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.
Claim(s) 21, 29 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lin (US Publication 2023/0354342 A1).
In regards to claims 21 and 38 Lin (US Publication 2023/0354342 A1) teaches, method, comprising: obtaining a first formula, and the first formula is used to determine a physical resource block (PRB) index (see paragraphs 55 and 60; both recite formula(s) for determining PRB index); receiving second information (see paragraph 40; the configuration of the PUCCH resource comprises a starting RB and/or a number of RBs used as an RB length. In some embodiments, the configuration of the PUCCH resource comprises at least one of the followings: a PUCCH starting PRB index, a number of PRBs for PUCCH (L), or a PUCCH format. In some embodiments, the PUCCH starting PRB index, the number of PRBs for PUCCH, and the PUCCH format are pre-defined in a configuration table. In some embodiments, the UE is configured to receive the configuration of the PUCCH resource in system information); determining, based on the second information, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource index (see paragraph 41; the configuration table comprises 16 rows configuring a PUCCH resource set, and the PUCCH resource set comprises sixteen PUCCH resources corresponding to PUCCH resource indexes from 0 to 15); and determining a PRB index of a PUCCH resource based on the first formula and the PUCCH resource index, wherein the PUCCH resource is used by a first terminal device to transmit uplink control information (see figure 7 and paragraph 55; One example is that the starting PRB index for PUCCH resource in frequency domain is determined by PRB offset+L*[r.sub.PUCCH/N.sub.CS], where r.sub.PUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, N.sub.CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes, L is the number of PRBs for the PUCCH, e.g. when PRB offset=0, L=4, r.sub.PUCCH=0, N.sub.CS=2 (according to the table row index=0), the PUCCH resource in frequency domain is illustrated in FIG. 7; also see figure 9 and paragraph 57; see paragraph 60; In some embodiments, for non-consecutive PRBs in the frequency domain, the PUCCH starting PRB index for PUCCH resource in the frequency domain is determined by PRB offset+L+(L−1)*M*[r.sub.PUCCH/N.sub.CS], where rPUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, N.sub.CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes, L is the number of PRBs for PUCCH, and M is the PRB interval. In some embodiments, a PUCCH resource determination follows a frequency hopping allocating the PUCCH resource backwards from an ending PRB of a bandwidth part (BWP). In some embodiments, for consecutive PRBs in the frequency domain, a last PRB index of the PUCCH resource is determined by N−1−PRB offset−L+(L−1)*M* [r.sub.PUCCH/N.sub.CS], where N−1 is the last PRB index of the BWP, r.sub.PUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, N.sub.CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes, L is the number of PRBs for PUCCH, and M is the PRB interval. In some embodiments, a first PUCCH index and a second PUCCH index respectively correspond to a first PUCCH resource and a second PUCCH resource).
In regards to claim 29, Lin teaches, transmitting the uplink control information (see paragraph 39; a configuration of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource, wherein the PUCCH resource in frequency domain comprises one or more physical resource blocks (PRBs) and corresponds to a PUCCH format 0, a PUCCH format 1, or a PUCCH format 4) on a resource associated with the PRB index; see paragraph 40; the configuration of the PUCCH resource comprises at least one of the followings: a PUCCH starting PRB index, a number of PRBs for PUCCH (L), or a PUCCH format. In some embodiments, the PUCCH starting PRB index).
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.
Claim(s) 31-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by The Interdigital document (3GPP document titled: R1-2107809; Reduced maximum bandwidth for RedCap UEs; provided by the applicant in the IDS; a copy is also included by the examiner as an attachment to this office action since the applicant’s copy has smaller fonts).
In regards to claim 31, the InterDigital document teaches comprises a method comprising: sending third information comprising first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates a first formula, and the first formula is used to determine a physical resource block (PRB) index (see section 2.1.2; see the configuration that indicates how the common PUCCH resource set is used in the initial BWP; the first formula for the PRB index determination is shown); and sending second information, wherein the second information is used to determine a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource index (see section 2.1.2; If the UE provides HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission in response to detecting a DCI format scheduling a PDSCH reception or a SPS PDSCH release, the UE determines a PUCCH resource with index 𝑟𝑟PUCCH, 0≤𝑟𝑟PUCCH≤15, as 𝑟𝑟PUCCH=2⋅𝑛𝑛CCE,0𝑁𝑁CCE+2⋅ΔPRI, where 𝑁𝑁CCE is a number of CCEs in a CORESET of a PDCCH reception with the DCI format, as described in Clause 10.1, 𝑛𝑛CCE,0 is the index of a irst CCE for the PDCCH reception, and ΔPRI is a value of the PUCCH resource indicator ield in the DCI format), the first formula and the PUCCH resource index are used to determine a PRB index of a PUCCH resource, and the PUCCH resource is used by a first terminal device to transmit uplink control information (see section 2.1.2; If ⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH8⁄⌋=0 and a UE is provided a PUCCH resource by pucch-ResourceCommon and is not provided useInterlacePUCCH-PUSCH in BWP-UplinkCommon- the UE determines the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the first hop as 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset+⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋ and the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the second hop as 𝑁𝑁BWPsize−1−𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset−⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋, where 𝑁𝑁CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes- the UE determines the initial cyclic shift index in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes as 𝑟𝑟PUCCHmod𝑁𝑁CS. If ⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH8⁄⌋=1 and a UE is provided a PUCCH resource by pucch-ResourceCommon and is not provided useInterlacePUCCH-PUSCH in BWP-UplinkCommon- the UE determines the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the first hop as 𝑁𝑁BWPsize−1−𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset−⌊(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋ and the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the second hop as 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset+⌊(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋- the UE determines the initial cyclic shift index in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes as(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)modNcs).
In regards to claim 32, the InterDigital document teaches, wherein the third information further comprises PUCCH resource set configuration information, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information is used to determine the PRB index of the PUCCH resource (see section 2.1.2; see the configuration that indicates how the common PUCCH resource set is used in the initial BWP; the first formula for the PRB index determination is shown).
In regards to claim 33, the InterDigital document teaches, wherein the first formula is X=Na'w'-1-X=BWP - or wherein X is the PRB index of the PUCCH resource, is a quantity of PRBs comprised in RBoffset a bandwidth of a first initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP), BWP is a first PRB offset of the PUCCH resource, PUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, is a quantity of elements in a set PUCCHNN of initial cyclic shift indexes, indicates rounding down a result of Nc, the first initial uplink BWP comprises the PUCCH resource, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information indicates the first PRB offset and the set of initial cyclic shift indexes (see section 2.1.2; the UE determines the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the first hop as 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset+⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋ and the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the second hop as 𝑁𝑁BWPsize−1−𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset−⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋, where 𝑁𝑁CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes- the UE determines the initial cyclic shift index in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes as 𝑟𝑟PUCCHmod𝑁𝑁CS;
the UE determines the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the first hop as 𝑁𝑁BWPsize−1−𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset−⌊(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋ and the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the second hop as 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset+⌊(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋
the UE determines the initial cyclic shift index in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes as (𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)mod Ns)).
In regards to claim 34, the InterDigital document teaches, wherein the first indication information is a X = NB'w,-1I- RB3o_s- first value, and the first formula is or the first indication X=information is a second value, and the first formula (see section 2.1.2; Both the formulas are shown).
In regards to claim 35, the InterDigital document teaches, further comprising: when a PUCCH resource set of the first terminal device is located at an upper edge of a first initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP), determining that the first formula is X=NB'z'-1-UCCH BWP NNcsor when a PUCCH resource set of the first terminal device is located at a lower edge of a X=first initial uplink BWP, determining that the first formula is whereinX is the PRB index of the PUCCH resource,is a quantity of PRBs comprised in RB"fset a bandwidth of the first initial uplink BWP, BWP is a first PRB offset of the PUCCH resource, rPUCNPUvCCH is the PUCCH resource index, cs is a quantity of elements in a set of initial cyclic shitndeesshiftindexes, indicates rounding down a result of the first initial uplink BWP comprises the PUCCH resource, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information indicates the first PRB offset and the set of initial cyclic shift indexes (see section 2.1.2; If the UE provides HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission in response to detecting a DCI format scheduling a PDSCH reception or a SPS PDSCH release, the UE determines a PUCCH resource with index 𝑟𝑟PUCCH, 0≤𝑟𝑟PUCCH≤15, as 𝑟𝑟PUCCH=2⋅𝑛𝑛CCE,0𝑁𝑁CCE+2⋅ΔPRI, where 𝑁𝑁CCE is a number of CCEs in a CORESET of a PDCCH reception with the DCI format, as described in Clause 10.1, 𝑛𝑛CCE,0 is the index of a irst CCE for the PDCCH reception, and ΔPRI is a value of the PUCCH resource indicator ield in the DCI format.
If ⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH8⁄⌋=0 and a UE is provided a PUCCH resource by pucch-ResourceCommon and is not provided useInterlacePUCCH-PUSCH in BWP-UplinkCommon
the UE determines the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the first hop as 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset+⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋ and the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the second hop as 𝑁𝑁BWPsize−1−𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset−⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋, where 𝑁𝑁CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes
the UE determines the initial cyclic shift index in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes as 𝑟𝑟PUCCHmod𝑁𝑁CS
If ⌊𝑟𝑟PUCCH8⁄⌋=1 and a UE is provided a PUCCH resource by pucch-ResourceCommon and is not provided useInterlacePUCCH-PUSCH in BWP-UplinkCommon
the UE determines the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the first hop as 𝑁𝑁BWPsize−1−𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset−⌊(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋ and the PRB index of the PUCCH transmission in the second hop as 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅BWPoffset+⌊(𝑟𝑟PUCCH−8)𝑁𝑁CS⁄⌋
the UE determines the initial cyclic shift index in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes as()modNs).
In regards to claims 36-37, the InterDigital document teaches, wherein the third information is a system information block 1 (SIB1), downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling SIB1, or a master information block (MIB) (see section 2.1.2 Ul BWP; If the UE provides HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission in response to detecting a DCI format scheduling a PDSCH reception or a SPS PDSCH release, the UE determines a PUCCH resource with index 𝑟𝑟PUCCH, 0≤𝑟𝑟PUCCH≤15, as 𝑟𝑟PUCCH=2⋅𝑛𝑛CCE,0𝑁𝑁CCE+2⋅ΔPRI, where 𝑁𝑁CCE is a number of CCEs in a CORESET of a PDCCH reception with the DCI format, as described in Clause 10.1, 𝑛𝑛CCE,0 is the index of a irst CCE for the PDCCH reception, and ΔPRI is a value of the PUCCH resource indicator ield in the DCI format), wherein the third information further indicates that no frequency hopping is performed on the PUCCH resource (see section 2.1.2 UL BWP; As an additional option, the gNB may choose to disable PUCCH frequency hopping for RedCap UE(s)).
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(s) 22-28, 30 and 39-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US Publication 2023/0354342 A1) in view of the InterDigital document (3GPP document titled: R1-2107809; Reduced maximum bandwidth for RedCap UEs; provided by the applicant in the IDS; a copy is also included by the examiner as an attachment to this office action since the applicant’s copy has smaller fonts).
In regards to claims 22-23 and 39-40 Lin teaches all the limitations of the parent claim as stated above.
However, Lin fails to show the third information receiving third information, wherein the third information comprises first indication information, and the first indication information indicates the first formula and wherein the third information further comprises PUCCH resource set configuration information, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information is used to determine the PRB index of the PUCCH resource.
The Interdigital document (3GPP document titled: R1-2107809; Reduced maximum bandwidth for RedCap UEs; provided by the applicant in the IDS; a copy is also included by the examiner as an attachment to this office action since the applicant’s copy has smaller fonts) teaches, the third information receiving third information, wherein the third information comprises first indication information, and the first indication information indicates the first formula and wherein the third information further comprises PUCCH resource set configuration information, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information is used to determine the PRB index of the PUCCH resource (see section 2.1.2; see the configuration that indicates how the common PUCCH resource set is used in the initial BWP; the first formula for the PRB index determination is shown).
The interdigial document and Lin are both deal with PRB and PUCCH resource sets.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to incorporate the configuration information as taught by the interdigital document into the teachings of Lin. The motivation to do so would be to improve transmission quality by implementing a reduction in the maximum bandwidth in the uplink.
In regards to claim 24, Lin teaches, wherein the first formula is X=Ns'-1-rPUCCHX-rPUCCHBPNNNcsorCswherein X is the PRB index of the PUCCH resource, NyBWP is a quantity of PRBs comprised in a bandwidth of a first initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP),is a first PRB offset of the rN PUCCH resource, rPUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, Cs is a quantity of elements in a set of initial cyclic shift indexes, indicates rounding down a result of the first initial uplink BWP comprises the PUCCH resource, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information indicates the first PRB offset and the set of initial cyclic shift indexes (see figure 7 and paragraph 55; One example is that the starting PRB index for PUCCH resource in frequency domain is determined by PRB offset+L*[r.sub.PUCCH/N.sub.CS], where r.sub.PUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, N.sub.CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes, L is the number of PRBs for the PUCCH, e.g. when PRB offset=0, L=4, r.sub.PUCCH=0, N.sub.CS=2 (according to the table row index=0), the PUCCH resource in frequency domain is illustrated in FIG. 7; also see figure 9 and paragraph 57; see paragraph 60; In some embodiments, for non-consecutive PRBs in the frequency domain, the PUCCH starting PRB index for PUCCH resource in the frequency domain is determined by PRB offset+L+(L−1)*M*[r.sub.PUCCH/N.sub.CS], where rPUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, N.sub.CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes, L is the number of PRBs for PUCCH, and M is the PRB interval. In some embodiments, a PUCCH resource determination follows a frequency hopping allocating the PUCCH resource backwards from an ending PRB of a bandwidth part (BWP). In some embodiments, for consecutive PRBs in the frequency domain, a last PRB index of the PUCCH resource is determined by N−1−PRB offset−L+(L−1)*M* [r.sub.PUCCH/N.sub.CS], where N−1 is the last PRB index of the BWP, r.sub.PUCCH is the PUCCH resource index, N.sub.CS is the total number of initial cyclic shift indexes in the set of initial cyclic shift indexes, L is the number of PRBs for PUCCH, and M is the PRB interval. In some embodiments, a first PUCCH index and a second PUCCH index respectively correspond to a first PUCCH resource and a second PUCCH resource).
In regards to claim 25, Lin teaches the wherein the first indication information is a X=N'''-1-first value, and the first formula is or the first indication X=information is a second value, and the first formula is (see paragraphs 55 and 57; both the formulas of claim 24 are shown in the paragraphs respectively; and also shown in the InterDigital document section 2.1.2 UL BWP).
In regards to claim 26, Lin teaches, further comprising: when a PUCCH resource set of the first terminal device is located at an upper edge of a first initial uplink bandwidth part (BWP), determining that the first formula is X=NB''-1-YUCCH_Ncsor when a PUCCH resource set of the first terminal device is located at a lower edge of a X=first initial uplink BWP, determining that the first formula is wherein X is the PRB index of the PUCCH resource,is a quantity of PRBs comprised in a bandwidth of the first initial uplink BWP,is a first PRB offset of the PUCCH resource, PUCCHisthe PUCCH resource index,is a quantity of elements in a set of initial rPUCCH cyclic shift indexes, indicates rounding down a result of the first initial uplink BWP comprises the PUCCH resource, and the PUCCH resource set configuration information indicates the first PRB offset and the set of initial cyclic shift indexes (see paragraphs 55 and 57; the formulas and the conditions are all shown in the paragraphs; also see section 2.1.2 UL BWP).
In regards to claim 27, 28 and 30, Lin in combination with the InterDigital document, teaches all the limitations of the parent claims as stated above.
However, Lin fails to teach, wherein the third information is a system information block 1 (SIB1), downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling SIB1, or a master information block (MIB), wherein the third information further indicates that no frequency hopping is performed on the PUCCH resource and wherein the first terminal device is a reduced capability terminal device.
The interdigital document however teaches, wherein the third information is a system information block 1 (SIB1), downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling SIB1, or a master information block (MIB) (see section 2.1.2 Ul BWP; If the UE provides HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission in response to detecting a DCI format scheduling a PDSCH reception or a SPS PDSCH release, the UE determines a PUCCH resource with index 𝑟𝑟PUCCH, 0≤𝑟𝑟PUCCH≤15, as 𝑟𝑟PUCCH=2⋅𝑛𝑛CCE,0𝑁𝑁CCE+2⋅ΔPRI, where 𝑁𝑁CCE is a number of CCEs in a CORESET of a PDCCH reception with the DCI format, as described in Clause 10.1, 𝑛𝑛CCE,0 is the index of a irst CCE for the PDCCH reception, and ΔPRI is a value of the PUCCH resource indicator ield in the DCI format), wherein the third information further indicates that no frequency hopping is performed on the PUCCH resource and wherein the first terminal device is a reduced capability terminal device (see section 2.1.2 UL BWP; As an additional option, the gNB may choose to disable PUCCH frequency hopping for RedCap UE(s)).
The interdigial document and Lin are both deal with PRB and PUCCH resource sets.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present application to incorporate the configuration information as taught by the interdigital document into the teachings of Lin. The motivation to do so would be to improve transmission quality by implementing a reduction in the maximum bandwidth in the uplink.
Relevant Prior Art
Prior art Park et al. (US Publication 2020/0383105 A1) teaches in figures 7, 8 and 9, methods for repeatedly transmitting PUCCH.
Prior art Myung et al. (US Publication 2019/0261356 A1) teaches in figure 17, a process of PUCH transmission where PUCCH resource set selection is carried out.
Conclusion
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/JAY P PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466