (e.g., including first and second DCI formats) may be indicated to the UE in RRC parameter. In other words, the RRC parameter is used to indicates the existence of information field (e.g. dormancy information field) of first and second DCI formats for SSG switching for PDCCH monitoring; and
a controller (see processor 728 in fig. 7) configured to control the PDCCH monitoring in a downlink bandwidth part (BWP) of a serving cell (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0299, 0300; when a UE detects DCI format 0_1 in PDCCH in an active DL BWP of a PCell, the UE may switch PDCCH monitoring from a search space set group ID #1 to search space set group ID #0 of serving cell ID #2). The BS/controller controls the PDCCH monitoring in downlink BWP of a serving cell or PCell;
the controller is configured to:
control, based on the information, a presence of the information field related to the PDCCH monitoring in the first DCI format and the second DCI format (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0441; In para. 0441, 0442; the UE may receive DCI on a PDCCH, the DCI indicating an SSSG ID for a serving cell or a set of serving cells. In some implementations, the DCI may indicate SSSG switching. In some implementations, the serving cell or the set of serving cells is configured by an RRC parameter associated with SSSG switching or SCell dormancy. In some implementations, the DCI may be monitored in a USS set. In some implementations, the DCI may be one of a DCI format 0_1, a DC format 1_1, a DC format 0_2, and a DC format 1_2.) Thus, based on the RRC parameter comprising the control information (e.g., DCI formats) being configured in the UE, the UE has the knowledge of the configured RRC parameters comprising the DCI formats and implicitly detects the presence of the dormancy indication field in DCI format 1_1 and the presence of the dormancy indication field in DCI format 0_1;
control switching of a search space sets group for the PDCCH monitoring based on a first value (read as the time instant value in para. 0442) set to the information field related to the PDCCH monitoring included in the first DCI format (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0441; In para. 0441, 0442; the UE may start PDCCH monitoring in a first SSSG and stop PDCCH monitoring in one or more second SSSG for the serving cell or the set of serving cells starting from a time instant determined by the UE upon determining that the DCI is successfully received. The UE may determine the time instant based on a time offset and the timing of the DCI.). The BS controls the UE to performs SSSG switching for PDCCH monitoring based on time instant (e.g., value) within the received DCI such as DCI format 1_1; and
control the switching of a search space sets group for the PDCCH monitoring based on a second value (read as value 0 in para. 0300) set to the information field related to the PDCCH monitoring included in the second DCI format (Lai et al. ‘224 see para. 0300, 0305, 0441, 0442; when a UE detects DCI format 0_1 in PDCCH in an active DL BWP of a PCell, the UE may switch PDCCH monitoring from a search space set group ID #1 to search space set group ID #0 of serving cell ID #2 (and/or PCell) according to the ‘0’ value of the Dormancy indication field and the ‘10’ value of the carrier indicator field in the DCI format 0_1.). The BS controls the UE to perform SSSG switch based on the 0 value of the dormancy indication field in DCI format 0_1.
However, Lai et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein the first DCI format being used for scheduling of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and the second DCI format being used for scheduling of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH).
Ma from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the first DCI format being used for scheduling of a physical downlink control channel (PDSCH), and the second DCI format being used for scheduling of physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Ma et al. see para. 0121; the network apparatus may perform uplink data transmission scheduling by using DCI format 0_0/0_1/0_2, etc., may perform downlink data transmission scheduling by using formats such as DCI format 1_0/1_1/1_2, etc.).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Lai et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Ma et al. wherein the first DCI format 1_1 being used for PDSCH and second DCI format 0_1 being used for PUSCH.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Regarding claims 4, 8, 12, Lai et al. discloses the feature wherein the RRC message includes information used for configuring one or more cell groups (Lai et al. see abstract; para. 0441; the serving cell or the set of serving cells is configured by an RRC parameter associated with SSSG switching or SCell dormancy.).
Claim(s) 3, 7, 11, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0397224) in view of Ma et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0388082) as applied to claim 1, 5 or 9 above, and further in view of Ying et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0361230).
Regarding claims 3, 7, 11, Lai et al. in view of Ma et al. does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) parity bit scrambled by one of a cell-radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), a modulation and coding scheme-C-RNTI (MCS-C-RNTI) and a configured scheduling-RNTI (CS-RNTI) is attached to the first DCI format and the second DCI format.
Ying et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) parity bit scrambled by one of a cell-radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), a modulation and coding scheme-C-RNTI (MCS-C-RNTI) and a configured scheduling-RNTI (CS-RNTI) is attached to the first DCI format and the second DCI format (Ying et al. see para. 0101, 0293; A UE may validate, for scheduling activation or scheduling release, a DL SPS assignment PDCCH or configured UL grant Type 2 PDCCH if the CRC of a corresponding DCI format (e.g., DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, DCI format 0_2, DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1 and/or DCI format 0_2) is scrambled with a CS-RNTI provided by cs-RNTI,).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Lai et al. in view of Ma et al. and to implement with the feature as taught by Ying et al. wherein CRC is scrambled by C-RNTI, and the CS-RNTI is attached to the first and second DCI formats.
The motivation would be to improve transmission efficiency.
Examiner's Note
The Applicant is welcome to request a telephonic interview if the Applicant has any questions or requires any additional information that would further or expedite the prosecution of the application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0061031) discloses a wireless device receives, from a base station, one or more messages indicating: a control resource set (coreset) of a bandwidth part of a cell; and a first reference signal (RS) associated with the coreset. A downlink control channel in the coreset is monitored based on the first RS. A control command indicating a group of one or more second RSs is received. The wireless device determines that the group of the one or more second RSs does not include the first RS. In response to the determining, the wireless device stops monitoring the downlink control channel in the coreset.
Koskinen et al. (Pub No.: 2023/0022160) discloses a method and apparatus to perform at least detecting, by a network device of a communication network, a wake-up signal related message format comprising control information, wherein the network device is in a radio resource control inactive state; and based on the detected message format, performing operations to initiate a connection resume procedure in the communication network. Further, in accordance with example embodiments of the invention there is a method and apparatus to perform at least determining, by a network node of a communication network, a wake-up signal related message format comprising control information for at least one network device in a radio resource control inactive state; and based on the determining, sending towards the at least one network device the message format to cause the at least one network device to perform operations to initiate a connection resume procedure in the communication network.
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 KAN YUEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1413. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:30am-7pm.
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/KAN YUEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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