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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements submitted on 07/10/2024 and 10/27/2025 have been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-4, 7-9 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over LI et al. (US 2021/0084653 A1, hereinafter Li), in view of WEBB et al. (US 2015/00327239 A1, hereinafter Webb).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses, a wireless communication method (see e.g., “a resource configuration method. A plurality of virtual carriers with a same parameter set are configured in one cell, so that a discrete spectrum and/or a non-standard bandwidth spectrum can be efficiently used”, [0004]), comprising:
receiving, by a wireless communication device from a network, first information for a first virtual carrier (see e.g., “The network device determines N downlink virtual carriers or determines N downlink virtual carriers and M uplink virtual carriers. N≥M≥1, N>1, and both N and M are positive integers”, Fig. 2, [0252] and/or “The network device sends configuration information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the configuration information sent by the network device”, Fig. 2, [0263]); and
determining, by the wireless communication device, second information for a second virtual carrier based on the first information (see e.g., “The terminal determines the N downlink virtual carriers or the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers based on the configuration information”, Fig. 2, [0267] and/or “The configuration information is used to configure the N downlink virtual carriers or configure the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers. In other words, the configuration information is used by the terminal to determine the N downlink virtual carriers or determine the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers”, [0268]); and at least one of:
Li fails to explicitly disclose, sending, by the wireless communication device to the network, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier; or
receiving, by the wireless communication device from the network, downlink contro1 information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information.
In the same field of endeavor, Webb discloses, sending, by the wireless communication device to the network, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier (see e.g., “The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]); or
receiving, by the wireless communication device from the network, downlink contro1 information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information (see e.g., “more possibilities are available to the eNB in terms of the level of aggregation applied to UESS and in terms of DCI formats for data directed to specific communications devices”, [0054] and/or “there are two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2 operating within a HC although there could be more. The HC SI messages are scheduled as usual in remaining HC PDSCH resources”, [0059] and/or “The adapted eNodeB 1401 is arranged to transmit downlink data using a sub-frame structure that includes a VC as described above for example with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12. A transmitter and receiver unit 1409 forms a wireless access interface under the control of a controller 1411, which also performs the function of an adapted scheduler. The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 2, Li and Webb combine disclose, wherein: the first information comprises at least a frequency position, bandwidth, and time- domain resources of the first downlink resource (see Webb e.g., “The wireless access interface provides a plurality of communications resource elements across a host frequency range of a host carrier, a first section of the communications resources within a first frequency range for preferable allocation to reduced capability devices forming a first virtual carrier…”, [0005] and/or “The example shown in FIG. 7 includes two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2, which are formed with two time slots of the sub-frame represented in FIG. 7 by a dotted line 403. Each of the VCs includes a VC control region 408.1, 408.2. In addition the shared resources of the PDCCH of the HC are shown within a region 402”, [0058]);
the second information comprises at least a position, bandwidth, and time-domain resources of the second downlink resource (see Webb e.g., “…and a second section of the communications resources within a second frequency range for preferable allocation to the reduced capability devices forming a second virtual carrier”, [0005] and/or “base stations 101 may be configured to allocate downlink resources for the reduced capability device on the PDSCH 402 only within the pre-established restricted frequency bandwidth 406. As the communications device knows in advance that it will only be allocated PDSCH resources within the restricted frequency band, the communications device does not need to buffer and process any PDSCH resources from outside the pre-determined restricted frequency band”, [0044] and/or “The example shown in FIG. 7 includes two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2, which are formed with two time slots of the sub-frame represented in FIG. 7 by a dotted line 403. Each of the VCs includes a VC control region 408.1, 408.2. In addition the shared resources of the PDCCH of the HC are shown within a region 402”, [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 3, Li and Webb combine disclose, the bandwidth of the first downlink resource is same as the bandwidth of the first virtual carrier (see Webb e.g., “The receiver unit of the communications device is configured with a reduced capability to receive the signals only within a frequency bandwidth which is less than the host frequency range and equal to the first frequency range and/or the second frequency range”, [0006];
the bandwidth of the second downlink resource is same as the bandwidth of the second virtual carrier (see Webb e.g., “the reduced capability devices having a capability to receive the signals only within a frequency bandwidth which is less than the host frequency range and equal to at least one of the first frequency range and the second frequency range, and the first signaling data identifies a location of one or more of the communications resources from which the reduced capability devices can receive common system information…”, [0121]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 4, Li and Webb combine disclose, determining, by the wireless communication device, third information of an initial Bandwidth Part (BWP) based on the first information, wherein the third information comprises at least a frequency position or bandwidth of the initial BWP ( see Webb e.g., “The mobile communications network preferably allocates the communications resources to the reduced capability devices in the sense that the reduced capability devices are given priority to the communications resources of the first or the second sections of communications resources over the allocation of the communications resources to communications devices which are able to communicate using a bandwidth which is greater than the first or the second sections of communications resources”, [0005] and/or “The communications device may then process the control region 400 to decode PDCCH to determine what resources are allocated on PDSCH within the restricted frequency band, and may then process the data buffered during PDSCH symbols within the restricted frequency band and extract the relevant higher-layer data therefrom. The reduced capability device may process the PDSCH regions 406 quickly so that it can micro-sleep if no communications resources have been allocated to it the sub-frame”, [0045]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 7, Li and Webb combine disclose, the first information and the second information comprise a same Search Space Set (SS) via which time-domain positions of the first downlink resource and the second downlink resource is configured (see Webb e.g., “The locations of CCEs forming PDCCHs can be arranged by the eNodeB to make the search process by the communications devices more efficient by arranging CCEs for different purposes in logical “search spaces”. Some CCEs are searched (monitored) by all communications devices in the cell, these CCEs comprising one or more common search spaces (CSS). The order in which the CCEs of the CSSs within each sub-frame are searched by communications devices remains static and is given by the specification (i.e. not configured by RRC). Some CCEs are not searched by all communications devices, these CCEs comprising a plurality of search spaces which are specific to communications devices or UEs and are referred to as UE-specific search spaces (DESS).”, [0053] and/or “PDCCHs comprising CCEs in a common search space contain information relevant to all Communications devices in a cell and the PDCCHs comprising CCEs in a communications device-specific search space contain information relevant only to one communications device”, [0054]); and
the time-domain resources of the first downlink resource are same as time-domain resources of the second downlink resource (see Webb e.g., “no particular time-domain relationship is implied between the resources allocated to carry the common SI. Preferably, to simplify or at least reduced the cost of the reduced capability devices operating on the VCs, the VCs operating in this way would be close together in frequency, but in general there is no particular constraint of this type.”, [0078]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 8, Li and Webb combine disclose, determining, by the wireless communication device, first information and second information based on third information of an initial Bandwidth Part (BWP) (see Webb e.g., “The mobile communications network preferably allocates the communications resources to the reduced capability devices in the sense that the reduced capability devices are given priority to the communications resources of the first or the second sections of communications resources over the allocation of the communications resources to communications devices which are able to communicate using a bandwidth which is greater than the first or the second sections of communications resources”, [0005] and/or “The communications device may then process the control region 400 to decode PDCCH to determine what resources are allocated on PDSCH within the restricted frequency band, and may then process the data buffered during PDSCH symbols within the restricted frequency band and extract the relevant higher-layer data therefrom. The reduced capability device may process the PDSCH regions 406 quickly so that it can micro-sleep if no communications resources have been allocated to it the sub-frame”, [0045]), wherein the first information comprises at least a frequency position, bandwidth, and time-domain resources of the first downlink resource (see Webb e.g., “The wireless access interface provides a plurality of communications resource elements across a host frequency range of a host carrier, a first section of the communications resources within a first frequency range for preferable allocation to reduced capability devices forming a first virtual carrier…”, [0005] and/or “The example shown in FIG. 7 includes two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2, which are formed with two time slots of the sub-frame represented in FIG. 7 by a dotted line 403. Each of the VCs includes a VC control region 408.1, 408.2. In addition the shared resources of the PDCCH of the HC are shown within a region 402”, [0058]), the second information comprises at least a position, bandwidth, and time-domain resources of the second downlink resource (see Webb e.g., “…and a second section of the communications resources within a second frequency range for preferable allocation to the reduced capability devices forming a second virtual carrier”, [0005] and/or “base stations 101 may be configured to allocate downlink resources for the reduced capability device on the PDSCH 402 only within the pre-established restricted frequency bandwidth 406. As the communications device knows in advance that it will only be allocated PDSCH resources within the restricted frequency band, the communications device does not need to buffer and process any PDSCH resources from outside the pre-determined restricted frequency band”, [0044] and/or “The example shown in FIG. 7 includes two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2, which are formed with two time slots of the sub-frame represented in FIG. 7 by a dotted line 403. Each of the VCs includes a VC control region 408.1, 408.2. In addition the shared resources of the PDCCH of the HC are shown within a region 402”, [0058]), and the third information comprises at least a frequency position or bandwidth of the initial BWP (see Webb e.g., “The mobile communications network preferably allocates the communications resources to the reduced capability devices in the sense that the reduced capability devices are given priority to the communications resources of the first or the second sections of communications resources over the allocation of the communications resources to communications devices which are able to communicate using a bandwidth which is greater than the first or the second sections of communications resources”, [0005] and/or “The communications device may then process the control region 400 to decode PDCCH to determine what resources are allocated on PDSCH within the restricted frequency band, and may then process the data buffered during PDSCH symbols within the restricted frequency band and extract the relevant higher-layer data therefrom. The reduced capability device may process the PDSCH regions 406 quickly so that it can micro-sleep if no communications resources have been allocated to it the sub-frame”, [0045]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 9, Li and Webb combine disclose, partitioning, by the wireless communication device, the bandwidth of the initial BWP into a first part corresponding to the bandwidth of the first downlink resource and a second part corresponding to the bandwidth of the second downlink resource (see Li e.g., “the first downlink virtual carrier includes a part or all of the first BWP. Alternatively, the first downlink virtual carrier partially or completely overlaps the first BWP in frequency domain”, [0020]).
Regarding claim 18, Li discloses, a wireless communication method (see e.g., “a resource configuration method. A plurality of virtual carriers with a same parameter set are configured in one cell, so that a discrete spectrum and/or a non-standard bandwidth spectrum can be efficiently used”, [0004]), comprising:
sending, by a network to a wireless communication device, first information for a first virtual carrier, (see e.g., “The network device determines N downlink virtual carriers or determines N downlink virtual carriers and M uplink virtual carriers. N≥M≥1, N>1, and both N and M are positive integers”, Fig. 2, [0252] and/or “The network device sends configuration information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the configuration information sent by the network device”, Fig. 2, [0263]), wherein second information for a second virtual carrier is determined by the wireless communication device based on the first information (see e.g., “The terminal determines the N downlink virtual carriers or the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers based on the configuration information”, Fig. 2, [0267] and/or “The configuration information is used to configure the N downlink virtual carriers or configure the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers. In other words, the configuration information is used by the terminal to determine the N downlink virtual carriers or determine the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers”, [0268]); and at least one of:
Li fails to explicitly disclose, receiving, by the network from the wireless communication device, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier; or
sending, by the network to the wireless communication device, downlink control information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information.
In the same field of endeavor, Webb discloses, receiving, by the network from the wireless communication device, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier (see e.g., “The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]); or
sending, by the network to the wireless communication device, downlink control information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information (see e.g., “more possibilities are available to the eNB in terms of the level of aggregation applied to UESS and in terms of DCI formats for data directed to specific communications devices”, [0054] and/or “there are two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2 operating within a HC although there could be more. The HC SI messages are scheduled as usual in remaining HC PDSCH resources”, [0059] and/or “The adapted eNodeB 1401 is arranged to transmit downlink data using a sub-frame structure that includes a VC as described above for example with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12. A transmitter and receiver unit 1409 forms a wireless access interface under the control of a controller 1411, which also performs the function of an adapted scheduler. The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 19, Li discloses, a wireless communication device (see e.g., Fig. 19, terminal 10), comprising:
at least one processor (see e.g., Fig. 19, processor 102) configured to:
receiving, via a transceiver (see e.g., Fig. 19, control circuit 101) from a network, first information for a first virtual carrier (see e.g., “The network device determines N downlink virtual carriers or determines N downlink virtual carriers and M uplink virtual carriers. N≥M≥1, N>1, and both N and M are positive integers”, Fig. 2, [0252] and/or “The network device sends configuration information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the configuration information sent by the network device”, Fig. 2, [0263]); and
determine second information for a second virtual carrier based on the first information (see e.g., “The terminal determines the N downlink virtual carriers or the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers based on the configuration information”, Fig. 2, [0267] and/or “The configuration information is used to configure the N downlink virtual carriers or configure the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers. In other words, the configuration information is used by the terminal to determine the N downlink virtual carriers or determine the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers”, [0268]); and at least one of:
Li fails to explicitly disclose, send, via the transceiver to the network, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier; or
receive, via the transceiver from the network, downlink control information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information.
In the same field of endeavor, Webb discloses, send, via the transceiver to the network, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier (see e.g., “The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]); or
receive, via the transceiver from the network, downlink control information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information (see e.g., “more possibilities are available to the eNB in terms of the level of aggregation applied to UESS and in terms of DCI formats for data directed to specific communications devices”, [0054] and/or “there are two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2 operating within a HC although there could be more. The HC SI messages are scheduled as usual in remaining HC PDSCH resources”, [0059] and/or “The adapted eNodeB 1401 is arranged to transmit downlink data using a sub-frame structure that includes a VC as described above for example with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12. A transmitter and receiver unit 1409 forms a wireless access interface under the control of a controller 1411, which also performs the function of an adapted scheduler. The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Regarding claim 20, Li discloses, a network node (see e.g., “Fig. 20, network device 201)), comprising:
at least one processor (see e.g., Fig. 20, processor 2022) configured to:
send, via a transceiver to a wireless communication device (see e.g., Fig. 20, Radio frequency unit 2012) first information for a first virtual carrier (see e.g., “The network device determines N downlink virtual carriers or determines N downlink virtual carriers and M uplink virtual carriers. N≥M≥1, N>1, and both N and M are positive integers”, Fig. 2, [0252] and/or “The network device sends configuration information to the terminal. Correspondingly, the terminal receives the configuration information sent by the network device”, Fig. 2, [0263]), wherein second information for a second virtual carrier is determined by the wireless communication device based on the first information (see e.g., “The terminal determines the N downlink virtual carriers or the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers based on the configuration information”, Fig. 2, [0267] and/or “The configuration information is used to configure the N downlink virtual carriers or configure the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers. In other words, the configuration information is used by the terminal to determine the N downlink virtual carriers or determine the N downlink virtual carriers and the M uplink virtual carriers”, [0268]); and at least one of:
Li fails to explicitly disclose, receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication device, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier; or
send, via the transceiver to the wireless communication device, downlink control information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information.
In the same field of endeavor, Webb discloses, receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication device, uplink access signal on an uplink resource of the first virtual carrier or the second virtual carrier (see e.g., “The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]); or
send, via the transceiver to the wireless communication device, downlink control information on at least one of a first downlink resource in the first virtual carrier or a second downlink resource in the second virtual carrier based on the first information and the second information (see e.g., “more possibilities are available to the eNB in terms of the level of aggregation applied to UESS and in terms of DCI formats for data directed to specific communications devices”, [0054] and/or “there are two virtual carriers (VCs) 404.1, 404.2 operating within a HC although there could be more. The HC SI messages are scheduled as usual in remaining HC PDSCH resources”, [0059] and/or “The adapted eNodeB 1401 is arranged to transmit downlink data using a sub-frame structure that includes a VC as described above for example with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12. A transmitter and receiver unit 1409 forms a wireless access interface under the control of a controller 1411, which also performs the function of an adapted scheduler. The reduced capability devices 1403 are thus able to receive and transmit data using the uplink and/or downlink VCs as described above and to receive signaling information identifying the location of common SI on one of the VCs or in the HC”, [0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teachings of Li with Webb, in order to request communications resources for transmission on the uplink or indeed receive communications resources for receiving information on the downlink (please see Webb, [0102]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As to claim 5, the prior arts fail to teach, wherein determining the third information based on the first information comprises at least one of:
determining that the bandwidth of the initial BWP is a multiple of the bandwidth of the first downlink resource;
determining that a lower boundary of the bandwidth of the initial BWP is same as a lower boundary of the first downlink resource; or
determining that an upper boundary of the bandwidth of the initial BWP is same as an upper boundary of the first downlink resource.
As to claim 6, the prior arts fail to teach, wherein determining the second information based on the first information comprises one of:
determining that a lower boundary of the first downlink resource is an upper boundary of the second downlink resource;
determining that an upper boundary of the first downlink resource is a lower boundary of the second downlink resource; or
a number of the time-domain resources of the first downlink resource is same as a number of the time-domain resources of the second downlink resource.
As to claim 10, the prior arts fail to teach, determining, by the wireless communication device, a mapping of Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) of the downlink control information to a downlink channel of the first downlink resource based on a first frequency-domain reference point, the first frequency-domain reference point is determined based on a lowest frequency resource of an initial downlink Bandwidth Part (BWP) or a lowest frequency resource of the first downlink resource; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, a mapping of the DMRS of the downlink control information to a downlink channel of the second downlink resource based on a second frequency-domain reference point, the second frequency-domain reference point is determined based on the lowest frequency resource of the initial downlink BWP or a lowest frequency resource of the second downlink resource.
As to claim 11, the prior arts fail to teach, wherein the uplink resource comprises Random Access Channel (RACH) Occasions (ROs), the ROs comprising first ROs in the first virtual carrier and second ROs in the second virtual carrier;
the method further comprises: receiving, by the wireless communication device, configuration information for both of the first ROs and the second ROs; determining, by the wireless communication device, frequency positions of the first ROs based on Resource Blocks (RBs) of the first virtual carrier and the configuration information; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, frequency positions of the second ROs based on RBs of the second virtual carrier and the configuration information.
As to claim 12, the prior arts fail to teach, wherein the uplink resource comprises Random Access Channel (RACH) Occasions (ROs), the ROs comprising first ROs in the first virtual carrier and second ROs in the second virtual carrier; and
the method further comprises: receiving, by the wireless communication device, a configuration information for both of the first ROs and the second ROs; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, frequency positions of the first ROs and frequency positions of the second ROs based on a bandwidth of an initial Bandwidth Part (BWP) and the configuration information.
As to claim 15, the prior arts fail to teach, wherein: the uplink resource comprises Random Access Channel (RACH) Occasions (ROs), the ROs comprising first ROs and second ROs; and
the method further comprises receiving, by the wireless communication device, first configurations for frequency positions and number of Frequency-Domain Multiplexed (FDMed) ROs for the first ROs in the first virtual carrier and second configurations for frequency positions and number of FDMed ROs for the second ROs in the second virtual carrier.
As to claim 16, the prior arts fail to teach, receiving, by the wireless communication device from the network, at least one first power parameter for the first virtual carrier and at least one second power parameter for the second virtual carrier, wherein the at least one first power parameter and the at least one second power parameter are configured for the first virtual carrier and the second virtual carrier independently; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, a first power for sending the uplink access signal on the uplink resource of the first virtual carrier based on the at least one first power parameter and a power ramping counter; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, a second power for sending another uplink access signal on another uplink resource of the second virtual carrier based on the at least one second power parameter and the power ramping counter.
As to claim 17, the prior arts fail to teach, receiving, by the wireless communication device from the network, at least one power parameter for the first virtual carrier and for the second virtual carrier; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, a first power for sending the uplink access signal on the uplink resource of the first virtual carrier based on the at least one power parameter and a first power ramping counter; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, a second power for sending another uplink access signal on another uplink resource of the second virtual carrier based on the at least one power parameter and a second power ramping counter.
Claims 13-14 also objected as being dependent on objected claim 12.
Conclusion
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/FARID SEYEDVOSOGHI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2645
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