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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because figures 3, 5-6, 8, 11-16 contain blurry texts and/or blurry lines.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 42-43 are objected to because of the following reasons:
For claim 42, from the claim language, Examiner assumes that it is the processor circuit that perform the operations.
However, Examiner recommends Applicants to further clarify the claim language by changing the phrase “cause the network node to” to “cause the processor circuit to”.
Otherwise, if Applicants intends for some other hardware components of the network node to perform the operations, then please amend the claims to include those hardware components and clearly indicate that those hardware components perform the operations.
If Applicants intends for any unknown hardware components of the network node to perform the operations, then please clearly states so on record. However, Applicants are reminded that doing so will raise 112 issues since then the claim language would impose no limits as to a particular structure for performing the claimed invention; hence the claims may cover all devices for/ways for performing the claimed functions. As thus, there is a failure to provide a clear-cut indication of claim scope because the functional language is not sufficiently precise and definite, resulting in no boundaries on the claim limitation.
For claim 43, from the claim language, Examiner assumes that it is the processor circuit that perform the operations.
However, Examiner recommends Applicants to further clarify the claim language by changing the phrase “cause the user equipment to” to “cause the processor circuit to”.
Otherwise, if Applicants intends for some other hardware components of the user equipment to perform the operations, then please amend the claims to include those hardware components and clearly indicate that those hardware components perform the operations.
If Applicants intends for any unknown hardware components of the user equipment to perform the operations, then please clearly states so on record. However, Applicants are reminded that doing so will raise 112 issues since then the claim language would impose no limits as to a particular structure for performing the claimed invention; hence the claims may cover all devices for/ways for performing the claimed functions. As thus, there is a failure to provide a clear-cut indication of claim scope because the functional language is not sufficiently precise and definite, resulting in no boundaries on the claim limitation.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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.
Claims 29-43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang, US 20240146468.
For claim 29. Wang teaches: A method of operating a radio access node, comprising: (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 84-86, 88, 91; fig 10, paragraph 144-148)
configuring a UE with a physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, carrier switching scheme where the UE is able to switch within a configured PUCCH group; (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 84-86, SPS HARQ-ACK deferral and the PUCCH carrier switching for HARQ-ACK are configured for the terminal device simultaneously; PUCCH carrier switching is for switching within a cell group (which contain CC #1 and CC #2 wherein CC #1 and CC #2 contain PUCCHs as shown in fig 6); more details about configuration for PUCCH carrier switching in paragraph 52, 55)
configuring the UE with semi-persistent scheduling Hybrid-ARQ acknowledgement, SPS HARQ-ACK, deferral configuration; (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 84-86, SPS HARQ-ACK deferral and the PUCCH carrier switching for HARQ-ACK are configured for the terminal device simultaneously; SPS HARQ-ACK deferral is for deferring from PUCCH 604 to PUCCH 606)
and receiving a SPS HARQ-ACK in a deferred slot on a switched PUCCH carrier, wherein the deferred slot is deferred from a slot according to the SPS HARQ-ACK deferral configuration and the slot is unavailable for SPS HARQ-ACK transmission. (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 86, network device receives HARQ-ACK from terminal device, according to SPS configuration #1, HARQ feedback for SPS PDSCH is configured to be transmitted from terminal device to network device by PUCCH 604; paragraph 88, 91, when PUCCH 604 (on CC #1) is unavailable, terminal device switches to PUCCH 605 (on CC #2) and transmit SPS HARQ-ACK to network device on PUCCH 605 according to PUCCH carrier switching; if PUCCH 605 is unavailable, terminal device transmit SPS HARQ-ACK to network device on PUCCH 606 according to SPS HARQ-ACK deferral)
For claim 30. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 29, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: after the PUCCH carrier switching, configuring the UE to multiplex an UCI on the PUCCH carrier, wherein the received SPS HARQ-ACK is included in the UCI. (Wang, paragraph 43, terminal device transmits UCI to network device via PUCCH transmission, UCI includes HARQ feedback information; paragraph 120, UCI is multiplexed onto the switched PUCCH)
For claim 31. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 30, and Wang further teaches: wherein multiplexing the UCI on the PUCCH carrier comprises multiplexing the UCI onto a PUSCH of the PUCCH carrier. (Wang, paragraph 102, HARQ-ACK is multiplexed onto PUSCH)
For claim 32. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 29, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: configuring the UE to multiplex multiple UCIs on the PUCCH carrier, wherein the UE is not capable simultaneous PUCCH transmissions on different carriers, wherein the multiple UCIs are to be carried by PUCCHs to be transmitted on different carriers and wherein PUCCHs on which the UCIs are to be transmitted overlap in time domain. (Wang, paragraph 120, if uplink control transmission on the second cell is overlapped with another uplink control transmission in the time domain, the terminal device multiplexes all UCIs onto the switched PUCCH and cancel the other PUCCH; implicit that the terminal device is not capable of simultaneous PUCCH transmissions in this scenario since Wang discusses an alternate scenario in paragraph 119 where the device simultaneously transmits two PUCCHs when uplink control transmission on the second cell is overlapped with another uplink control transmission in the time domain; fig 6, paragraph 85-86, 88, 91 shows multiple carriers)
For claim 33. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 29, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: configuring the UE for dynamic PUCCH carrier switching; and transmitting to the UE a DCI including PUCCH carrier indicator field, wherein the PUCCH carrier indicator field indicates the PUCCH carrier for dynamic PUCCH carrier switching. (Wang, paragraph 66, the cell for PUCCH transmission for HARQ-ACK may be dynamically indicated by an indicator field in DCI, which means the PUCCH carrier can be dynamically switched between multiple cells for PUCCH by DCI indication)
For claim 34. Wang teaches: A method performed by a User Equipment, UE, comprising: (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 84-86, 88, 91; fig 10, paragraph 144-148)
receiving a configuration with a physical uplink control channel, PUCCH, carrier switching scheme where the UE is able to switch within a configured PUCCH group; (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 84-86, SPS HARQ-ACK deferral and the PUCCH carrier switching for HARQ-ACK are configured for the terminal device simultaneously; PUCCH carrier switching is for switching within a cell group (which contain CC #1 and CC #2 wherein CC #1 and CC #2 contain PUCCHs as shown in fig 6); more details about configuration for PUCCH carrier switching in paragraph 52, 55)
receiving a configuration about semi-persistent scheduling Hybrid-ARQ acknowledgement, SPS HARQ-ACK, deferral; (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 84-86, SPS HARQ-ACK deferral and the PUCCH carrier switching for HARQ-ACK are configured for the terminal device simultaneously)
determining a corresponding slot according to the configuration about SPS HARQ-ACK, deferral; (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 86, 88, 91, a HARQ feedback for SPS PDSCH is configured to be transmitted by PUCCH 604)
determining a first PUCCH carrier for switching according to the PUCCH carrier switching scheme associated with the corresponding slot; (Wang, fig 6, paragraph 86, 88, 91, according to the PUCCH carrier switching, the HARQ feedback for the SPS PDSCH will be transmitted by PUCCH 605 CC #2 within the same slot as the PUCCH 604)
determining whether the corresponding slot in the first PUCCH carrier is available for SPS HARQ-ACK transmission; and if the corresponding slot is not available for SPS HARQ-ACK transmission, performing SPS HARQ-ACK deferral. (Wang, paragraph 86, 88, 91, if the PUCCH 605 is unavailable for the uplink control transmission, the HARQ-ACK for the SPS PDSCH will be delayed to be transmitted by the PUCCH 606; transmitted by the PUCCH 606 is performing SPS HARQ-ACK deferral)
For claim 35. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 34, and Wang further teaches: wherein performing SPS HARQ-ACK deferral comprising: determining a second PUCCH carrier for switching according to the PUCCH carrier switching scheme associated with a deferred slot; and determining whether the deferred slot in the second PUCCH carrier is available for SPS HARQ-ACK transmission. (Wang, paragraph 86, 88, 91, determine PUCCH 605 (CC #2) for switching according to PUCCH carrier switching scheme and determine whether PUCCH 605 is available for uplink control transmission)
For claim 36. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 34, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: if the corresponding slot is available for SPS HARQ-ACK transmission, switching to the first PUCCH carrier, (Wang, paragraph 86, 88, 91, if the PUCCH 605 is available for the uplink control transmission, the HARQ-ACK for the SPS PDSCH 603 will be switched to be transmitted by the PUCCH 605 on CC #2)
and sending a SPS HARQ-ACK in the first PUCCH carrier via an uplink control information, UCI, message. (Wang, paragraph 43, terminal device transmits UCI to network device via PUCCH transmission, UCI includes HARQ feedback information; paragraph 120, UCI is multiplexed onto the switched PUCCH)
For claim 37. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 35, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: if the deferred slot is available for SPS HARQ-ACK transmission, switching to the second PUCCH carrier, (Wang, paragraph 86, 88, 91, if the PUCCH 605 is available for the uplink control transmission, the HARQ-ACK for the SPS PDSCH 603 will be switched to be transmitted by the PUCCH 605 on CC #2)
and sending a SPS HARQ-ACK in the second PUCCH carrier via a UCI message. (Wang, paragraph 43, terminal device transmits UCI to network device via PUCCH transmission, UCI includes HARQ feedback information; paragraph 120, UCI is multiplexed onto the switched PUCCH)
For claim 38. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 36, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: after the PUCCH carrier switching, multiplexing the UCI on the PUCCH carrier. (Wang, paragraph 43, terminal device transmits UCI to network device via PUCCH transmission, UCI includes HARQ feedback information; paragraph 120, UCI is multiplexed onto the switched PUCCH)
For claim 39. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 38, and Wang further teaches: wherein multiplexing the UCI on the PUCCH carrier comprises multiplexing the UCI onto a PUSCH of the PUCCH carrier. (Wang, paragraph 102, HARQ-ACK is multiplexed onto PUSCH)
For claim 40. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 38, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: if the UE is not capable of simultaneous PUCCH transmissions on different carriers, multiplexing multiple UCIs on the PUCCH carrier, wherein the multiple UCIs are to be carried by PUCCHs to be transmitted on different carriers and wherein PUCCHs on which the UCIs are to be transmitted overlap in time domain. (Wang, paragraph 120, if uplink control transmission on the second cell is overlapped with another uplink control transmission in the time domain, the terminal device multiplexes all UCIs onto the switched PUCCH and cancel the other PUCCH; implicit that the terminal device is not capable of simultaneous PUCCH transmissions in this scenario since Wang discusses an alternate scenario in paragraph 119 where the device simultaneously transmits two PUCCHs when uplink control transmission on the second cell is overlapped with another uplink control transmission in the time domain; fig 6, paragraph 85-86, 88, 91 shows multiple carriers)
For claim 41. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 34, and Wang further teaches: further comprising: configuring for dynamic PUCCH carrier switching, receiving a DCI including PUCCH carrier indicator field, wherein the PUCCH carrier indicator field indicates the PUCCH carrier for dynamic PUCCH carrier switching. (Wang, paragraph 66, the cell for PUCCH transmission for HARQ-ACK may be dynamically indicated by an indicator field in DCI, which means the PUCCH carrier can be dynamically switched between multiple cells for PUCCH by DCI indication)
For claim 42. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 29 and Wang further teaches: A network node, comprising: a processor circuit; a transceiver coupled to the processor circuit; and a memory coupled to the processor circuit, the memory comprising machine readable program instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the network node to perform operations according to claim 29. (Wang, fig 10, paragraph 144-148, network device includes processor, memory stores program instructions that executes by processor to perform operations)
For claim 43. Wang discloses all the limitations of claim 34, and Wang further teaches: A user equipment, comprising: a processor circuit; a transceiver coupled to the processor circuit; and a memory coupled to the processor circuit, the memory comprising machine readable program instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit, cause the user equipment to perform operations according to claim 34. (Wang, fig 10, paragraph 144-148, terminal device includes processor, memory stores program instructions that executes by processor to perform operations)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHOA B HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7185. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 1:00 PM - 9:35 PM.
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/KHOA HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462