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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 9-10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/030685 A1).
With respect to claims 9 and 12, Huang et al. discloses a terminal performing a radio communication method and comprising a receiver and a processor (See paragraph 5, paragraph 32, and Figure 3 of Huang et al. for reference to a communication method performed by a UE, which is a terminal, comprising a transceiver that acts as both a receiver and a transmitter, and comprising a CPU, which is a processor controlling operations of the UE). Huang et al. also discloses receiving information indicating that a plurality of codewords for a physical uplink shared channel, including a first codeword and a second codeword, are scheduled by a single downlink control information (See paragraph 104 and paragraph 208 of Huang et al. for reference to the UE receiving information indicating that two transport blocks are enabled and scheduled via a single DCI, wherein the transport blocks are codewords, i.e. a first and second codeword, for PUSCH transmission). Huang et al. further discloses mapping the plurality of codewords to layers, a number of the layers being indicated by a precoding-and-number-of-layers field in the downlink control information (See paragraphs 207-208 and Table 1 of Huang et al. for reference to mapping the enabled codewords to layers, as shown in Table 1, wherein the number of layers is indicated by a “Precoding information and number of layers” field of the DCI).
With respect to claim 10, Huang et al. discloses wherein the processor determines that the number of the layers indicated by the field is a total number of layers for the plurality of codewords, maps the first codeword to layers, a number of the layers for the first codeword being associated with the total number of layers, and maps the second codeword to layers, a number of the layers for the second codeword being associated with the total number of layers (See paragraphs 207-210 and Table 1 of Huang et al. for reference to the layers indicated by the “Precoding information and number of layers” field in the DCI being the total number of layers for mapping the codewords, wherein the codewords are mapped based on the indicated total number of layers as shown in Table 1).
With respect to claim 13, Huang et al. discloses a base station comprising: a transmitter and a receiver (See paragraph 32 and Figure 3 of Huang et al. for reference to a base station comprising a transceiver that acts as both a transmitter and a receiver). Huang et al. also discloses transmitting information indicating that a plurality of codewords for a physical uplink shared channel, including a first codeword and a second codeword, are scheduled by a single downlink control information (See paragraph 104 and paragraph 208 of Huang et al. for reference to transmitting, to a UE, information indicating that two transport blocks are enabled and scheduled via a single DCI, wherein the transport blocks are codewords, i.e. a first and second codeword, for PUSCH transmission). Huang et al. further discloses receiving the physical uplink shared channel including the plurality of codewords that are mapped to layers, a number of the layers being indicated by a precoding-and- number-of-layers field in the downlink control information (See paragraph 104, paragraphs 207-208, and Table 1 of Huang et al. for reference to receiving the PUSCH transmission from the UE with the enabled codewords mapped to layers, as shown in Table 1, wherein the number of layers is indicated by a “Precoding information and number of layers” field of the DCI).
With respect to claim 14, Huang et al. discloses a system comprising a terminal and a base station, wherein the terminal comprises: a receiver and a processor, and the base station comprises: a transmitter and a receiver (See paragraphs 18-21, paragraph 32, and Figures 1 and 3 of Huang et al. for reference to a multiple access wireless communication system including a UE, which is a terminal, comprising a transceiver that acts as both a receiver and a transmitter, and comprising a CPU, which is a processor controlling operations of the UE, and including a base station comprising a transceiver that acts as both a transmitter and a receiver). Huang et al. also discloses the terminal receiving information indicating that a plurality of codewords for a physical uplink shared channel, including a first codeword and a second codeword, are scheduled by a single downlink control information (See paragraph 104 and paragraph 208 of Huang et al. for reference to the UE receiving information indicating that two transport blocks are enabled and scheduled via a single DCI, wherein the transport blocks are codewords, i.e. a first and second codeword, for PUSCH transmission). Huang et al. further discloses the terminal mapping the plurality of codewords to layers, a number of the layers being indicated by a precoding-and-number-of-layers field in the downlink control information (See paragraphs 207-208 and Table 1 of Huang et al. for reference to mapping the enabled codewords to layers, as shown in Table 1, wherein the number of layers is indicated by a “Precoding information and number of layers” field of the DCI). Huang et al. also discloses the base station transmitting the information and receiving the physical uplink shared channel (See paragraph 104 and paragraph 208 of Huang et al. for reference to the base station transmitting the DCI to the UE enabling the two codewords and receiving the PUSCH from the UE).
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.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. in view of Gao et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/0258809 A1).
With respect to claim 11, although Huang et al. does disclose mapping two codewords to an indicated number of layers (See paragraphs 207-210 and Table 1 of Huang et al.)., Huang et al. does not specifically disclose using, for layer mapping of the plurality of codewords, correspondences for layer mapping for a physical downlink shared channel. However, Gao et al., in the field of communications, discloses that the same codeword to layer mapping may be used for both PDSCH and PUSCH assignment (See paragraphs 4-12 of Gao et al.). Using the same layer mapping correspondence for mapping codewords of a PUSCH as the correspondence used for mapping codewords of a PDSCH has the advantage of simplifying the mapping of codewords in both the uplink and downlink communication directions. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Gao et al., to combine using the same layer mapping correspondence for mapping codewords of a PUSCH as the correspondence used for mapping codewords of a PDSCH, as taught by Gao et al., within the system and method of Huang et al., with the motivation being to simplify the mapping of codewords in both the uplink and downlink communication directions.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Li et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/0368438 A1) and Bala et al. (U.S. Publication US 2020/0213057 A1) each teach further relevant systems and methods of mapping/transmitting multiple codewords to layers for PUSCH communication.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason E Mattis whose telephone number is (571)272-3154. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00am-4:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached at 571-2723155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JASON E MATTIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461