DETAILED ACTION
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.
Claims 1-3, 6, 8-10, 13 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over R1-2005409, Discussion on Scell scheduling P(S)cell, vivo, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #102-e, August 2020 in view of Yang et al. (USPN 10,469,234).
Regarding claim 1, R1-2005409 teaches a method comprising, by a user equipment device (UE): receiving a configuration for a primary cell and a secondary cell [Section 2.1]; monitoring a common search space (CSS) for first downlink control information (DCI) from the primary cell scheduling a transmission for the primary cell [Section 2.3]; monitoring a UE-specific search space (USS) for second DCI from the secondary cell scheduling a transmission for the primary cell for the UE [Section 2.3]; and communicating according to the first DCI and the second DCI [Section 2.3].
However, R1-2005409 does not teach regardless of a monitoring capability reported, all physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions on the secondary cell for DCIs for cross-carrier scheduling to the primary cell are constrained to be received within an initial three symbols of a slot.
Yang teaches regardless of a monitoring capability reported, all physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions on the secondary cell for DCIs for cross-carrier scheduling to the primary cell are constrained to be received within an initial three symbols of a slot [Col. 6, lines 8-27 and Fig. 4].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to receive PDCCH monitoring occasion within the first three symbols so that control data can be communicated first in the initial slots leaving rest of the symbols for data communication.
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, R1-2005409 teaches the configuration includes a cross-carrier scheduling configuration for scheduling the primary cell via the secondary cell [Section 2.1].
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, R1-2005409 teaches the primary cell cannot be configured to schedule a different secondary cell while configured for cross-carrier scheduling by the secondary cell [Section 2.4].
Regarding claims 6 and 13, R1-2005409 teaches the configuration is not expected to include a common search space for the secondary cell that schedules the primary cell [Section 2.3].
Regarding claim 8, R1-2005409 teaches an apparatus, comprising: a processor configured to cause a user equipment (UE) to: receive a configuration for a primary cell and a secondary cell [Section 2.1]; monitor a common search space (CSS) for first downlink control information (DCI) from the primary cell scheduling a transmission for the primary cell [Section 2.3]; monitor a UE-specific search space (USS) for second DCI from the secondary cell scheduling a transmission for the primary cell for the UE [Section 2.3]; and communicate according to the first DCI and the second DCI [Section 2.3].
However, R1-2005409 does not teach regardless of a monitoring capability reported, all physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions on the secondary cell for DCIs for cross-carrier scheduling to the primary cell are constrained to be received within an initial three symbols of a slot.
Yang teaches regardless of a monitoring capability reported, all physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions on the secondary cell for DCIs for cross-carrier scheduling to the primary cell are constrained to be received within an initial three symbols of a slot [Col. 6, lines 8-27 and Fig. 4].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to receive PDCCH monitoring occasion within the first three symbols so that control data can be communicated first in the initial slots leaving rest of the symbols for data communication.
Regarding claim 15 R1-2005409 teaches a user equipment device (UE), comprising: one or more antennas [Section 2.2]; a radio operably coupled to the one or more antennas [Section 2.2]; and a processor operably coupled to the radio [Section 2.2]; wherein the UE is configured to: receive a configuration for a primary cell and a secondary cell [Section 2.1]; monitor a common search space (CSS) for first downlink control information (DCI) from the primary cell scheduling a transmission for the primary cell [Section 2.3]; monitor a UE-specific search space (USS) for second DCI from the secondary cell scheduling a transmission for the primary cell for the UE [Section 2.3]; and communicate according to the first DCI and the second DCI [Section 2.3].
However, R1-2005409 does not teach regardless of a monitoring capability reported, all physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions on the secondary cell for DCIs for cross-carrier scheduling to the primary cell are constrained to be received within an initial three symbols of a slot.
Yang teaches regardless of a monitoring capability reported, all physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions on the secondary cell for DCIs for cross-carrier scheduling to the primary cell are constrained to be received within an initial three symbols of a slot [Col. 6, lines 8-27 and Fig. 4].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to receive PDCCH monitoring occasion within the first three symbols so that control data can be communicated first in the initial slots leaving rest of the symbols for data communication.
Claims 4, 5, 7, 11, 12, 14, 18, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over R1-2005409, Discussion on Scell scheduling P(S)cell, vivo, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #102-e, August 2020 in view of Yang et al. (USPN 10,469,234). as applied to claims 1 above, and further in view of Park et al. (USPN 11,638,240).
Regarding claims 4, 11 and 18, the references teach a method, an apparatus and a UE as discussed in rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
However, the references do not teach the second DCI has a 5G NR DCI format of 0_1, 0_2, 1_1 or 1_2.
Park teaches the second DCI has a 5G NR DCI format of 0_1, 0_2, 1_1 or 1_2 [Col. 9, lines 23-36].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have 1_1 DCI format so that downlink grant can be scheduled.
Regarding claims 5 and 12, the references teach a method and an apparatus as discussed in rejection of claims 1 and 8.
However, the references do not teach the configuration is not expected to include a configuration for the second DCI to be an 5G NR DCI format of 0_0, or 1_0.
Park teaches the configuration is not expected to include a configuration for the second DCI to be an 5G NR DCI format of 0_0, or 1_0 [Col. 61, lines 41-55].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to not expect format of 0_0 or 1_0 so that release 16 format can be supported.
Regarding claims 7, 14 and 20, the references teach a method, an apparatus and a UE as discussed in rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
However, the references do not teach when the primary cell is configured with a 15 kHz subcarrier spacing, the secondary cell is configured with one of the 15 kHz subcarrier spacing or a 30 kHz subcarrier spacing.
Park teaches when the primary cell is configured with a 15 kHz subcarrier spacing, the secondary cell is configured with one of the 15 kHz subcarrier spacing or a 30 kHz subcarrier spacing [Col. 9, Table 2].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to schedule secondary cell with 15 kHz or 30 kHz spacing when the primary cell is configured with 15 kHz spacing so that multiple formats and bandwidths can be supported.
Regarding claim 19, R1-2005409 teaches the configuration is not expected to include a common search space for the secondary cell that schedules the primary cell [Section 2.3].
However, R1-2005409 does not teach the configuration is not expected to include a configuration for the second DCI to be an 5G NR DCI format of 0_0, or 1_0.
Park teaches the configuration is not expected to include a configuration for the second DCI to be an 5G NR DCI format of 0_0, or 1_0 [Col. 61, lines 41-55].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to not expect format of 0_0 or 1_0 so that release 16 format can be supported.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Takeda et al. (US-PGPUB 2025/0175980) teaches receiving a configuration for monitoring multiple physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) for downlink information (DCI) that schedules physical down link shared channel (PDSCH) communications on each carrier included in a set of carriers.
Takeda et al. (USPN 11,985,643) teaches transmitting a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) with a cross-carrier schedule to user equipment (UE), where the PDCCH with downlink control information (DCI) to schedule an uplink transmission or a downlink transmission.
Xu et al. (USPN 11,956,779) teaches transmitting a set of downlink control information (DCI) within a slot of a first cell associated with a first subcarrier spacing (SCS), for second cells, where the second cells are associated with second SCSs, numerical quantity of the set of DCI for the second cells is less than or equal to a maximum number of DCI for the second cells and maximum number of DCI is based on the first SCS of the first cell and a second SCS of the second SCSs of the second cells.
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/Chandrahas B Patel/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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