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 .
This Office Action is in response to initial filing on 02/12/2026.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/09/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 08/09/2024. These drawings are reviewed and accepted by the Examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11, 13-15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bae et al (US 20210314126) in view of Lee et al (WO2018062886).
Regarding claim 1, Bae discloses a communication method (Abstract: “a method”), comprising:
receiving indication information, wherein the indication information is usable for (intended use) ([0239] downlink control information (DCI) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) indicating channel (PHICH) for a HARQ operation of uplink (UL) transmission), indicating physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring skipping within a first time period ([0018] … the first DCI further includes a field related to a transmission of a Transport Block (TB), and the field related to a transmission of a TB indicates at least one of information related to a Bandwidth part (BWP) switching and information related to a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) monitoring; [0019] … and the information related to a PDCCH monitoring is a skip period of the PDCCH monitoring; further, [0323] DCI may indicate/configure whether a UE may skip a PDCCH monitoring during a specific time ),
and the indication information is carried in downlink control information (DCI) ([0327] 2-1) A base station may configure/indicate a PDCCH monitoring skip period in a slot or symbol level through DCI transmitted to a UE; first DCI for the uplink data, wherein the first DCI includes a New Data Indicator (NDI) field indicating a transmission or retransmission of the uplink data, see Abstract);
sending a negative acknowledgment (NACK) in a first slot within the first time period ([0230] characterized in that DL transmission and UL transmission are sequentially performed in one slot, and the transmission of DL data and the transmission and reception of UL ACK/NACK can be performed in one slot);
Bae does not expressly disclose monitoring a PDCCH starting from a second slot next to the first slot.
However, Lee discloses monitoring a PDCCH starting from a second slot next to the first slot (the UE should perform PDCCH monitoring during random access or when the UE transmits a scheduling request and attempts to receive a UL grant, page 2, [11], ll. 1-2; UE shall monitor the PDCCH for a PDCCH-subframe during the Active Time page 3, [20], l. 1; further, the UE should perform PDCCH monitoring during a time period over which an inactivity managing timer, drx-InactivityTimer or a retransmission managing timer, drx-RetransmissionTimer as well as an On Duration managing timer, onDurationTimer is running, page 2, [9]; when the UE starts monitoring PDCCH after receiving a message including DRX configuration or reconfiguration, … page 3, [23] – [27]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Bae with the teachings in Lee, the rationale being to provide the UE with sufficient processing time to finish decoding the downlink data packets from the first slot prior to transmitting ACK or NACK feedbacks.
Regarding claim 3, in the obvious combination, Bae discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the NACK corresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process (method for transmitting an explicit HARQ-ACK feedback for an uplink transmission, [0004]; method for receiving an explicit HARQ-ACK using Downlink Control Information (DCI) in a wireless communication system, [0009]; and the transmission and reception of UL ACK/NACK can be performed in one slot, [0230]).
Regarding claim 4, in the obvious combination, Bae discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring the PDCCH starting from the second slot, comprises: monitoring the PDCCH starting from the second slot to the end of the first time period (the UE should perform PDCCH monitoring during random access or when the UE transmits a scheduling request and attempts to receive a UL grant, page 2, [11], ll. 1-2; UE shall monitor the PDCCH for a PDCCH-subframe during the Active Time page 3, [20], l. 1; further, the UE should perform PDCCH monitoring during a time period over which an inactivity managing timer, drx-InactivityTimer or a retransmission managing timer, drx-RetransmissionTimer as well as an On Duration managing timer, onDurationTimer is running, page 2, [9]; when the UE starts monitoring PDCCH after receiving a message including DRX configuration or reconfiguration, … page 3, [23] – [27]).
Regarding claim 5, in the obvious combination, Bae discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the PDCCH starting from the second slot comprises: monitoring the PDCCH starting from the second slot to a time at which a first PDCCH is detected (UE shall monitor the PDCCH for a PDCCH-subframe during the Active Time page 3, [20], l. 1; further, the UE should perform PDCCH monitoring during a time period over which an inactivity managing timer, drx-InactivityTimer or a retransmission managing timer, drx-RetransmissionTimer as well as an On Duration managing timer, onDurationTimer is running, page 2, [9]; when the UE starts monitoring PDCCH after receiving a message including DRX configuration or reconfiguration, … page 3, [23] – [27]).
Claim 8 contains subject matter similar to claim 1, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 11 contains subject matter similar to claim 1, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale. (Bae, Abstract: “an apparatus”).
Claim 13 contains subject matter similar to claim 3, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 14 contains subject matter similar to claim 4, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 15 contains subject matter similar to claim 5, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 18 contains subject matter similar to claim 1, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale. (Bae, Abstract: “present disclosure provides a method for receiving and an apparatus supporting the same”).
Claims 2, 6, 9, 10, 12, 16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bae et al (US 20210314126) in view of Lee et al (WO2018062886) further in view of He et al (US 20160212734).
Regarding claims 2, Bae, in view of Lee do not disclose, wherein the NACK indicates a reception failure of a corresponding physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).
He discloses data packets may be sent together with indicators in a PDCCH in the same subframe that inform the UE about the scheduling of the PDSCH, including the transmission time and other scheduling information of the transmitted data. For each PDSCH codeword that the UE receives, the UE may respond with a NACK when the codeword is not successfully decoded (Thus, a reception error or failure), see [0027].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Bae and Lee with the teachings in He, the rationale being that eNB may retransmit the retransmission in order to ensure the UE receives the retransmission successfully and thus to enhance the system performance.
Regarding claim 6, in the obvious combination, Bae and Lee disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the NACKcorresponds to a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process (method for transmitting an explicit HARQ-ACK feedback for an uplink transmission, [0004]; method for receiving an explicit HARQ-ACK using Downlink Control Information (DCI) in a wireless communication system, [0009]; and the transmission and reception of UL ACK/NACK can be performed in one slot, [0230]), and the first PDCCH carries a retransmission scheduling indication of the first HARQ process (In the case that there is no explicit HARQ-ACK (e.g., PHICH) of a base station for an uplink transmission of a UE, the UE expects scheduling DCI that indicates a retransmission for a specific uplink transmission and monitors it, [0245]); wherein before the sending of the NACK, the method further comprises: receiving a second PDCCH used to schedule a PDSCH (the UE expects scheduling DCI that indicates a retransmission for a specific uplink transmission and monitors it, [0245]; A UE may receive PUSCH scheduling DCI from a base station and may assume that an RNTI in this case is the same as the RNTI used in the DCI that indicates a retransmission, [0255])), wherein the second PDSCH corresponds to the first HARQ process (method for transmitting an explicit HARQ-ACK feedback for an uplink transmission, [0004]; method for receiving an explicit HARQ-ACK using Downlink Control Information (DCI) in a wireless communication system, [0009]; and the transmission and reception of UL ACK/NACK can be performed in one slot, [0230]); and
He discloses the sending of the NACK comprises: when the PDSCH fails to be decoded is decoded failed, sending the NACK within the first time period, wherein data packets may be sent together with indicators in a PDCCH in the same subframe that inform the UE about the scheduling of the PDSCH, including the transmission time and other scheduling information of the transmitted data. For each PDSCH codeword that the UE receives, the UE may respond with a NACK when the codeword is not successfully decoded (Thus, a reception error or failure), see [0027].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Bae and Lee with the teachings in He, the rationale being that eNB may retransmit the retransmission in order to ensure the UE receives the retransmission successfully and thus to enhance the system performance.
Claim 9 contains subject matter similar to claim 2, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 10 contains subject matter similar to claim 6, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 12 contains subject matter similar to claim 2, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 16 contains subject matter similar to claim 6, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 19 contains subject matter similar to claim 2, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 20 contains subject matter similar to claim 6, and thus, is rejected under similar rationale.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 7 and 17 would be allowable because the closest prior art to Bae discloses first DCI further includes a field related to a transmission of a Transport Block (TB), and the field related to a transmission of a TB indicates at least one of information related to a Bandwidth part (BWP) switching and information related to a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) monitoring, and Lee discloses monitoring a PDCCH starting from a second slot next to the first slot (the UE should perform PDCCH monitoring during random access or when the UE transmits a scheduling request and attempts to receive a UL grant, but the closest prior art either alone or in combination, fail to anticipate or render obvious a method or apparatus wherein the indication information indicates, to a terminal device, is PDCCH monitoring skipping within the first time period, the terminal device is in a sleep state within a second time period before a downlink retransmission timer is enabled, wherein the second time period is a timing period of a downlink HARQ round trip time timer, and the downlink retransmission timer and the downlink HARQ round trip time timer correspond to the first HARQ process (Claim 7); and wherein the indication information indicates, to a terminal device, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring skipping within a first time period, the terminal device is in a sleep state within a second time period before the downlink retransmission timer is enabled, wherein the second time period is a timing period of a downlink HARQ round trip time timer, and the downlink retransmission timer and the downlink HARQ round trip time timer correspond to the first HARQ process (Claim 17), as defined in the specification, in combination with all other limitations in the claim(s) as defined by applicant.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIO R PEREZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7846. The examiner can normally be reached 10Am - 6PM EST M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 5712705371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JULIO R PEREZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
Prosecution Insights