DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
2. Amendments filed on 03/10/2026 are entered for prosecution. Claims 1,9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26-29 and 33-37 remain pending in the application. The amendments change the scopes of the previously presented claims. New grounds of rejections are applied to the amended claims and the current Office Action is made FINAL as necessitated by the claim amendments.
Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every objection in the claims and every rejection based on 35 USC § 112 to the claims previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1,9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26-29 and 33-37 filed 03/10/2026 regarding newly added limitations have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the references being used in the current rejection.
Regarding the claim interpretation:
3a. The applicant respectfully notes that “(Remarks Page 9) a master information block (MIB) is not the same as a system information block (SIB). The cited specification passage merely indicates that certain system information may be configured by MIB or by SIB 1. It does not redefine a MIB as a SIB”.
Examiner agrees and has removed the claim interpretation regarding the MIB.
3b. The applicant contends that “(Remarks – Page 11) Li's disclosure relating to MBS broadcast services cannot satisfy the PTM configuration recited in the claims”. However, examiner respectfully disagrees. The specification states “[0003] It can be seen that the MBS is essentially a point-to-multipoint (PTM) information configuration service”, and “[0005] the PTM configuration includes scheduling information of a multicast control (MCCH) and… (MTCH)”. MBS allows a base station to deliver the same content to multiple UEs simultaneously (e.g., MCCH and/or MTCH); hence Li’s disclosure relating MBS broadcast services does satisfy the PTM configuration recited in the claims.
The applicant’s contention is not persuasive.
Claim Interpretation
4. Regarding claims 1, 12 and 23:
The broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) of “a point-to-multipoint (PTM) configuration” recited in independent claims 1, 12 and 23 includes a multicast/broadcast service (MBS) according to the specification “[0003] It can be seen that the MBS is essentially a point-to-multipoint (PTM) information configuration service”.
The BRI of “MCCH-RNTI” recited in independent claims 1, 12 and 23 includes the M-RNTI and MC-RNTI in LIPKA’s disclosure (LIPKA - [0364] In the next modification period, the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI (e.g. Downlink Control Information) format 1C, e.g. with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI, can for example notify UEs in RRC_IDLE and/or RRC_CONNECTED about an MCCH information change; [0373] A concept to use the unicast interface for multicast can for example be based on a new multicast RNTI, for example abbreviated as MC-RNTI… The data can for example be mapped on PDSCH and/or scheduled via PDCCH, e.g. with the suitable downlink DCI format, e.g. or i.e. DCI format 1_0, 1_1 or 1_2, where the fallback DCI format 1_0 can for example be sufficient for most cases; [0461-0464] Multicast… Introduce a new RNTI for multicast, e.g. MC-RNTI, for example distributed to multiple UEs, e.g. enabling one or more of the following… Parallel operation with unicast… Dynamic change between cast modes with service continuity) since MCCH-RNTI is used to scramble DCI format 1_0 to indicate the resource allocation for MBS transmissions according to specification ([0046] The search space corresponding to the scheduling information of the MCCH is configured with the DCI format 1_0 scrambled by a MCCH-RNTI). Furthermore, LIPKA’s discloses using the same fixed value of FFFD hexadecimal for the MCCH-RNTI to scramble with the DCI ([LIPKA - 0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE).
These BRIs are also applied to the dependent claims.
Claim Objections
5. Claims 1, 12 and 23 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1,12 and 23 “configured with DCI format 1_0” should read “configured with a downlink control information (DCI) format 1_0”.
Regarding claim 12 “configuration of a radio resource for PTM configuration” should read “configuration of a radio resource for the PTM configuration”.
Regarding claim 12 “wherein at least the one the other common control channel” should read “wherein at least the one other common control channel”.
Regarding claim 12 “reading the at least one SIB to obtain… and a paging control channel (PCCH)” is repeated twice in the claim. One of the paragraph should be removed.
Regarding claims 15, 29, 31 and 37 “an initial downlink BWP… indicated by control resource zero (CORSET0)” should read “an initial downlink bandwidth part (BWP).. indicated by a control resource zero (CORSET0)”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
6. Claims 1,9, 12, 15, 19, 23, 26-29 and 33-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI et al (US 20230403759 A1, hereinafter, LI) in view of Lipka et al (US 20230188271 A1, hereinafter, LIPKA).
Regarding claim 1, LI discloses:
A method for transmitting a point-to-multipoint (PTM) configuration executable in a base station (Fig. 26A; Fig. 26E; [0054] SC-PTM is introduced to LTE in release 13 in order to support MBMS services when the MBMS service is of interest in a single cell or in a small area consisting of a few cells; [0055] In LTE, both the RRC connected UEs and the RRC idle UEs can receive the broadcast SC-PTM transmission if the UE is interested. Two types of logical channels, single cell multicast traffic channel (SC-MTCH) and single cell multicast control channel (SC-MCCH), are defined to support the SC-PTM transmission; [0084] a UE may be configured with a dedicated MBS BWP for RRC idle/inactive. The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM)), comprising:
assigning radio resources for the PTM configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB);
wherein the PTM configuration comprises scheduling information (MBS scheduling DCI) of a multicast control channel (MCCH) and/or a multicast transmission channel (MTCH) ([0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner as shown in FIG. 2);
determining a scheduling configuration for the PTM configuration based on the radio resources ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB. For example, a UE may determine the configured CORESET 0 and the search space 0 information through the Master Information Block (MIB) or RMSI);
wherein the scheduling configuration comprises a first control resource set (CORESET) ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) and a combination of scheduling parameters for scheduling the PTM configuration (CORESET 0 and search space 0 are scheduling parameters) and a configuration of at least one other common control channel ([0085] The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot. The TU configured for MBS may be TDM-ed with the TUs for other transmission, e.g., TDM-ed with the UE's paging frame (PF), and TDM-ed with the SI-windows for the different system information messages); [0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc); and
wherein a search space corresponding to the scheduling information of the MCCH ([0084] the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH) is a new Type-0X common search space (CSS), comprising physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates ([0191] a UE may be configured with dedicated CORESET and search space for scheduling the MBS transmission. The configuration of CORESET may be… with respect to the initial BWP. A new common search space (CSS) with new PDCCH type, e.g., Type4-PDCCH, (CSS contains PDCCH candidates) or a new group search space (GSS) may be introduced to configure the search space for MBS; [0254] the UE may try to detect and decode the DCI scheduling the MBS in the PDCCH monitoring occasion), configured with DCI format 1_0 scrambled by an radio network temporary identity (RNTI) ([0186] In another approach, the MBS transmission may be scheduled by the paging DCI e.g., through DCI format 1_0 with CRC scrambled by P-RNTI).
LI does not explicitly disclose the RNTI is an MCCH-RNTI.
However, LIPKA discloses an RNTI is an MCCH-RNTI ([0364] In the next modification period, the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI (e.g. Downlink Control Information) format 1C, e.g. with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI, can for example notify UEs in RRC_IDLE and/or RRC_CONNECTED about an MCCH information change. The procedure of notification and MCCH update can for example be comparable to system info update, e.g. with notification via the paging channel; [0373] A concept to use the unicast interface for multicast can for example be based on a new multicast RNTI, for example abbreviated as MC-RNTI. (MC-RNTI is equivalent to the MCCH-RNTI) Some or even all UEs capable of multicast can for example obtain the same MC-RNTI, e.g. from the MAC entity in the network. For example, with that, UEs can receive and/or decode e.g. the same multicast data stream. The data can for example be mapped on PDSCH and/or scheduled via PDCCH, e.g. with the suitable downlink DCI format, e.g. or i.e. DCI format 1_0, 1_1 or 1_2); .
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify the RNTI of LI to include the MCCH-RNTI as taught by LIPKA to allow the UE to collect the MCCH information and/or receive data even while in IDLE mode which would improve the UE’s flexibility and data transmission efficiency (LIPKA – [0014] it is desired to get a concept which provides a better… the user equipment, flexibility, for example the ability to switch between casting modes fast and with low effort, and data transmission efficiency, for example good latency, high data rate and low overhead; [0364] the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI… with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI… notify UEs in RRC_IDLE… about an MCCH information change).
Regarding claim 9, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 1, as shown in the rejection above.
LI does not explicitly disclose wherein the value of the MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533.
However, LIPKA discloses a value of a MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533 ([0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE), e.g. enabling one or more of the following: [0482] Parallel operation with unicast).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify the MCCH-RNTI of LI and LIPKA to include the value of the MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533 as taught by LIPKA in order to provide more flexibility when transmitting multicast/broadcast data ([LIPKA - 0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE), e.g. enabling one or more of the following: [0482] Parallel operation with unicast [0483] Dynamic change between cast modes with service continuity [0484] Mobility with service continuity [0485] Dynamic control of the broadcast/multicast transmission area [0486] Semi-persistent scheduling [0487] Resource allocation in frequency and time domain (LTE only time domain) [0488] Support of network slices [0489] Operation in RRC_IDLE/ RRC_INACTIVE states [0490] Semi-static scheduling (e.g. like LTE) extended with frequency domain multiplexing).
Regarding claim 12, LI discloses:
A method for transmitting a point-to-multipoint (PTM) configuration executable in user equipment (Fig. 26A; Fig. 26E; [0055] In LTE, both the RRC connected UEs and the RRC idle UEs can receive the broadcast SC-PTM transmission if the UE is interested. Two types of logical channels, single cell multicast traffic channel (SC-MTCH) and single cell multicast control channel (SC-MCCH), are defined to support the SC-PTM transmission. Both logical channels are mapped to the downlink shared channel (DL-SCH); [0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM)); [0085] a UE may be configured with a dedicated MBS BWP for RRC idle/inactive. The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot), comprising:
receiving at least one system information block (SIB) carrying a scheduling configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP);
wherein the scheduling configuration (MBS scheduling DCI) comprises a configuration of a radio resource for PTM configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB), a combination of scheduling parameters for the PTM configuration (CORESET 0 and search space 0 are scheduling parameters used for detecting MBS scheduling DCI) and a configuration of at least one other common control channel ([0085] The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot. The TU configured for MBS may be TDM-ed with the TUs for other transmission, e.g., TDM-ed with the UE's paging frame (PF), and TDM-ed with the SI-windows for the different system information messages); [0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc);
wherein at least one the other common control channel comprises at least one of a broadcast control channel ([0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling…through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH) and a paging control channel, and the PTM configuration comprises scheduling information (MBS scheduling DCI) of a multicast control channel (MCCH) and/or a multicast transmission channel (MTCH) ([0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner as shown in FIG. 2);
reading the at least one SIB to obtain the scheduling configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP);
wherein the scheduling configuration comprises a first control resource set (CORESET) ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) and a combination of scheduling parameters for scheduling the PTM configuration (CORESET 0 and search space 0 are scheduling parameters) and a configuration of each of at least one other common control channel ([0085] The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot. The TU configured for MBS may be TDM-ed with the TUs for other transmission, e.g., TDM-ed with the UE's paging frame (PF), and TDM-ed with the SI-windows for the different system information messages); [0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc);
the at least one other common control channel comprises at least one of a broadcast control channel (BCCH) ([0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling…through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH) and a paging control channel (PCCH);
wherein the combination of scheduling parameters (CORESET 0 and search space 0 are scheduling parameters ) comprises:
scheduling parameters of the PTM configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used ; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP), the scheduling parameters of the PTM configuration comprising at least one set of a search space and a downlink control information (DCI) configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB); and
the scheduling parameters of the configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP) of each of the at least one other common control channel ([0085] The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot. The TU configured for MBS may be TDM-ed with the TUs for other transmission, e.g., TDM-ed with the UE's paging frame (PF), and TDM-ed with the SI-windows for the different system information messages); [0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc); wherein a search space corresponding to the scheduling information of the MCCH is a new Type-OX common search space (CSS), comprising physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates ([0191] a UE may be configured with dedicated CORESET and search space for scheduling the MBS transmission. The configuration of CORESET may be… with respect to the initial BWP. A new common search space (CSS) with new PDCCH type, e.g., Type4-PDCCH, (CSS contains PDCCH candidates) or a new group search space (GSS) may be introduced to configure the search space for MBS; [0254] the UE may try to detect and decode the DCI scheduling the MBS in the PDCCH monitoring occasion), configured with DCI format 1_0 scrambled by an radio network temporary identity (RNTI) ([0186] In another approach, the MBS transmission may be scheduled by the paging DCI e.g., through DCI format 1_0 with CRC scrambled by P-RNTI); and
reading the at least one SIB to obtain the scheduling configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP);
wherein the scheduling configuration comprises a first control resource set (CORESET) ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) and a combination of scheduling parameters for scheduling the PTM configuration (CORESET 0 and search space 0 are scheduling parameters) and a configuration of each of at least one other common control channel ([0085] The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot. The TU configured for MBS may be TDM-ed with the TUs for other transmission, e.g., TDM-ed with the UE's paging frame (PF), and TDM-ed with the SI-windows for the different system information messages); [0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc);
the at least one other common control channel comprises at least one of a broadcast control channel (BCCH) ([0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling…through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH) and a paging control channel (PCCH);
based on the DCI configuration in the scheduling parameters of the PTM configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB), monitoring a corresponding search space of the PTM configuration to receive the PTM configuration ([0191] a UE may be configured with dedicated CORESET and search space for scheduling the MBS transmission. The configuration of CORESET may be… with respect to the initial BWP. A new common search space (CSS) with new PDCCH type, e.g., Type4-PDCCH, or a new group search space (GSS) may be introduced to configure the search space for MBS; [0254] the UE may try to detect and decode the DCI scheduling the MBS in the PDCCH monitoring occasion);
wherein the PTM configuration comprises scheduling information ([0254] the UE may try to detect and decode the DCI scheduling the MBS in the PDCCH monitoring occasion) of a multicast control channel (MCCH) and/or a multicast transmission channel (MTCH) ([0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner as shown in FIG. 2).
LI does not explicitly disclose the RNTI is an MCCH-RNTI.
However, LIPKA discloses an RNTI is an MCCH-RNTI ([0364] In the next modification period, the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI (e.g. Downlink Control Information) format 1C, e.g. with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI, can for example notify UEs in RRC_IDLE and/or RRC_CONNECTED about an MCCH information change. The procedure of notification and MCCH update can for example be comparable to system info update, e.g. with notification via the paging channel; [0373] A concept to use the unicast interface for multicast can for example be based on a new multicast RNTI, for example abbreviated as MC-RNTI. (MC-RNTI is equivalent to the MCCH-RNTI) Some or even all UEs capable of multicast can for example obtain the same MC-RNTI, e.g. from the MAC entity in the network. For example, with that, UEs can receive and/or decode e.g. the same multicast data stream. The data can for example be mapped on PDSCH and/or scheduled via PDCCH, e.g. with the suitable downlink DCI format, e.g. or i.e. DCI format 1_0, 1_1 or 1_2); .
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify the RNTI of LI to include the MCCH-RNTI as taught by LIPKA to allow the UE to collect the MCCH information and/or receive data even while in IDLE mode which would improve the UE’s flexibility and data transmission efficiency (LIPKA – [0014] it is desired to get a concept which provides a better… the user equipment, flexibility, for example the ability to switch between casting modes fast and with low effort, and data transmission efficiency, for example good latency, high data rate and low overhead; [0364] the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI… with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI… notify UEs in RRC_IDLE… about an MCCH information change).
Regarding claim 15, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 12, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the radio resource for the PTM configuration is a common frequency resource (CFR) equal to an initial downlink BWP and indicated by control resource zero (CORSET0) (Fig. 4; [0097] the UE may determine the common frequency range [f.sub.1, f.sub.2] based on the CORESET #0, i.e., the frequency location of the initial BWP equals to the frequency location of the CORESET #0 indicated in the MIB) or system information block1 (SIB1) ([0104] the UE may determine the MBS frequency band and the TU (time unit e.g., radio frame according to [0085]) to be used for monitoring and receiving the MBS from the gNB. The UE may also determine the initial BWP to be used, e.g., initial BWP that is equal to the CORESET #0 (hence the BWP and CORESET #0 occupy the same radio resources) configured by MIB or initial BWP configured by the SIB1, where the configured MBS frequency band is confined within the initial BWP in frequency).
Regarding claim 19, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 12, as shown in the rejection above.
LI does not explicitly disclose wherein the value of the MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533.
However, LIPKA discloses a value of a MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533 ([0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE), e.g. enabling one or more of the following: [0482] Parallel operation with unicast).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify the MCCH-RNTI of LI and LIPKA to include the value of the MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533 as taught by LIPKA in order to provide more flexibility when transmitting multicast/broadcast data ([LIPKA - 0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE), e.g. enabling one or more of the following: [0482] Parallel operation with unicast [0483] Dynamic change between cast modes with service continuity [0484] Mobility with service continuity [0485] Dynamic control of the broadcast/multicast transmission area [0486] Semi-persistent scheduling [0487] Resource allocation in frequency and time domain (LTE only time domain) [0488] Support of network slices [0489] Operation in RRC_IDLE/ RRC_INACTIVE states [0490] Semi-static scheduling (e.g. like LTE) extended with frequency domain multiplexing).
Regarding claim 23, LI discloses:
An apparatus ([0381] FIG. 26G is a block diagram of an exemplary computing system 90 in which one or more apparatuses of the communications networks) for transmitting a point-to-multipoint (PTM) configuration ([0084] a UE may be configured with a dedicated MBS BWP for RRC idle/inactive. The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM)), comprising a processor (Fig. 26G – 91 processor) and a communication circuit (Fig.26G – 97 network adapter) connected to the processor (Fig. 26G – 80 system bus);
wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions ([0387] It is understood that any or all of the apparatuses, systems, methods, and processes described herein may be embodied in the form of computer executable instructions… when executed by a processor, such as processors 118 or 91, cause the processor to perform and/or implement the systems, methods and processes described herein) to perform a method for transmitting a point-to-multipoint (PTM) configuration executable in a base station ([0084] a UE may be configured with a dedicated MBS BWP for RRC idle/inactive. The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM)), comprising:
assigning radio resources for the PTM configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB);
wherein the PTM configuration comprises scheduling information (MBS scheduling DCI) of a multicast control channel (MCCH) and/or a multicast transmission channel (MTCH) ([0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner as shown in FIG. 2);
determining a scheduling configuration for the PTM configuration based on the radio resources ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB. For example, a UE may determine the configured CORESET 0 and the search space 0 information through the Master Information Block (MIB) or RMSI);
wherein the scheduling configuration comprises a first control resource set (CORESET) ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) and a combination of scheduling parameters for scheduling the PTM configuration (CORESET 0 and search space 0 are scheduling parameters) and a configuration of at least one other common control channel ([0085] The UE may be also configured with the time unit (TU) for monitoring and receiving the MBS transmission, where the time unit may be in unit of radio frame, radio subframe, slot or mini slot. The TU configured for MBS may be TDM-ed with the TUs for other transmission, e.g., TDM-ed with the UE's paging frame (PF), and TDM-ed with the SI-windows for the different system information messages); [0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc); and
wherein a search space corresponding to the scheduling information of the MCCH ([0084] the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH) is a new Type-OX common search space (CSS), comprising physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates ([0191] a UE may be configured with dedicated CORESET and search space for scheduling the MBS transmission. The configuration of CORESET may be… with respect to the initial BWP. A new common search space (CSS) with new PDCCH type, e.g., Type4-PDCCH, (CSS contains PDCCH candidates) or a new group search space (GSS) may be introduced to configure the search space for MBS; [0254] the UE may try to detect and decode the DCI scheduling the MBS in the PDCCH monitoring occasion), configured with DCI format 1_0 scrambled by an radio network temporary identity (RNTI) ([0186] In another approach, the MBS transmission may be scheduled by the paging DCI e.g., through DCI format 1_0 with CRC scrambled by P-RNTI).
LI does not explicitly disclose the RNTI is an MCCH-RNTI.
However, LIPKA discloses an RNTI is an MCCH-RNTI ([0364] In the next modification period, the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI (e.g. Downlink Control Information) format 1C, e.g. with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI, can for example notify UEs in RRC_IDLE and/or RRC_CONNECTED about an MCCH information change. The procedure of notification and MCCH update can for example be comparable to system info update, e.g. with notification via the paging channel; [0373] A concept to use the unicast interface for multicast can for example be based on a new multicast RNTI, for example abbreviated as MC-RNTI. (MC-RNTI is equivalent to the MCCH-RNTI) Some or even all UEs capable of multicast can for example obtain the same MC-RNTI, e.g. from the MAC entity in the network. For example, with that, UEs can receive and/or decode e.g. the same multicast data stream. The data can for example be mapped on PDSCH and/or scheduled via PDCCH, e.g. with the suitable downlink DCI format, e.g. or i.e. DCI format 1_0, 1_1 or 1_2); .
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify the RNTI of LI to include the MCCH-RNTI as taught by LIPKA to allow the UE to collect the MCCH information and/or receive data even while in IDLE mode which would improve the UE’s flexibility and data transmission efficiency (LIPKA – [0014] it is desired to get a concept which provides a better… the user equipment, flexibility, for example the ability to switch between casting modes fast and with low effort, and data transmission efficiency, for example good latency, high data rate and low overhead; [0364] the network can for example transmit the updated MCCH information. DCI… with an MBMS specific RNTI, the M-RNTI… notify UEs in RRC_IDLE… about an MCCH information change).
Regarding claim 26, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 1, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the at least one other common control channel comprises at least one of a broadcast control channel (BCCH) ([0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling if the configured scheduling and/or the semi-persistent scheduling of the MBS PDSCH for the UEs in RRC idle/inactive state is supported or used for a cell, e.g., for the current cell or for other cells, through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH, etc) and a paging control channel (PCCH), and the PTM configuration comprises scheduling information ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) of a multicast control channel (MCCH) and/or a multicast transmission channel (MTCH) ([0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner as shown in FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 27, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 1, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the scheduling parameters comprises at least one set of a search space and a downlink control information (DCI) configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB).
Regarding claim 28, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 1, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
comprising transmitting at least one system information block (SIB) carrying the scheduling configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP) to at least one radio resource control (RRC) connected mode user equipment ([0193] Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP), and transmitting the PTM configuration ([0084] a UE may be configured with a dedicated MBS BWP for RRC idle/inactive. The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM)) to the at least one RRC connected mode user equipment according to the scheduling configuration ([0180]; [0193]).
Regarding claim 29, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 1, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the radio resources for the PTM configuration are common frequency resources (CFRs) equal to an initial downlink BWP (Fig. 4; [0097] the UE may determine the common frequency range [f.sub.1, f.sub.2] based on the CORESET #0, i.e., the frequency location of the initial BWP equals to the frequency location of the CORESET #0 indicated in the MIB) and indicated by control resource zero (CORSET0) or system information block1 (SIB1) ([0104] the UE may determine the MBS frequency band and the TU (time unit e.g., radio frame according to [0085]) to be used for monitoring and receiving the MBS from the gNB. The UE may also determine the initial BWP to be used, e.g., initial BWP that is equal to the CORESET #0 (hence the BWP and CORESET #0 occupy the same radio resources) configured by MIB or initial BWP configured by the SIB1, where the configured MBS frequency band is confined within the initial BWP in frequency).
Regarding claim 33, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 23, as shown in the rejection above.
LI does not explicitly disclose wherein the value of the MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533.
However, LIPKA discloses a value of a MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533 ([0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE), e.g. enabling one or more of the following: [0482] Parallel operation with unicast).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was filed to modify the MCCH-RNTI of LI and LIPKA to include the value of the MCCH-RNTI is fixed at 65533 as taught by LIPKA in order to provide more flexibility when transmitting multicast/broadcast data ([LIPKA - 0481] Fixed RNTI, e.g. FFFD (reuse of M-RNTI from LTE), e.g. enabling one or more of the following: [0482] Parallel operation with unicast [0483] Dynamic change between cast modes with service continuity [0484] Mobility with service continuity [0485] Dynamic control of the broadcast/multicast transmission area [0486] Semi-persistent scheduling [0487] Resource allocation in frequency and time domain (LTE only time domain) [0488] Support of network slices [0489] Operation in RRC_IDLE/ RRC_INACTIVE states [0490] Semi-static scheduling (e.g. like LTE) extended with frequency domain multiplexing).
Regarding claim 34, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 23, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the at least one other common control channel comprises at least one of a broadcast control channel (BCCH) ([0247] For example, the gNB may indicate through broadcast signaling…through the broadcasted system information (transmitted on the broadcast control channel (BCCH)), e.g., through MIB, or through one of the existing SIB, or through a new SIB, through the logical channel MBS-MCCH) and a paging control channel (PCCH), and the PTM configuration comprises scheduling information ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) of a multicast control channel (MCCH) and/or a multicast transmission channel (MTCH) ([0084] The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner as shown in FIG. 2).
Regarding claim 35, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 23, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the scheduling parameters comprises at least one set of a search space and a downlink control information (DCI) configuration ([0180] the CORESET and the search space for MBS scheduling DCI may reuse the CORESET 0 and the search space 0 configured by the gNB) .
Regarding claim 36, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 23, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the method further comprises transmitting at least one system information block (SIB) carrying the scheduling configuration ([0193] The broadcast signaling proposed to signal the MBS BWP information may be also applied to configure the CORESET and search space information to the UE. For example, a new SIB 15 may be used; or the new logical channel MBS-MCCH may be used; or SIB 1 may be used. Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP) to at least one radio resource control (RRC) connected mode user equipment ([0193] Besides receiving such information in RRC idle/inactive through broadcast signaling, a UE may receive/obtain the CORESET and search space information when the UE is in RRC connected mode as disclosed for MBS BWP), and transmitting the PTM configuration ([0084] a UE may be configured with a dedicated MBS BWP for RRC idle/inactive. The gNB may perform the transmissions on the initial BWP, e.g., paging, system information, etc., and the MBS transmissions, e.g., MBS-MCCH or MBS-MTCH on the MBS BWP in the time-division multiplexing (TDM)) to the at least one RRC connected mode user equipment according to the scheduling configuration ([0180]; [0193]).
Regarding claim 37, LI and LIPKA disclose the limitations of claim 23, as shown in the rejection above.
LI further disclose:
wherein the radio resources for the PTM configuration are common frequency resources (CFRs) equal to an initial downlink BWP (Fig. 4; [0097] the UE may determine the common frequency range [f.sub.1, f.sub.2] based on the CORESET #0, i.e., the frequency location of the initial BWP equals to the frequency location of the CORESET #0 indicated in the MIB) and indicated by control resource zero (CORSET0) or system information block l (SIB1) ([0104] the UE may determine the MBS frequency band and the TU (time unit e.g., radio frame according to [0085]) to be used for monitoring and receiving the MBS from the gNB. The UE may also determine the initial BWP to be used, e.g., initial BWP that is equal to the CORESET #0 (hence the BWP and CORESET #0 occupy the same radio resources) configured by MIB or initial BWP configured by the SIB1, where the configured MBS frequency band is confined within the initial BWP in frequency).
Conclusion
7. 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.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THERESA NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2386. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9AM - 5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MOO JEONG can be reached at (571)272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THERESA NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2418
/Moo Jeong/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2418