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 .
Status of the Claims
Based on the current set of claims (Claims, 13 May 2026), Claims 1-20 are pending.
Based on the current set of claims (Claims, 13 May 2026), Claims 1, 9, and 14 are amended and said amendments are supported by the originally-filed Specification.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments regarding the objection of Claims 5, 6, and 18 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of Claims 5, 6, and 18 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the rejection of claims 1, 9, and 14 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Xiao et al. (WO 2024/124951 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Xiao”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1, 9, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20210314984 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Yang”) in view of Xiao et al. (WO 2024/124951 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Xiao”).
Regarding Claim 1, Claim 1 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 14.
Regarding Claim 9, Yang discloses a method of wireless communication by a network device, comprising:
transmitting a single downlink control information (DCI) message (¶247-248 & Fig. 15 (S1520) & ¶249, Yang discloses transmitting, by a base station (BS) to a user equipment (UE), downlink control information (DCI). ¶127, Yang further discloses that the DCI may be a single DCI) scheduling a plurality of uplink transport blocks across a plurality of time slots (¶181, Yang discloses the BS scheduling a plurality of transport blocks (TB) over a plurality of slots), the single DCI message configuring partial demodulation reference signal (DMRS) symbols across the plurality of time slots (¶247-248 & Fig. 15 (S1520) & ¶249, Yang discloses that the DCI indicates a second DMRS configuration for a second group of slots where the second DMRS configuration is different than a previously-configured first DMRS configuration. ¶15, Yang discloses each DMRS configuration includes information about the number of DMRS symbols).
However, Yang does not disclose such that at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots contains less than a quantity of previously configured DMRS symbols.
Xiao, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches such that at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots contains no configured DMRS symbols (¶91 & ¶95 & ¶139 & Fig. 12 (1202), Xiao discloses a received configuration scheduling an uplink transmission of transport blocks over multiple slots where the density of DMRS can be reduced to any value, including zero, by bundling the DMRS over all the slots of the multiple slots when the Doppler shift is small and the change of channel condition is slow).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang by requiring that at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots contains no configured DMRS symbols as taught by Xiao because coverage and reliability of uplink transmissions is improved by supporting transport block over multiple slots (TBoMS) and DM-RS bundling (Xiao, ¶95 & ¶115).
Regarding Claim 14, Yang discloses an apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one memory (¶306-307 & Fig. 20, Yang discloses a user equipment (UE), or wireless device, comprising a memory 130); and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory (¶306-307 & Fig. 20, Yang discloses the UE further comprising a control unit 120 coupled to memory 130 where the memory stores instructions for execution by the processor/control unit), the at least one processor configured:
to receive a single downlink control information (DCI) message (¶247-248 & Fig. 15 (S1520) & ¶249, Yang discloses receiving, by a user equipment (UE), downlink control information (DCI). ¶127, Yang further discloses that the DCI may be a single DCI) scheduling a plurality of uplink transport blocks across a plurality of time slots (¶181, Yang discloses the BS scheduling a plurality of transport blocks (TB) over a plurality of slots); and
to process the single DCI message to configure partial demodulation reference signal (DMRS) symbols across the plurality of time slots (¶247-248 & Fig. 15 (S1520) & ¶249, Yang discloses that the DCI indicates a second DMRS configuration for a second group of slots where the second DMRS configuration is different than a previously-configured first DMRS configuration. ¶15, Yang discloses each DMRS configuration includes information about the number of DMRS symbols).
However, Yang does not disclose such that at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots contains less than a quantity of previously configured DMRS symbols.
Xiao, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches such that at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots contains no configured DMRS symbols (¶91 & ¶95 & ¶139 & Fig. 12 (1202), Xiao discloses a received configuration scheduling an uplink transmission of transport blocks over multiple slots where the density of DMRS can be reduced to any value, including zero, by bundling the DMRS over all the slots of the multiple slots when the Doppler shift is small and the change of channel condition is slow).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang by requiring that at least one time slot of the plurality of time slots contains no configured DMRS symbols as taught by Xiao because coverage and reliability of uplink transmissions is improved by supporting transport block over multiple slots (TBoMS) and DM-RS bundling (Xiao, ¶95 & ¶115).
Claims 2, 10, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Xiao in further view of Sridharan et al. (US 20220385395 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Sridharan”).
Regarding Claim 2, Claim 2 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 15.
Regarding Claim 10, Yang in view of Xiao discloses the method of claim 9.
However, Yang in view of Xiao does not disclose [the method] further comprising receiving a user equipment (UE) capability message indicating support of the single DCI message scheduling the plurality of uplink transport blocks with partial DMRS symbols.
Sridharan, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches [the method] further comprising receiving a user equipment (UE) capability message (¶189 & Fig. 14 (1405), Sridharan discloses receiving capability signaling) indicating support of the single DCI message scheduling the plurality of uplink transport blocks with partial DMRS symbols (¶189 & Fig. 14 (1405), Sridharan discloses that the capability signaling indicates whether the UE is capable of RV bundling across consecutive slots and is capable of RV bundling across non-consecutive slots).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang in view of Xiao by requiring that [the method] further comprising receiving a user equipment (UE) capability message indicating support of the single DCI message scheduling the plurality of uplink transport blocks with partial DMRS symbols as taught by Sridharan because the performance and quality of the transmission is improved by using an interleaver process to vary the bits of a wireless transmission (Sridharan, ¶5).
Regarding Claim 15, Yang in view of Xiao discloses the apparatus of claim 14.
However, Yang in view of Xiao does not disclose in which the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a UE capability message indicating support of the single DCI message scheduling the plurality of uplink transport blocks with partial DMRS symbols.
Sridharan, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches in which the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a UE capability message (¶189 & Fig. 14 (1405), Sridharan discloses transmitting capability signaling) indicating support of the single DCI message scheduling the plurality of uplink transport blocks with partial DMRS symbols (¶189 & Fig. 14 (1405), Sridharan discloses that the capability signaling indicates whether the UE is capable of RV bundling across consecutive slots and is capable of RV bundling across non-consecutive slots).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang in view of Xiao by requiring that the at least one processor is further configured to transmit a UE capability message indicating support of the single DCI message scheduling the plurality of uplink transport blocks with partial DMRS symbols as taught by Sridharan because the performance and quality of the transmission is improved by using an interleaver process to vary the bits of a wireless transmission (Sridharan, ¶5).
Claims 5-6 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Xiao in further view of Echigo et al. (US 20240179688 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Echigo”).
Regarding Claim 5, Claim 5 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 18.
Regarding Claim 6, Yang in view of Xiao in further view of Echigo discloses the method of claim 5.
Echigo, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches [the method] further comprising decoding a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on time slots including the full or partial DMRS symbols on which the channel estimation is performed (¶52-54 & ¶84, Echigo discloses performing channel estimation using a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) on each slot of multiple slots in order to decode the PUSCH).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang in view of Xiao in further view of Echigo by decoding a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) on time slots including the full or partial DMRS symbols on which the channel estimation is performed as taught by Echigo because aims the efficiency of a terminal and a radio communication method is improve by realizing a TBoMS that processes transport blocks (TBs) via a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) allocated to multiple slots (Echigo, ¶8)
Regarding Claim 18, Yang in view of Xiao discloses the apparatus of claim 14.
However, Yang in view of Xiao does not disclose in which the at least one processor is further configured to perform channel estimation only on time slots including full or partial DMRS symbols.
Echigo, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches in which the at least one processor is further configured to perform channel estimation only on time slots including full or partial DMRS symbols (¶52-54, Echigo discloses performing channel estimation using a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) on each slot of multiple slots).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yang in view of Xiao by requiring that the at least one processor is further configured to perform channel estimation only on time slots including full or partial DMRS symbols as taught by Echigo because aims the efficiency of a terminal and a radio communication method is improve by realizing a TBoMS that processes transport blocks (TBs) via a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) allocated to multiple slots (Echigo, ¶8)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 7-8, 11-13, 16-17, and 19-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Internet Communications
Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
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 ERIC NOWLIN whose telephone number is (313)446-6544. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00PM-10:00PM.
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, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. 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.
/ERIC NOWLIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
Prosecution Insights