DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy JAPAN 2021-132824 has been filed on 08/17/2021. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copy of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. However, examiner notes that the certified copies lack a certified English translation.
Should applicant desire to obtain the benefit of foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d) prior to declaration of an interference, a certified English translation of the foreign application must be submitted in reply to this action. 37 CFR 41.154(b) and 41.202(e).
Failure to provide a certified translation may result in no benefit being accorded for the non-English application.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/13/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
4. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
5. This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“reception unit, transmission unit, control unit” in claim 1.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
In the case of claim 1, the specification states “[0011] FIG. 4 is a functional block configuration diagram of the UE200” and “[0019] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of the gNB100 and the UE200”. Therefore, the “reception unit, transmission unit, control unit” in Fig. 4 comprises of the structural hardware configuration in Fig. 12 such as processor, memory, storage, communication device, input device and output device in order to perform the claimed function.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
6. Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LEE et al. (US- 20240373440-A1, hereinafter, LEE with KR10-2021-0104049 foreign priority claimed date).
Regarding claim 1, LEE discloses:
A terminal (Fig. 12 – first device 100; [0272] the operation of the UE (100 or 200 in FIG. 12); [0009] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for a user equipment (UE) to perform communication in a wireless communication system; [0120] In a wireless communication system (e.g., NR), a DL broadcast or DL multicast transmission scheme for supporting an MBS… The base station may provide a point-to-multipoint (PTM) transmission scheme and a point-to-point (PTP) transmission scheme for DL broadcast or DL multicast transmission) comprising:
a reception unit that receives data (Fig. 12 - first device 100) via a downlink channel in a data delivery for a plurality of terminals ([0121] In the PTM transmission scheme for MBS, the base station may transmit a group common PDCCH and a group common PDSCH to a plurality of terminals, and a plurality of UEs may simultaneously receive the same group common PDCCH and group common PDSCH transmission and decode the same MBS data);
a transmission unit that transmits (Fig. 12 - first device 100) a feedback on the data in a scheme transmitting a negative response without transmitting an affirmative response ([0125] Also, assume that a NACK-based (NACK only based) HARQ-ACK scheme is configured for the group common PDSCH. The UE may not perform PUCCH transmission in a situation where ACK must be transmitted. And, the UE may perform PUCCH transmission only in situations where NACK must be transmitted. Here, the UE may transmit HARQ-ACK information including NACK through PUCCH using group common PUCCH resources); and
a control unit that controls (Fig. 12 - first device 100) the transmission of the feedback in a specific operation ([0313] In addition, upon receiving the group common DCI CRC scrambled by the G-RNTI and… if Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook is configured for ‘PUCCH-config’ for multicast and/or ‘PUCCH-config’ for unicast, the UE may configure TDRA (Time Domain Resource Allocation) to generate a type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook for HARQ-ACK(s) to group common PDSCH scheduled by group common DCI and/or UE-specific PDSCH scheduled by UE-specific DCI) when two or more network identifiers for scrambling the downlink channel are configured ([0217] the UE may attempt to receive all G-RNTIs it wants to receive during the PDCCH MO of the MTCH window; [0169] For example, a specific MTCH window may be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs (Embodiment 1-4-1). The base station may configure one MTCH window to be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs through RRC or MAC CE. A UE that wishes to receive data related to the G-RNTI may monitor the PDCCH through the MTCH window mapped to the corresponding G-RNTI).
Regarding claim 2, LEE further discloses:
The terminal of claim 1 (Fig. 12 - first device 100), wherein the specific operation includes an operation transmitting the feedback using resources ([0313] In addition, upon receiving the group common DCI CRC scrambled by the G-RNTI and… if Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook is configured for ‘PUCCH-config’ for multicast and/or ‘PUCCH-config’ for unicast, the UE may configure TDRA (Time Domain Resource Allocation) to generate a type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook for HARQ-ACK(s) to group common PDSCH scheduled by group common DCI and/or UE-specific PDSCH scheduled by UE-specific DCI; [0215] the UE may perform PUCCH transmission only in situations where NACK must be transmitted. Here, the UE may transmit HARQ-ACK information including NACK through PUCCH using group common PUCCH resources) associated with each of the two or more network identifiers ([0217] the UE may attempt to receive all G-RNTIs it wants to receive during the PDCCH MO of the MTCH window; [0169] For example, a specific MTCH window may be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs (Embodiment 1-4-1). The base station may configure one MTCH window to be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs through RRC or MAC CE. A UE that wishes to receive data related to the G-RNTI may monitor the PDCCH through the MTCH window mapped to the corresponding G-RNTI).
Regarding claim 3, LEE further discloses:
The terminal of claim 1, wherein the specific operation includes an operation receiving at least control information for receiving the data and transmitting the feedback ([0313] In addition, upon receiving the group common DCI CRC scrambled by the G-RNTI and… if Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook is configured for ‘PUCCH-config’ for multicast and/or ‘PUCCH-config’ for unicast, the UE may configure TDRA (Time Domain Resource Allocation) to generate a type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook for HARQ-ACK(s) to group common PDSCH scheduled by group common DCI) for the two or more network identifiers ([0217] the UE may attempt to receive all G-RNTIs it wants to receive during the PDCCH MO of the MTCH window; [0169] For example, a specific MTCH window may be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs (Embodiment 1-4-1). The base station may configure one MTCH window to be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs through RRC or MAC CE. A UE that wishes to receive data related to the G-RNTI may monitor the PDCCH through the MTCH window mapped to the corresponding G-RNTI).
Regarding claim 4, LEE further discloses:
The terminal of claim 3, wherein the specific operation includes an operation coupling the feedback ([0313] In addition, upon receiving the group common DCI CRC scrambled by the G-RNTI and… if Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook is configured for ‘PUCCH-config’ for multicast and/or ‘PUCCH-config’ for unicast, the UE may configure TDRA (Time Domain Resource Allocation) to generate a type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook for HARQ-ACK(s) to group common PDSCH scheduled by group common DCI) for the two or more network identifiers ([0217] the UE may attempt to receive all G-RNTIs it wants to receive during the PDCCH MO of the MTCH window; [0169];).
Regarding claim 5, LEE discloses:
A radio communication method (Fig. 12 – first device 100; [0272] the operation of the UE (100 or 200 in FIG. 12); [0009] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for a user equipment (UE) to perform communication in a wireless communication system; [0120] In a wireless communication system (e.g., NR), a DL broadcast or DL multicast transmission scheme for supporting an MBS… The base station may provide a point-to-multipoint (PTM) transmission scheme and a point-to-point (PTP) transmission scheme for DL broadcast or DL multicast transmission) comprising:
a step A of receiving data via a downlink channel in a data delivery for a plurality of terminals [0121] In the PTM transmission scheme for MBS, the base station may transmit a group common PDCCH and a group common PDSCH to a plurality of terminals, and a plurality of UEs may simultaneously receive the same group common PDCCH and group common PDSCH transmission and decode the same MBS data);
a step B of transmitting a feedback on the data in a scheme transmitting a negative response without transmitting an affirmative response ([0125] Also, assume that a NACK-based (NACK only based) HARQ-ACK scheme is configured for the group common PDSCH. The UE may not perform PUCCH transmission in a situation where ACK must be transmitted. And, the UE may perform PUCCH transmission only in situations where NACK must be transmitted. Here, the UE may transmit HARQ-ACK information including NACK through PUCCH using group common PUCCH resources); and
a step C of controlling the transmission of the feedback in a specific operation ([0313] In addition, upon receiving the group common DCI CRC scrambled by the G-RNTI and… if Type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook is configured for ‘PUCCH-config’ for multicast and/or ‘PUCCH-config’ for unicast, the UE may configure TDRA (Time Domain Resource Allocation) to generate a type-1 HARQ-ACK codebook for HARQ-ACK(s) to group common PDSCH scheduled by group common DCI and/or UE-specific PDSCH scheduled by UE-specific DCI) when two or more network identifiers for scrambling the downlink channel are configured ([0217] the UE may attempt to receive all G-RNTIs it wants to receive during the PDCCH MO of the MTCH window; [0169] For example, a specific MTCH window may be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs (Embodiment 1-4-1). The base station may configure one MTCH window to be mapped to one or multiple G-RNTIs through RRC or MAC CE. A UE that wishes to receive data related to the G-RNTI may monitor the PDCCH through the MTCH window mapped to the corresponding G-RNTI).
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. PTO-892 form.
Lee et al (US-20240380556-A1) teaches the UE may encode multicast HARQ-ACKs with the same priority into one codebook or one sub-codebook. At this time, the two multicast HARQ-ACKs correspond to different HARQ-ACKs for each of the PDSCHs scheduled to different G-RNTIs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THERESA NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2386. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9AM - 5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MOO JEONG can be reached at (571)272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THERESA NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2418
/Moo Jeong/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2418