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 § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 8-9, 12 and 21-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hosseini et al. (Hosseini), U.S. Publication No. 2020/0154413.
Regarding Claims 1 and 21, Hosseini discloses a method comprising:
identifying one or more instances of a control resource set ("CORESET") (i.e.,
UE 115-a may be configured with one or more CORESETs 225 for receiving control information (e.g., DCI in PDCCH transmissions 235). Each CORESET 225 may be associated with one or more search space sets 230. In some cases, base station 105-a may transmit a configuration 220 to UE 115-a to configure the CORESETs 225 and search space sets 230 for UE 115-a. therefore, Hosseini teaches identifying one or more instances of a control resource set ("CORESET"); see paragraph [0074]);
monitoring a physical downlink control channel ("PDCCH") candidate to detect a
physical downlink control channel using the one or more instances of the CORESET (i.e., UE 115-a may monitor for PDCCH transmissions in multiple monitoring occasions within a slot; see paragraph [0073]); and
receiving, based on the detected PDCCH, data scheduled by the PDCCH (in other words, UE 115-a may be configured with one or more CORESETs 225 for receiving control information (e.g., DCI in PDCCH transmissions 235); see paragraph [0074]).
Regarding Claims 2 and 22, Hosseini discloses wherein: identifying the one or
more instances of the CORESET comprises: identifying a first instance of the CORESET with a first mapping of a control channel element ("CCE") to a resource element group ("REG") mapping configured by Radio Resource Control ("RRC") signaling (see paragraphs [0053] and [0078]-[0079]); and identifying a second different instance of the CORESET with a second mapping of a CCE-to-REG mapping configured by RRC signaling (see paragraphs [0053] and [0078]-[0079]); and monitoring the PDCCH candidate comprises monitoring the PDCCH candidate using a union of the first instance and the second different instance of the CORESET (see paragraphs [0053] and [0078]-[0079]).
Regarding Claim 3, Hosseini discloses wherein identifying the one or more
instances of the CORESET comprises identifying one or more intra-slot instances of the CORESET that are configured by RRC signaling (see paragraphs [0027] and [0053]).
Regarding Claim 4, Hosseini discloses wherein identifying the one or more
instances of the CORESET comprises identifying one or more inter-slot instances of the CORESET that are configured by RRC signaling (see paragraphs [0027] and [0053]).
Regarding Claim 8, Hosseini discloses wherein the CORESET comprises a
number of consecutive symbols that is greater than three (see paragraph [0082]).
Regarding Claim 9, Hosseini discloses wherein a CORESET configuration
comprises a set of parameters that includes: a number of consecutive resource blocks ("RBs") (see paragraph [0099]); a number of consecutive symbols (see paragraph [0082]); and a number of repetitions (see paragraph [0082]).
Regarding Claim 12, Hosseini discloses a method comprising:
determining, by a first device, that a second device with which the first device will
communicate is an enhanced-reduced capability device (i.e., UE 115-a may be an example of an enhanced URLLC-capable UE 115… UE 115-a may indicate one or more of these UE processing capabilities 215 to base station 105-a (e.g., via an uplink channel 205). Base station 105-a may then configure UE 115-a according to the indicated UE processing capabilities 215. therefore, Hosseini teaches determining, by a first device, that a second device with which the first device will
communicate is an enhanced-reduced capability device; see paragraph [0071]);
in response to determining that the second device is an enhanced-reduced capability device, selecting a physical downlink control channel for the communication with the enhanced-reduced capability device (i.e., For enhanced URLLC operation, UE 115-a may monitor for PDCCH transmissions in multiple monitoring occasions within a slot… UE 115-a may be configured with one or more CORESETs 225 for receiving control information (e.g., DCI in PDCCH transmissions 235) therefore, Hosseini teaches selecting a physical downlink control channel for the communication with the enhanced-reduced capability device in response to determining that the second device is an enhanced-reduced capability device; see paragraphs [0073] and [0074]);
determining a control resource set that is used for the physical downlink control channel communication (i.e., UE 115-a may be configured with one or more CORESETs 225 for receiving control information (e.g., DCI in PDCCH transmissions 235). Each CORESET 225 may be associated with one or more search space sets 230. In some cases, base station 105-a may transmit a configuration 220 to UE 115-a to configure the CORESETs 225 and search space sets 230 for UE 115-a. therefore, Hosseini teaches determining a control resource set that is used for the physical downlink control channel communication; see paragraph [0074]);
configuring one or more instances of the control resource set (i.e., base station 105-a may transmit a configuration 220 to UE 115-a to configure the CORESETs 225 and search space sets 230 for UE 115-a. therefore, Hosseini teaches configuring one or more instances of the control resource set; see paragraph [0074]); and
transmitting, using the control resource set, the physical downlink control channel (in other words, UE 115-a may be configured with one or more CORESETs 225 for receiving control information (e.g., DCI in PDCCH transmissions 235) therefore, Hosseini teaches transmitting, using the control resource set, the physical downlink control channel; see paragraph [0074]).
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.
Claim(s) 7, 10-11 and 13-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosseini in view of Miao et al. (Miao), U.S. Publication No. 2022/0110138.
Regarding Claim 7, Hosseini discloses the method as described above.
Hosseini fails to disclose wherein the CORESET comprises a number of consecutive resource blocks (RBs) in frequency domain that is less than ten. Miao discloses wherein the CORESET comprises a number of consecutive resource blocks (RBs) in frequency domain that is less than ten (see paragraphs [0120] and [0122]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 10, Hosseini discloses the method further comprising: the
number of consecutive symbols is selected from a group comprising 3, 6 or 12 (see paragraph [0082]) and the number of repetitions is 2 or 4 (see paragraph [0082]) as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose the number of RBs is 8. Miao discloses the number of RBs is 8 (see paragraph [0122]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 11, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose comprising determining one or more configuration values for the control resource set using a master information block, a physical broadcast channel, or both. Miao discloses comprising determining one or more configuration values for the control resource set using a master information block (see paragraph [0262]), a physical broadcast channel, or both. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 13, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose comprising determining a number of repetitions of the control resource set to send. Miao discloses comprising determining a number of repetitions of the control resource set to send (see paragraph [0120]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 14, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose wherein determining the number of repetitions comprises determining a fixed number of repetitions of the control resource set to send. Miao discloses wherein determining the number of repetitions comprises determining a fixed number of repetitions of the control resource set to send (see paragraphs [0120]-[0122]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 15, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose wherein determining the number of repetitions comprises determining, using a radio resource control signal, the number of repetitions of the control resource set to send. Miao discloses wherein determining the number of repetitions comprises determining, using a radio resource control signal, the number of repetitions of the control resource set to send (see paragraph [0120]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 16, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose comprising signaling one or more configuration values for the control resource set using a master information block, a physical broadcast channel, or both. Miao discloses comprising signaling one or more configuration values for the control resource set using a master information block (see paragraph [0262]), a physical broadcast channel, or both. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 17, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose wherein signaling the one or more configuration values comprises signaling the one or more configuration values using an information element from the master information block, at least one bit from a payload of the physical broadcast channel, or both. Miao discloses wherein signaling the one or more configuration values comprises signaling the one or more configuration values using an information element from the master information block (see paragraph [0262]), at least one bit from a payload of the physical broadcast channel, or both. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Regarding Claim 18, Hosseini discloses the method as described above. Hosseini fails to disclose wherein signaling the one or more configuration values for control resource set comprises signaling one or more of a number of consecutive resource blocks, a number of consecutive symbols, or a number of instances of the control resource set. Miao discloses wherein signaling the one or more configuration values for control resource set comprises signaling one or more of a number of consecutive resource blocks (see paragraphs [0120]-[0123]), a number of consecutive symbols, or a number of instances of the control resource set. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Miao’s invention with Hosseini’s invention for the reliability enhancement beneficial to services as described throughout Miao.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHANTELL LAKETA HEIBER whose telephone number is (571)272-0886. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9am to 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Addy, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-7795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHANTELL L HEIBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
July 10, 2026
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