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 .
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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the recitations of “wherein the first time period comprises a time period for monitoring a second PDCCH, and the second time period does not comprise the second PDCCH; and monitoring the second PDCCH based on the first time period or the second time period” is not clear and confusing. The reception of the first PDCCH and the monitoring for the second PDCCH are unrelated. Based on the description, the monitoring of the second PDCCH depends on the first DCI and the first-time interval between the end of the first PDCCH and the start of the first uplink resource. The claim seems to miss essential features and claims unrelated elements rendering the claim unclear and confusing.
Claims 16 and 20 suffer from the same deficiencies.
Claims 2-15 and 17-19 are rejected because they depend on rejected claims.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 10-13, 16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Luo et al (US 2022/0150932). Hereinafter referred to as Luo.
Regarding claims 1, 16, and 20. Luo discloses a data transmission method, comprising receiving a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), wherein the first PDCCH comprises first downlink control information (DCI), the first DCI indicates a first resource, and the first resource is used to carry first uplink data (see at least paragraphs [0016], and [0067]); determining a first time period or a second time period, wherein the first time period comprises a time period for monitoring a second PDCCH, and the second time period does not comprise the second PDCCH (see at least figure 9 and paragraphs [0152]-[0156]: As shown in FIG. 6, the terminal device monitors a narrowband physical downlink control channel (NPDCCH) from a subframe n+i to a subframe n+k−3, and skips monitoring the NPDCCH in a subframe n+k−2 and a subframe n+k−1); and monitoring the second PDCCH based on the first time period or the second time period (see at least paragraphs [0152]-[0156] and [0176]).
Regarding claims 2, and 17. Luo discloses a method wherein the second PDCCH comprises a second DCI, the second DCI indicates a second resource, and the second resource is used to carry second uplink data (see at least paragraphs [0049], [0051]).
Regarding claims 3, and 18. Luo discloses a method wherein the determining a first time period or a second time period comprises: determining the first time period or the second time period based on a size of a first time interval, wherein the first time interval comprises a time interval between an end moment at which the first PDCCH is received and a start moment corresponding to the first resource (see at least figure 9).
Regarding claims 4 and 19. Luo discloses a method wherein the determining the first time period or the second time period based on a size of a first time interval comprises: determining the first time period or the second time period based on at least one of a first size relationship and a second size relationship, wherein the first size relationship is a size relationship between the size of the first time interval and a first threshold, the second size relationship is a size relationship between the size of the first time interval and a second threshold, and the second threshold is greater than the first threshold (see at least paragraph [0156] and figure 9).
Regarding claim 10. Luo discloses a method wherein the first time period comprises a time period from a moment that is later than or equal to an end moment corresponding to the first resource to a moment that is delayed by a first time amount from the end moment corresponding to the first resource, and the first time amount is greater than or equal to 0 (see at least paragraph [0156] and figure 9).
Regarding claim 11. Luo discloses a method wherein the second time period comprises a time period from an end moment of the first time period to a moment that is a first delay later than the end moment corresponding to the first resource, and the first delay is a round-trip delay between a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus (see at least paragraph [0156] and figure 9).
Regarding claim 12. Luo discloses a method wherein the second time period comprises a time period from a moment that is later than or equal to an end moment corresponding to the first resource to a moment that is delayed by a second time amount from the end moment corresponding to the first resource, and the second time amount is greater than or equal to 0 (see at least paragraph [0156] and figure 9).
Regarding claim 13. Luo discloses a method wherein the first time period comprises a time period from an end moment of the second time period to a moment that is a first delay later than the end moment corresponding to the first resource, and the first delay is a round-trip delay between a first communication apparatus and a second communication apparatus (see at least paragraph [0156] and figure 9).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO_892.
In the case of amending the claimed invention, Applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
When responding to this office action, applicants are advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which they think the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Applicants must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections. See 37C.F.R 1.111(c). In addition, applicants are advised to provide the examiner with the line numbers and pages numbers in the application and/or references cited to assist examiner in locating the appropriate paragraphs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOUNIR MOUTAOUAKIL whose telephone number is (571)270-1416. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10AM-4PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayaz Sheikh can be reached at 571-272-3795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MOUNIR MOUTAOUAKIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476