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 .
Authorization for Internet Communication
To expedite prosecution, filing a written authorization for internet communication is recommended. Doing so permits USPTO to communicate using email to schedule interviews and/or discuss other aspects of the application. Without the written authorization in place, USPTO cannot respond to email communications. The preferred method of providing authorization is by filing form PTO/SB/439, available at https://www.uspto.gov/patent/forms/forms. See MPEP 502.03.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of invention-I (claims 1-10 and 13-15) in the reply filed on 7/20/2016 is acknowledged. The non-elected invention-II (claims 11-12) are canceled. Applicant newly submitted claims 16-22.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 13, 16 and 20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2020/0214005, “Lee”) in view of Rahman et al. (US 2020/0413390, “Rahman”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Lee unless otherwise mentioned.
Lee comprises the following features:
With respect to independent claims:
Regarding claim 1, a User Equipment ("UE") for wireless communication, comprising:
a processor; and a memory coupled to the processor (See Fig. 1B.), the processor configured to cause the UE to:
receive information of a cell-specific Time-Division Duplex ("TDD") Uplink and Downlink ("UL/DL") configuration ([0131 and Fig. 4] “a WTRU may receive a first TDD UL/DL subframe configuration and may receive a second TDD UL/DL subframe configuration 410.”);
receive information of a plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations (See aforesaid [0131 and Fig. 4] for “a first TDD UL/DL” and “a second TDD UL/DL”),
wherein each of the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations is associated with particular spatial information (This will be discussed in view of Rahman.); and
perform communication activity based on the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations (See Fig. 3 for 310, 320 and 330, and [0121] “the frame 330 may include two subframes as DL (or DL only) subframes, such as subframe 0 and subframe 5, two subframes as UL (or UL only) subframes, such as subframe 2 and subframe 7, four subframes as flexible subframes, such as subframe 3, subframe 4, subframe 8 and subframe 9, and two subframes as special subframes, such as subframe 1 and subframe 6. The DL subframes in frame 330 may be based on the first TDD UL/DL subframe configuration 310. The UL subframes in frame 330 may be based on the second TDD UL/DL subframe configuration 320.”), the communication activity comprising:
transmission in a first set of symbols of a slot, where at least one symbol of the first set of symbols of the slot overlaps with a downlink symbol indicated by the cell-specific TDD UL/DL configuration (See Fig. 3, specifically subframe 3 for UL and DL overlaps.); or
reception in a second set of symbols of the slot, where at least one symbol of the second set of symbols of the slot overlaps with an uplink symbol indicated by the cell-specific TDD UL/DL configuration (See Fig. 3.).
It is noted that while disclosing TDD UL/DL configurations, Lee does not specifically teach about spatial information. It, however, had been known in the art before the effective date of the instant application as shown by Rahman as follows;
each of the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations is associated with particular spatial information ([Rahman, 0237] “In step 1602, the UE (e.g., 111-116 as illustrated in FIG. 1) receives configuration information including multiple transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states.”, [Rahman, 0238] “In step 1604, the UE receives a beam indication indicating a TCI state from the multiple TCI states. The TCI state indicates a beam for each of N entities (E.sub.1, E.sub.2, . . . E.sub.N).”, and [Rahman, 0094] “This linkage is configured via higher-layer signaling using the SpatialRelationInfo RRC parameter.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify Lee by using the features of Rahman in order to enable different UEs with different TDD UL/DL configurations suited to their specific spatial relationship with each TRP such that “The UE comprises a transceiver configured to receive configuration information including multiple transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states, and receive a beam indication indicating a TCI state from the multiple TCI states.” [Rahman, 0006].
Regarding claim 13, it is a first base station claim corresponding to the UE claim 1 in a reciprocal way, and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, it is a method claim corresponding to the UE claim 1, and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 20, it is a method claim corresponding to the base station claim 13, and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 13.
With respect to dependent claims:
Regarding claim 2, the UE of claim 1, wherein the transmission in the first set of symbols of the slot is based on first spatial information associated with a first UE- specific TDD UL/DL configuration of the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations ([Rahman, 0120] “Upon successfully decoding the UL-related DCI with the UL-TCI, the UE performs UL transmission (such as data transmission on PUSCH) with the UL TX beam indicated by the UL-TCI (step 1305).”).
Regarding claim 3, the UE of claim 1, wherein the reception in the second set of symbols of the slot is based on second spatial information associated with a second UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration of the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations ([Rahman, 0106] “Upon successfully decoding the DL-related DCI with the DL-TCI, the UE selects an DL RX beam and performs DL reception (such as data reception via PDSCH) with the DL RX beam associated with the reference CSI-RS (step 1005).”).
Regarding claim 4, the UE of claim 1, wherein the particular spatial information comprises at least one of:
a downlink Transmit Configuration Indicator ("TCI") state ([Rahman, 0201] “a UE is configured with k>1 TCI states, where the set of k TCI states is according to at least one of the following alternatives.” See [Rahman, 0202-205] for instance.),
an uplink TCI state, a joint downlink/uplink TCI state, a Control Resource Set Pool Index value, a Sounding Reference Signal ("SRS") resource set, a SpatialRelationInfoPoolIndex value, a Quasi-Co-Location Type-D indication, or a combination thereof (These alternatives are not examined.).
Claim(s) 5-8 and 17 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2020/0214005, “Lee”) in view of Rahman et al. (US 2020/0413390, “Rahman”) and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0131679, “Kim”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Lee unless otherwise mentioned.
Regarding claims 5 and 17, it is noted that while disclosing TDD UL/DL configurations, Lee does not specifically teach about semi-static configuration. It, however, had been known in the art before the effective date of the instant application as shown by Kim as follows;
the UE of claim 1 and the method of claim 16, respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive a reference UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration ([0094] “The cell may provide or identify a second TDD UL/DL subframe configuration to one or more WTRUs, for example, via dedicated signaling, for example, RRC signaling.”);
perform, based on the reference UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration, at least one activity selected from:
transmission of a semi-statically configured uplink channel ([Kim, 0135] “The downlink reference configuration is semi-statically configured, obtained by the UE from dedicated RRC signaling, specific to eIMTA-capable devices. UL subframes in this configuration is guaranteed to be UL: e.g., for HARQ feedback.”); or
reception of a semi-statically configured downlink channel (This alternative is not examined.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify Lee by using the features of Kim in order to effectively configure Semi-Static or Dynamic TDD configuration such that “a need for mechanisms of signaling to UEs the time division duplex (TDD) structure of slots or groups of slots in a radio frame” [Kim, 0004].
Regarding claim 6, the UE of claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive dynamic scheduling information for a channel ([0094] “The cell may provide or indicate a third TDD UL/DL subframe configuration via physical layer signaling, for example via a PDCCH (or DCI) masked with an RNTI which may be referred to as an eIMTA-RNTI. … The third configuration may or may be used to determine (for example, dynamically) the direction and/or type (for example, unidirectional or special subframe) of the flexible subframes”);
determine a UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration associated with a spatial information of a dynamically scheduled channel ([Rahman, 0094] “For DL beam indication and measurement, the reference RS can be NZP (non-zero power) CSI-RS and/or SSB (synchronization signal block, which includes primary synchronization signal, secondary synchronization signal, and PBCH). Here, DL beam indication is done via the transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field in DL-related DCI which includes an index to one (and only one) assigned reference RS.”, and [Rahman, 0101] “The reference RS can be dynamically triggered by the NW/gNB (e.g. via DCI in case of aperiodic RS)”); and
perform, based on the UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration, transmission, or reception of the dynamically scheduled channel ([0132] “The WTRU may determine UL and DL subframes based on one or more of (e.g., all three of) the first, second, and third TDD UL/DL subframe configurations 470.”).
Regarding claim 7, the UE of claim 5, wherein transmission of the semi- statically configured uplink channel and reception of the semi-statically configured downlink channel are performed based on the cell-specific TDD UL/DL configuration (See aforesaid [0094] “the first TDD configuration”) and the reference UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration (See aforesaid [0094] “the second TDD configuration”).
Regarding claim 8, the UE of claim 7, wherein the reference UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration overrides only symbols configured as 'flexible' by the cell- specific TDD UL/DL configuration ([0094] “At least the UL subframes of the first UL/DL subframe configuration that are DL subframes in the second UL/DL subframe configuration may be considered flexible subframes. The third configuration may or may be used to determine (for example, dynamically) the direction and/or type (for example, unidirectional or special subframe) of the flexible subframes.”).
Claim(s) 9-10 and 18-19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2020/0214005, “Lee”) in view of Rahman et al. (US 2020/0413390, “Rahman”) and further in view of Lee et al. (US 2021/0344558, “Lee558”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Lee unless otherwise mentioned.
Regarding claims 9 and 18, it is noted that while disclosing TDD UL/DL configurations, Lee does not specifically teach about spatial information of DL RS. It, however, had been known in the art before the effective date of the instant application as shown by Lee558 as follows;
the UE of claim 1 and the method of claim 16, respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive information associating a subset of downlink ("DL") reference signals with each of the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations ([Lee558, 0108] “At operation 710, the UE 116 receives DL/UL configuration information associated with the configured beam ID(s). If multiple beam IDs are configured, the DL/UL configuration information associated with each of the configured beam IDs can be different, and therefore, the UE 116 can be provided with multiple DL/UL configuration information for the case of UE 116 configured with multiple beam IDs.”);
receive a spatial information for a scheduled channel, wherein the spatial information comprises an indication of a DL reference signal ([Lee558, 0135] “he UE 116 can be dynamically triggered, or the gNB 102 can dynamically trigger UE 116, e.g., in an aperiodic or semi-persistent manner, via lower-layer control signaling (L1 or L2, i.e., DCI or MAC CE) to be configured with DL/UL directions associated with the configured beam ID(s).”); and
identify a symbol type for symbols allocated for the scheduled channel based on a particular UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration associated with the indicated DL reference signal ([Lee558, 0115] “the UE 116 receives DL/UL DL/UL slot/symbol configuration associated with the configured beam ID(s). If multiple beam IDs are configured, the DL/UL slot/symbol configuration associated with each of the configured beam IDs can be different, and therefore, UE 116 can be provided with multiple DL/UL slot/symbol configuration for the case when UE 116 is configured with multiple beam IDs.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify Lee by using the features of Kim in order to enable UE determining symbol direction for a dynamically scheduled channel such that “receive, via the transceiver, configuration information for at least one of a downlink (DL) reception or an uplink (UL) transmission, wherein the configuration information comprises beam identifiers (IDs) and a slot and symbol configuration” [Lee558, 0005].
Regarding claims 10 and 19, the UE of claim 1 and the method of claim 16, respectively, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive information associating a subset of sounding reference signals ("SRS") with each of the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations ([Lee558, 0102] “three different signaling mechanisms for dynamic TDD to provide information for UE on whether the resources are used for uplink or downlink transmission are: 1) dynamic signaling for the scheduled UE; 2) semi-static signaling using RRC; and 3) dynamic slot-format indication. Combinations of these three mechanisms are also supported. All of the signaling mechanisms for dynamic TDD can support “cell-specific” or “UE-specific” DL/UL resource allocation so far”);
receive a spatial information for a scheduled channel, wherein the spatial information comprises an indication of an SRS resource ([Lee558, 0097] “a gNB 102 can transmit a reference signal (RS), such as a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or a CSI-RS or an SRS with a number of repetitions using a same spatial transmission filter in multiple occasions,”); and
identify a symbol type for symbols allocated for the scheduled channel based on a particular UE-specific TDD UL/DL configuration associated with the indicated SRS resource ([Lee558, 0102] “for the flexible slots (if configured), DL/UL symbol patterns can be differently assigned for each of the UEs in a UE-specific manner.”).
The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of Lee558 are the same as for claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 14-15 and 21-22 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The claims contain the following underlined features which, when combined with other features of the claim, prior art of record failed to anticipate or render obvious before the effective filing date of the instant application was filed:
14. The base station of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the base station apparatus to:
send, to a neighboring radio access network ("RAN") node, a reference TDD UL/DL configuration for the first cell; and
send, to the neighboring RAN node, override information comprising a set of parameters indicating whether a respective symbol of the reference TDD UL/DL configuration is permitted to be overridden,
wherein the plurality of UE-specific TDD UL/DL configurations is generated based on the override information.
Regarding claim 21, the claim contains similar features as recited in claim 14, thus is objected for the same reason as stated above.
Regarding claims 15 and 22, these claims depend from claims 14 and 21, respectively, and thus are objected for the same reason stated above for claim 14.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Harry H. Kim whose telephone number and email address are as follows; 571-272-5009, harry.kim2@uspto.gov.
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, Derrick Ferris can be reached at 571-272-3123.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from www.uspto.gov. For questions or assistance, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (in USA or Canada) or 571-272-1000.
/HARRY H KIM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
Prosecution Insights