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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 10 and 15 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 10, 11, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 20170332358, hereinafter “Park”).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses,
A communication method (FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating an example of a multi-subframe setting operation of a base station), comprising:
sending, by a network device (base station 320; Fig. 4), a first message (i.e., RRC configuration and/or dynamic SPS-MS grant signal) to a first terminal device (UE 310; Fig. 4) (referring to FIG. 16, in operation 1610, the base station 320 may transmit an RRC configuration message including the configuration information for an SPS MS to the terminal 310….in operation 1620, the base station 320 may transmit a dynamic SPS MS grant signal to the terminal 310, [0168]-[0169]), wherein the first message comprises information about a first resource for transmitting a second message ([0016]: The communication method includes generating resource assignment information of an uplink burst including at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band; [0020]: receiving resource assignment information including information indicating at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band from a base station; [0164]: he terminal 310 may transmit 1) information (e.g., SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state to the base station 320 through the PUSCH if there is the UL grant assigned to the PCell or another SCell before the SPS release. At this time, the terminal 310 may transmit the SPS Keep Alive MAC CE together with a carrier indicator field (CIF).); and
determining, by the network device, that the first terminal device is not faulty based on receiving the second message from the first terminal device by using the first resource ([0173]: the base station 320 may determine whether the keep alive signal (SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) transmitted from the terminal 310 is received. That is, the base station 320 may determine whether the information requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state is received from the terminal 310; [0175]: If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310), wherein the second message indicates that the first terminal device is not faulty ([0187]; If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310); and
determining, by the network device, that the first terminal device is faulty based on failure to receive the second message from the first terminal device by using the first resource ([0175]; If the ImplicitReleaseAfter counter value reaches the preset maximum value, the base station 320 determines that the terminal 310 is in the SPS release; [0176]: if the base station 320 does not receive the keep alive signal in operation 1670, the base station 320 may terminate the SPS MS resource in operation 1680).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses,
wherein the first resource comprises a time domain resource and/or a frequency domain resource ([0016]: The communication method includes generating resource assignment information of an uplink burst including at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band; [0137]: he locations of the UL SPS resources 620, 625 and 640 are based on the following Equation using a system frame number (SFN), a subframe index, a UL SPS period (semiPersistSchedIntervalUL), and a subframe offset (Subframe_offset) as an input.).
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses,
A communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a first terminal device (UE 310; Fig. 4), a first message (i.e., RRC configuration and/or dynamic SPS-MS grant signal) from a network device (base station 320; Fig. 4) (referring to FIG. 16, in operation 1610, the base station 320 may transmit an RRC configuration message including the configuration information for an SPS MS to the terminal 310….in operation 1620, the base station 320 may transmit a dynamic SPS MS grant signal to the terminal 310, [0168]-[0169]), wherein the first message comprises information about a first resource for transmitting a second message ([0016]: The communication method includes generating resource assignment information of an uplink burst including at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band; [0020]: receiving resource assignment information including information indicating at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band from a base station; [0164]: he terminal 310 may transmit 1) information (e.g., SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state to the base station 320 through the PUSCH if there is the UL grant assigned to the PCell or another SCell before the SPS release. At this time, the terminal 310 may transmit the SPS Keep Alive MAC CE together with a carrier indicator field (CIF).);
receiving, by the first terminal device, a third message from the network device (the terminal 310 may apply the activation 610/release 630 from the earliest SPS resources 620 and 640 after receiving PDCCH SPS activation 610 or SPS release 630 message, [0137], [0139]) to activate or deactivate a mechanism (the terminal 310 may apply activation 710/release 730 from the earliest SPS resources 720 and 740 after receiving PDCCH SPS activation 710 or SPS release 730 message, [0139]) under which the first terminal device sends the second message to the network device by using the first resource ([0173]: the base station 320 may determine whether the keep alive signal (SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) transmitted from the terminal 310 is received. That is, the base station 320 may determine whether the information requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state is received from the terminal 310; [0175]: If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310); and
sending, by the first terminal device, the second message to the network device by using the first resource ([0173]: the base station 320 may determine whether the keep alive signal (SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) transmitted from the terminal 310 is received. That is, the base station 320 may determine whether the information requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state is received from the terminal 310; [0175]: If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310), wherein the second message indicates that the first terminal device is not faulty ([0187]; If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310), such that the network device determines whether the first terminal device is faulty based on whether the second message is received from the first terminal device by using the first resource ([0175]; If the ImplicitReleaseAfter counter value reaches the preset maximum value, the base station 320 determines that the terminal 310 is in the SPS release; [0176]: if the base station 320 does not receive the keep alive signal in operation 1670, the base station 320 may terminate the SPS MS resource in operation 1680).
Regarding claim 11, Park discloses,
wherein the first resource comprises a time domain resource and/or a frequency domain resource ([0016]: The communication method includes generating resource assignment information of an uplink burst including at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band; [0137]: he locations of the UL SPS resources 620, 625 and 640 are based on the following Equation using a system frame number (SFN), a subframe index, a UL SPS period (semiPersistSchedIntervalUL), and a subframe offset (Subframe_offset) as an input.).
Regarding claim 15, Park discloses,
An apparatus (base station 320; Fig. 4), comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors and storing programming instructions that (controller 2220 may be a circuit, an application-specific circuit, or at least one processor. In addition, the operations of the base station 320 may be realized by including a memory device storing the corresponding program code in any component of the UE, Fig. 22 and [0292]), when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising:
sending, by a network device (base station 320; Fig. 4), a first message (i.e., RRC configuration and/or dynamic SPS-MS grant signal) to a first terminal device (UE 310; Fig. 4) (referring to FIG. 16, in operation 1610, the base station 320 may transmit an RRC configuration message including the configuration information for an SPS MS to the terminal 310….in operation 1620, the base station 320 may transmit a dynamic SPS MS grant signal to the terminal 310, [0168]-[0169]), wherein the first message comprises information about a first resource for transmitting a second message ([0016]: The communication method includes generating resource assignment information of an uplink burst including at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band; [0020]: receiving resource assignment information including information indicating at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band from a base station; [0164]: he terminal 310 may transmit 1) information (e.g., SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state to the base station 320 through the PUSCH if there is the UL grant assigned to the PCell or another SCell before the SPS release. At this time, the terminal 310 may transmit the SPS Keep Alive MAC CE together with a carrier indicator field (CIF).);
sending a third message to the first terminal device (the terminal 310 may apply the activation 610/release 630 from the earliest SPS resources 620 and 640 after receiving PDCCH SPS activation 610 or SPS release 630 message, [0137], [0139]) to activate or deactivate a mechanism (the terminal 310 may apply activation 710/release 730 from the earliest SPS resources 720 and 740 after receiving PDCCH SPS activation 710 or SPS release 730 message, [0139]) under which the first terminal device sends the second message to the apparatus device by using the first resource ([0173]: the base station 320 may determine whether the keep alive signal (SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) transmitted from the terminal 310 is received. That is, the base station 320 may determine whether the information requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state is received from the terminal 310; [0175]: If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310);
determining that the first terminal device is not faulty based on receiving the second message from the first terminal device by using the first resource ([0173]: the base station 320 may determine whether the keep alive signal (SPS Keep Alive MAC CE) transmitted from the terminal 310 is received. That is, the base station 320 may determine whether the information requesting to maintain the SPS in the active state is received from the terminal 310; [0175]: If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310), wherein the second message indicates that the first terminal device is not faulty ([0187]; If the terminal 310 transmits the keep alive signal to the base station 320, the base station 320 is maintained in the SPS active state and may try to receive the UL data from the terminal 310); and
determining that the first terminal device is faulty based on failure to receive the second message from the first terminal device by using the first resource ([0175]; If the ImplicitReleaseAfter counter value reaches the preset maximum value, the base station 320 determines that the terminal 310 is in the SPS release; [0176]: if the base station 320 does not receive the keep alive signal in operation 1670, the base station 320 may terminate the SPS MS resource in operation 1680).
Regarding claim 16, Park discloses,
wherein the first resource comprises a time domain resource and/or a frequency domain resource ([0016]: The communication method includes generating resource assignment information of an uplink burst including at least two consecutive uplink subframes transmittable and receivable through an unlicensed band; [0137]: he locations of the UL SPS resources 620, 625 and 640 are based on the following Equation using a system frame number (SFN), a subframe index, a UL SPS period (semiPersistSchedIntervalUL), and a subframe offset (Subframe_offset) as an input.).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park and further in view of Prakash et al. (US 20200107339, hereinafter “Prakash”)
Regarding claim 3, Park discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 1), however Park does not disclose, wherein the method further comprises: configuring, by the network device, the first resource based on at least one of survival time information, packet delay budget information, takeover delay information, or time division duplex information.
In the same field of endeavor, Prakash discloses, wherein the method further comprises: configuring, by the network device, the first resource based on at least one of survival time information, packet delay budget information, takeover delay information, or time division duplex information (At 340, the base station 105-b may identify one or more variable delay budgets. For example, the base station 105-b may identify an uplink variable delay budget for uplink communications of the first latency type via the communication link based on the delay budget configuration… At 350, the base station 105-b may schedule a communication between the UE 115-b and the base station 105-b based on the first variable delay budget and the second variable delay budget, [0122]-[0124]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park, by specifically providing wherein the method further comprises: configuring, by the network device, the first resource based on at least one of survival time information, packet delay budget information, takeover delay information, or time division duplex information, as taught by Prakash by specifically providing an improved technique support a delay budget for low latency communication [0004].
Regarding claim 17, Park discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 15), however Park does not disclose, wherein the method further comprises: configuring the first resource based on at least one of survival time information, packet delay budget information, takeover delay information, or time division duplex information.
In the same field of endeavor, Prakash discloses, wherein the method further comprises: configuring the first resource based on at least one of survival time information, packet delay budget information, takeover delay information, or time division duplex information (At 340, the base station 105-b may identify one or more variable delay budgets. For example, the base station 105-b may identify an uplink variable delay budget for uplink communications of the first latency type via the communication link based on the delay budget configuration… At 350, the base station 105-b may schedule a communication between the UE 115-b and the base station 105-b based on the first variable delay budget and the second variable delay budget, [0122]-[0124]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park, by specifically providing wherein configuring the first resource based on at least one of survival time information, packet delay budget information, takeover delay information, or time division duplex information, as taught by Prakash by specifically providing an improved technique support a delay budget for low latency communication [0004].
Claims 5, 13, 14 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park and further in view of Liu et al. (US 20200112954, hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding claim 5, Park discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 1), however Park does not disclose, wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, sending, by the network device, a fourth message to the first UE, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, and the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data. In the same field of endeavor, Liu discloses, wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, sending, by the network device, a fourth message to the first UE, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, and the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data ( the first network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the second network device based on the second frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource. Optionally, the second network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the first network device based on the first frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource, [0120]-[0123]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park by specifically providing wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, sending, by the network device, a fourth message to the first UE, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, and the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data, as taught by Liu for the purpose of effectively transmit data based on different frequency points without increasing the hardware cost and power consumption of the terminal device [0072].
Regarding claim 13, Park discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 10), however Park does not disclose, wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, canceling, by the first UE, sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, wherein the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data.. In the same field of endeavor, Liu discloses, wherein the method further comprises: wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, canceling, by the first UE, sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, wherein the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data (the first network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the second network device based on the second frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource. Optionally, the second network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the first network device based on the first frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource, [0120]-[0123]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park by specifically providing wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, canceling, by the first UE, sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, wherein the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data, as taught by Liu for the purpose of effectively transmit data based on different frequency points without increasing the hardware cost and power consumption of the terminal device [0072].
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Park and Liu discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 13), in addition Liu discloses, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the first UE, a fourth message from the network device, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message (the first network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the second network device based on the second frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource. Optionally, the second network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the first network device based on the first frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource, [0120]-[0123]).
Regarding claim 19, Park discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 15), however Pank does not disclose, wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, sending, by the network device, a fourth message to the first UE, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, and the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data. In the same field of endeavor, Liu discloses, wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, sending, by the network device, a fourth message to the first UE, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, and the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data ( the first network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the second network device based on the second frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource. Optionally, the second network device may not schedule the data transmission of the terminal device in the overlapping area, but the terminal device performs data transmission with the first network device based on the first frequency point on the overlapping time domain resource, [0120]-[0123]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park by specifically providing wherein the method further comprises: when the first resource overlaps a second resource, sending, by the network device, a fourth message to the first UE, wherein the fourth message indicates the first UE to cancel sending the second message to the network device by using the first resource, and the second resource is used by the first UE to transmit data, as taught by Liu for the purpose of effectively transmit data based on different frequency points without increasing the hardware cost and power consumption of the terminal device [0072].
Claim 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu, in view of Park and further in view of Yu et al. (US 20180324642, hereinafter “Yu”).
Regarding claim 7, Park discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 1), however Park does not disclose, wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the network device, a fifth message to second UE, wherein the fifth message indicates the second UE to start data transmission with the network device; and performing, by the network device, data transmission with the second UE.
In the same field of endeavor, Yu discloses,: sending, by the network device, a fifth message to second UE, wherein the fifth message indicates the second UE to start data transmission with the network device; and performing, by the network device, data transmission with the second UE (capabilities for duplicating packets may be indicated as a bearer type in control signaling. In some examples, capabilities for duplicating packets may be indicated as a PDCP mode in control signaling. In some examples, capabilities for duplicating packets may be indicated by RRC, [0164]-[0166]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Park by specifically providing wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the network device, a fifth message to second UE, wherein the fifth message indicates the second UE to start data transmission with the network device; and performing, by the network device, data transmission with the second UE, as taught by Yu for the purpose of improve efficient use of communication resources [0110].
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Park and Yu discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 7), in addition Yu discloses, wherein the fifth message further indicates information about a start data packet of the data transmission (The RLC entities of base station 505 may then perform data packet transmission and/or reception in association with the established data connection corresponding to UE 510. In some cases, reestablishment of the RLC entities may include initiation of PDCP packet duplication activation, including duplicated packet transmission over each of the RLC entities associated with the reestablishment, [0176]-[01178]). Regarding claim 9, the combination of Park and Yu discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 8), in addition Yu discloses, wherein the information about the start data packet of the data transmission comprises at least one of a data radio bearer identifier, a logical channel identifier, or a sequence number (PDCP sequence number, [0231]).
Prior Art of the Record:
The prior art made of record not relied upon and considered pertinent to
Applicant’s disclosure:
EP 4557845: According to a first aspect, this application provides a communication method. The method is applicable to a terminal device or a chip in a terminal device. The following uses an example in which the terminal device performs the method for description. The terminal device has obtained a first timing advance TA for communicating with a first transmission reception point TRP.
US 11943064: Methods and devices for transmission of feedback information and methods and devices for data retransmission are provided. A method for transmission of feedback information includes the following. A second terminal device send first data to a first terminal device through device to device (D2D) communication.
US 20240057168: Implementations of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for determining a transmission reception point (TRP), to solve the problem that a network device is unable to determine a TRP with beam failure in a multi-transmission and reception point (M-TRP) scene.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 GOLAM SOROWAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3761. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Appiah can be reached at (571) 272-7904. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GOLAM SOROWAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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