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 Amendment
Applicant’s amendment, filed 1 June 2026, has been entered and carefully considered.
Claims 4, 5, 16 and 17 are canceled.
Claims 1-3, 6, 7, 9-15 and 18-20 are amended.
Claims 1-3, 6-15 and 18-20 are currently pending.
The outstanding objection to the drawings is withdrawn in light of Applicant’s submission.
The outstanding objection to Claim 9 is withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to said claim.
The outstanding rejection of Claims 3-7, 9-12 and 15-19 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to said claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1 June 2026 regarding the rejection of Claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant states: “However, Ye529 does not disclose the specific content contained in such RRC signaling, nor disclose how the RRC signaling indicates the enabling or disabling of one or more HARQ processes. Ye529 does not disclose "wherein the indication information in RRC signaling includes a bitmap, a bit in the bitmap corresponding to a HARQ process and the bit set to one identifying the HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback and the bit set to zero identifying the HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback" as recited by claim 1.” Applicant further references paragraph 0096 of Ye529, as cited to reject the subject matter previously found in Claim 4. However, as cited in the previous Office action to reject the subject matter previously found in Claim 5 (directed to the subject matter argued by Applicant), paragraph 0087 of Ye529 clearly discloses: “The configuration information can be indicated via a bitmap having a one-to-one mapping with configured HARQ processes, such as a length-N bitmap, where for example a bit of 0 value indicates that HARQ-ACK information is enabled and a bit value of 1 indicates that HARQ-ACK information is disabled (or vice versa).” This configuration information is cell-specific (as disclosed in paragraph 0087) and included in the RRC signaling disclosed in paragraph 0096. Therefore, Ye529 discloses the indication information in RRC signaling comprising the bitmap with the claimed value settings. Applicants statement with regards to Claims 14 and 20, as well as the dependent claim, are not persuasive for the same reasons as presented above for Claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 6, 7, 10-12, 14, 15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ye et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2022/0109529), hereinafter Ye529.
Regarding Claim 1, Ye529 discloses an information feedback apparatus, applicable to a terminal equipment (Figure 3 – UE 116), comprising:
a receiver (Figure 3 – RF transceiver 310 and Rx processing circuitry 325) configured to:
receive at least one downlink control information (DCI) used for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the at least one DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs (Figure 8 at step 804 and paragraph 0097 – the UE receives a DCI format scheduling a PDSCH reception; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7); and
receive indication information used for indicating HARQ feedback enabling and/or disabling in RRC signaling (Figure 8 at step 802 and paragraph 0096 - UE receives the configuration information for enabling or disabling HARQ-ACK information for one or more HARQ processes from the gNB via RRC signaling),
wherein the indication information in RRC signaling includes a bitmap, a bit in the bitmap corresponding to a HARQ process and the bit set to one identifying the HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback and the bit set to zero identifying HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0087 - the configuration information can be indicated via a bitmap having a one-to-one mapping with configured HARQ processes, such as a length-N bitmap, where for example a bit of 0 value indicates that HARQ-ACK information is enabled and a bit value of 1 indicates that HARQ-ACK information is disabled); and
a transmitter (Figure 3 – RF transceiver 310 and Tx processing circuitry 315) configured to transmit HARQ-ACK information for at least one PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback in the one or more PDSCHs (Figure 8 at step 808 and paragraph 0097 – the UE transmits a PUCCH with a HARQ-ACK codebook with information for possible PDSCH receptions; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7).
Regarding Claim 14, Ye529 discloses an information reception apparatus, applicable to a network device (Figure 2 – gNB 102), comprising:
a transmitter (Figure 2 – RF transceiver 210a-210n and TX processing circuitry 215) configured to transmit at least one downlink control information (DCI) used for scheduling physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the at least one DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs (Figure 8 at step 804 and paragraph 0097 – the UE receives a DCI format from the gNB scheduling a PDSCH reception; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7); and
transmit an indication information used for indicating HARQ feedback enabling and/or disabling in RRC signaling (Figure 8 at step 802 and paragraph 0096 - UE receives the configuration information for enabling or disabling HARQ-ACK information for one or more HARQ processes from the gNB via RRC signaling),
wherein the indication information in RRC signaling includes a bitmap, a bit in the bitmap corresponding to a HARQ process and the bit set to one identifying the HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback and the bit set to zero identifying HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0087 - the configuration information can be indicated via a bitmap having a one-to-one mapping with configured HARQ processes, such as a length-N bitmap, where for example a bit of 0 value indicates that HARQ-ACK information is enabled and a bit value of 1 indicates that HARQ-ACK information is disabled); and
a receiver (Figure 2 – RF transceiver 210a-210n and Rx processing circuitry 220) configured to receive HARQ-ACK information for at least one PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback in the one or more PDSCHs (Figure 8 at step 808 and paragraph 0097 – the UE transmits a PUCCH to the gNB with a HARQ-ACK codebook with information for possible PDSCH receptions; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7).
Regarding Claim 20, Ye529 discloses a communication system comprising:
a network device (Figure 2 – gNB 102) configured to transmit at least one downlink control information (DCI) used for scheduling physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmitted by the network device, the at least one DCI scheduling one or more PDSCHs (Figure 8 at step 804 and paragraph 0097 – the UE receives a DCI format from the gNB scheduling a PDSCH reception; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7);
a terminal equipment (Figure 3 – UE 116) configured to:
receive the at least one DCI (Figure 8 at step 804 and paragraph 0097 – the UE receives a DCI format from the gNB scheduling a PDSCH reception; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7), and
receive indication information used for indicating HARQ feedback enabling and/or disabling in RRC signaling (Figure 8 at step 802 and paragraph 0096 - UE receives the configuration information for enabling or disabling HARQ-ACK information for one or more HARQ processes from the gNB via RRC signaling),
wherein the indication information in RRC signaling includes a bitmap, a bit in the bitmap corresponding to a HARQ process and the bit set to one identifying the HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback and the bit set to zero identifying HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0087 - the configuration information can be indicated via a bitmap having a one-to-one mapping with configured HARQ processes, such as a length-N bitmap, where for example a bit of 0 value indicates that HARQ-ACK information is enabled and a bit value of 1 indicates that HARQ-ACK information is disabled); and
transmit HARQ-ACK information for at least one PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback in the one or more PDSCHs to the network device (Figure 8 at step 808 and paragraph 0097 – the UE transmits a PUCCH with a HARQ-ACK codebook with information for possible PDSCH receptions; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7).
Regarding Claim 2, Ye529 discloses a DCI in the at least one DCI schedules one PDSCH or a plurality of PDSCHs (Figure 8 at step 804 and paragraph 0097 – the UE receives a DCI format from the gNB scheduling a PDSCH reception; similar operations are shown in Figures 6 and 7).
Regarding Claims 3 and 15, Ye529 discloses wherein the HARQ-ACK information for the at least one PDSCH is related to a decoding outcome for transport one or more blocks of the at least one PDSCH (paragraph 0120 – the HARQ-ACK information is for decoding outcomes for TBs on the scheduled PDSCH; paragraph 0097 - the contents of the HARQ-ACK codebook depend on whether HARQ-ACK information is enabled or disabled for HARQ processes of corresponding TBs).
Regarding Claims 6 and 19, Ye529 discloses wherein HARQ processes corresponding to the bitmap include all configured HARQ processes of a cell (paragraph 0087 – the configuration (for the HARQ-ACK information) is cell-specific).
Regarding Claim 7, Ye529 discloses processor circuitry (Figure 3 – processor 340) configured to determine HARQ feedback enabling and/or disabling for a PDSCH scheduled by a DCI in the at least one DCI according to the indication information in RRC signaling (paragraphs 0096-0097 – the UE receives configuration information for enabling/disabling HARQ-ACK information in RRC signaling and PDSCH scheduling in DCI).
Regarding Claim 10, Ye discloses wherein the HARQ-ACK information for the at least one PDSCH are multiplexed in a Type-2 HARQ-ACK codebook determined according to counter DAI and/or total DAI in a fourth DCI (paragraph 0116 - When HARQ information for a HARQ process is disabled, a DCI format scheduling the PDSCH reception with the TB corresponding to the HARQ process has several fields associated with HARQ-ACK information reporting that become invalid or have an omitted functionality and can be omitted from the DCI format, such as the counter DAI (for Type-2 codebook) field, the total DAI field when it is configured in the DCI format for HARQ-ACK information reporting).
Regarding Claim 11, Ye529 discloses the fourth DCI which carries the counter DAI and/or the total DAI schedules a PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with enabled HARQ feedback and/or a PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0116 – the DCI format, such as the counter DAI, is used for scheduling PDSCH reception), or schedules a PUSCH (note: this is claimed in the alternative), or does not schedule PDSCH or PUSCH (note: this is claimed in the alternative).
Regarding Claim 12, Ye529 discloses the counter DAI and/or the total DAI do/does not count a DCI in the at least one DCI and scheduling one or more PDSCHs each corresponding to a HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0116 - When HARQ information for a HARQ process is disabled, a DCI format scheduling the PDSCH reception with the TB corresponding to the HARQ process has several fields associated with HARQ-ACK information reporting that become invalid or have an omitted functionality and can be omitted from the DCI format, such as the counter DAI (for Type-2 codebook) field, the total DAI field when it is configured in the DCI format for HARQ-ACK information reporting), or do/does not count one or more PDSCHs each corresponding to a HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0116 - When HARQ information for a HARQ process is disabled, a DCI format scheduling the PDSCH reception with the TB corresponding to the HARQ process has several fields associated with HARQ-ACK information reporting that become invalid or have an omitted functionality and can be omitted from the DCI format, such as the counter DAI (for Type-2 codebook) field, the total DAI field when it is configured in the DCI format for HARQ-ACK information reporting).
Regarding Claim 18, Ye529 discloses HARQ feedback enabling and/or disabling for a PDSCH scheduled by a DCI in the at least one DCI being determined by the indication information in RRC signaling (paragraphs 0096-0097 –configuration information for enabling/disabling HARQ-ACK information is sent in RRC signaling and PDSCH scheduling is sent in DCI).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye529 in view of Karaki et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0269033), hereinafter Karaki.
Regarding Claim 8, Ye529 discloses the limitations of Claim 1, as described above. Ye529 further discloses the HARQ-ACK information for the at least one PDSCH are multiplexed in a Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook (Figures 9A and 9B show a Type-one codebook) and the transmitter reports a NACK value for a HARQ-ACK information bit corresponding to a transport block of a PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback (paragraph 0104 – transmitting a NACK value for HARQ process with disabled HARQ-ACK information). However, Ye529 does not disclose transmitting the NACK value in the Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook. In an analogous art, Karaki discloses this. Specifically, Karaki discloses disabled HARQ processes in the Type-1 HARQ codebook to be set to NACKs (paragraph 0068). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Ye529 and Karaki. One would have been motivated to do so in order to enable/disable HARQ signaling semi-statically in a configurable fashion per UE and HARQ process (refer to paragraph 0032 and 0033 of Karaki).
Regarding Claim 9, Ye529 discloses the PDSCH corresponding to a HARQ process with disabled HARQ feedback includes a PDSCH scheduled by a DCI in the at least one DCi or a Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) PDSCH (paragraphs 0096-0097 –configuration information for enabling/disabling HARQ-ACK information is sent in RRC signaling and PDSCH scheduling is sent in DCI).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye529 in view of Kumagai et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2024/0032013), hereinafter Kumagai. Ye529 discloses the limitations of Claim 1, as described above. However, Ye 529 does not disclose the transmitter does not provide an HARQ-ACK codebook when only one or more PDSCHs associated with HARQ processes with disabled HARQ feedback is/are scheduled. In an analogous art, Kumagai discloses this. Specifically, Kumagai discloses a HARQ process ID corresponding to the SPS configuration in which HARQ-ACK feedback is configured to be disabled may be skipped when the HARQ-ACK codebook type 3 is generated (paragraph 0084). The Office submits that it would have been obvious, in light of Kumagai’s disclosure, that no codebook would be produced if all processes are configured to disable HARQ-ACK feedback. Further, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Ye529 and Kumagai. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce codebook payload size and, by extension, overhead traffic on wireless networks (refer to paragraph 0084 of Kumagai).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Lei et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 20220385411) discloses configuring a HARQ-ACK codebook bitmap via RRC signaling (paragraph 0098).
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 ANDREW W. CHRISS whose telephone number is (571)272-1774. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm ET.
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/ANDREW W CHRISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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