DETAILED ACTION
REASONS FOR ALLOWANCE
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 .
Response to Amendment
This is in response to an amendment/response/communication filed 2/28/2024.
Claim(s) 2-14 has/have been cancelled.
Claims(s) 15-33 has/have been added.
Claims(s) 1 and 15-33 is/are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS(s)) submitted on 2/28/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/13/2023. These drawings are accepted.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The limitation, “at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to…”, as noted in claim 29, line 2, claim 31, lines 1-2, and claim 32, lines 1-2 are considered as modified by structure for performing the claimed function, therefore, 35 U.S.C. 112(f) is NOT invoked.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s) “determining slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, “determine slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, and “determine slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”.
The limitations of “determining slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, “determine slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, and “determine slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of the generic communication components. That is, other than reciting “receiving a first uplink and downlink …”, “memory”, “processor”, “controller”, nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “receiving a first uplink and downlink …”, “memory”, “processor”, “controller” in the context of the claim encompasses a person manually comparing, observing, etc. “a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration” for determining “slot formats”. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computing/communication components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea. The mere performance of receiving a first uplink and downlink configuration and a second UL/DL configuration is not considered a meaningful limit of the claim’s scope, since the limitation is considered to be routine within the relevant art, see ZTE et al. R3-192089 (Non-Patent Literature Documents citation #3, listed on IDS dated 2/28/2024). Therefore, the concept in the claim is not meaningfully different than the abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the claim only recites “receiving a first uplink and downlink …”, “memory”, “processor”, “controller”, which do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on the practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional elements when considered both individually and as an ordered combination do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. While the claim recites a “receiving a first uplink and downlink …”, “memory”, “processor”, “controller”, these devices/steps are merely generic pieces of hardware/processing, generally containing a processor, a memory and a number of transceivers that are readily known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Thus, taken alone, the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the above-identified judicial exception (the abstract idea). Looking at the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. There is no indication that the combination improves any other technology. Their collective functions merely to provide a conventional communication implementation. Therefore, the claim is not patent eligible.
Claims 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27 depend upon claim 15 and include all the limitations of claim 15 and claims 30-33 depend upon claim 29 and include all the limitations of claim 29. The dependent claims recite additional details, however, these additional limitations merely expand upon the abstract idea without including additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
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 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) 1, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32 and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. US 20230156798.
As to claim 1:
Wang et al. discloses:
A method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
receiving a first uplink and downlink (UL/DL) configuration and a second UL/DL configuration; and
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
(where
“the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information” maps to “receiving a first uplink and downlink (UL/DL) configuration”
“the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information” maps to “a second UL/DL configuration”, where “second-type cell-common UL/DL information” and “user-specific UL/DL information…configure” maps to “a second UL/DL configuration”
determining slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration.
(“Existing communication systems are usually divided into time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) systems. In the TDD system, the base station can configure uplink and downlink attributes (that is, uplink transmission slots/symbols, downlink transmission slots/symbols, and flexible slots/symbols) in different time resources on a carrier through semi-static signaling and dynamic signaling.”; Wang et al.; 0085)
(“…The first-type cell-common UL/DL information can be used to indicate the period, which slots/symbols in the period are uplink, downlink or flexible slots/symbols, and the indicated uplink and downlink attributes is applicable to all frequency-domain resources in respective slot/symbol of each cell, that is, all frequency-domain resources in the bandwidth of the carrier/serving cell have the same uplink and downlink attributes in one slot/symbol”; Wang et al.; 0088)
(“…the UE determines that a slot where the PUCCH is located only contains uplink transmission resources or contains both uplink transmission resources and downlink transmission resources through the second-type cell-common UL/DL information and/or the second-type user-specific UL/DL information”; Wang et al.; 0159)
(where
“first-type cell-common UL/DL information…second-type cell-common UL/DL information…user-specific UL/DL information…If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources”/”uplink transmission slots/symbols, downlink transmission slots/symbols, and flexible slots/symbols” maps to “determining slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, where “uplink”, “downlink” and “flexible” are distinct and “determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources” does not include “flexible” which maps to “non-flexible”
Wang et al. teaches a plurality of UL/DL configurations for determining non-flexible slot and non-flexible symbol formats.
As to claim 15:
Wang et al. discloses:
A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:
receive a first uplink and downlink (UL/DL) configuration and a second UL/DL configuration; and
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
(where
“the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information” maps to “receiving a first uplink and downlink (UL/DL) configuration”
“the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information” maps to “a second UL/DL configuration”, where “second-type cell-common UL/DL information” and “user-specific UL/DL information…configure” maps to “a second UL/DL configuration”
determine slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration.
(“Existing communication systems are usually divided into time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) systems. In the TDD system, the base station can configure uplink and downlink attributes (that is, uplink transmission slots/symbols, downlink transmission slots/symbols, and flexible slots/symbols) in different time resources on a carrier through semi-static signaling and dynamic signaling.”; Wang et al.; 0085)
(“…The first-type cell-common UL/DL information can be used to indicate the period, which slots/symbols in the period are uplink, downlink or flexible slots/symbols, and the indicated uplink and downlink attributes is applicable to all frequency-domain resources in respective slot/symbol of each cell, that is, all frequency-domain resources in the bandwidth of the carrier/serving cell have the same uplink and downlink attributes in one slot/symbol”; Wang et al.; 0088)
(“…the UE determines that a slot where the PUCCH is located only contains uplink transmission resources or contains both uplink transmission resources and downlink transmission resources through the second-type cell-common UL/DL information and/or the second-type user-specific UL/DL information”; Wang et al.; 0159)
(where
“first-type cell-common UL/DL information…second-type cell-common UL/DL information…user-specific UL/DL information…If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources”/”uplink transmission slots/symbols, downlink transmission slots/symbols, and flexible slots/symbols” maps to “determining slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, where “uplink”, “downlink” and “flexible” are distinct and “determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources” does not include “flexible” which maps to “non-flexible”
Wang et al. teaches a plurality of UL/DL configurations for determining non-flexible slot and non-flexible symbol formats.
As to claim 16:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE wherein the first UL/DL configuration includes a cell common UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration includes a UE
specific UL/DL configuration.
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
As to claim 17:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration;
wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL
configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration according to the at least one configuration.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 18:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein to determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration according to the at least
one configuration is to:
determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration; and
change the slot formats for the set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by the second UL/DL configuration according to the at least one configuration.
(“FIGS. 9a and 9b illustrate an example of RO in the second-type cell-common UL/DL period P.
[0130] As illustrated in FIG. 9a, in the slots where RO1-RO4 are located, a ratio of uplink transmission resources to downlink transmission resources changes. Although RO1, RO3 and RO4 are all located in the uplink transmission resources, since the resources of RO3 and RO4 are located in the guard period, RO3 and RO4 are invalid.”; Wang et al.; 0129-0130)
As to claim 19:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration;
wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL
configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration according to the at least one configuration.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 20:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration;
wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL
configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration when a function associated with the at least one configuration is not enabled.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 21:
Wang et al. discloses:
The UE, wherein the first UL/DL configuration includes a cell common UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration includes another cell common UL/DL configuration.
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
As to claim 24:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to:
determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration; and
change the slot formats for the set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by the second UL/DL configuration when a function associated with the second UL/DL configuration is enabled..
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the+ first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 25:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to:
determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration when a function
associated with the second UL/DL configuration is not enabled.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 26:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
determine that slot formats of a set of slots and symbols are changed according to the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration; and
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
determine that the set of slots and symbols is utilized as full duplex communication.
(“…A flexible slot/symbol may be used for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, but can only be used for transmission of one direction among them at a certain time. In the FDD system, for an uplink carrier/serving cell, the base station may indicate uplink or flexible transmission symbols/slots, and for a downlink carrier/serving cell, the base station may indicate downlink or flexible transmission symbols/slots. The first-type cell-common UL/DL information can include information on uplink and downlink attributes in the time dimension. The first-type cell-common UL/DL information can be used to indicate the period, which slots/symbols in the period are uplink, downlink or flexible slots/symbols, and the indicated uplink and downlink attributes is applicable to all frequency-domain resources in respective slot/symbol of each cell, that is, all frequency-domain resources in the bandwidth of the carrier/serving cell have the same uplink and downlink attributes in one slot/symbol.”; Wang et al.; 0088)
(“In order to allocate the uplink and downlink transmission resources more efficiently, a granularity of the uplink and downlink transmission resources can be further reduced from one symbol/slot to partial frequency-domain resources in one symbol/slot by second-type configuration information, that is, different frequency-domain resources in one symbol of one carrier/serving cell can be allocated for different transmission directions. The second-type configuration information includes second-type cell-common UL/DL information and UE-specific UL/DL information. The second-type cell-common UL/DL information may include information on the uplink and downlink attributes in the time dimension and frequency-domain dimension, and the second-type cell-common UL/DL information may be used to indicate which frequency-domain resources of which slots/symbols are uplink, downlink, or flexible transmission resources. Alternatively, the second-type common UL/DL information can be used to indicate which frequency-domain resources of which slots/symbols are resources for uplink, resources for downlink, or resources that cannot be used for transmission. Further, for the same time and frequency resources, the base station can also allocate uplink and downlink transmissions at the same time to realize full duplex multiplexing. The base station may also configure the user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. According to the configured user-specific UL/DL information, the UE can determine that within one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources, and some resources are downlink transmission resources.”; Wang et al.; 0089)
As to claim 28:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to apply the slot formats during an initial network access.
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
As to claim 29:
Wang et al. discloses:
A processor for wireless communication, comprising:
at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to:
receive a first uplink and downlink (UL/DL) configuration and a second
DL/DL configuration; and
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
(where
“the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information” maps to “receiving a first uplink and downlink (UL/DL) configuration”
“the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information” maps to “a second UL/DL configuration”, where “second-type cell-common UL/DL information” and “user-specific UL/DL information…configure” maps to “a second UL/DL configuration”
determine slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration.
(“Existing communication systems are usually divided into time division duplex (TDD) and frequency division duplex (FDD) systems. In the TDD system, the base station can configure uplink and downlink attributes (that is, uplink transmission slots/symbols, downlink transmission slots/symbols, and flexible slots/symbols) in different time resources on a carrier through semi-static signaling and dynamic signaling.”; Wang et al.; 0085)
(“…The first-type cell-common UL/DL information can be used to indicate the period, which slots/symbols in the period are uplink, downlink or flexible slots/symbols, and the indicated uplink and downlink attributes is applicable to all frequency-domain resources in respective slot/symbol of each cell, that is, all frequency-domain resources in the bandwidth of the carrier/serving cell have the same uplink and downlink attributes in one slot/symbol”; Wang et al.; 0088)
(“…the UE determines that a slot where the PUCCH is located only contains uplink transmission resources or contains both uplink transmission resources and downlink transmission resources through the second-type cell-common UL/DL information and/or the second-type user-specific UL/DL information”; Wang et al.; 0159)
(where
“first-type cell-common UL/DL information…second-type cell-common UL/DL information…user-specific UL/DL information…If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources”/”uplink transmission slots/symbols, downlink transmission slots/symbols, and flexible slots/symbols” maps to “determining slot formats for a set of non-flexible slots and non-flexible symbols by at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration”, where “uplink”, “downlink” and “flexible” are distinct and “determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources” does not include “flexible” which maps to “non-flexible”
Wang et al. teaches a plurality of UL/DL configurations for determining non-flexible slot and non-flexible symbol formats.
As to claim 30:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE wherein the first UL/DL configuration includes a cell common UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration includes a UE
specific UL/DL configuration.
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
As to claim 31:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration;
wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL
configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration according to the at least one configuration.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 32:
Wang et al. discloses:
A UE, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration;
wherein to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL
configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to determine the slot formats by the first UL/DL configuration when a function associated with the at least one configuration is not enabled.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
As to claim 33:
Wang et al. discloses:
The UE, wherein the first UL/DL configuration includes a cell common UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration includes another cell common UL/DL configuration.
(“…According to another implementation, for example, after the UE establishes a RRC connection, the base station can configure transmission occasions ROs and/or POs for the user through RRC signaling, for example, configure UE-specific RACH resources through RACH-ConfigDedicated. For a UE that has not received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the first-type cell-common UL/DL information, and for a UE that has received the configuration information, the valid transmission occasions RO/POs are determined according to method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information. In addition, the base station may also configure user-specific UL/DL information, for example, configure user-specific UL/DL information for each serving cell of the UE, or configure user-specific UL/DL information for each BWP of the UE. If the UE can determine that in one symbol, some resources are uplink transmission resources and some resources are downlink transmission resources according to the class configuration information, then the UE can also determine the valid transmission occasion ROs/POs according to the method of determining the valid transmission occasions ROs/POs according to the second-type cell-common UL/DL information, except that the second-type cell-common UL/DL information is replaced with the user-specific UL/DL information.”; Wang et al.; 0148)
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 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.
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. US 20230156798 in view of Choi et al. US 20220116968.
As to claim 22:
Wang et al. discloses:
…and to determine the slot formats by the at least one of the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration is to determine the slot formats by the second UL/DL configuration when a function associated with the second UL/DL configuration is enabled.
(“According to an implementation, UE reports whether it has the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, alternatively, for UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, the UE determines whether it can perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs according to configuration by the base station. The base station may indicate whether random access can be performed based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs through user-specific signaling or common signaling. For UEs with the capability to perform random access based on the second-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs, they can also perform random access based on the first-type valid transmission ROs and/or POs. For UEs that do not have or do not report the capability to perform random access based on the second-type transmission ROs and/or POs, they perform random access based on only the first-type transmission ROs and/or POs.”; Wang et al.; 0147)
Wang et al. as described above does not explicitly teach:
wherein the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration have a same format,
However, Choi et al. further teaches a default SFI capability which includes:
wherein the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration have a same format,
(“The information on a slot configuration includes semi-static DL/UL assignment information. For example, the base station may transmit a default slot format or semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or semi-static slot-format information (SFI)) to the terminal in a cell-specific manner, and may additionally transmit semi-static DL/UL assignment information to the terminal via a UE-specific RRC message. When the semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or default slot format) is received, the terminal may know slot configurations of subsequent slots. Specifically, semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or default slot format) indicates information on whether each symbol in the slot is a DL symbol, a UL symbol, or a flexible symbol other than the DL symbol and the UL symbol. Here, the terminal may assume that a symbol indicated as neither a DL symbol nor a UL symbol is indicated as “flexible”, via semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or default slot format).”; Choi et al.; 0247)
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the default SFI capability of Choi et al. into Wang et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Wang et al. to include the default SFI capability as taught by the processing/communications of Choi et al., the benefits of improved resource allocation (Wang et al.; 0086) with improved coverage (Choi et al.; 0281) are achieved.
Claim(s) 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. US 20230156798 in view of Choi et al. US 20220116968 and in further view of Luo et al. US 20220399984.
As to claim 23:
Wang et al. as described above does not explicitly teach:
wherein at least one field of the second UL/DL configuration is different from a corresponding field of the first UL/DL configuration.
However, Luo et al. further teaches a SFI override capability which includes:
wherein at least one field of the second UL/DL configuration is different from a corresponding field of the first UL/DL configuration.
(“In 5G NR, a time resource may be indicated as a downlink resource, an uplink resource, or a flexible resource. A flexible resource (e.g., a resource that could be assigned for downlink communications or uplink communications) may be overridden (e.g., converted) into a downlink resource or an uplink resource at a later time by another signaling message. In some cases, a TDD pattern (or TDD configuration, as it may be called in some instances) may be conveyed in different signaling and with different levels of specificity. For example, the TDD pattern may be indicated by a common TDD configuration associated with a cell (e.g., a cell-specific TDDConfigCommon), which may be broadcast by the base station 105-a in a system information block (SIB) (e.g., SIB1). In some cases, the TDDConfigCommon may indicate a slot or symbol as a downlink resource, an uplink resource, or a flexible resource. Additionally or alternatively, the TDD pattern may be indicated by a dedicated TDD configuration specific to the UE 115-a (e.g., a UE-specific TDDConfigDedicated), which may be sent via an RRC reconfiguration message. In some examples, the TDD pattern may be indicated by an SFI, which may be sent via physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) control signaling such as downlink control information (DCI) (e.g., DCI format DCI2_0). In some cases, rules may be defined for overriding flexible resources. For example, the TDDConfigDedicated may override flexible resources indicated by TDDConfigCommon into downlink resources and uplink resources, and the SFI may override flexible resources indicated by TDDConfigCommon, TDDConfigDedicated, or both into downlink resources and uplink resources.”; Luo et al.; 0097)
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the SFI override capability of Luo et al. into Wang et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Wang et al. to include the SFI override capability as taught by the processing/communications of Luo et al., the benefits of improved resource allocation (Wang et al.; 0086) with improved TDD (Luo et al.; 0003) are achieved.
Claim(s) 27 is/are 00 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. US 20230156798 in view of Abotabl et al. US 20210297226.
As to claim 27:
Wang et al. as described above does not explicitly teach:
wherein to determine that the set of slots and symbols is utilized as full duplex communication is to: determine that at least one element of the set of slots and symbols is utilized as full duplex communication according to a bitmap configuration.
However, Abotabl et al. further teaches a full-duplex/bitmap/symbols/slots capability which includes:
wherein the first UL/DL configuration and the second UL/DL configuration have a same format,
(“The information on a slot configuration includes semi-static DL/UL assignment information. For example, the base station may transmit a default slot format or semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or semi-static slot-format information (SFI)) to the terminal in a cell-specific manner, and may additionally transmit semi-static DL/UL assignment information to the terminal via a UE-specific RRC message. When the semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or default slot format) is received, the terminal may know slot configurations of subsequent slots. Specifically, semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or default slot format) indicates information on whether each symbol in the slot is a DL symbol, a UL symbol, or a flexible symbol other than the DL symbol and the UL symbol. Here, the terminal may assume that a symbol indicated as neither a DL symbol nor a UL symbol is indicated as “flexible”, via semi-static DL/UL assignment information (or default slot format).”; Choi et al.; 0247)
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the full-duplex/bitmap/symbols/slots capability of Abotabl et al. into Wang et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Wang et al. to include the full-duplex/bitmap/symbols/slots capability as taught by the processing/communications of Abotabl et al., the benefits of improved resource allocation (Wang et al.; 0086) with improved full-duplex (Abotabl et al.; Abstract) are achieved.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20240080811 – teaches receiving slot format configuration messages (see para. 0030).
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MICHAEL K. PHILLIPS
Examiner
Art Unit 2464
/MICHAEL K PHILLIPS/Examiner, Art Unit 2464