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 filed 6-1-2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits: “Zhou fails to disclose "receiving first downlink control information (DCI) from a network device on an active downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP)", wherein "the first DCI indicates a first duration and for the terminal device to stop monitoring a PDCCH within the first duration", "running a timer, wherein the timer is used for BWP switching, and an expiration moment of the timer and a BWP switch delay are earlier than an end moment of the first duration", "stopping monitoring the PDCCH within the first duration and before the BWP switch delay ends", and "performing DL BWP switching to a switched-to DL BWP when the timer expires, and monitoring the PDCCH on the switched-to DL BWP after the BWP switch delay ends" as recited by independent claim 1, as amended.”; the examiner’s position is that Zhou clearly discloses in par. 0313-0314 configuration parameters for BWP in active state which indicate skipping within a time window which is going to use a timer to stop monitoring a PDCCH within the first duration and can be used for BWP switching as seen in par. 0273 and fig. 23; and performing DL BWP switching to a switched-to DL BWP when the timer expires, and monitoring the PDCCH on the switched-to DL BWP after the BWP switch delay ends thereby, performing the argued steps.
The rest of the arguments they fall for the same reasons as shown above. The rejection of record stands.
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) 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou 20230232410.
As to claim 1, Zhou discloses a method for stopping monitoring a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (see abstract), performed by a terminal device [UE] or a chip of the terminal device, comprising:
receiving first downlink control information (DCI) from a network device on an active downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP), wherein the first DCI indicates a first duration and for the terminal device to stop monitoring a PDCCH within the first duration (see par. 0314 [‘286 par. 0295]), and the PDCCH on which monitoring is stopped includes a type 3 PDCCH in a common search space set and a PDCCH in a terminal device-specific search space set (see par. 0299 [‘286 par. 0280]);
running a timer, wherein the timer is used BWP switching, and an expiration moment of the timer and a BWP switch delay are earlier than an end moment of the first duration; stopping monitoring the PDCCH within the first duration and before the BWP switch delay ends (see fig. 23, 29; par. 0273, 0314 [‘286 par. 0295]); and performing DL BWP switching to a switched-to DL BWP when the timer expires, and monitoring the PDCCH on the switched-to DL BWP after the BWP switch delay ends (see fig. 29-30; par. 0314-0316 [‘286 par. 0295-0297]).
As to claim 2, Zhou discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the running a timer includes:
starting or restarting the timer when the terminal device receives indication information from the network device on an active DL BWP, wherein the indication information is used to [intended use] schedule the terminal device to transmit a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), or the indication information is used to [intended use] indicate the terminal device to perform DL BWP switching, and the indication information is carried in the first DCI or DCI other than the first DCI [repetition] (see fig. 29; par. 0133, 0315).
As to claim 3, Zhou discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the first DCI that is usable to indicate the terminal device to stop monitoring a PDCCH within a first duration includes receiving the first DCI that is used to [intended use] indicate the terminal device to stop monitoring a PDCCH within a first duration having a length configured through radio resource control (RRC) (see par. 0313) or indicated by the first DCI (see par. 0314-0316).
As to claim 4, Zhou discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving the first DCI that is usable to indicate the terminal device to stop monitoring a PDCCH within the first duration includes receiving the first DCI that is used to [intended use] indicate the terminal device to stop monitoring a PDCCH within a first duration having a start at a beginning of next slot for the first DCI (see par. 0314-0316).
As to claim 5, Zhou discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: performing PDCCH monitoring on the switched-to BWP based on a configured search space set when no search space set group SSSG is configured on the switched-to BWP (see par. 0282, 0298-0299, 0309, 0314).
As to claim 6, Zhou discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: performing PDCCH monitoring on the switched-to BWP based on a search space set within a search space set group SSSG with an index 0 when at least one SSSG including the SSSG with the index 0 is configured on the switched-to BWP (e.g., search space sets with group index 0) (see par. 0282, 0298-0299, 0308-0309, 0314).
Regarding claims 7-15, they are the corresponding terminal device and base station claims of method claims 1-6. Therefore, claims 7-12 are rejected for the same reasons as shown above. The processor and memory can be seen in Zhou fig. 15.
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 MARCOS L TORRES whose telephone number is (571)272-7926. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM M-F.
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MARCOS L. TORRES
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/MARCOS L TORRES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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