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 .
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 1-6, 10, 12-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gaal et al. (US 20210007098 A1) in view of Wei et al. (US 20190253959 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Gaal teaches a communication method (method of Fig. 4), comprising:
determining, by a first device, a first frequency unit corresponding to a first channel raster in an operating band (DL channel raster component 344 of UE 115, can determine the DL channel raster for determining frequency location of a DL channel over which to receive DL communications, [0057]),
wherein the operating band includes the first frequency unit (F.sub.DL can be the downlink frequency, [0057]) and a second frequency unit corresponding to a second channel raster (the base station 105 can indicate to the UE 115 what frequency is used for the UL, [0059]),
the first frequency is used for communication between the first device and a second device (DL channel over which to receive DL communications e.g., from the base station 105, [0057]), and
the second frequency unit is used for communication between the first device and a third device (communicating component 340 can transmit the uplink communications over the uplink channel as determined based on the uplink channel raster (e.g., which may include a wideband UL carrier, a UL carrier that uses at least a portion of legacy guard-band, [0065]; step 418); and
communicating, by the first device, with the second device on the first frequency unit (at Block 420, control signaling can be transmitted over the uplink channel and data can be transmitted over another uplink channel that does not overlap with a legacy communication technology, [0066]).
However Gaal does not clearly teach a granularity of the first channel raster is less than a granularity of the second channel raster.
In an analogous art, Wei teaches a granularity of the first channel raster is less than a granularity of the second channel raster (a second frequency span having second bandwidth larger than said first bandwidth and employing a second channel raster value larger than said first channel raster value, [0065]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal with the channel granularity of Wei to provide a method for faster cell search, and lower complexity and power consumption at the terminal as suggested, Wei [0028].
Regarding claim 2, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending, by the first device to the second device, first configuration information indicating at least one of the following: an uplink offset; a frequency domain spacing between a downlink frequency position and an uplink frequency position; or an uplink frequency unit (in transmitting the one or more parameters at Block 502, optionally at Block 504, an indication of a frequency location for the uplink channel raster can be transmitted, Gaal [0069], step 502 of Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein a frequency position at which the first channel raster in the first frequency unit is located corresponds to a frequency position of a resource element in the first frequency unit, and an index of the resource element in frequency domain is determined based on a transmission bandwidth of the first frequency unit or a transmission bandwidth of the second frequency unit (Thus, for a wideband UL carrier of 40 MHz in 5G NR, communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein a boundary of a resource block of the first frequency unit is aligned with a boundary of a resource block of the second frequency unit, or a boundary of a subcarrier of the first frequency unit is aligned with a boundary of a subcarrier of the second frequency unit (Thus, for a wideband UL carrier of 40 MHz in 5G NR, communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 5, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein when the first frequency unit is included in the transmission bandwidth of the second frequency unit, the boundary of the resource block of the first frequency unit is aligned with the boundary of the resource block of the second frequency unit; when the first frequency unit is included in a guard band of the second frequency unit, the boundary of the subcarrier of the first frequency unit is aligned with the boundary of the subcarrier of the second frequency unit; or when the first frequency unit is not included in the second frequency unit, and a frequency domain spacing between the first frequency unit and the second frequency unit is less than a threshold, the boundary of the subcarrier of the first frequency unit is aligned with the boundary of the subcarrier of the second frequency unit (Thus, for a wideband UL carrier of 40 MHz in 5G NR, communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 6, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the granularity of the first channel raster is determined based on at least one of the following: a deployment mode of the first frequency unit; or a subcarrier spacing of the first frequency unit (Different raster offsets may depend on whether the channel raster is being determined for UL or DL channels, Gaal [0058]).
Regarding claim 10, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the determining, by the first device, the first frequency unit comprises: determining, by the first device, an offset based on at least one of a type of a frequency band in which the first frequency unit is located, a first capability of the second device, a type of the second device, a type of a time domain resource on which a signal carried by the first frequency unit is located, wherein the first capability indicates whether a frequency shift of an uplink signal to an uplink transmission frequency band other than a downlink transmission frequency band in which a downlink frequency unit is located is supported (Different raster offsets may depend on whether the channel raster is being determined for UL or DL channels, Gaal [0058]); and determining, by the first device, the first frequency unit based on a frequency position and the offset (DL channel raster component 344 may determine the DL channel raster to be of a specific value (e.g., 120 kHz, 180 kHz, 300 kHz, etc.), and may use a formula to determine the DL channel raster based on the EARFCN channel number, N.sub.DL… Different raster offsets may depend on whether the channel raster is being determined for UL or DL channels, Gaal [0057]).
Regarding claim 12, Gaal teaches an apparatus (UE 115 of Fig. 3), comprising:
at least one processor (processor 305); and
a non-transitory memory storing program instructions (memory 302) that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
determine a first frequency unit corresponding to a first channel raster in an operating band (DL channel raster component 344, e.g., in conjunction with processor(s) 305, memory 302, communicating component 340, and/or transceiver 370, can determine the DL channel raster for determining frequency location of a DL channel over which to receive DL communications, [0057]), wherein the operating band includes the first frequency unit (F.sub.DL can be the downlink frequency, [0057]) and a second frequency unit corresponding to a second channel raster (the base station 105 can indicate to the UE 115 what frequency is used for the UL, [0059]),
the first frequency is used for communication between the first device and a second device (DL channel over which to receive DL communications e.g., from the base station 105, [0057]),
and the second frequency unit is used for communication between the first device and a third device (communicating component 340 can transmit the uplink communications over the uplink channel as determined based on the uplink channel raster (e.g., which may include a wideband UL carrier, a UL carrier that uses at least a portion of legacy guard-band, [0065]; step 418); and
communicating, by the first device, with the second device on the first frequency unit (at Block 420, control signaling can be transmitted over the uplink channel and data can be transmitted over another uplink channel that does not overlap with a legacy communication technology, [0066]).
However Gaal does not clearly teach a granularity of the first channel raster is less than a granularity of the second channel raster.
In an analogous art, Wei teaches a granularity of the first channel raster is less than a granularity of the second channel raster (a second frequency span having second bandwidth larger than said first bandwidth and employing a second channel raster value larger than said first channel raster value, [0065]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal with the channel granularity of Wei to provide a method for faster cell search, and lower complexity and power consumption at the terminal as suggested, Wei [0028].
Regarding claim 13, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to: send first configuration information to the second device, wherein the first configuration information indicates at least one of the following: an uplink offset; a frequency domain spacing between a downlink frequency position and an uplink frequency position; or an uplink frequency unit (Thus, for a wideband UL carrier of 40 MHz in 5G NR, communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 14, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a frequency position at which the first channel raster in the first frequency unit is located corresponds to a frequency position of a resource element in the first frequency unit, and an index of the resource element in frequency domain is determined based on a transmission bandwidth of the first frequency unit or a transmission bandwidth of the second frequency unit (Thus, for a wideband UL carrier of 40 MHz in 5G NR, communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 15, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the apparatus according to claim 12, wherein a boundary of a resource block of the first frequency unit is aligned with a boundary of a resource block of the second frequency unit, or a boundary of a subcarrier of the first frequency unit is aligned with a boundary of a subcarrier of the second frequency unit (communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 16, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the e apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when the first frequency unit is included in the transmission bandwidth of the second frequency unit, the boundary of the resource block of the first frequency unit is aligned with the boundary of the resource block of the second frequency unit; when the first frequency unit is included in a guard band of the second frequency unit, the boundary of the subcarrier of the first frequency unit is aligned with the boundary of the subcarrier of the second frequency unit; or when the first frequency unit is not included in the second frequency unit, and a frequency domain spacing between the first frequency unit and the second frequency unit is less than a threshold, the boundary of the subcarrier of the first frequency unit is aligned with the boundary of the subcarrier of the second frequency unit (communicating component 340 can configure the wideband UL carrier to span two contiguous LTE UL carriers along with the fractional RB corresponding to the guard-band between the contiguous 20 MHz carriers, as specified in LTE, to facilitate alignment of the tones/RBs between 5G NR and LTE over the UL carriers, Gaal [0063]; Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 20, Gaal teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (UE 115 of Fig. 3) storing programming instructions for execution by at least one processor (processor 305), wherein the programming instructions comprise instructions for:
determining a first frequency unit corresponding to a first channel raster in an operating band ((DL channel raster component 344, e.g., in conjunction with processor(s) 305, memory 302, communicating component 340, and/or transceiver 370, can determine the DL channel raster for determining frequency location of a DL channel over which to receive DL communications, [0057]), wherein the operating band includes the first frequency unit (F.sub.DL can be the downlink frequency, [0057]) and a second frequency unit corresponding to a second channel raster (the base station 105 can indicate to the UE 115 what frequency is used for the UL, [0059]),
the first frequency is used for communication between the first device and a second device (DL channel over which to receive DL communications e.g., from the base station 105, [0057]),
and the second frequency unit is used for communication between the first device and a third device (communicating component 340 can transmit the uplink communications over the uplink channel as determined based on the uplink channel raster (e.g., which may include a wideband UL carrier, a UL carrier that uses at least a portion of legacy guard-band, [0065]; step 418); and
communicating, by the first device, with the second device on the first frequency unit (at Block 420, control signaling can be transmitted over the uplink channel and data can be transmitted over another uplink channel that does not overlap with a legacy communication technology, [0066]).
However Gaal does not clearly teach a granularity of the first channel raster is less than a granularity of the second channel raster.
In an analogous art, Wei teaches a granularity of the first channel raster is less than a granularity of the second channel raster (a second frequency span having second bandwidth larger than said first bandwidth and employing a second channel raster value larger than said first channel raster value, [0065]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal with the channel granularity of Wei to provide a method for faster cell search, and lower complexity and power consumption at the terminal as suggested, Wei [0028].
Claims 7-9, 11 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gaal in view of Wei et al. (US 20190253959 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 20220326333 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1.
However, Gaal and Wei do not teach wherein the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz, and the granularity of the first channel raster is 10 kHz.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz, (For example, granularity of a channel raster on a refarming band (refarming band, which refers to a frequency band used for redefinition of a frequency band used in LTE and is used for NR) may be 100 kHz, [0034]) and the granularity of the first channel raster is 10 kHz (the value of the target position shift includes but is not limited to 5 kHz, 10 kHz, or 20 kHz, [0091]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal and Wei with the raster position of Liu to provide a method for an accurate position of a subcarrier for uplink and downlink communication as suggested, Liu [0053].
Regarding claim 8, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1.
However, Gaal and Wei do not teach wherein in the operating band, the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz, and the granularity of the first channel raster is an integer multiple of 5 kHz, 10 kHz, or 20 kHz.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein in the operating band, the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz (refarming band, which refers to a frequency band used for redefinition of a frequency band used in LTE and is used for NR) may be 100 kHz, [0034]), and the granularity of the first channel raster is an integer multiple of 5 kHz, 10 kHz, or 20 kHz (a value in a value set corresponding to the second preset gap includes at least one of 0, a multiple of 5 kHz, a multiple of 10 kHz, or a multiple of 20 kHz, [0187]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal and Wei with the raster position of Liu to provide a method for an accurate position of a subcarrier for uplink and downlink communication as suggested, Liu [0053].
Regarding claim 9, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the method according to claim 1.
However, Gaal and Wei do not teach wherein a radio frequency reference frequency FREF corresponding to the first frequency unit satisfies: FREF=FREF-Offs+ΔFGlobal (NREF–NREF-Offs)+offset, wherein FREF-Offs is a radio frequency reference frequency offset value, ΔFGlobal is a granularity of a global channel raster, NREF is a new radio absolute radio frequency channel number (NR-ARFCN), NREF-Offs is an NR-ARFCN offset value, offset is a frequency offset, and a value of offset is one of {–50, –45, –40, –35, –30, –25, –20, –15, –10, –5, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50} kHz.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein a radio frequency reference frequency FREF corresponding to the first frequency unit satisfies: FREF=FREF-Offs+ΔFGlobal (NREF–NREF-Offs)+offset, wherein FREF-Offs is a radio frequency reference frequency offset value, ΔFGlobal is a granularity of a global channel raster, NREF is a new radio absolute radio frequency channel number (NR-ARFCN), NREF-Offs is an NR-ARFCN offset value, offset is a frequency offset, and a value of offset is one of {–50, –45, –40, –35, –30, –25, –20, –15, –10, –5, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50} kHz (In an NR system, when a radio frequency reference frequency on a global frequency raster is indicated by using an NR-ARFCN, a relationship between the NR-ARFCN and the radio frequency reference frequency meets the following formula: F.sub.REF=F.sub.REF-Offs+ΔF.sub.Global×(N.sub.REF−N.sub.REF-Offs), [0030]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal and Wei with the raster position of Liu to provide a method for an accurate position of a subcarrier for uplink and downlink communication as suggested, Liu [0053].
Regarding claim 11, Gaal as modified by Wei and Liu teaches the method according to claim 9, wherein the determining the offset comprises determining an uplink offset, wherein the uplink offset is a first value or a second value when the first capability indicates that the frequency shift of the uplink signal to the uplink transmission frequency band other than the downlink transmission frequency band is supported; or the uplink offset is a first value when the first capability indicates that the frequency shift of the uplink signal to the uplink transmission frequency band other than the downlink transmission frequency band is not supported (UL channel raster component 342 can determine the UL channel raster based on a shift in the range of a half tone of the legacy communication technology, which may be 7-8 kHz, or substantially 7.5 kHz, Gaal [0059]).
Regarding claim 17, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the apparatus according to claim 12.
However, Gaal and Wei do not teach wherein the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz, and the granularity of the first channel raster is 10 kHz.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz, (For example, granularity of a channel raster on a refarming band (refarming band, which refers to a frequency band used for redefinition of a frequency band used in LTE and is used for NR) may be 100 kHz, [0034]) and the granularity of the first channel raster is 10 kHz (the value of the target position shift includes but is not limited to 5 kHz, 10 kHz, or 20 kHz, [0091]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal and Wei with the raster position of Liu to provide a method for an accurate position of a subcarrier for uplink and downlink communication as suggested, Liu [0053].
Regarding claim 18, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the apparatus according to claim 12.
However, Gaal and Wei do not teach wherein in the operating band, the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz, and the granularity of the first channel raster is an integer multiple of 5 kHz, 10 kHz, or 20 kHz.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein in the operating band, the granularity of the second channel raster is 100 kHz (refarming band, which refers to a frequency band used for redefinition of a frequency band used in LTE and is used for NR) may be 100 kHz, [0034]), and the granularity of the first channel raster is an integer multiple of 5 kHz, 10 kHz, or 20 kHz (a value in a value set corresponding to the second preset gap includes at least one of 0, a multiple of 5 kHz, a multiple of 10 kHz, or a multiple of 20 kHz, [0187]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal and Wei with the raster position of Liu to provide a method for an accurate position of a subcarrier for uplink and downlink communication as suggested, Liu [0053].
Regarding claim 19, Gaal as modified by Wei teaches the apparatus according to claim 12.
However, Gaal and Wei do not teach wherein a radio frequency reference frequency FREF corresponding to the first frequency unit satisfies: FREF=FREF-Offs+ΔFGlobal (NREF–NREF-Offs)+offset, wherein FREF-Offs is a radio frequency reference frequency offset value, ΔFGlobal is a granularity of a global channel raster, NREF is a new radio absolute radio frequency channel number (NR-ARFCN), NREF-Offs is an NR-ARFCN offset value, offset is a frequency offset, and a value of offset is one of {–50, –45, –40, –35, –30, –25, –20, –15, –10, –5, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50} kHz.
In an analogous art, Liu teaches wherein a radio frequency reference frequency FREF corresponding to the first frequency unit satisfies: FREF=FREF-Offs+ΔFGlobal (NREF–NREF-Offs)+offset, wherein FREF-Offs is a radio frequency reference frequency offset value, ΔFGlobal is a granularity of a global channel raster, NREF is a new radio absolute radio frequency channel number (NR-ARFCN), NREF-Offs is an NR-ARFCN offset value, offset is a frequency offset, and a value of offset is one of {–50, –45, –40, –35, –30, –25, –20, –15, –10, –5, 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50} kHz (In an NR system, when a radio frequency reference frequency on a global frequency raster is indicated by using an NR-ARFCN, a relationship between the NR-ARFCN and the radio frequency reference frequency meets the following formula: F.sub.REF=F.sub.REF-Offs+ΔF.sub.Global×(N.sub.REF−N.sub.REF-Offs), [0030]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the channel raster of Gaal and Wei with the raster position of Liu to provide a method for an accurate position of a subcarrier for uplink and downlink communication as suggested, Liu [0053].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Chen et al. (US 20230388988 A1): Embodiments of the present disclosure relates to a method, and an apparatus of scheduling resource for terminal device. The method performed by a network node comprise: obtaining a configuration indicating that a resource is associated to a first operation mode, or indicating that the resource is associated to a second operation mode; and transmitting, to a terminal device, a first message indicating that the resource is associated to the second operation mode. The first operation mode comprises a standalone mode; and the second operation mode comprises a guardband mode or an inband mode. According to embodiments of the present disclosure, the network node may change a preconfigured operation mode of a specific resource, so as to improve the utilization efficiency of the specific resource.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE M LOUIS-FILS whose telephone number is (571)270-0671. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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/NICOLE M LOUIS-FILS/Examiner, Art Unit 2641
/CHARLES N APPIAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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