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 12/04/2023. Claims 1-20 were previously pending. Claims 1-20 are rejected.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 12/04/2023 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 § 103
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 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.
4.2. 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.
4.3. Claims 1-8, 10-13, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Chae et al., (“Chae”, US 2017/0251462 A1) in view of Zhu et al., (“Zhu”, US 2015/0351081 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Chae teaches, a method of a base station, comprising:
receiving a signal including a first message of a first terminal and a first message of a second terminal in one random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) (Chae, FIG.7, BS 603, UEs 605 607, S727, [0101]: Near UE #1 607 may also transmit a signal (for example, an RACH signal) to the serving BS 603 in S72; far UE 605 may also transmit a signal (for example, an RACH signal) to the serving BS 603 in S731);
determining the first terminal as a near terminal based on preconfigured criteria (Chae, [0062]: UE#1 607 having a high minimum required received SINR is referred to as a near UE);
determining the second terminal as a far terminal based on the preconfigured criteria (Chae, [0062]: UE 605 having a low minimum required received SINR is referred to as a far UE).
Chae does not expressly teach
transmitting, to the first terminal and the second terminal, one or more downlink configuration information (DCIs) including a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) indicator indicating that second messages, which are responses to the first messages of the first terminal and the second terminal, are to be respectively transmitted in a NOMA scheme; and
transmitting the second messages to the first terminal and the second terminal based on the one or more DCIs .
Zhu teaches
transmitting, to the first terminal and the second terminal, one or more downlink configuration information (DCIs) including a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) indicator indicating that second messages, which are responses to the first messages of the first terminal and the second terminal, are to be respectively transmitted in a NOMA scheme (Zhu, FIG.1, UE 110, 115, eNB 130, [0012, 43]: The eNB 130 selects at least two UE for NOMA communications, with a UE 110 (“1st UE”) to receive a higher power NOMA subframe and a UE 115 (“2nd UE”) to receive a lower power subframe, FIG.2, DCI 202, 203, NOMA data 206, 208, [0021]: first DCI 202 and first higher power NOMA data 206 may be directed to UE 110 (“1ST UE”) from eNB 130, and 2nd DCI 203 may be associated with 1st lower power NOMA data 208 and directed to UE 115 (“2nd UE”)); and
transmitting the second messages to the first terminal and the second terminal based on the one or more DCIs (Zhu, FIG.2, subframe 201, [0013, 45]: The eNB130 transmits the first NOMA subframe 201 to UE 110 and UE 115 based on the DCIs) .
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 “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu into the invention of Chae. The suggestion/motivation would have been for performing dynamic NOMA communications to improve eNB throughput (Zhu, [0017]). Including the “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu into the invention of Chae was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Zhu.
Regarding Claim 2, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein when a first reception power of the first message of the first terminal is equal to a target reception power, the first terminal is determined as the near terminal, and when a second reception power of the first message of the second terminal is less than the target reception power, the second terminal is determined as the far terminal (Chae, FIG.6A, [0090]: the serving BS 603 is close to near UE #1 607 (“1st UE”) and is spaced apart from the far UE 605 (“2nd UE”). Accordingly, strength of power of the serving BS 603 received from near UE #1 607 is larger than strength of power received from the far UE 605).
Regarding Claim 3, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein when a same transmission power is configured for the first messages of the first terminal and the second terminal, and a first reception power of the first message of the first terminal is greater than a second reception power of the first message of the second terminal, the first terminal is determined as the near terminal, and the second terminal is determined as the far terminal (Chae, FIG.6A, [0090]: the serving BS 603 is close to near UE #1 607 and is spaced apart from the far UE 605. Accordingly, strength of power of the serving BS 603 received from near UE #1 607 is larger than strength of power received from the far UE 605).
Regarding Claim 4, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 1, and one DCI belonging to the one or more DCIs further includes resource allocation information and a power allocation coefficient for transmission of the second message based on the NOMA scheme (Zhu, [0044]: determining a first power ratio associated with the higher power NOMA communications and a second power ratio associated with the lower power NOMA communications; creating a first DCI 202 for the first UE 110, a second DCI 203 for the second UE 115, and generating the transmission data 206, 208 by scaling the data for each UE with the appropriate power ratio, and then summing the scaled data).
Regarding Claim 5, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 4, wherein the transmitting of the second messages to the first terminal and the second terminal based on the one or more DCIs comprises:
transmitting, to the first terminal, the second message using a first transmission power determined based on a value indicated by the power allocation coefficient on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the resource allocation information included in the one DCI; and transmitting, to the second terminal, the second message using a second transmission power determined based on (1 - the value indicated by the power allocation coefficient) on the PDSCH indicated by the resource allocation information included in the one DCI (Zhu, FIG.2, air interface 120, subframe 201, [0045]: transmitting the first NOMA subframe 201 via an air interface 120 as a first wireless signal to the first UE 110 and the second UE 115; Zhu, [0020]: A power ratio of 1 means that there was no summing of multiple signals and a signal is therefore not a NOMA signal as described herein).
Regarding Claim 6, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 2, a first DCI among the one or more DCIs further includes first resource allocation information and a terminal indicator indicating the near terminal, and a second DCI among the one or more DCIs further includes second resource allocation information and a terminal indicator indicating the far terminal (Zhu, [0043]: selecting a first UE 110 (“far UE”) associated with the eNB 130 to receive higher power NOMA communications; a second UE 115 (“near UE”) different than the first UE110 to receive lower power NOMA communications as part of a NOMA pair with the first UE 110 (“near UE”)).
Regarding Claim 7, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 6, wherein the transmitting of the second messages to the first terminal and the second terminal based on the one or more DCIs comprises:
transmitting the second message to the first terminal on a first PDSCH indicated by the first resource allocation information included in the first DCI; and transmitting the second message to the second terminal on a second PDSCH indicated by the second resource allocation information included in the second DCI (Zhu, FIG.2, air interface 120, subframe 201, [0045]: transmitting the first NOMA subframe 201 via an air interface 120 as a first wireless signal to the first UE 110 and the second UE 115).
Regarding Claim 8, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 1, and one DCI belonging to the one or more DCIs further includes common resource allocation information for the near terminal and the far terminal and additional resource allocation information for the far terminal (Zhu, FIG.2, subframe 221, DCI 222, OFDMA data 226, [0022]: subframe 221 includes DCI 222. DCI 222 is associated with OFDMA data 226, and may be directed to UE 110).
Regarding Claim 10, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 8, wherein the transmitting of the second messages to the first terminal and the second terminal based on the one or more DCIs comprises:
transmitting the second message to the first terminal on a first PDSCH indicated by the common resource allocation information included in the one DCI (Zhu, FIG.2, subframe 221, DCI 222, [0022]: A single UE may receive NOMA data and OMA data from the same eNB as part of the same frame of data, for example Subframe 221 includes fifth DCI 222. Fifth DCI 222 is associated with OFDMA data 226, and may be directed to UE 110); and
transmitting the second message to the second terminal on a second PDSCH indicated by the common resource allocation information and the additional resource allocation information included in the one DCI (Zhu, FIG.2, [0022]: a single frame of data may include many combinations of data types, including NOMA data to the second UE and a OMA data in the same frame).
Regarding Claim 11, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 1, wherein the first message of each of the first terminal and the second terminal is a Msg1 or MsgA, and the second message is a Msg2 or MsgB (Chae, FIG.7, BS 603, UEs 605 607, S727,S731 [0101]: Near UE #1 607 may also transmit a signal (an RACH signal) (“Msg1”) to the serving BS 603 in S727. far UE 605 may also transmit a signal (for example, an RACH signal) (“Msg1”) to the serving BS 603 in steps 731. Zhu, [0013, 45]: The eNB130 transmits the generated higher power NOMA data (“Msg2”) to UE 110, or lower power NOMA data (“Msg2”) to UE 115).
Regarding Claim 12, Chae teaches, a method of a terminal, comprising:
transmitting a first message to a base station in a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) (Chae, FIG.7, BS 603, UEs 605 607, S727, S731, [0101]: Near UE #1 607 transmits a signal (for example, an RACH signal) to the serving BS 603 in S727; far UE 605 transmits a signal (for example, an RACH signal) to the serving BS 603 in steps 731);
determining a type of the terminal as a near terminal or a far terminal based on preconfigured criteria (Chae, [0062]: UE#1 607 having a high minimum required received SINR is referred to as a near UE; UE 605 having a low minimum required received SINR is referred to as a far UE).
Chae does not expressly teach
receiving, from the base station, one or more downlink control information (DCIs) for scheduling a second message, which is a response to the first message ;
in response to that the one or more DCIs include a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) indicator indicating that the second message is to be transmitted based on a NOMA scheme; and
receiving the second message from the base station based on the determined type.
Zhu teaches
receiving, from the base station, one or more downlink control information (DCIs) for scheduling a second message, which is a response to the first message (Zhu, FIG.1, UE 110, 115, eNB130, [0012, 43]: The eNB selects at least two UE for NOMA communications, with a UE 110 (“1st UE”) to receive a higher power NOMA subframe and a UE 115 (“2nd UE”) to receive a lower power subframe);
in response to that the one or more DCIs include a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) indicator indicating that the second message is to be transmitted based on a NOMA scheme (Zhu, FIG.2, DCI 202, 203, NOMA data 206, 208, [0021]: first DCI 202 and first higher power NOMA data 206 (“2nd message”) may be directed to UE 110 (“1st UE”) from eNB 130, and 2nd DCI 203 may be associated with 1st lower power NOMA data 208 (“2nd message”) and directed to UE 115 (“2nd UE”); and
receiving the second message from the base station based on the determined type (Zhu, FIG.2, subframe 201, [0013, 45]: The eNB130 transmits the first NOMA subframe 201 to UE 110 and UE 115 based on the DCIs).
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 “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu into the invention of Chae. The suggestion/motivation would have been for performing dynamic NOMA communications to improve eNB throughput (Zhu, [0017]). Including the “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu into the invention of Chae was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Zhu.
Regarding Claim 13, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 12, wherein when the first message is transmitted using a transmission power less than a maximum transmission power, the terminal is determined as the near terminal, and when the first message is transmitted using a transmission power equal to the maximum transmission power, the terminal is determined as the far terminal (Chae, FIG.6A, [0090]: the serving BS 603 is close to near UE #1 607 (“1st UE”) and is spaced apart from the far UE 605 (“2nd UE”). Accordingly, strength of power of the serving BS 603 received from near UE #1 607 is larger than strength of power received from the far UE 605).
Regarding Claim 15, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 12, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 1, one DCI belonging to the one or more DCIs further includes resource allocation information and a power allocation coefficient for transmission of the second message based on the NOMA scheme (Zhu, [0044]: determining a first power ratio associated with the higher power NOMA communications and a second power ratio associated with the lower power NOMA communications; creating a first DCI 202 for the first UE 110, a second DCI 203 for the second UE 115, and generating the transmission data 206, 208 by scaling the data for each UE with the appropriate power ratio, and then summing the scaled data), the second message is received on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the resource allocation information, and the second message is decoded in consideration of the power allocation coefficient (Zhu, FIG.2, air interface 120, subframe 201, [0045]: transmitting the first NOMA subframe 201 via an air interface 120 as a first wireless signal to the first UE 110).
Regarding Claim 16, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 12, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 2, a first DCI among the one or more DCIs further includes first resource allocation information and a terminal indicator indicating the near terminal, a second DCI among the one or more DCIs further includes second resource allocation information and a terminal indicator indicating the far terminal (Zhu, [0043]: selecting a first UE 110 (“far UE”) associated with the eNB 130 to receive higher power NOMA communications; a second UE 115 (“near UE”) different than the first UE110 to receive lower power NOMA communications as part of a NOMA pair with the first UE 110 (“near UE”)), and the second message is received based on a DCI corresponding to the determined type among the first DCI and the second DCI (Zhu, FIG.2, air interface 120, subframe 201, [0045]: transmitting the first NOMA subframe 201 via an air interface 120 as a first wireless signal to the first UE 110 and the second UE 115).
Regarding Claim 17, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 12, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 1, one DCI belonging to the one or more DCIs further includes common resource allocation information for the near terminal and the far terminal and additional resource allocation information for the far terminal (Zhu, FIG.2, subframe 221, DCI 222, OFDMA data 226, [0022]: subframe 221 includes DCI 222. DCI 222 is associated with OFDMA data 226, and may be directed to UE 110), the second message is received on a first PDSCH indicated by the common resource allocation information when the terminal is the near terminal (Zhu, FIG.2, subframe 221, DCI 222, [0022]: A single UE may receive NOMA data and OMA data from the same eNB as part of the same frame of data, for example Subframe 221 includes fifth DCI 222. Fifth DCI 222 is associated with OFDMA data 226, and may be directed to UE 110), and the second message is received on a second PDSCH indicated by the common resource allocation information and the additional resource allocation information when the terminal is the far terminal (Zhu, FIG.2, [0022]: a single frame of data may include many combinations of data types, including NOMA data to the second UE and a OMA data in the same frame).
Regarding Claim 18, Chae teaches, a terminal comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor causes the terminal to perform (Chae, FIG.11, controller 1103, [0121]: UE includes transceiver 1101 and a controller 1103):
transmitting a first message to a base station in a random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) (Chae, FIG.7, BS 603, UEs 605 607, S727, S731, [0101]: Near UE #1 607 transmits a signal (for example, an RACH signal) to the serving BS 603 in S727; far UE 605 transmits a signal (for example, an RACH signal) to the serving BS 603 in S731);
determining a type of the terminal as a near terminal or a far terminal based on preconfigured criteria (Chae, [0062]: UE#1 607 having a high minimum required received SINR is referred to as a near UE; UE 605 having a low minimum required received SINR is referred to as a far UE).
Chae does not expressly teach
receiving, from the base station, one or more downlink control information (DCIs) for scheduling a second message, which is a response to the first message;
in response to that the one or more DCIs include a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) indicator indicating that the second message is to be transmitted based on a NOMA scheme; and
receiving the second message from the base station based on the determined type.
Zhu teaches,
receiving, from the base station, one or more downlink control information (DCIs) for scheduling a second message, which is a response to the first message (Zhu, FIG.1, UE 110, 115, eNB130, [0012, 43]: The eNB selects at least two UE for NOMA communications, with a UE 110 (“1st UE”) to receive a higher power NOMA subframe and a UE 115 (“2nd UE”) to receive a lower power subframe);
in response to that the one or more DCIs include a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) indicator indicating that the second message is to be transmitted based on a NOMA scheme (Zhu, FIG.2, DCI 202, 203, NOMA data 206, 208, [0021]: first DCI 202 and first higher power NOMA data 206 (“2nd message”) may be directed to UE 110 (“1ST UE”) from eNB 130, and 2nd DCI 203 may be associated with 1st lower power NOMA data 208 (“2nd message”) and directed to UE 115 (“2nd UE”)); and
receiving the second message from the base station based on the determined type (Zhu, [0013, 45]: The eNB130 transmits the generated higher power NOMA data to UE 110, or lower power NOMA data to UE 115).
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 “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu into the invention of Chae. The suggestion/motivation would have been for performing dynamic NOMA communications to improve eNB throughput (Zhu, [0017]). Including the “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu into the invention of Chae was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Zhu.
Regarding Claim 19, Chae-Zhu teaches, the terminal according to claim 18, wherein when the first message is transmitted using a transmission power less than a maximum transmission power, the terminal is determined as the near terminal, and when the first message is transmitted using a transmission power equal to the maximum transmission power, the terminal is determined as the far terminal (Chae, FIG.6A, [0090]: the serving BS 603 is close to near UE #1 607 (“1st UE”) and is spaced apart from the far UE 605 (“2nd UE”). Accordingly, strength of power of the serving BS 603 received from near UE #1 607 is larger than strength of power received from the far UE 605).
Regarding Claim 20, Chae-Zhu teaches, the terminal according to claim 18, wherein a number of the one or more DCIs is 1, one DCI belonging to the one or more DCIs further includes resource allocation information and a power allocation coefficient for transmission of the second message based on the NOMA scheme (Zhu, [0044]: determining a first power ratio associated with the higher power NOMA communications and a second power ratio associated with the lower power NOMA communications; creating a first DCI 202 for the first UE 110, a second DCI 203 for the second UE 115, and generating the transmission data 206, 208 by scaling the data for each UE with the appropriate power ratio, and then summing the scaled data), the second message is received on a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) indicated by the resource allocation information, and the second message is decoded in consideration of the power allocation coefficient (Zhu, FIG.2, air interface 120, subframe 201, [0045]: transmitting the first NOMA subframe 201 via an air interface 120 as a first wireless signal to the first UE 110).
4.4. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Chae et al., (“Chae”, US 2017/0251462 A1) in view of Zhu et al., (“Zhu”, US 2015/0351081 A1), and further in view of Zhu et al.. (“Zhu2”, US 2015/0312074 A1).
Regarding Claim 9, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 8, but not expressly teaches wherein the one DCI further includes first modulation and coding scheme (MCS) information for the near terminal and second MCS information for the far terminal.
Zhu2 teaches (Zhu2, [0026]: In each pair of UEs for potential NOMA transmission, the UE with the higher channel gain (e.g., higher SINR, etc.) is the first UE (“near UE1”), while the UE with the lower channel gain (e.g., lower SINR, etc.) is second UE (“far UE2”); Zhu2, [0033]: determine a MCS for the second data signal (e.g., based at least in part on one or more of the SINR of far UE2).
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 “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu2 into the invention of Chae-Zhu. The suggestion/motivation would have been enabled node-B dynamically switches between OMA and NOMA to improve data throughput (Zhu2, [0061]). Including the “dynamic NOMA communications” of Zhu2 into the invention of Chae-Zhu was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Zhu2.
4.5. Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Chae et al., (“Chae”, US 2017/0251462 A1) in view of Zhu et al., (“Zhu”, US 2015/0351081 A1), and further in view of Kim et al., (“Kim”, US 2017/0289921 A1).
Regarding Claim 14, Chae-Zhu teaches, the method according to claim 12, but not expressly teaches wherein when a path loss between the terminal and the base station is less than or equal to a reference path loss, the terminal is determined as the near terminal, and when the path loss between the terminal and the base station is greater than the reference path loss, the terminal is determined as the far terminal.
Kim teaches (Kim, [0093]: for the mobile terminal that is close to the base station and thus has the small path loss, for the mobile terminal that is far away from the base station and thus has a large path loss).
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 “controlling uplink transmission power” of Kim into the invention of Chae-Zhu. The suggestion/motivation would have been enabled controlling uplink transmission power of a mobile terminal to reduce battery consumption. Including the “path loss” of Kim into the invention of Chae-Zhu was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Kim.
Conclusion
5. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Wu et al., US 20210/266124 A1, Configuration Of UE For NOMA Transmission By Base Station, Involves Responsive To First Trigger, Configuring, By Base Station, First UE To Perform NOMA Transmission.
6. 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
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/C.L/Examiner, Art Unit 2446
/BRIAN J. GILLIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446