DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-18, 21 and 22 are pending in this office action
Claims 1, 8 and 15 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed in the amendment filed 10/08/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
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.
Claims 1-18, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegardoost et al (US 2023/0223985 A1) in view of Zhou et al (US 2020/0145169 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Rastegardoost teaches a method of a base station, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a User Equipment (UE), a configuration of a bandwidth part (Rastegardoost: [0115]-[0116], UE configured with uplink BWP);
determining, by the base station, a subset of frequency resources within the bandwidth part, wherein the subset of frequency resources corresponds to one or more Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource sets (Rastegardoost: [0118], [0199] UE configured with resource for PUCCHs and the UE determines the PUCCH resource from a set of resources based on a PUCCH resource indication from the base station in a DCI; therefor the base station determines the set of PUCCH resource by indicating it in the PUCCH resource indicator);
determining one or more allocated resources that are a portion, but not an entirety, of the subset of frequency resources determined within the bandwidth part for which the configuration was transmitted, wherein the one or more allocated resources are indicated by a downlink control information (Rastegardoost: [0199], PUCCH resource set indicated by DCI); and
transmitting, to the UE, the downlink control information indicating the one or more allocated resources that are a portion, but not an entirety of the subset of frequency resources, for a PUCCH transmission (Rastegardoost: Figs. 25-26; [0199], [0331]), wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping for the PUCCH transmission is disabled (Rastegardoost: [0199], [0268]-[0269], [0305] hopping disabled and indicated via DCI).
Rastegardoost does not explicitly disclose wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled.
Zhou teaches wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled (Zhou: [0380] BWP hopping for OUCCH resources allocated to a device 3601 for UCI/PUCCH transmission is disabled).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Rastegardoost wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled as disclosed by Zhou to provide a system for uplink transmission using multiple active resources (Zhou: Abstract).
Regarding claim 8, Rastegardoost teaches a method of a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station, a configuration of a bandwidth part (Rastegardoost: [0115]-[0116], UE configured with uplink BWP);
determining a subset of frequency resources within the bandwidth part, wherein the subset of frequency resources corresponds to one or more Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource sets (Rastegardoost: [0118], [0198] UE configured with resource for PUCCHs); and
receiving, from the base station, a downlink control information indicating one or more allocated resources, within the subset of frequency resources, for a PUCCH transmission (Rastegardoost: Figs. 25-26; [0199], [0331] UE configured with resource for PUCCHs and the UE determines the PUCCH resource from a set of resources based on a PUCCH resource indication from the base station in a DCI; therefor the base station determines the set of PUCCH resource by indicating it in the PUCCH resource indicator), wherein the UE receives an indication, from the base station, that frequency hopping for the PUCCH transmission is disabled, wherein the one or more allocated resources are a portion, but not an entirety, of the subset of frequency resources determined within the bandwidth part for which the configuration was received (Rastegardoost: [0268]-[0269], [0305] hopping disabled and indicated via DCI).
Rastegardoost does not explicitly disclose wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled.
Zhou teaches wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled (Zhou: [0380] BWP hopping for OUCCH resources allocated to a device 3601 for UCI/PUCCH transmission is disabled).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Rastegardoost wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled as disclosed by Zhou to provide a system for uplink transmission using multiple active resources (Zhou: Abstract).
Regarding claim 15, Rastegardoost teaches a method of a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station, a configuration of a bandwidth part (Rastegardoost: [0115]-[0116], UE configured with uplink BWP);
determining a subset of frequency resources within the bandwidth part (Rastegardoost: [0118], [0198] UE configured with resource for PUCCHs);
receiving from the base station an indication of one or more allocated resources, within the subset of frequency resources, for a transmission (Rastegardoost: [0118], [0199] UE configured with resource for PUCCHs and the UE determines the PUCCH resource from a set of resources based on a PUCCH resource indication from the base station in a DCI; therefor the base station determines the set of PUCCH resource by indicating it in the PUCCH resource indicator), wherein the one or more allocated resources are a portion, but not an entirety, of the subset of frequency resources determined within the bandwidth part for which the configuration was received (Rastegardoost: Figs. 25-26, [0199] [0268]-[0269], [0305] hopping disabled and indicated via DCI); and
determining an interleaved mapping for the transmission based on the subset of frequency resources (Rastegardoost: Fig. 14b; [0195]).
Rastegardoost does not explicitly disclose wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled.
Zhou teaches wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled (Zhou: [0380] BWP hopping for OUCCH resources allocated to a device 3601 for UCI/PUCCH transmission is disabled).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Rastegardoost wherein the base station indicates, to the UE, that frequency hopping of the one or more allocated resources within the subset of frequency resources and for the PUCCH transmission is disabled as disclosed by Zhou to provide a system for uplink transmission using multiple active resources (Zhou: Abstract).
Regarding claims 2 and 9, Rastegardoost teaches disabling the frequency hopping for the PUCCH transmission based on the subset of frequency resources being within the bandwidth part associated with the configuration transmitted to the UE (Rastegardoost: [0268], [0284], [0312]).
Regarding claims 3 and 10, Rastegardoost teaches disabling the frequency hopping for the PUCCH transmission based on a maximum bandwidth of the UE being smaller than a bandwidth of the bandwidth part associated with the configuration transmitted to the UE (Rastegardoost: [0226], [0303]-[0305], disabling hopping based on device parameter/bandwidth below a threshold).
Regarding claims 4 and 11, Rastegardoost teaches disabling the frequency hopping for the PUCCH transmission based on a bandwidth limitation of the UE (Rastegardoost: [0226], [0303]-[0305], disabling hopping based on device parameter/bandwidth below a threshold).
Regarding claims 5 and 12, Rastegardoost teaches wherein: the base station receives the PUCCH transmission from the UE without frequency hopping (Rastegardoost: [0251]).
Regarding claims 6 and 13, Rastegardoost teaches wherein: the frequency hopping that is disabled is intra-slot frequency hopping (Rastegardoost: [0268]-[0269], [0282]).
Regarding claims 7 and 14, Rastegardoost teaches disabling the frequency hopping for the PUCCH transmission based on a bandwidth of a set of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) that can be processed by the UE being smaller than a bandwidth of the bandwidth part (Rastegardoost: [0226], [0303]-[0305], disabling hopping based on device parameter/bandwidth below a threshold).
Regarding claim 16, Rastegardoost teaches wherein: the interleaved mapping is based on a size of the subset of frequency resources (Rastegardoost: Fig. 14A, [0117]-[0120], [0192]-[0195] interleaved based on CORESET configuration; CORESET comprised of allocated resource set with a size as shown on Fig. 14A).
Regarding claim 17, Rastegardoost teaches wherein: the interleaved mapping is based on a starting location of the subset of frequency resources (Rastegardoost: Fig. 14A, [0117]-[0120], [0192]-[0195] interleaved based on CORESET configuration; CORESET comprised of allocated resource set).
Regarding claim 18, Rastegardoost teaches wherein: the interleaved mapping is for frequency hopping for uplink transmission (Rastegardoost: [0115]-[0116], [0195] UE configured with uplink BWP).
Regarding claims 21 and 22, Rastegardoost teaches comparing (i) a bandwidth of a set of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs) that can be processed by the UE with (ii) a bandwidth of the bandwidth part; and responsive to the comparison, performing one or more actions (Rastegardoost: [0115], [0264], [0276]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KODZOVI ACOLATSE whose telephone number is (571)270-1999. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 10 am to 6pm.
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, Avellino Joseph can be reached on (571) 272-3905. 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.
/KODZOVI ACOLATSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Prosecution Insights