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 .
This Office Action is in response to the preliminary amendment correspondence filed on 02/16/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending and rejected.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/16/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al (US20210218504A1) in view of Ugurlu et al (US20200267755A1) in further view of Jeon et al (US20190132824A1).
Regarding claim 1 (and method claim 11, and processor claim 16), Wang teaches a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one memory ([0014]-[0017], explicitly claims an illustrates a UE apparatus with processor, memory, receiver, and transmitter); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to ([0014]-[0017], explicitly claims an illustrates a UE apparatus with processor, memory, receiver, and transmitter):
receive information indicating at least one set of scheduling configurations ([0004], [0008], [0011], expressly discloses multiple SPS configurations configured by RRC, which naturally for a set of scheduling configurations at the UE; SPS configurations are activated by DCI and remain active until a subsequent SPS release DCI is received, thereby defining a DCI-controlled duration over which the scheduling configuration is active for multiple scheduling occasions),
But Wang fails to teach—
receive downlink control information (DCI) that indicates activation of a set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations for a duration;
wherein each set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations comprises at least one scheduling configuration, and each scheduling configuration of the at least one scheduling configuration comprises scheduling information including time domain resource allocations, frequency domain resource allocations, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or some combination thereof;
However, Ugurlu teaches—
receive downlink control information (DCI) that indicates activation of a set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations for a duration; ([0034]-[0036], [0069]-[0071], teaches that a UE receives a DCI signaling that indicates activation of a set of scheduling configurations, where a single DCI may activate multiple grant or SPS configurations via a state identifier mapped to a plurality of configurations;
wherein each set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations comprises at least one scheduling configuration, and each scheduling configuration of the at least one scheduling configuration comprises scheduling information including time domain resource allocations, frequency domain resource allocations, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or some combination thereof ([0031], explicitly lists the exact parameters recited in the claim—TDRA,FDRA, MCS—as part of the configuration/activation design);
A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine Wang with Ugurlu because both address complementary aspects of multi-SPS operation in NR systems. Wang focuses on the downstream consequences of operating multiple SPS configurations, specifically the need to correctly handle HARQ-ACK transmission and prioritization when multiple SPS PDSCHs are active. On the other hand, Ugurlu teaches how a UE efficiently activates and manages multiple scheduling configurations using a single DCI, including defining TDRA, FDRA and MCS parameters for repeated scheduling occasions, thereby reducing control overhead and improving latency. Combining these teachings yields a coherent system in which the multi configuration activation mechanism of Ugurlu is enhanced with Wang’s priority-aware HARQ-ACK handling, ensuring reliable feedback an collision resolution.
But Ugurlu fails to teach but Jeon remedies the gap and teaches a DCI based activation mechanisms include a defines activation interval (duration) which the activated configurations are applied ([0312]-[0313], further teaching that DCI-based activation mechanisms are applied over a defined activation interval, such through timer-based activation and deactivation triggered by reception of DCI, during which the activated configuration remains effective before expiration—thus the UE receives a DCI indicating activation of a set of scheduling configurations for a duration);
perform communications on a plurality of scheduling occasions of the set of scheduling configurations, wherein the plurality of scheduling occasions is within the duration ([00143], [0190]-[0195], [0200]-[0204], discloses that after receiving group-common DCI activating or switching wireless resources, the wireless device performs communications over multiple slots and OFDM symbols using the activated resources, and continues such communications during the interval in which the resources remain active as determined by control signaling, thereby performing communications on a plurality of scheduling occasions within a duration).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Regarding claim 2 (and base station claim 13, and processor claim 17), Wang fails to teach the UE wherein the DCI comprises at least one resource offset value applied to the time domain resource allocations and the frequency domain resource allocations.
However, Ugurlu teaches the UE wherein the DCI comprises at least one resource offset value applied to the time domain resource allocations and the frequency domain resource allocations ([0022], Fig 2(B), [0031], time-domain offsets: Multiple configurations with different time shifts/offset values are explicitly described; frequency-domain resources: configurations may also different in frequency resources as part of FDRA parameters).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Regarding claim 3 (and base station claim 14, and processor claim 18), Wang fails to teach the UE wherein the DCI comprises information indicating an MCS index offset for a scheduling configuration of the set of scheduling configurations, and wherein performing the communications comprises performing the communications based on an MCS indicated in the scheduling configuration and the MCS index offset.
However, Ugurlu teaches the UE wherein the DCI comprises information indicating an MCS index offset for a scheduling configuration of the set of scheduling configurations, and wherein performing the communications comprises performing the communications based on an MCS indicated in the scheduling configuration and the MCS index offset ([0031]-[0032], MCS associated with configuration activation: MCS is a configurable transmission parameter per configuration or per activation state; Offset/delta concept: configuration is activated multiple times, the latest activation DCI determines the transmission parameters (e.g. MCS) which functionally corresponds to applying an offset or override to a configured MCS).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Regarding claim 4 (and base station claim 15 and processor claim 19), Wang fails to teach the UE wherein the DCI comprises information indicating the duration.
However, Ugurlu teaches wherein the DCI comprises information indicating the duration ([0025]-[0026], activation by DCI and release by a subsequent DCI define an active interval for the configuration set (i.e. a duration bounded by activation and deactivation).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Regarding claim 5 (and processor claim 20), Wang teaches the UE wherein the DCI comprises an indication of a first priority of the plurality of scheduling occasions, an indication of the first priority related to communications on the plurality of scheduling occasions, or a combination thereof ([0004]-[0005], [0049]-[0053], priority handling tied to DCI and SPS discussion priority handling and rules for SPS HARQ-ACK, including collision handling and prioritization driven by DCI-signaled SPS operations).
Regarding claim 6, Wang teaches the UE wherein the communications on the plurality of scheduling occasions comprise a plurality of semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs), and the first priority comprises a second priority of hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) information corresponding to the plurality of SPS PDSCHs ([0004], [0050]-[0054], plural SPS configurations/SPS PDSCHs[Wingdings font/0xE0]explicit support for multiple SPS configurations and SPS PDSCH receptions; HARQ-ACK priority[Wingdings font/0xE0]detailed discussion of HARQ-ACK prioritization, collision resolution, and priority index behavior for SPS PDSCH HARQ-ACK, including when SPS release DCI is present).
Regarding claim 7, Wang fails to teach the UE wherein each scheduling configuration of the at least one scheduling configuration comprises an uplink configured grant (CG) configuration, and the plurality of scheduling occasions comprise a plurality of CG physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasions.
However, Ugurlu teaches the UE wherein each scheduling configuration of the at least one scheduling configuration comprises an uplink configured grant (CG) configuration, and the plurality of scheduling occasions comprise a plurality of CG physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasions ([0004], [0021]-[0024], expressly discloses UL CGs including type-2 grant free UL configurations, and treats each configuration as a CG configuration; UL CGs operate with periodicity and/or time shifts, resulting in repeated UL transmission occasions, i.e. CG-based PUSCH transmissions).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Regarding claim 8, Wang teaches the UE wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to transmit retransmission related control information, and the retransmission related control information comprises information of a remaining valid duration for retransmission of a transport block (TB), an indication of no further transmission of the TB, or a combination thereof ([0003]-[0005], [0011]-[0013], [0049]-[0054], centered on HARQ operations for SPS transmissions, including ACK/NACK signaling, cancellation, and release behavior that directly controls whether a TB is retransmitted; explicitly discloses that upon receiving an SPS release DCI, the UE cancels UL transmission (including HARQ-ACK), which signals no further transmission/retransmission of the corresponding TB—this retransmission-related control information governing TB validity).
Regarding claim 9, Wang teaches the UE wherein the retransmission related control information is transmitted together with HARQ-ACK information ([0003]-[0005], [0050]-[0054], Figs 2A-2B, 6A-6B, discloses that HARQ-ACK information is multiplexed and transmitted of PUCCH, including in scenarios involving SPS release and retransmission behavior; retransmission-related decisions (ACK/NACK, cancellation) are conveyed via HARQ-ACK signaling).
Regarding claim 10, Wang fails to teach the UE wherein the retransmission related control information is transmitted together with the TB.
However, Ugurlu teaches the UE wherein the retransmission related control information is transmitted together with the TB ([0004], [0022]-[0026], discloses grant-free UL transmission (CG PUSCH) in which UL data (transport block) are transmitted according to CG configurations; control information associated with transmission state (e.g. whether a configuration remains active or is released) is conveyed in-band with UL transmissions under CG operation).
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Regarding claim 12, Wang teaches a base station, comprising:
at least one memory ([0014]-[0017], explicitly claims an illustrates a UE apparatus with processor, memory, receiver, and transmitter); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the base station to ([0014]-[0017], explicitly claims an illustrates a UE apparatus with processor, memory, receiver, and transmitter):
transmit information indicating at least one set of scheduling configurations ([0004], [0008], [0011], expressly discloses multiple SPS configurations configured by RRC, which naturally for a set of scheduling configurations at the UE),
perform communications on a plurality of scheduling occasions of the set of scheduling configurations, wherein the plurality of scheduling occasions is within the duration ([0003]-[0005], Fig 1, 4A-4D, 5, explicitly shows periodic SPS PDSCH transmissions occurring over multiple scheduling occasions while the SPS is active).
But Wang fails to teach—
wherein each set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations comprises at least one scheduling configuration, and each scheduling configuration of the at least one scheduling configuration comprises scheduling information including time domain resource allocations, frequency domain resource allocations, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or some combination thereof ([0031], explicitly lists the exact parameters recited in the claim—TDRA,FDRA, MCS—as part of the configuration/activation design);
transmit downlink control information (DCI) that indicates activation of a set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations for a duration; and
However, Ugurlu teaches wherein each set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations comprises at least one scheduling configuration, and each scheduling configuration of the at least one scheduling configuration comprises scheduling information including time domain resource allocations, frequency domain resource allocations, a modulation and coding scheme (MCS), or some combination thereof;
transmit downlink control information (DCI) that indicates activation of a set of scheduling configurations of the at least one set of scheduling configurations for a duration ([0025]-[0026], [0030]-[0032], Fig. 3(B), directly focused on single-DCI activation of multiple configurations);
A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Ugurlu, Wang, and Jeon because all three references address complementary aspects of semi-persistent scheduling and configured grant operations in NR systems. Ugurlu teachings defining sets of scheduling configurations including time and frequency domain resources and MCS parameters, Wang teachings performing communications over multiple SPS scheduling occasions with associated HARQ priority handling, and Jeon teaches that, after receiving DCI activating or switching configured wireless resources, a UE performs communications over multiple subsequent tme-frequency scheduling occasions using those activated resources during the period in which they remain active. It would have been obvious to implement the scheduling configurations of Ugurlu and the SPS scheduling occasions of Wang using the DCI-controlled action time mechanism of Jeon so that activation of the scheduling configurations occurs for a defined duration of scheduling occasions, improving coordinated and efficient use of radio resources.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bae et al (US20230036564A1) discloses HARQ-ACK information transmission method, UE, and storage medium, and HARQ-ACK information
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/MICHAEL WILLIAM ABBATINE JR./Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419