DETAILED ACTION
This action is a response to an application filed on 11/13/23 in which claims 1-30 are pending.
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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-9, 11, 13-22 and 24-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (Pub. No. 2024/0155573 A1), herein Yang.
As to claim 1, Yang teaches a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:
one or more memories (Yang Fig. 3 memory); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to (Yang Fig. 3 processor):
receive configuration information indicating one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0063] In 504, the wireless device may receive an uplink grant for an uplink transmission on the wireless link. According to some embodiments, the uplink grant may include a configured grant (CG) or a dynamic grant (DG). In some instances, the uplink grant may provide multiple uplink transmission occasions (e.g., a set of time domain uplink transmission resources);
transmit an indication of one or more unused uplink occasions of the one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0067] In 508, the wireless device may perform uplink transmissions during the selected subset of uplink transmission occasions. According to some embodiments, the wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the uplink transmissions performed by the wireless device that are associated with the uplink grant); and
transmit an uplink communication using resources associated with at least one unused uplink occasion of the one or more unused uplink occasions (Yang [0067] wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the configured grant PUSCHs performed by the wireless device that are associated with an uplink configured grant configuration)
As to claim 15, Yang teaches a network node for wireless communication, comprising:
one or more memories (Yang Fig. 4 memory); and
one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories, configured to (Yang Fig. 4 processor):
transmit configuration information, for a user equipment (UE), indicating one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0063] In 504, the wireless device may receive an uplink grant for an uplink transmission on the wireless link. According to some embodiments, the uplink grant may include a configured grant (CG) or a dynamic grant (DG). In some instances, the uplink grant may provide multiple uplink transmission occasions (e.g., a set of time domain uplink transmission resources);
receive an indication of one or more unused uplink occasions, of the one or more uplink occasions, associated with the UE (Yang [0067] In 508, the wireless device may perform uplink transmissions during the selected subset of uplink transmission occasions. According to some embodiments, the wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the uplink transmissions performed by the wireless device that are associated with the uplink grant); and
receive an uplink communication, associated with the UE, using resources associated with at least one unused uplink occasion of the one or more unused uplink occasions (Yang [0067] wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the configured grant PUSCHs performed by the wireless device that are associated with an uplink configured grant configuration)
As to claim 21, Yang teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
receiving configuration information indicating one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0063] In 504, the wireless device may receive an uplink grant for an uplink transmission on the wireless link. According to some embodiments, the uplink grant may include a configured grant (CG) or a dynamic grant (DG). In some instances, the uplink grant may provide multiple uplink transmission occasions (e.g., a set of time domain uplink transmission resources);
transmitting an indication of one or more unused uplink occasions of the one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0067] In 508, the wireless device may perform uplink transmissions during the selected subset of uplink transmission occasions. According to some embodiments, the wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the uplink transmissions performed by the wireless device that are associated with the uplink grant); and
transmitting an uplink communication using resources associated with at least one unused uplink occasion of the one or more unused uplink occasions (Yang [0067] wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the configured grant PUSCHs performed by the wireless device that are associated with an uplink configured grant configuration)
As to claim 28, Yang teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a network node, comprising:
transmitting configuration information, for a user equipment (UE), indicating one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0063] In 504, the wireless device may receive an uplink grant for an uplink transmission on the wireless link. According to some embodiments, the uplink grant may include a configured grant (CG) or a dynamic grant (DG). In some instances, the uplink grant may provide multiple uplink transmission occasions (e.g., a set of time domain uplink transmission resources);
receiving an indication of one or more unused uplink occasions, of the one or more uplink occasions, associated with the UE (Yang [0067] In 508, the wireless device may perform uplink transmissions during the selected subset of uplink transmission occasions. According to some embodiments, the wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the uplink transmissions performed by the wireless device that are associated with the uplink grant); and
receiving an uplink communication, associated with the UE, using resources associated with at least one unused uplink occasion of the one or more unused uplink occasions (Yang [0067] wireless device may include an indication of unused uplink transmission occasions with each of the configured grant PUSCHs performed by the wireless device that are associated with an uplink configured grant configuration)
As to claim 2, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the configuration information indicates whether uplink occasions, of the one or more uplink occasions, can be reclaimed, and wherein transmitting the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with the configuration information indicating that the at least one unused uplink occasion can be reclaimed (Yang [0067] the uplink transmissions may include an indication of a number of remaining uplink transmission occasions in the selected subset of the uplink transmission occasions associated with the uplink grant (e.g., thereby indicating that any other uplink transmission occasions associated with the uplink grant are being vacated (can be reclaimed) by the wireless device))
Claims 16, 22 and 29 are rejected for the same reasons stated in claim 2.
As to claim 3, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive an indication of whether the UE is permitted to transmit using uplink occasions that are indicated as unused uplink occasions (Yang [0070] As another (additional or alternative) possibility, it may be possible for a cellular base station to make use of such an approach to performing time domain resource selection to improve network resource use efficiency by providing a conditional or unconditional uplink grant to one or more wireless devices for uplink transmission occasions that are vacated by a wireless device)
Claim 17 is rejected for the same reasons stated in claim 3.
As to claim 4, Yang teaches the UE of claim 3, wherein transmitting the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with the UE being permitted to transmit using uplink occasions that are indicated as unused uplink occasions (Yang [0065] In addition to selecting a number of uplink transmission occasions to use (and a corresponding number of uplink transmission occasions to vacate), selecting the subset of uplink transmission occasions may also include selecting which of the uplink transmission occasions allocated by the uplink grant to use (e.g., which pattern of uplink transmission occasions among multiple possible patterns of uplink transmission occasions). In some instances, the selection of which uplink transmission occasions to use may be based at least in part on a resource adjustment rule, which could be configured by the cellular base station (e.g., the wireless device could receive an explicit indication of the resource adjustment rule (permitted to transmit) for the wireless device from the cellular base station), determined based on standard specification documents (e.g., the resource adjustment rule for the wireless device could be implicitly determined from multiple defined resource adjustment rules based on some wireless device characteristics or parameters or cellular network characteristics or parameters, among various possibilities), and/or determined based on wireless device implementation)
Claim 18 is rejected for the same reasons stated in claim 4.
As to claim 5, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit a communication indicating that the at least one unused uplink occasion is to be reclaimed (Yang [0067] the uplink transmissions may include an indication of a number of remaining uplink transmission occasions in the selected subset of the uplink transmission occasions associated with the uplink grant (e.g., thereby indicating that any other uplink transmission occasions associated with the uplink grant are being vacated (can be reclaimed) by the wireless device))
Claims 19 and 24 are rejected for the same reasons stated in claim 5.
As to claim 6, Yang teaches the UE of claim 5, wherein transmitting the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with an amount of time from a first time at which the communication is transmitted to a second time associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion satisfying a threshold (Yang [0066] A variety of resource adjustment rules (an amount of time from a first time to a second satisfying a threshold))
As to claim 7, Yang teaches the UE of claim 5, wherein transmitting the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with an amount of time from a first time at which the indication of the one or more unused uplink occasions is transmitted to a second time at which the communication is transmitted satisfying a threshold (Yang [0066] A variety of resource adjustment rules (an amount of time from a first time to a second satisfying a threshold))
As to claim 8, Yang teaches the UE of claim 5, wherein the communication includes an indication that at least one of the one or more unused uplink occasions is to be reclaimed, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit another communication that includes indications associated with respective uplink occasions, of the one or more uplink occasions, the indications indicating whether the respective uplink occasions are reclaimed (Yang [0068] In some embodiments, it may additionally or alternatively be possible for the wireless device to provide an indication to the cellular base station of uplink resources for a subsequent uplink grant period (e.g., a subsequent configured grant period) for the wireless device that are being vacated by the wireless device)
Claim 25 is rejected for the same reasons stated in claim 8.
As to claim 9, Yang teaches the UE of claim 5, wherein the communication is transmitted via resources associated with an uplink occasion of the one or more uplink occasions (Yang [0064] In 506, the wireless device may select a subset of uplink transmission occasions provided by the uplink grant. Selecting the subset of uplink transmission occasions may be based at least in part on determining that fewer uplink transmission occasions than allocated by the uplink grant are needed at the current time)
As to claim 11, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit, via resources associated with an uplink occasion of the one or more uplink occasions, an updated indication of the one or more unused uplink occasions, the updated indication indicating that the at least one unused uplink occasion is to be used (Yang [0068] In some embodiments, it may additionally or alternatively be possible for the wireless device to provide an indication to the cellular base station of uplink resources for a subsequent uplink grant period (e.g., a subsequent configured grant period) for the wireless device that are being vacated by the wireless device)
Claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons stated in claim 11.
As to claim 13, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the configuration information indicates that the one or more uplink occasions are associated with a first one or more values for one or more respective communication parameters, and wherein the uplink communication is associated with a second one or more values for the one or more respective communication parameters (Yang [0063] In 504, the wireless device may receive an uplink grant for an uplink transmission on the wireless link. According to some embodiments, the uplink grant may include a configured grant (CG) or a dynamic grant (DG). In some instances, the uplink grant may provide multiple uplink transmission occasions (e.g., a set of time domain (first value) uplink transmission resources). For each of the uplink transmission occasions, certain time-frequency resources (e.g., including a set of frequency domain uplink transmission resources (second value)) may be provided by the uplink grant)
As to claim 14, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more uplink occasions are configured grant occasions (Yang [0063] In 504, the wireless device may receive an uplink grant for an uplink transmission on the wireless link)
As to claim 26, Yang teaches the method of claim 24, wherein the communication includes at least one of: uplink control information, a channel state information (CSI) report, a buffer status report, or a medium access control (MAC) control element communication (Yang [0086] In some embodiments, it may be possible, if “D” is sufficiently large, for a configured grant to be used in slot n, and the CG in slot n may carry buffer status report (BSR) information. From the BSR, the gNB may be able to obtain information on the buffer status of the UE. Accordingly, the gNB may be able to perform dynamic grant scheduling for the UE (as needed) in any or all of slot n+D, slot n+2*D, and slot n+3*D, in which case resource adjustment for the CG may not be needed)
As to claim 27, Yang teaches the method of claim 21, wherein the configuration information indicates a configuration of a configured grant period, the one or more unused uplink occasions being associated with the configured grant period (Yang [0068] In some embodiments, it may additionally or alternatively be possible for the wireless device to provide an indication to the cellular base station of uplink resources for a subsequent uplink grant period (e.g., a subsequent configured grant period) for the wireless device that are being vacated by the wireless device)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Lindoff et al. (Pub. No.: 2017/0026985).
As to claim 10, Yang teaches the UE of claim 5,
Yang does not teach
wherein the communication includes a scheduling request
However Lindoff does teach
wherein the communication includes a scheduling request (Lindoff [0097] Requested and granted but unused, uplink allocations may indicate to the base station that either the UE was not able to decode PDCCH, or the eNB was not able to decode PUSCH (or PUCCH, if SR was transmitted on that channel)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yang and Lindoff, because Lindoff teaches us [0097] it may have an impact on throughput both on user and on system level.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Rosa et al. (Pub. No.: 2023/0239703), herein Rosa.
As to claim 12, Yang teaches the UE of claim 1,
Yang does not teach
wherein transmitting the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with a remaining packet delay budget of the uplink communication satisfying a threshold
However Rosa does teach
wherein transmitting the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with a remaining packet delay budget of the uplink communication satisfying a threshold (Rosa [0092] At the next transmission opportunity the UE may evaluate again as to whether channel access on at least one of the additional carriers (sub-channel #2) could be successfully completed within the packet delay budget)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yang and Rosa, because Rosa teaches us [0107] If it is determined that this time is within the packet delay budget for at least one of the additional sub-channels at D65, then the UE defers transmission until the next UL transmission opportunity and proceeds to scan the other channels by returning to step S20.
Claim(s) 23, 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Kang et al. (Pub. No.: 2023/0397216), herein Kang
As to claim 23, Yang teaches the method of claim 22,
Yang does not teach
wherein the one or more parameters include a logical channel group associated with the uplink communication
However Kang does teach
wherein the one or more parameters include a logical channel group associated with the uplink communication (Kang [0049] In step s730, the UE signals to the node that at least one of the plurality of granted uplink slots (or allocations) is not needed by the UE. The signaling may comprise, for example, sending padding, such as one or more padding bits. In step s740, the UE starts a transmission timer. In some embodiments, the value of the time may be zero. The configuration of the timer (e.g., its value) may be received, for instance, via RRC from the node before one or more steps of 700. The order of steps s730 and s740 may be reversed in some embodiments, or performed simultaneously. According to embodiments, one or more of step s730 and s740 are performed when no data remains for uplink transmission during the configured grant occasion. This may be, for example, when the buffers for all logical channels that are allowed to use or transmit on the configured grant are empty)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yang and Kang, because Kang teaches us [0042] According to a first procedure, when the buffer of all logical channel groups becomes empty during the length (or indicated slots/resource) of a configured grant, a UE starts a timer. Until the timer is expired, the UE is still allowed to transmit data, including new data during the length of the configured grant, in the granted resource. This could be, for instance, new data that comes into the buffer for transmission before the time expires.
As to claim 30, the combination of Yang and Kang teach the method of claim 28, wherein receiving the uplink communication using resources associated with the at least one unused uplink occasion is associated with a logical channel associated with the uplink communication being included in an allowed logical channel group for reclaiming unused uplink occasions (Kang [0049] In step s730, the UE signals to the node that at least one of the plurality of granted uplink slots (or allocations) is not needed by the UE. The signaling may comprise, for example, sending padding, such as one or more padding bits. In step s740, the UE starts a transmission timer. In some embodiments, the value of the time may be zero. The configuration of the timer (e.g., its value) may be received, for instance, via RRC from the node before one or more steps of 700. The order of steps s730 and s740 may be reversed in some embodiments, or performed simultaneously. According to embodiments, one or more of step s730 and s740 are performed when no data remains for uplink transmission during the configured grant occasion. This may be, for example, when the buffers for all logical channels that are allowed to use or transmit on the configured grant are empty)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yang and Kang for the same reasons stated in claim 23.
Conclusion
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AYANAH S. GEORGE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2467
/AYANAH S GEORGE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467