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
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.
Claim(s) 1, 9, 19-20, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al (US 20230300786).
As to claim 1 Zhang discloses a bandwidth part (BWP) switching method, performed by a first type of terminal (Zhang ¶0102- ¶0103) comprising: in response to a need for the first type of terminal to perform a random access, the first type of terminal switching from an active BWP to an initial BWP, wherein the first type of terminal needs to perform a random access, and the initial BWP is configured with a random access related channel (Zhang¶¶103-105- For a RedCap UE which is in an active BWP other than the initial BWP and is configured with a new initial BWP through the above described embodiments, the UE will switch to the configured new initial BWP when initiating a random access procedure, if there is no RACH configurations in this active BWP).
As to claim 9 Zhang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein switching from the active BWP to the initial BWP comprises: switching from the active BWP to the initial BWP configured with the random access related channel, wherein a plurality of initial BWPs are configured for the first type of terminal (Zhang ¶0101- a BS may configure a plurality of initial BWPs dedicated for RedCap UEs (such as in SIB1), and which initial BWP the RedCap UE may select to camp on is based on at least one of UE type and UE ID; Zhang ¶105)).
As to claim 19 Zhang discloses a communication device (Zhang , Fig. 5, ¶109), comprising: a processor; a transceiver and a memory storing programs executable by the processor (Zhang ¶0110- 1st sentence- the apparatus 500 may include a receiver 501, a transmitter 503, a processer 505) wherein the processor is configured to: switch from an active bandwidth part (BWP) to an initial BWP, wherein a first type of terminal needs to perform a random access, and the initial BWP is configured with a random access related channel (Zhang¶103- 105- For a RedCap UE which is in an active BWP other than the initial BWP and is configured with a new initial BWP through the above described embodiments, the UE will switch to the configured new initial BWP when initiating a random access procedure, if there is no RACH configurations in this active BWP).
As to claim 20 Zhang discloses a non-transitory computer storage medium having executable programs stored thereon (Zhang 507 of Fig. 5 ¶0110- 2nd sentence-The non-transitory computer-readable medium 507 has computer executable instructions stored therein), wherein when the executable programs are executed by a processor, the processor is caused to (Zhang ¶0110- 3rd sentence- The processer 505 is configured to be coupled to the non-transitory computer readable medium 507, the receiver 501, and the transmitter 503. It is contemplated that the apparatus 500 may include more computer-readable mediums, receiver, transmitter and processors in some other embodiments of the present application according to practical requirements.: switch from an active bandwidth part (BWP) to an initial BWP, wherein a first type of terminal needs to perform a random access, and the initial BWP is configured with a random access related channel(Zhang¶103- 105- For a RedCap UE which is in an active BWP other than the initial BWP and is configured with a new initial BWP through the above described embodiments, the UE will switch to the configured new initial BWP when initiating a random access procedure, if there is no RACH configurations in this active BWP).
As to claim 21 Zhang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the initial BWP comprises at least one of: an initial uplink BWP or an initial downlink BWP (Zhang ¶0047-1st sentence- The initial BWP contains initial downlink (DL) BWP and initial uplink (UL) BWP).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 2 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Futaki et al (US 20220287102).
As to claims 2 and 24 Zhang discloses the method and communication device of claims 1 and 19 respectively, however silent wherein the random access related channel comprises: a physical
downlink shared channel (PDSCH) that carries a random access response; or a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) that schedules a random access response. However, in an analogous art Futaki remedies this deficiency: (Futaki ¶0065- in step 304, the UE 2 may monitor a common search space configured by PDCCH parameters contained in the second initial BWP configuration to receive a DCI format indicating PDSCH resources on which a random access response (Msg2) is scheduled.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Zhang with that of Futaki for the purpose providing resources for scheduling random access response.
Claim(s) 3 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Choi et al (US 20230189308).
As to claim 3 and 25 Zhang discloses the method and communication device of claims 1 and 19 respectively, however silent wherein the initial BWP is further configured with a random search space, and the random search space is a candidate transmission resource set for a PDCCH that schedules a random access response. However, in an analogous art Choi remedies this deficiency: (Choi, Fig. 7, ¶0107- In order to transmit the PDCCH to the UE, each CORESET may have at least one search space…. the search space is a set of all time-frequency resources (hereinafter, PDCCH candidates) through which the PDCCH of the UE is capable of being transmitted). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Zhang with that of Futaki for the purpose of providing resources for scheduling random access response.
Claim(s) 4-8, and 22-23, 26, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of Agiwal (US 20230100499).
As to claims 4 and 26 Zhang discloses the method and communication device of claims 1 and 19 respectively, however silent wherein switching from the active BWP to the initial BWP comprises: switching from the active BWP to a first initial BWP or a second initial BWP; wherein the first initial BWP is an initial BWP of the first type of terminal, and the second initial BWP is an initial BWP of a second type of terminal other than the first type of terminal, or an initial BWP configured for the first type of terminal and the second type of terminal. However, in an analogous art Agiwal remedies this deficiency: (Agiwal ¶0151-a UE can be configured with a first and/or second initial UL BWP on NUL carrier. A UE can be configured with a first and/or second initial UL BWP on SUL carrier. A UE can be configured with a first and/or second initial DL BWP. First initial UL BWP on a carrier and first initial DL BWP is for non-RedCap UEs. second initial UL on a carrier and second initial DL BWP is for RedCap UEs. A reduced capability (RedCap) UE is the UE which supports reduced number of UE RX/TX antennas, reduced bandwidth, relaxed UE processing time, relaxed UE processing capability, reduced maximum number of DL MIMO layers, relaxed maximum modulation order, relaxed duplex operation, etc.;¶0157-***3> switch the active UL BWP to BWP indicated by initialUplinkBWP (i.e., switch the active UL BWP to first initial UL BWP);¶0162- ****4> switch the active DL BWP to BWP indicated by initialDownlinkBWP (i.e., switch the active DL BWP to first initial UL BWP). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Zhang with that of Agiwal for the purpose of the terminal having multiple initial BWPs to switch to for faster and more dependable random access.
As to claims 5 and 27 the combined teachings of Zhang and Agiwal disclose the method and communication device of claims 4 and 26 respectively, wherein a bandwidth supported by the first type of terminal is smaller than a bandwidth supported by the second type of terminal (Agiwal ¶0151- 5th sentence- A reduced capability (RedCap) UE is the UE which supports reduced number of UE RX/TX antennas, reduced bandwidth, Agiwal ¶0167- 5th sentence).
As to claim 6 the combined teachings of Zhang and Agiwal disclose the method of claim 5, wherein the first type of terminal comprises at least: a reduced capability (RedCap) terminal (Zhang-¶105 For a RedCap UE which is in an active BWP other than the initial BWP and is configured with a new initial BWP).
As to claims 7 and 29 the combined teachings of Zhang and Agiwal disclose the method and communication device of claims 4 and 26 respectively, wherein the first type of terminal switches from the active BWP to the second initial BWP, and the second initial BWP is configured with at least one of a PRACH or a random search space (Agiwal ¶0153- ¶0155- ¶0153 *1> if PRACH occasions are not configured for the active UL BWP: ¶0154 **2> if a UE is RedCap and if initialUplinkBWPRedcap (i.e., second initial UL BWP) is configured: ¶0155 ***3> switch the active UL BWP to BWP indicated by initialUplinkBWPRedcap (i.e., switch the active UL BWP to second initial UL BWP);
.
As to claim 8 Zhang disclose the method of claim 1, however silent wherein the active BWP comprises at least one of: an active uplink BWP or an active downlink BWP (Agiwal ¶0108- last sentence-When BA is configured, the UE only has to monitor PDCCH on the one active BWP i.e., the UE may not have to monitor PDCCH on the entire DL frequency of the serving cell. In an RRC connected state, UE is configured with one or more DL and UL BWPs, for each configured serving cell (i.e., PCell or SCell). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Zhang with that of Agiwal for the purpose of configuring BWP for a reduced capability (RedCap) UE (Agiwal ¶0165).
As to claim 22 the combined teachings of Zhang and Agiwal disclose the method of claim 4, wherein the initial BWP of the second type of terminal is an initial BWP dedicated to the second type of terminal. (Zhang ¶0067- 1st and 2nd sentence- The initial BWP dedicated for RedCap UEs, if explicitly configured, is deemed to be at least through legacy SIB1 (that is, SIB1 for legacy UEs). Besides dedicated initial BWP, it might be possible that the SIB1 will contain other RedCap dedicated configurations in future. Consequently, from high level, the SIB1 may contain e.g., configurations dedicated for legacy UEs (e.g., legacy initial BWP configuration).
As to claim 23 Zhang discloses the method of claim 1, however silent wherein in case of a need of the first type of terminal to request an uplink resources from a network, the first type of terminal needs to perform a random access. However, in an analogous art Agiwal remedies this deficiency: Agiwal ¶0163, Fig. 4- in operation 400, a UE may identify that a random access procedure is initiated on a serving cell. In operation 402, the UE may select an UL carrier for this serving cell. The selected UL carrier may an NUL or an SUL. ….. In operation 406, the UE may identify whether the UE is a redcap UE and/or whether an initial uplink BWP for redcap UE (e.g., initialUplinkBWPRedcap) is configured.).Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Zhang with that of Agiwal for the purpose of configuring UL BWP for a reduced capability (RedCap) UE (Agiwal ¶0165).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DERRICK V ROSE whose telephone number is (571)270-7460. The examiner can normally be reached 9am- 6pm.
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/DERRICK V ROSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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