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 .
Priorities and Examiner Remarks
This application is a National Stage entry of PCT/CN2022/086259 (international filing date: 04/12/2022).
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia-Hong Liou (US 20200305168 A1, hereinafter Liou), in view of Kwak et al. (US 20260164416 A1, hereinafter Kwak).
Regarding claim 1,
Liou teaches an apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising (Liou, in general, see fig. 7 and corresponding paragraphs, see also fig. 6 or 8 for relevant information which may also apply):
a processor; memory in electronic communication with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to (Liou, see at least fig. 3, e.g. various apparatus components):
receive an indication of a configuration of a first beam configuration and a second beam configuration (Liou, see at least para. 429 along with para. 421, “...In step 705, the UE is configured with and/or is served in a serving cell by a network, wherein an active UL BWP of the UE is activated in the serving cell. In step 710, the UE is served by a first TRP and a second TRP in the serving cell...”);
receive a downlink control information message comprising a frequency domain resource indicating a first set of frequency resources associated with the first beam configuration (Liou, see at least para. 429 along with para. 35-38, “...In step 715, the UE is scheduled a PUSCH by the network with DCI format 0_0...”, note that para. 35-38 disclose DCI for frequency domain resource assignment),
and
transmit a first uplink message using the first set of frequency resources according to the first beam configuration and a second uplink message using a second set of frequency resources according to the second beam configuration (Liou, see at least para. 429, “...In step 720, the UE transmits the PUSCH via the spatial relation of a PUCCH resource with the lowest resource ID within the active UL BWP, if the PUSCH is scheduled by the first TRP. In step 725, the UE transmits the PUSCH via the spatial relation of a PUCCH resource with the second lowest resource ID within the active UL BWP, if the PUSCH is scheduled by the second TRP...”).
Liou does not teach (a) downlink control information message comprising a frequency domain resource allocation field [indicating a first set of frequency resources], (b) wherein a first number of frequency resources in the first set of frequency resources satisfies a first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources; and (c) wherein a second number of frequency resources in the second set of frequency resources satisfies a second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches (a) downlink control information message comprising a frequency domain resource allocation field [indicating a first set of frequency resources] (Kwak, in general, see sections including, but not limited to, para. 106-122 and fig. 5; in particular, see at least para. 106, “...A WTRU may receive an indication (e.g., via a MAC CE and/or DCI) for activating, triggering, and/or scheduling one or more signals and/or channels (e.g., a PDSCH and/or a PUSCH transmission). The indication may be a separate indication (e.g., independent from other indications) for a DFT index and/or a cluster index. The indication may be a joint indication with an indication for a DFT index and/or a cluster index. The WTRU may transmit/receive one or more signals and/or channels based on information provided via the indication. For example, the WTRU may determine one or more of frequency domain resources, time domain resources, a DMRS pattern, a precoding resource block group (PRG), a scheduling parameter set, etc. based on the information provided via the indication. The indication may include one or more of following. The indication may include a frequency domain resource allocation (FDRA). For example, the WTRU may receive an indication of FDRA (e.g., via DCI) for one or more signals and/or channels...”),
(b) wherein a first number of frequency resources in the first set of frequency resources satisfies a first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources (Kwak, see at least para. 93 along with para. 81, for one non-limiting example “... a WTRU may determine a first number of DFT size and/or a first number of clusters for a BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is larger than a threshold. The WTRU may determine a second number of DFT size and/or a second number of clusters for the BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is equal to or smaller than the threshold...”, note that para. 81 discloses “...The term “DFT” may be interchangeably used with transform precoding...”),
and
(c) wherein a second number of frequency resources in the second set of frequency resources satisfies a second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources (Kwak, see at least para. 93 along with para. 81, for one non-limiting example “... a WTRU may determine a first number of DFT size and/or a first number of clusters for a BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is larger than a threshold. The WTRU may determine a second number of DFT size and/or a second number of clusters for the BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is equal to or smaller than the threshold...”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 2, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 1.
Liou further teaches transmitting the first uplink message and transmitting the second uplink message (Liou, see fig. 7, e.g. steps 720 and 725).
Liou does not teach transform precode the first uplink message based at least in part on the first number of frequency resources satisfying the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources, wherein transmitting the first uplink message is based at least in part on transform precoding the first uplink message; and
transform precode the second uplink message based at least in part on the second number of frequency resources satisfying the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources, wherein transmitting the second uplink message is based at least in part on transform precoding the second uplink message.
Kwak teaches transform precode the first uplink message based at least in part on the first number of frequency resources satisfying the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources, wherein transmitting the first uplink message is based at least in part on transform precoding the first uplink message; and transform precode the second uplink message based at least in part on the second number of frequency resources satisfying the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources, wherein transmitting the second uplink message is based at least in part on transform precoding the second uplink message (Kwak, see at least para. 106 along with para. 93, for one non-limiting example, “...The allocation may be a RBG based allocation. For example, the WTRU may receive a bitmap of RBGs within the indicated DFT blocks and/or the indicated clusters. The RBG size may be scaled based on the number of clusters and/or DFTs. For example, if the WTRU receives an indication of a first number of clusters and/or a first number of DFTs, the WTRU may determine to use a first RBG size. If the WTRU receives an indication of a second number of clusters and/or a second number of DFTs, the WTRU may determine to use a second RBG size...”, note that para. 93 discloses “... a WTRU may determine a first number of DFT size and/or a first number of clusters for a BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is larger than a threshold. The WTRU may determine a second number of DFT size and/or a second number of clusters for the BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is equal to or smaller than the threshold...”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 3, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 1.
Liou does not teach extend the first set of frequency resources in the frequency domain to identify the second set of frequency resources, wherein the first number of frequency resources is equal to the second number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches extend the first set of frequency resources in the frequency domain to identify the second set of frequency resources, wherein the first number of frequency resources is equal to the second number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 115 and fig. 5 along with para. 106, for one non-limiting example, “...A BWP may be associated with consecutive RBs, to which clusters may be mapped, and the WTRU may determine that the frequency-domain resource allocation per cluster may be distributed based on equal distances between the clusters. ... The WTRU may determine that, if more than one cluster is allocated within a single block of a BWP, the clusters may be scheduled so that they are equally spaced within the corresponding block of the BWP...”, note that “...The allocation may be a consecutive RB allocation. For example, the WTRU may receive a starting RB and a length for the signals and/or channels. Based on the starting RB and the length, the WTRU may determine frequency resources for the signals and/or channels...”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 4, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 3.
Liou does not teach wherein the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources is equal to the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches wherein the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources is equal to the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 93, for one non-limiting example, “...For example, a WTRU may determine a first number of DFT size and/or a first number of clusters for a BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is larger than a threshold...”, note that a certain threshold can be used for clusters)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 5, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 1.
Liou further teaches receive, in the frequency domain resource allocation field, a single indication of a plurality of frequency resources comprising the first set of frequency resources and the second set of frequency resources. (Liou, see at least para. 436, “...In one embodiment, the first set of PUCCH resource(s) and the second PUCCH resource(s) could be configured by the same PUCCH configuration within the active (UL) BWP. There may be only one PUCCH configuration configured within the active UL BWP...”)
Regarding claim 6, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 5.
Liou does not teach divide the plurality of frequency resources into a first portion comprising the first set of frequency resources and a second portion comprising the second set of frequency resources, wherein the first number of frequency resources is equal to the second number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches divide the plurality of frequency resources into a first portion comprising the first set of frequency resources and a second portion comprising the second set of frequency resources, wherein the first number of frequency resources is equal to the second number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 115 and fig. 5, for one non-limiting example, “...A BWP may be associated with consecutive RBs, to which clusters may be mapped, and the WTRU may determine that the frequency-domain resource allocation per cluster may be distributed based on equal distances between the clusters. ... The WTRU may determine that, if more than one cluster is allocated within a single block of a BWP, the clusters may be scheduled so that they are equally spaced within the corresponding block of the BWP...”)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 7, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 5.
Liou does not teach wherein the plurality of frequency resources satisfies a threshold value equal to a sum of the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources and the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches wherein the plurality of frequency resources satisfies a threshold value equal to a sum of the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources and the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 93, for one non-limiting example, “...For example, a WTRU may determine a first number of DFT size and/or a first number of clusters for a BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is larger than a threshold... If a BWP is larger than a threshold, a larger DFT size and/or a larger number of clusters may be used...”, note that a certain threshold can be used for clusters)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 8, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 6.
Liou does not teach wherein the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources is equal to the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches wherein the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources is equal to the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 93, for one non-limiting example, “...For example, a WTRU may determine a first number of DFT size and/or a first number of clusters for a BWP if the bandwidth (or the number of RBs) for the BWP is larger than a threshold...”, note that a certain threshold can be used for clusters)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 9, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 5.
Liou does not teach divide, according to a flooring or ceiling procedure, the plurality of frequency resources into a first portion comprising the first set of frequency resources and a second portion comprising the second set of frequency resources, wherein the first number of frequency resources is different from the second number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches divide, according to a flooring or ceiling procedure, the plurality of frequency resources into a first portion comprising the first set of frequency resources and a second portion comprising the second set of frequency resources, wherein the first number of frequency resources is different from the second number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 107-108 and fig. 5, for one non-limiting example, “...Ceiling operation or flooring operation may be used if the derived value for the offset is not an integer. The first and the last offset may have different sizes, for example, to cover the whole bandwidth of an active BWP...”, note that per the equations, the offsets depend on the sizes of sub-BWPs, e.g. the clusters)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 10, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 9.
Liou does not teach wherein the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources is different from the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources.
Kwak teaches wherein the first transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources is different from the second transform precoding threshold number of frequency resources. (Kwak, see at least para. 107-108 and fig. 5 in view of para. 93, for one non-limiting example, “...Ceiling operation or flooring operation may be used if the derived value for the offset is not an integer. The first and the last offset may have different sizes, for example, to cover the whole bandwidth of an active BWP...”, note that per the equations, the offsets depend on the sizes of sub- BWPs, e.g. the clusters, also note that different thresholds can be used for different reasons)
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Kwak into Liou to reduce a PAPR and/or to support better coverage (para. 93).
Regarding claim 11, Liou in view of Kwak teaches claim 1.
Liou further teaches to transmit the first uplink message and the second uplink message comprise instructions executable by the processor to: transmit the first uplink message via a first antenna panel to a first transmit/receive point in a multiple transmit/receive point deployment; and transmit the second uplink message via a second antenna panel to a second transmit/receive point in the multiple transmit/receive point deployment. (Liou, see at least para. 429 in view of para. 421, “...In step 720, the UE transmits the PUSCH via the spatial relation of a PUCCH resource with the lowest resource ID within the active UL BWP, if the PUSCH is scheduled by the first TRP. In step 725, the UE transmits the PUSCH via the spatial relation of a PUCCH resource with the second lowest resource ID within the active UL BWP, if the PUSCH is scheduled by the second TRP...”, note that “...Furthermore, throughout the invention or one or more embodiments mentioned above, concept of “a UE is able to transmit an UL transmission to a TRP or a network panel via a spatial relation” may mean that a transmission beam formed based on the spatial relation may match or point to a receiving beam of the TRP or the network panel...”)
Regarding claim 12, this claim is rejected for the same reasoning as claim 1. To be more specific, although reciting subject matters slightly different, one skilled in the art would have known claim 12 performs reverse (or corresponding) procedures of claim 1. For example, it would be a network entity of claim 12 that performs the reverse (or corresponding) receiving from and transmitting to the UE of claim 1. Hence, examiner applies the same rejection reasoning as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claims 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, in view of claim 12 above, these claims are rejected for the same reasoning as claims 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, respectively.
Regarding claims 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, these claims are rejected for the same reasoning as claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11, respectively, except each of these claims is in method claim format.
Regarding claim 30, this claim is rejected for the same reasoning as claim 12 except this claim is in method claim format.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEE F LAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7577. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm. 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, Ayman Abaza can be reached on 571-270-0422. 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.
/YEE F LAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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