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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/21/24 is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 2-9, 11-19, 21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-11, 13, 15, 16, 22, 25 of U.S. Patent No. 11,929,959. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because of the mapping below:
Instant Application
Patent No. US 11,929,959
2. A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: receive, from a base station operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs), the configuration identifying: a first BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for a first set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, and a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for a second set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, wherein the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern is different than the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern; and communicate with the base station in the plurality of BWPs using the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
1. A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: receive, from a base station, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) in a frequency band, wherein the configuration identifies a respective BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for each BWP of the plurality of BWPs, and wherein at least two BWPs of the plurality of BWPs are configured with different BWP-specific DL-UL patterns and wherein each DL-UL pattern specifies which time intervals of a plurality of time intervals are dedicated to downlink and which time intervals of the plurality of time intervals are dedicated to uplink; and communicate with the base station in multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs using the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for each of the multiple active BWPs, wherein the multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs enable full-duplex operation.
3. The UE of claim 2, wherein the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern specifies which slots of a plurality of slots are dedicated to downlink and which slots of the plurality of slots are dedicated to uplink.
2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the plurality of time intervals comprise a plurality of slots, and wherein the DL-UL pattern specifies which slots are dedicated to uplink and which slots are dedicated to downlink.
4. The UE of claim 2, wherein the plurality of BWPs include BWPs that are activated at a same time.
3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the plurality of BWPs include the multiple active BWPs at a same time.
5. The UE of claim 2, wherein, for each of the plurality of BWPs, a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern indicates a pattern of time-interval formats for a plurality of time intervals and the pattern of time-interval formats includes one or more downlink time intervals and one or more uplink time intervals.
4. The UE of claim 1, wherein, for each of the plurality of BWPs, the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern indicates a pattern of time-interval formats for the plurality of time intervals and the pattern of time-interval formats includes one or more downlink time intervals and one or more uplink time intervals.
6. The UE of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station, are configured to: communicate with the base station in time intervals having a same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, or communicate with the base station in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
5. The UE of claim 4, wherein the multiple active BWPs include a first active BWP configured with a first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and a second active BWP configured with a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, and wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station, are configured to: communicate with the base station in a half-duplex mode in time intervals having a same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern; and communicate with the base station in a full-duplex mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
7. The UE of claim 2, wherein the plurality of BWPs include a first active BWP and a second active BWP, and wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station, are configured to: communicate with the base station in an in-band full-duplex (IBFD) mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, wherein the first active BWP overlaps with the second active BWP, or communicate with the base station in a sub-band full-duplex (SBFD) mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, wherein the first active BWP is adjacent to the second active BWP or the first active BWP is separated from the second active BWP by a guard band.
6. The UE of claim 5, wherein the first active BWP overlaps with the second active BWP, and wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station in the full-duplex mode, are configured to: communicate with the base station in an in-band full-duplex (IBFD) mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
7. The UE of claim 5, wherein the first active BWP is adjacent to the second active BWP or the first active BWP is separated from the second active BWP by a guard band, and wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station in the full-duplex mode, are configured to: communicate with the base station in a sub-band full-duplex (SBFD) mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
8. The UE of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station, are configured to: communicate with the base station in a combined BWP that includes a first active BWP and a second active BWP in time intervals having a same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, wherein the first active BWP and the second active BWP are separated by a guard band, and the combined BWP includes the first active BWP, the second active BWP, and the guard band.
8. The UE of claim 5, wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station in the half-duplex mode, are configured to: communicate with the base station in the half-duplex mode in a combined BWP that includes the first active BWP and the second active BWP in the time intervals having the same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, wherein the first active BWP and the second active BWP are separated by a guard band, and the combined BWP includes the first active BWP, the second active BWP, and the guard band.
9. The UE of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station, are configured to: communicate with the base station in the combined BWP that includes the first active BWP, the second active BWP, and the guard band based at least in part on a determination that a size of the guard band satisfies a threshold.
9. The UE of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station in the half-duplex mode in a combined BWP, are configured to: communicate with the base station in the half-duplex mode in the combined BWP that includes the first active BWP, the second active BWP, and the guard band based at least in part on a determination that a size of the guard band satisfies a threshold.
11. The UE of claim 2, wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, from the base station, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval.
10. The UE of claim 4, wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, from the base station, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval.
12. The UE of claim 11, wherein the SFI is included in downlink control information (DCI), and the DCI further includes an indication of the at least one BWP to which the SFI is to be applied.
11. The UE of claim 10, wherein the SFI is included in downlink control information (DCI), and the DCI further includes an indication of the at least one BWP to which the SFI is to be applied.
13. A base station for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE) operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode, a configuration of a first set of bandwidth parts (BWPs) and a second set of BWPs, wherein the configuration identifies a first BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for the first set of BWPs and a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for the second set of BWPs that is different than the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern; and communicate with the UE in multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs using the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
13. A base station for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) in a frequency band, wherein the configuration identifies a respective BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for each BWP of the plurality of BWPs, and wherein at least two BWPs of the plurality of BWPs are configured with different BWP-specific DL-UL patterns and wherein each DL-UL pattern specifies which time intervals of a plurality of time intervals are dedicated to downlink and which time intervals of the plurality of time intervals are dedicated to uplink; and communicate with the UE in multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs using the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for each of the multiple active BWPs, wherein the multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs enable full-duplex operation.
14. The base station of claim 13, wherein, for each of the plurality of BWPs, a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern indicates a pattern of time-interval formats for a plurality of time intervals and the pattern of time-interval formats includes one or more downlink time intervals and one or more uplink time intervals.
15. The base station of claim 13, wherein, for each of the plurality of BWPs, the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern indicates a pattern of time-interval formats for the plurality of time intervals and the pattern of time-interval formats includes one or more downlink time intervals and one or more uplink time intervals.
15. The base station of claim 13, wherein the multiple active BWPs include a first active BWP configured with a first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and a second active BWP configured with a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, and wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the UE, are configured to: communicate with the UE in a half-duplex mode in time intervals having a same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern; and communicate with the UE in a full-duplex mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
16. The base station of claim 15, wherein the multiple active BWPs include a first active BWP configured with a first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and a second active BWP configured with a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern, and wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the UE, are configured to: communicate with the UE in a half-duplex mode in time intervals having a same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern; and communicate with the UE in a full-duplex mode in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
16. The base station of claim 13, wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit, to the UE, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval.
22. The base station of claim 15, wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit, to the UE, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval.
17. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving, from a base station operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs), the configuration identifying: a first BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for a first set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for a second set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, wherein the second BWP specific DL-UL pattern is different than the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern; and communicating with the base station in the plurality of BWPs using the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern.
25. A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving, from a base station, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) in a frequency band, wherein the configuration identifies a respective BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for each BWP of the plurality of BWPs, and wherein at least two BWPs of the plurality of BWPs are configured with different BWP-specific DL-UL patterns and wherein each DL-UL pattern specifies which time intervals of a plurality of time intervals are dedicated to downlink and which time intervals of the plurality of time intervals are dedicated to uplink; and communicating with the base station in multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs using the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for each of the multiple active BWPs, wherein the multiple BWPs of the plurality of BWPs enable full-duplex operation.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern specifies which slots of a plurality of slots are dedicated to downlink and which slots of the plurality of slots are dedicated to uplink.
2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the plurality of time intervals comprise a plurality of slots, and wherein the DL-UL pattern specifies which slots are dedicated to uplink and which slots are dedicated to downlink.
19. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of BWPs include BWPs that are activated at a same time.
3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the plurality of BWPs include the multiple active BWPs at a same time.
21. The method of claim 17, wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, from the base station, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval.
10. The UE of claim 4, wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, from the base station, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in the respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval.
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 25 of U.S. Patent No. 11,929,959 in view of Takeda et al (Pub No: 2020/0275417).
As to claim 10, Patent ‘959 teaches the limitations of claim 2 (Patent ‘959, Claim 1).
Patent ‘959 does not explicitly teach wherein the configuration is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message.
However, Takeda teaches wherein the configuration is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message. (Takeda, [0084], the pattern configurations are in RRC signaling).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “RRC message” as taught by Takeda in the system of Patent ‘959, so that it would allow for signaling to dynamically control the transmission direction of each symbol (Takeda, [0006]).
As to claim 20, Patent ‘959 teaches the limitations of claim 17 (Patent ‘959, Claim 25).
Patent ‘959 does not explicitly teach wherein the configuration is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message.
However, Takeda teaches wherein the configuration is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message. (Takeda, [0084], the pattern configurations are in RRC signaling).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “RRC message” as taught by Takeda in the system of Patent ‘959, so that it would allow for signaling to dynamically control the transmission direction of each symbol (Takeda, [0006]).
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.
Claims 2-6, 10-14, 16-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takeda et al (Pub No: 2020/0275417), and further in view of You et al (Pub No: 2025/0007642).
As to claim 2, Takeda teaches a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication (Takeda, Fig 24 Para 7, a user terminal), comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory (Takeda, Fig 24, a processor and memory), configured to:
receive, from a base station, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP0, BWP1 [0070}[0075][0078] a table indicating a slot pattern is received from a base station), the configuration identifying: a first BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for a first set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP0 [0075][0078] BWP0 configuration with UL/DL pattern), and a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for a second set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, wherein the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern is different than the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP1 [0075][0078] BWP1 configuration with UL/DL pattern that is different); and
communicate with the base station in the plurality of BWPs using the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig 4 [0048], the UE controls communication with the base station according to the slot patterns of the BWP [0050] the UE communicates according to a plurality of active BWP).
Takeda does not explicitly teach operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode.
However, You teaches operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode (You, [0326] Table 10, a gNB and UE communicate in full-duplex operation while configuring BWPs for a DL-UL pattern).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “full-duplex” as taught by You in the system of Takeda, so that it would enable a flexible and highly dense deployment of NR cells (You, Fig 2).
As to claim 3, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern specifies which slots of a plurality of slots are dedicated to downlink and which slots of the plurality of slots are dedicated to uplink (Takeda, Fig 1B slots are UL / DL [0046]).
As to claim 4, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the plurality of BWPs include BWPs that are activated at a same time (Takeda, [0050], concurrently configure to the UEs a plurality of active BWP).
As to claim 5, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein, for each of the plurality of BWPs, a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern indicates a pattern of time-interval formats for a plurality of time intervals and the pattern of time-interval formats includes one or more downlink time intervals and one or more uplink time intervals (Takeda, Fig3&4 [0048] the pattern indicates time intervals for UL/DL and unknown).
As to claim 6, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the one or more processors, to communicate with the base station, are configured to: communicate with the base station in time intervals having a same time-interval format in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig3&4 [0048] the pattern indicates time intervals for UL/DL and unknown), or communicate with the base station in time intervals having different time-interval formats in the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, [0072] the slot patterns with time intervals may differ).
As to claim 10, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the configuration is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message (Takeda, [0084], the pattern configurations are in RRC signaling).
As to claim 11, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, from the base station, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval (Takeda, [0075], receive SFI from the base station that indicates differing patterns and time intervals between BWP).
As to claim 12, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the SFI is included in downlink control information (DCI), and the DCI further includes an indication of the at least one BWP to which the SFI is to be applied (Takeda, [0044], the SFI is included in DCI with indication of BWP).
As to claim 13, Takeda teaches a base station for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors (Takeda, Fig 9 [0039] a network device eNB with processor and memory), coupled to the memory, configured to:
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a configuration of a first set of bandwidth parts (BWPs) and a second set of BWPs (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP0, BWP1 [0070}[0075][0078] a table indicating a slot pattern is sent from a base station), wherein the configuration identifies a first BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for the first set of BWPs (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP0 [0075][0078] BWP0 configuration with UL/DL pattern)and a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for the second set of BWPs that is different than the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP1 [0075][0078] BWP1 configuration with UL/DL pattern that is different); and
communicate with the UE in multiple active BWPs of the plurality of BWPs using the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig 4 [0048], the UE controls communication with the base station according to the slot patterns of the BWP [0050] the UE communicates according to a plurality of active BWP).
Takeda does not explicitly teach operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode.
However, You teaches operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode (You, [0326] Table 10, a gNB and UE communicate in full-duplex operation while configuring BWPs for a DL-UL pattern).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “full-duplex” as taught by You in the system of Takeda, so that it would enable a flexible and highly dense deployment of NR cells (You, Fig 2).
As to claim 14, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein, for each of the plurality of BWPs, a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern indicates a pattern of time-interval formats for a plurality of time intervals and the pattern of time-interval formats includes one or more downlink time intervals and one or more uplink time intervals (Takeda, Fig3&4 [0048] the pattern indicates time intervals for UL/DL and unknown)..
As to claim 16, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: transmit, to the UE, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval (Takeda, [0075], receive SFI from the base station that indicates differing patterns and time intervals between BWP).
As to claim 17, Takeda teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) (Takeda, Fig 5 [0039] a method by a UE), comprising:
receiving, from a base station, a configuration of a plurality of bandwidth parts (BWPs) (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP0, BWP1 [0070}[0075][0078] a table indicating a slot pattern is received from a base station), the configuration identifying: a first BWP-specific downlink (DL)-uplink (UL) pattern for a first set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP0 [0075][0078] BWP0 configuration with UL/DL pattern), a second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern for a second set of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, wherein the second BWP specific DL-UL pattern is different than the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig 3, BWP1 [0075][0078] BWP1 configuration with UL/DL pattern that is different); and
communicating with the base station in the plurality of BWPs using the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern and the second BWP-specific DL-UL pattern (Takeda, Fig 4 [0048], the UE controls communication with the base station according to the slot patterns of the BWP [0050] the UE communicates according to a plurality of active BWP).
Takeda does not explicitly teach operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode.
However, You teaches operating in a full-duplex (FD) mode (You, [0326] Table 10, a gNB and UE communicate in full-duplex operation while configuring BWPs for a DL-UL pattern).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “full-duplex” as taught by You in the system of Takeda, so that it would enable a flexible and highly dense deployment of NR cells (You, Fig 2).
As to claim 18, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the first BWP-specific DL-UL pattern specifies which slots of a plurality of slots are dedicated to downlink and which slots of the plurality of slots are dedicated to uplink (Takeda, Fig 1B slots are UL / DL [0046]).
As to claim 19, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the plurality of BWPs include BWPs that are activated at a same time (Takeda, [0050], concurrently configure to the UEs a plurality of active BWP).
As to claim 20, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein the configuration is included in a radio resource control (RRC) message (Takeda, [0084], the pattern configurations are in RRC signaling).
As to claim 21, the combination of Takeda and You teaches wherein, for one or more BWPs of the plurality of BWPs, the pattern of time-interval formats further includes one or more flexible time intervals, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, from the base station, a slot format indicator (SFI) that indicates, for at least one BWP of the one or more BWPs, that a flexible time interval in a respective BWP-specific DL-UL pattern configured for the at least one BWP is to be used as a downlink time interval or an uplink time interval (Takeda, [0075], receive SFI from the base station that indicates differing patterns and time intervals between BWP).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9, 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ly et al (Pub No: 2021/0227551) Fig 9
Shen (Pub No: 2020/0275452) Fig 2
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/AFSHAWN M TOWFIGHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469