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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 10, 12-13, 30-31, 33-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hooli et al. (US 12232118 B2; hereinafter “Hooli”).
Regarding claim 1, Hooli discloses:
A method for wireless communication, comprising:
transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) to a base station, the UE being configured with an uplink (UL) subband, by: (Col 4 row 22-25: In Rel-15 NR, the concept of serving cell adaptive bandwidth (BW) was introduced by means of bandwidth parts (BWPs). Specifically, a UE is instructed to operate on a specific part of the bandwidth of a gNB, that is, on a BWP; Col 12 row 43-47: UE may determine whether the PRB allocation of the PUCCH resource is located within the UL set of sub-bands. If the PRB allocation is outside the active UL set of sub-bands, the UE determines which PUCCH resources are valid for the active UL sub-band set)
receiving, by the UE, a configuration for at least one PUCCH resource; (Column 21 row 7-11: In block 1102, the user equipment receives a physical resource configuration and/or an assigned resource indicator for transmitting a UL control signal, the physical resource configuration indicating a plurality of resources in frequency domain.)
determining, by the UE, whether a PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband based on the configuration; (Column 21 row 11-14: In block 1104, the user equipment determines a resource based on the received physical resource configuration and/or the assigned resource indicator; Column 13 row 36-43: For that purpose, the PUCCH resource configuration may contain a validity parameter indicating the number(s) of active sub-bands for which the PUCCH resource is valid. For example, the validity parameter value N could indicate that the resource is valid up to N active sub-bands (N=1 would mean that the resource is valid only for 1 active sub-band, 2 would mean that the resource is valid up to 2 active sub-bands, etc.))
and in response to the determining that the PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband, transmitting, by the UE, the PUCCH in the PUCCH resource to the base station. (Column 21 row 14-18: In block 1106, the user equipment adjusts the determined resource for transmitting the UL control signal based on at least one of: an outcome of DL LBT performed prior to the transmission of the UL control signal, an outcome of UL LBT performed prior to the transmission of the UL control signal, and a time gap between the UL LBT and the transmission of the UL control signal.)
Regarding claim 4, Hooli discloses:
wherein: further comprising:
determining, by the UE, whether the PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband based on at least one of the following:
a set of predefined rules based on the configuration; (Col 12 row 34-55: In some embodiments, Alt. 2 of PUCCH resource configuration may be adopted, and in such a case, the UE may determine whether the PRB allocation of the PUCCH resource is located within the UL set of sub-bands. If the PRB allocation is outside the active UL set of sub-bands, identify valid PUCCH resources based on the number of active UL or DL sub-bands, and map PRI to the closest (in terms of PUCCH resource configuration identifier) valid PUCCH resource … in the case of PUSCH (at least partially) overlapping with PUCCH, UCI may be multiplexed on PUSCH selected according to predefined rules among the scheduled PUSCHs within the UL set of sub-bands)
or whether the PUCCH resource is scheduled by the base station to transmit in the UL subband. (Column 21 row 14-18: In block 1106, the user equipment adjusts the determined resource for transmitting the UL control signal based on at least one of: an outcome of DL LBT performed prior to the transmission of the UL control signal, an outcome of UL LBT performed prior to the transmission of the UL control signal, and a time gap between the UL LBT and the transmission of the UL control signal.)
Regarding claim 12, Hooli discloses:
further comprising:
when a second PUCCH resource overlaps with the UL subband and at least one UL or flexible symbol corresponding to a UL BWP in the time domain, and the second PUCCH resource is scheduled for the UE by the base station, the UE performing, by the UE, at least one of the following: not transmitting the PUCCH on the second PUCCH resource; canceling the transmission of the PUCCH on the second PUCCH resource; (Col 10 row 61-67: if the UE does not find any PRB allocation for PUCCH within the active set of sub-bands and the UE is not scheduled with at least partially overlapping PUSCH transmission (at least partially overlapping PUSCH and PUCCH mean that PUSCH and PUCCH transmissions on the same BWP or sub-band would be overlapping in time), the UE may drop the PUCCH transmission.)
or using a delay feedback mechanism for a hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) on the second PUCCH resource when the HARQ-ACK corresponds to a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) and the SPS PDSCH is configured with the delay feedback mechanism. (Col 9 row 18-25: one of the key purposes of PRI is to provide a mechanism to avoid PUCCH resource collisions between different UEs reporting UCI on the same slot (in the case that PRI cannot indicate non-overlapping PUCCH resources for the scheduled UEs, the PUCCH resource collision can be avoided only with sub-optimal mechanisms: HARQ feedback is delayed, unnecessary PUSCH is scheduled so that UCI is mapped on PUSCH, DL scheduling of one UE is dropped).)
Regarding claims 13, 27, Hooli discloses:
wherein: the UE is configured with the UL subband and a UL BWP; (Col 4 row 22-25: In Rel-15 NR, the concept of serving cell adaptive bandwidth (BW) was introduced by means of bandwidth parts (BWPs). Specifically, a UE is instructed to operate on a specific part of the bandwidth of a gNB, that is, on a BWP; As an alternative embodiment, UE may determine whether the PRB allocation of the PUCCH resource is located within the UL set of sub-bands. If the PRB allocation is outside the active UL set of sub-bands, the UE determines which PUCCH resources are valid for the active UL sub-band set, and orders the valid PUCCH resources in ascending or descending order of PUCCH resource identifiers and maps PRI to the ordered PUCCH resources)
a second PUCCH resource spans at least one symbol of the UL subband and at least one UL or flexible symbol in the UL BWP; (Col 10 row 61-67: if the UE does not find any PRB allocation for PUCCH within the active set of sub-bands and the UE is not scheduled with at least partially overlapping PUSCH transmission (at least partially overlapping PUSCH and PUCCH mean that PUSCH and PUCCH transmissions on the same BWP or sub-band would be overlapping in time), the UE may drop the PUCCH transmission.)
and in response to at least one condition in a set of conditions being satisfied, the second PUCCH resource is scheduled by the base station for the UE. (Col 10 row 61-67: if the UE does not find any PRB allocation for PUCCH within the active set of sub-bands and the UE is not scheduled with at least partially overlapping PUSCH transmission (at least partially overlapping PUSCH and PUCCH mean that PUSCH and PUCCH transmissions on the same BWP or sub-band would be overlapping in time), the UE may drop the PUCCH transmission.)
Regarding claim 2, Hooli discloses:
A method for wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, by a base station, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) from a user equipment (UE) by: configuring, by the base station, an uplink (UL) subband for the UE; (Col 4 row 22-25: In Rel-15 NR, the concept of serving cell adaptive bandwidth (BW) was introduced by means of bandwidth parts (BWPs). Specifically, a UE is instructed to operate on a specific part of the bandwidth of a gNB, that is, on a BWP; Col 12 row 43-47: UE may determine whether the PRB allocation of the PUCCH resource is located within the UL set of sub-bands. If the PRB allocation is outside the active UL set of sub-bands, the UE determines which PUCCH resources are valid for the active UL sub-band set)
sending, by the base station, a configuration for at least one PUCCH resource to the UE; (Col 21 row 24-28: In block 1202, the base station transmits a physical resource configuration and/or an assigned resource indicator for a UL control signal to a terminal device, the physical resource configuration indicating a plurality of resources in frequency domain; Col 21 row 35-40: It should be appreciated that descriptions related to physical resource configuration (e.g., Alt. 1 and/or Alt.2 configuration type as an example) and/or adjustment of the determined resource for transmitting the UL control signal which are provided above with reference to FIGS. 5 to 10 also apply here, and will not be repeated.)
determining, by the base station, whether a PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband based on the configuration; (Col 21 row 28-31: In block 1204, the base station determines a plurality of candidate resources for detecting the UL control signal based on at least the transmitted physical resource configuration and/or the assigned resource indicator. Col 13 row 36-38: For that purpose, the PUCCH resource configuration may contain a validity parameter indicating the number(s) of active sub-bands for which the PUCCH resource is valid.)
and in response to the determining that the PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband, receiving, by the base station, the PUCCH in the PUCCH resource from the UE. (Col 14 row 44-49: In the example shown in FIG. 7, UL LBT provides 45 channel access for sub-band #0, but fails for sub-band #1. Correspondingly, UE transmits the prepared PUCCH on the sub-band #0 but drops the PUCCH prepared for sub-band #1)
Regarding claim 3, Hooli discloses:
further comprising: in response to the determining that the PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband, scheduling, by the base station, the PUCCH in the PUCCH resource for the UL subband. (Col 14 row 44-49: In the example shown in FIG. 7, UL LBT provides 45 channel access for sub-band #0, but fails for sub-band #1. Correspondingly, UE transmits the prepared PUCCH on the sub-band #0 but drops the PUCCH prepared for sub-band #1)
Regarding claim 5, Hooli discloses:
wherein: further comprising: the base station determines determining, by the base station, whether the PUCCH resource is valid for the UL subband based on a set of predefined rules and the configuration. (Col 21 row 28-31: In block 1204, the base station determines a plurality of candidate resources for detecting the UL control signal based on at least the transmitted physical resource configuration and/or the assigned resource indicator. Col 13 row 36-38: For that purpose, the PUCCH resource configuration may contain a validity parameter indicating the number(s) of active sub-bands for which the PUCCH resource is valid; Col 11 row 45-48: In a special case where PUCCH is (at least partially) overlapping with PUSCH, the UCI is multiplexed on PUSCH selected according to predefined rules among the scheduled PUSCHs.)
Regarding claim 10, Hooli discloses:
further comprising:
configuring, by the base station, n PUCCH resources, wherein the UL subband shares the n PUCCH resources as PUCCH resources for the UL subband; or configuring, by the base station, m PUCCH resources for the UL subband based on their index of PUCCH resources from n PUCCH resources, wherein:
m and n are positive integers, the UE is configured with at least one UL bandwidth part (BWP) and the UL subband, and the base station configures the n PUCCH resources per UL BWP. (Col 13 row 26-43: In some embodiments, Alt. 2 PUCCH resource configuration may be adopted. An example of Alt. 2 PUCCH resource configuration is shown in FIG. 5 with N=4 sub-bands for a 3-bit PRI capable to indicate M=8 resources. In some embodiments, the idea is that for each sub-band, up to M PUCCH resources are configured. Once the channel access is obtained to more than single sub-band, the number of valid PUCCH resources per sub-band is reduced so that there are up to M valid PUCCH resources over the active set of sub-bands. For that purpose, the PUCCH resource configuration may contain a validity parameter indicating the number(s) of active sub-bands for which the PUCCH resource is valid. For example, the validity parameter value N could indicate that the resource is valid up to N active sub-bands (N=1 would mean that the resource is valid only for 1 active sub-band, 2 would mean that the resource is valid up to 2 active sub-bands, etc.)
Regarding claims 30 and 31 depending on claims 1 and 4, Hooli discloses:
An apparatus comprising: a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor in communication with the memory, wherein, when the at least one processor executes the instructions, the at least one processor is configured to cause the apparatus to perform (In a third aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for determining a resource for transmitting an uplink (UL) control signal comprises: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform the following)
Regarding claims 33 and 34 depending on claims 2 and 3, Hooli discloses:
An apparatus comprising: a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor in communication with the memory, wherein, when the at least one processor executes the instructions, the at least one processor is configured to cause the apparatus to perform: receiving a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) from a user equipment (UE) by: (In a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, an apparatus for detecting an uplink (UL) control signal from a terminal device comprises: at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform the following)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 14-15 and 28-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hooli et al. (US 12232118 B2; hereinafter “Hooli”) in view of Gou et al. (US 20220029752; hereinafter “Gou”).
Regarding claims 14, 28, Hooli discloses:
further comprising: transmitting, by the base station, downlink control information (DCI) to the UE, wherein the DCI comprises … the DCI scheduling a PDSCH ... ((a DL assignment contains up to a 3-bit PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing field indicating K1, the time offset (in slots) between the associated PDSCH slot and a slot in which a UE transmits the corresponding HARQ feedback. The field values may be configured or predetermined. The UE determines the slot for HARQ feedback based on this field as well as on the indicated PDSCH timing K0. The UE includes into the HARQ codebook all HARQ feedback indicated to be transmitted in the same slot. In Rel-16 URLLC enhancement, multiple separate HARQ feedback transmissions in a slot may be supported, meaning that a HARQ feedback timing mechanism with sub-slot accuracy may be introduced.)
However, Hooli does not disclose:
a parameter indicating whether an index in the DCI scheduling a PDSCH is based on the UL subband or based on a UL BWP.
Gou discloses:
a parameter indicating whether an index in the DCI scheduling a PDSCH is based on the UL subband or based on a UL BWP. ([0009] The method includes that a base station configures at least two interval k1 value sets for a UE; the base station instructs the UE to select one k1 from the k1 value sets; [0106] In an embodiment, different k1 value sets are configured for different BWPs (also referred to as sub-bands). A corresponding k1 value set is selected based on a working BWP of the UE. For example, the UE is configured with two sub-bands … The base station configures different k1 value sets for different sub-bands (or carriers), and then the UE determines an HARQ-ACK codebook by using a corresponding k1 value set when operating in a corresponding sub-band (or carrier))
It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling
date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Hooli with the teachings of
Gou, to include a parameter indicating whether an index in the DCI scheduling a PDSCH is based on the UL subband or based on a UL BWP. The motivation would have
been to improve a relatively large codebook is formed and the codebook overheads are increased since the UE forms a corresponding codebook for every timing at which the PDSCH is transmittable in the preceding codebook method. (Gou ¶[0004])
Regarding claims 15, 29, Hooli does not disclose:
wherein: in response to the parameter indicating the index is based on the UL subband, an interval value between a PDSCH and its corresponding HARQ-ACK is obtained based on the index and a first configured interval set based on the UL subband; or in response to the parameter indicating the index is based on the UL BWP, the interval value between the PDSCH and its corresponding HARQ-ACK is obtained based on the index and a second configured interval set based on the UL BWP.
However, Gou discloses:
wherein: in response to the parameter indicating the index is based on the UL subband, an interval value between a PDSCH and its corresponding HARQ-ACK is obtained based on the index and a first configured interval set based on the UL subband; or in response to the parameter indicating the index is based on the UL BWP, the interval value between the PDSCH and its corresponding HARQ-ACK is obtained based on the index and a second configured interval set based on the UL BWP. ([0009] The method includes that a base station configures at least two interval k1 value sets for a UE; the base station instructs the UE to select one k1 from the k1 value sets; [0106] In an embodiment, different k1 value sets are configured for different BWPs (also referred to as sub-bands). A corresponding k1 value set is selected based on a working BWP of the UE. For example, the UE is configured with two sub-bands … The base station configures different k1 value sets for different sub-bands (or carriers), and then the UE determines an HARQ-ACK codebook by using a corresponding k1 value set when operating in a corresponding sub-band (or carrier))
It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling
date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Hooli with the teachings of
Gou, to include in response to the parameter indicating the index is based on the UL subband, an interval value between a PDSCH and its corresponding HARQ-ACK is obtained based on the index and a first configured interval set based on the UL subband; or in response to the parameter indicating the index is based on the UL BWP, the interval value between the PDSCH and its corresponding HARQ-ACK is obtained based on the index and a second configured interval set based on the UL BWP. The motivation would have
been to improve a relatively large codebook is formed and the codebook overheads are increased since the UE forms a corresponding codebook for every timing at which the PDSCH is transmittable in the preceding codebook method. (Gou ¶[0004])
Claims 6, 26, and 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hooli et al. (US 12232118 B2; hereinafter “Hooli”) in view of Zhang et al. (US 20260059501; hereinafter “Zhang”).
Regarding claims 6,26,32, Hooli does not disclose:
the set of predefined rules comprises that the PUCCH resource comprises at least one downlink (DL) symbol in a slot, and the UL subband comprises the at least one downlink (DL) symbol in the slot
Zhang discloses:
wherein: the set of predefined rules comprises that the PUCCH resource comprises at least one downlink (DL) symbol in a slot, and the UL subband comprises the at least one downlink (DL) symbol in the slot. ([0044] One possible sub-band non-overlapping full duplex scheme is that UL sub-band for UL transmission is on DL symbol or flexible symbol configured by tdd-UL-DL-ConfigurationCommon and or tdd-UL-DL-ConfigurationDedicated. [0060] Although the transmission and reception of multiple PUSCHs scheduled by DCI in DL symbols/slots with UL sub-band are shown in FIGS. 4A-4E, the concepts of these embodiments may also be applied to other UL transmissions such as PUCCH/PRACH/SRS; [0063] Assuming PUSCH #1-PUSCH #4 scheduled by DCI #1 are indicated to be transmitted across symbols/slots with different duplex types, e.g., UL only symbols/slots (i.e., symbols/slots #3 and #4) and SBFD symbols/slot (i.e., symbols/slots #5 and #6). Frequency resources allocated for PUSCH #3 and PUSCH #4 are located within the UL sub-band in SBFD symbols/slots #5 and #6, the SBFD symbols/slots #5 and #6 will thus be handled as valid symbol for PUSCH transmission. As shown in FIG. 4A, the terminal device 110 may transmit PUSCH #1-PUSCH #4 to the network device 120 at symbol/slot #1 to symbol/slot #4, respectively. [0064] Frequency resources allocated for the third and fourth PUSCHs are located in DL sub-band in SBFD symbols/slots #5 and #6 (e.g., same slots with UL subband, so UL subband can be configured in DL slot), the SBFD symbols/slots #5 and #6 will thus be handled as invalid symbol for PUSCH transmission. As shown in FIG. 4A, the terminal device 110 may only transmit PUSCH #5-PUSCH #6 to the network device 120 at symbols/slots #3 and #4, respectively and cancel transmitting the third and fourth PUSCHs.)
It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling
date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Hooli with the teachings of
Zhang, to include the set of predefined rules comprises that the PUCCH resource comprises at least one downlink (DL) symbol in a slot, and the UL subband comprises the at least one downlink (DL) symbol in the slot. The motivation would have been to deploy a sub-band non-overlapping full duplex scheme in an unpaired spectrum. (Zhang ¶[0003])
Conclusion
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/NHU PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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