Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
2. This Office Action is in response to application filed on 11/28/2023. Claims 1-30 were previously pending. Claims 1-7, 15-23, 29-30 are rejected, Claims 8-14, 24-28 are objected.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 05/29/2024 and 09/17/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
4.1. 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.
4.2. Claim(s) 1-4, 15-20, 29-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chang et al., (“Chang”, US 2020/0178288 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Chang teaches, an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to (Chang, [0083, 153]: UE comprise one or more processors coupled with the at least one machine readable storage medium):
receive radio resource control signaling that indicates resources for a plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, each of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions configured with a capacity for transmission of a maximum quantity of transport blocks, the maximum quantity including two or more transport blocks (Chang, [0139]: receive a grant less uplink transmission G-DCI from the gNB; [0145]: the G-DCI includes one or more of: a transmit power control (TPC) command (“transport block”) for a grant less physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); a number of the HARQ-ACK bitmap(s) is equal to an assigned grant less PUSCH HARQ process number that is specified via radio resource control (RRC) signaling);
generate an uplink shared channel message in accordance with the radio resource control signaling, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes one or more transport blocks, the one or more transport blocks being less than the maximum quantity of transport blocks (Chang, [0143]: the grant less activation/release DCI includes a maximum transport block (TB) number configuration from the gNB); and
transmit the uplink shared channel message within an uplink shared channel transmission occasion of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions (Chang, [0145]: a transmit power control (TPC) command for a grant less PUSCH).
Regarding Claim 2, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, via the radio resource control signaling, additional control signaling, or both, an indication of a first modulation and coding scheme associated with a first transport block, and a second modulation and coding scheme associated with a second transport block, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block in the one or more transport blocks and omits the second transport block from the one or more transport blocks based at least in part on a comparison of the first modulation and coding scheme and the second modulation and coding scheme (Chang, [0144]: the grant less activation/release DCI includes a two modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, wherein an MCS of a second transport block (TB2) is set to 29 indicating that the TB2 is disabled and the grant less activation/release DCI corresponds to one TB1 information).
Regarding Claim 3, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block and omits the second transport block based at least in part on the first modulation and coding scheme being greater than the second modulation and coding scheme (Chang, [0144]: wherein an MCS of a second transport block (TB2) is set to 29 indicating that the TB2 is disabled and the grant less activation/release DCI corresponds to one TB1 information).
Regarding Claim 4, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block and omits the second transport block based at least in part on the first modulation and coding scheme being the same as the second modulation and coding scheme and on a comparison of transmission layers associated with the first transport block and the second transport block (Chang, [0145]: a MCS and redundancy version of a TB1 using five bits; an MCS and redundancy version of a TB2 using five bits; and precoding information and a number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers).
Regarding Claim 15, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
transmit a second uplink shared channel message within a second uplink shared channel transmission occasion of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, wherein the second uplink shared channel message includes the maximum quantity of transport blocks (It is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement TB transmission via second PUSCH based on traffic volume and availability of transmission resources to the maximum indicated number of TBs).
Regarding Claim 16, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, wherein, to generate the uplink shared channel message, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
generate the uplink shared channel message to include less than the maximum quantity of transport blocks based at least in part on a quantity of uplink traffic within a message buffer at the UE being less than a threshold quantity ((It is obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement TB transmission via second PUSCH based on traffic volume and availability of transmission resources to the maximum indicated number of TBs).
Regarding Claim 17, Chang teaches, an apparatus for wireless communication at a network entity, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to (Chang, [0082, 153]: gNB comprise one or more processors coupled with the at least one machine readable storage medium):
transmit radio resource control signaling that indicates resources for a plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, each of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions configured with a capacity for transmission of a maximum quantity of transport blocks, the maximum quantity including two or more transport blocks (Chang, [0139]: receive a grant less uplink transmission G-DCI from the gNB; [0145]: the G-DCI includes one or more of: a transmit power control (TPC) command (“transport block”) for a grant less physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); a number of the HARQ-ACK bitmap(s) is equal to an assigned grant less PUSCH HARQ process number that is specified via radio resource control (RRC) signaling); and
receive, from a user equipment (UE), an uplink shared channel message within an uplink shared channel transmission occasion of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes one or more transport blocks, the one or more transport blocks being less than the maximum quantity of transport blocks (Chang, [0143]: the grant less activation/release DCI includes a maximum transport block (TB) number configuration from the gNB; [0145]: a transmit power control (TPC) command for a grant less PUSCH).
Regarding Claim 18, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to:
transmit, via the radio resource control signaling, additional control signaling, or both, an indication of a first modulation and coding scheme associated with a first transport block, and a second modulation and coding scheme associated with a second transport block, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block in the one or more transport blocks and omits the second transport block from the one or more transport blocks based at least in part on a comparison of the first modulation and coding scheme and the second modulation and coding scheme (Chang, [0144]: the grant less activation/release DCI includes a two modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field, wherein an MCS of a second transport block (TB2) is set to 29 indicating that the TB2 is disabled and the grant less activation/release DCI corresponds to one TB1 information).
Regarding Claim 19, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 18, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block and omits the second transport block based at least in part on the first modulation and coding scheme being greater than the second modulation and coding scheme (Chang, [0144]: wherein an MCS of a second transport block (TB2) is set to 29 indicating that the TB2 is disabled and the grant less activation/release DCI corresponds to one TB1 information).
Regarding Claim 20, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 18, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block and omits the second transport block based at least in part on the first modulation and coding scheme being the same as the second modulation and coding scheme and on a comparison of transmission layers associated with the first transport block and the second transport block (Chang, [0145]: a MCS and redundancy version of a TB1 using five bits; an MCS and redundancy version of a TB2 using five bits; and precoding information and a number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers).
Regarding Claim 29, Chang teaches, a method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:
receiving radio resource control signaling that indicates resources for a plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, each of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions configured with a capacity for transmission of a maximum quantity of transport blocks, the maximum quantity including two or more transport blocks (Chang, [0139]: receive a grant less uplink transmission G-DCI from the gNB; [0145]: the G-DCI includes one or more of: a transmit power control (TPC) command (“transport block”) for a grant less physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); a number of the HARQ-ACK bitmap(s) is equal to an assigned grant less PUSCH HARQ process number that is specified via radio resource control (RRC) signaling);
generating an uplink shared channel message in accordance with the radio resource control signaling, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes one or more transport blocks, the one or more transport blocks being less than the maximum quantity of transport blocks (Chang, [0143]: the grant less activation/release DCI includes a maximum transport block (TB) number configuration from the gNB); and
transmitting the uplink shared channel message within an uplink shared channel transmission occasion of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions (Chang, [0145]: a transmit power control (TPC) command for a grant less PUSCH).
Regarding Claim 30, Chang teaches, a method for wireless communication at a network entity, comprising:
transmitting radio resource control signaling that indicates resources for a plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, each of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions configured with a capacity for transmission of a maximum quantity of transport blocks, the maximum quantity including two or more transport blocks (Chang, [0139]: receive a grant less uplink transmission G-DCI from the gNB; [0145]: the G-DCI includes one or more of: a transmit power control (TPC) command (“transport block”) for a grant less physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); a number of the HARQ-ACK bitmap(s) is equal to an assigned grant less PUSCH HARQ process number that is specified via radio resource control (RRC) signaling); and
receiving, from a user equipment (UE), an uplink shared channel message within an uplink shared channel transmission occasion of the plurality of uplink shared channel transmission occasions, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes one or more transport blocks, the one or more transport blocks being less than the maximum quantity of transport blocks (Chang, [0143]: the grant less activation/release DCI includes a maximum transport block (TB) number configuration from the gNB; [0145]: a transmit power control (TPC) command for a grant less PUSCH).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5.1. 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 of this title, 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.
5.2. 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.
5.3. Claim(s) 5-7, 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Chang et al., (“Chang”, US 2020/0178288 A1) in view of Beluri et al., (“Beluri”, US 2015/0156770 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 1, but not expressly teaches wherein the uplink shared channel message includes a first transport block in the one or more transport blocks and omits a second transport block from the one or more transport blocks based at least in part on the first transport block being associated with a first set of transmission layers and the second transport block being associated with a second set of transmission layers.
Beluri teaches (Beluri, FIG.16, TB1 1602, layer mapper unit 1618, [0094-95]: The multiplexed bits of TB1 1602 are then mapped to a layer with a relatively higher SINR, i.e. higher MCS in a first layer mapping unit 1618; FIG.16, TB2 1634, layer mapping unit 1646, The mapped TB1 bits and UCI bits are interleaved with mapped RI bits and HARQ ACK/NACK bits in a channel interleaver unit 1630, and the single layer output is sent to a first antenna mapping unit. [0096]: The multiplexed bits of TB2 are layer mapped to a layer with a relatively lower SINR i.e. lower MCS in a layer mapping unit 1646 and interleaved in a channel interleaver unit 1648. The processed TB2 bits are output to a second antenna mapping unit).
Prior to the effective filing date of invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement the “logical layer mapping with MCS” of Beluri into the invention of Chang. The suggestion/motivation would have been involved multiplexed the data bits and control bits for optimal performance in uplink communications using multiple transmit antennas and multiple codewords (Beluri, [0043]). Including the “logical layer mapping with MCS” of Beluri into the invention of Chang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Beluri.
Regarding Claim 6, Chang-Beluri teaches, the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block and omits the second transport block based at least in part on the first set of transmission layers being lower than the second set of transmission layers (Beluri, FIG.17, TB1 1702, first layer mapping unit 1720, [0097-98]: The multiplexed bits of TB1 1702 are then mapped to a layer with a relatively lower SINR, i.e. lower MCS in a first layer mapping unit 1720. The mapped TB1 bits and CQI/PMI bits are interleaved in a channel interleaver unit 1725, and the channel interleaver output is sent to a first antenna mapping unit).
Regarding Claim 7, Chang-Beluri teaches, the apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first set of transmission layers comprises transmission layers one through four, and wherein the second set of transmission layers comprises transmission layers five through eight (Beluri, FIG.5, [0044-46]: When the WTRU uses more than one DFT operation with multiple codewords and multiple antennas, coded control information and coded data information may be divided into N groups of bits, corresponding to N layers, where each of the N layers is used to transmit control information and 1≦N≦(number of layers used for data transmission). When N=1, the control bits are all on one (1) layer).
Regarding Claim 21, Chang teaches, the apparatus of claim 17, but not expressly teaches wherein the uplink shared channel message includes a first transport block in the one or more transport blocks and omits a second transport block from the one or more transport blocks based at least in part on the first transport block being associated with a first set of transmission layers and the second transport block being associated with a second set of transmission layers.
Beluri teaches (Beluri, FIG.16, TB1 1602, layer mapper unit 1618, [0094-95]: The multiplexed bits of TB1 1602 are then mapped to a layer with a relatively higher SINR, i.e. higher MCS in a first layer mapping unit 1618; FIG.16, TB2 1634, layer mapping unit 1646, The mapped TB1 bits and UCI bits are interleaved with mapped RI bits and HARQ ACK/NACK bits in a channel interleaver unit 1630, and the single layer output is sent to a first antenna mapping unit. [0096]: The multiplexed bits of TB2 are layer mapped to a layer with a relatively lower SINR i.e. lower MCS in a layer mapping unit 1646 and interleaved in a channel interleaver unit 1648. The processed TB2 bits are output to a second antenna mapping unit).
Prior to the effective filing date of invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to implement the “logical layer mapping with MCS” of Beluri into the invention of Chang. The suggestion/motivation would have been involved multiplexed the data bits and control bits for optimal performance in uplink communications using multiple transmit antennas and multiple codewords (Beluri, [0043]). Including the “logical layer mapping with MCS” of Beluri into the invention of Chang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Beluri.
Regarding Claim 22, Chang-Beluri teaches, the apparatus of claim 21, wherein the uplink shared channel message includes the first transport block and omits the second transport block based at least in part on the first set of transmission layers being lower than the second set of transmission layers (Beluri, FIG.17, TB1 1702, first layer mapping unit 1720, [0097-98]: The multiplexed bits of TB1 1702 are then mapped to a layer with a relatively lower SINR, i.e. lower MCS in a first layer mapping unit 1720. The mapped TB1 bits and CQI/PMI bits are interleaved in a channel interleaver unit 1725, and the channel interleaver output is sent to a first antenna mapping unit).
Regarding Claim 23, Chang-Beluri teaches, the apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first set of transmission layers comprises transmission layers one through four, and wherein the second set of transmission layers comprises transmission layers five through eight (Beluri, FIG.5, [0044-46]: When the WTRU uses more than one DFT operation with multiple codewords and multiple antennas, coded control information and coded data information may be divided into N groups of bits, corresponding to N layers, where each of the N layers is used to transmit control information and 1≦N≦(number of layers used for data transmission). When N=1, the control bits are all on one (1) layer).
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 8, 11, 24, 27 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.
6.1. Claims 9-10, 12-14, 25-26, 28 depend on claims 4, 11, 24, 27 respectively, and therefore they are also allowable for the same reason.
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Papasakellariou et al., US 2015/0249984 A1, Transmitting UCI through PUSCH, involves multiplexing coded data bits and coded UCI bits, and transmitting multiplexed bits, [0039-64].
Wu, US 2019/0200381 A1, Skipping transport block (TB) transmission method for the uplink control information (UCI) transmission for the mobile communications networks, involves receiving a configuration message from the network node by the UE, FIG.3, [0050].
Rahman et al., US 2020/0295812 A1, UE for CSI reporting in wireless communication system, comprises transceiver that is provided to receive configuration information from BS for CSI report, and priority value that is determined for each of the total non-zero coefficients.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should
be directed to CHHIAN (AMY) LING whose telephone number is (571)270-1074. The examiner can
normally be reached M-F 9-6 ET.
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/C.L/Examiner, Art Unit 2446
/BRIAN J. GILLIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446