DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 54-73 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 54, 56-57, 59, 62, 64, 67, 69-73 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Agiwal US 20240057100.
Regarding claim 54, An apparatus (base station, Figure 7), comprising: at least one processor (element 720); and at least one memory (element 730) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive and transmit communication signals with one or more user equipment (UE) (terminal, Figure 6); determine a synchronization signal block (SSB) beam mapping to slots with configured physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions (MOs) of a window duration for a multicast broadcast service (MBS) (UE identifies at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within a MBS window based on search space configuration information and monitoring window configuration information, wherein each of the at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within the MBS window corresponds to one synchronization signal block (SSB); and receiving, from the base station while the terminal is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state, an MBS data by monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion, para. 0009, gNB sends to UE search space configuration for monitoring PDCCH for MBMS traffic channel or control channel, para. 0145, a list of search space configuration(s) is received by the UE from gNB, para. 0146-0150), wherein a first SSB beam in a set of SSB beams is assigned to a first PDCCH MO of the window duration, a number of SSB beams in the set of SSB beams is greater than one, and a number of PDCCH MOs of the window duration is greater than one (UE identifies at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within a MBS window based on search space configuration information and monitoring window configuration information, wherein each of the at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within the MBS window corresponds to one synchronization signal block (SSB), para. 0009, UE receives configuration of PDCCH monitoring window for MBMS, para. 0148, PDCCH monitoring occasions in MBMS window which are not overlapping with UL symbols are sequentially numbered from one, UE measures the SS-RSRP of the transmitted SSBs and finds suitable SSB, para. 0158-0161); and perform a transmission in a PDCCH MO specified by the SSB beam mapping (the transceiver, element 610, transmits and receives signals to and from other network entities such as a base station, para. 0176).
Regarding claim 56, The apparatus of Claim 54, wherein the window duration is a multicast control channel (MCCH) window or a multicast traffic channel (MTCH) window UE monitors PDCCH (PDCCH addressed to RNTI specific to MBMS, e.g. G-RNTI (group RNTI) for transmission of MTCH packets or PDCCH addressed to MCCH-RNTI for transmission of MCCH packets) in PDCCH monitoring occasions corresponding to a suitable SSB, para. 0141).
Regarding claim 57, The apparatus of Claim 54, wherein the determining of the SSB beam mapping utilizes a periodicity of PDCCH MOs for a multicast traffic channel (MTCH) window duration, an offset of PDCCH MO for the MTCH window duration, and a number of PDCCH MOs of the MTCH window duration (UE identifies at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within a MBS window based on search space configuration information and monitoring window configuration information, wherein each of the at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within the MBS window corresponds to one synchronization signal block, para. 00009, UE receives configuration of PDCCH monitoring window for MBMS, period, offset, duration of Window, Period and offset are with respect to SFN 0, UE identifies the PDCCH monitoring occasions according to parameters, monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset, Duration and monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot in search space configuration for MBMS, para. 0148-0150).
Regarding claim 59, An apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory (terminal, Figure 6) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive a synchronization signal block (SSB) beam mapping for a multicast broadcast services (MBS) window; and process a transmission received from a communication node in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasion (MO) specified by the SSB beam mapping, which defines the SSB beam mapping to slots with configured PDCCH MOs of a window duration of the MBS window ((UE identifies at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within a MBS window based on search space configuration information and monitoring window configuration information, wherein each of the at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within the MBS window corresponds to one synchronization signal block (SSB); and receiving, from the base station while the terminal is in a radio resource control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state, an MBS data by monitoring a PDCCH monitoring occasion, para. 0009, gNB sends to UE search space configuration for monitoring PDCCH for MBMS traffic channel or control channel, para. 0145, a list of search space configuration(s) is received by the UE from gNB, para. 0146-0150), wherein a first SSB beam in a set of SSB beams is assigned to a first PDCCH MO of the window duration, a number of SSB beams in the set of SSB beams is greater than one, and a number of PDCCH MOs in the window duration is greater than one (UE identifies at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within a MBS window based on search space configuration information and monitoring window configuration information, wherein each of the at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within the MBS window corresponds to one synchronization signal block (SSB), para. 0009, UE receives configuration of PDCCH monitoring window for MBMS, para. 0148, PDCCH monitoring occasions in MBMS window which are not overlapping with UL symbols are sequentially numbered from one, UE measures the SS-RSRP of the transmitted SSBs and finds suitable SSB, para. 0158-0161).
Regarding claim 61, The apparatus of Claim 59, wherein the MBS window is a multicast control channel (MCCH) window or a multicast traffic channel (MTCH) window (PDCCH addressed to RNTI specific to MBMS, e.g. G-RNTI (group RNTI) for transmission of MTCH packets or PDCCH addressed to MCCH-RNTI for transmission of MCCH packets) in PDCCH monitoring occasions corresponding to a suitable SSB, para. 0141).
Regarding claim 62, The apparatus of Claim 59, wherein the SSB beam mapping is based on a periodicity of PDCCH MOs for a multicast traffic channel (MTCH) window duration, an offset of PDCCH MO for the MTCH window duration, and a number of PDCCH MOs of the MTCH window duration (UE identifies at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within a MBS window based on search space configuration information and monitoring window configuration information, wherein each of the at least one PDCCH monitoring occasion within the MBS window corresponds to one synchronization signal block, para. 00009, UE receives configuration of PDCCH monitoring window for MBMS, period, offset, duration of Window, Period and offset are with respect to SFN 0, UE identifies the PDCCH monitoring occasions according to parameters, monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset, Duration and monitoringSymbolsWithinSlot in search space configuration for MBMS, para. 0148-0150).
Claim 64, 66-67, 69-73 are rejected under the same rationale.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 55, 60, 65 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal in view of Babaei et al. US 20230370905.
Regarding claim 55, The apparatus of Claim 54, Agiwal does not disclose wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive assistance information from the one or more UEs, and wherein the determining of the SSB beam mapping utilizes the assistance information. Babaei discloses a Multicast/Broadcast control channel may be a point-to-multipoint downlink channel used for transmitting MBS control information from the network to the UE, for one or several Multicast/Broadcast data channel, the channel may be used by UEs that receive or are interested to receive MBS, the one or more logical channels may comprise a Multicast/Broadcast data channel, the channel may be a point-to-multipoint downlink channel for transmitting MBS traffic data from the network, para. 0106. Babaei discloses a procedure may be used by the UE to inform RAN through an MBS interest indication message that the UE is receiving/interested to receive or no longer receiving/interested to receive MBS service(s) based on receiving one or more messages from the network indicating one or more MBS Service Area Identifiers of the current and/or neighboring carrier frequencies, para. 0107. Before the filing of the invention it would have been obvious to modify Agiwal to include Babaei’s MBS interest indication message. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to do so to maintain service continuity, para. 0001.
Claims 60 and 65 are rejected under the same rationale.
Claim(s) 58, 63, 68 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal in view of Wei et al. US 20230209485.
Regarding claim 58, The apparatus of Claim 57, Agiwal does not explicitly disclose wherein the SSB beam mapping comprises at least one of a first SSB beam mapping for a MCCH signal and a second SSB beam mapping for a MTCH signal, wherein the transmission is a first transmission, the PDCCH MO is a first PDCCH MO, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: perform a second transmission in a second PDCCH MO specified by the second SSB beam mapping.
Wei discloses a UE may monitor a downlink control channel (e.g., a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH)) according to a discontinuous reception (DRX) operation defined in the SIB for the MCCH. There may be a predefined mapping between PDCCH monitoring occasions and a synchronization signal block (SSB) index that includes the SIB scheduling the MCCH, para. 0043. Wei discloses the base station may transmit the SIB to the UE, the SIB including one or more parameters indicating the location of an MCCH. The UE may monitor for the MCCH based on parameters included in the SIB and the SSB index during one or more monitoring occasions, the UE may monitor for the MCCH during an on duration of a scheduling period (e.g., a DRX scheduling period or an MCCH repetition period) according to one or more monitoring occasions associated with a PDCCH, he base station may configure one or more PDCCH search spaces, each associated with an SSB, the base station may transmit the MCCH to the UE during a monitoring occasion of the one or more monitoring occasions and the UE monitors for the MTCH based on receiving the MCCH, para. 0044.
Claim 63 and 68 are rejected under the same rationale.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELANIE JAGANNATHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/MELANIE JAGANNATHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468