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 .
Information Disclosure Statement (IDS)
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 26 December 2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Figure 6 illustrates the claimed invention.
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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)(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) 1-2, 9-13 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipate by LEI et al. (US 2022/0007395 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 12, 15 and 16, LEI et al. discloses a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:
receive, one or more downlink control information (DCI) messages, wherein the one or more DCI messages indicate a communication format configuration corresponding to a set of slots and a set of sub-band within a carrier ([0107]: At 608, the base station 602 may transmit a slot format indicator (SFI) indicating the slot format to the UE 604. In examples in which the selected slot format includes a flexible slot, the SFI may further indicate the particular configuration of the flexible symbols within the slot. The SFI may be included, for example, within DCI carried in a PDCCH or within a MAC-CE carried in a PDSCH.”); and
determine a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for each sub-band of the set of sub-bands based on the one or more DCI messages.
([0216]: “to receive a slot format indicator (SFI) 2015 indicating a slot format of a slot from the base station. The slot may include a carrier bandwidth and communications in the slot with the base station may occur across the carrier bandwidth or within one or more active bandwidth part (BWPs) of the carrier bandwidth. The SFI may be received, for example, within DCI carried in a PDCCH or within a MAC-CE carried in a PDSCH.”)
Regarding claims 2, 13 and 17, LEI et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages include at least one slot format indicator (SFI) indicating a slot format for each slot of the set of slots. ([0216]: The SFI may be received, for example, within DCI carried in a PDCCH or within a MAC-CE carried in a PDSCH.”)
Regarding claim 9, LEI et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages include a set of slot format indicators (SFIs), and each SFI indicates a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for an associated sub-band of the set of sub-band. (“dynamically changing the slot format of a slot between half-duplex and sub-band full-duplex and/or to changing flexible symbols within a flexible slot between half-duplex and sub-band full-duplex when a base station is configured to operate in a sub-band full-duplex mode. A slot format indicator (SFI) indicating the slot format of the slot may be signaled, for example, via downlink control information (DCI) mapped to a downlink control channel or medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) mapped to a downlink data channel.”).
Regarding claim 10, LEI et al. teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration for an uplink transmission corresponding to one or more sub-bands of the set of sub-bands and a number of symbols in the set of slots ([0004]: “In the time domain, communication may be time-divided into slots. Each slot may carry, for example, 7 or 14 symbols (e.g., orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols). The network may configure each slot as a downlink slot (e.g., all symbols are dedicated for downlink communication), an uplink slot (e.g., all symbols are dedicated for uplink communication), or a flexible slot. A flexible slot can include symbols that may be classified as uplink symbols, downlink symbols, or flexible symbols that may be configured as uplink or downlink symbols....For example, the flexible symbols in a slot may be dynamically reconfigured using a slot format indicator (SFI) transmitted via downlink control information (DCI) within a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).”); and
perform, the uplink transmission based at least in part on the determined slot formats corresponding to the one or more sub-bands indicate that the number of symbols is uplink symbols (“select a slot format of a slot comprising the carrier bandwidth, the slot format including one of a half-duplex slot comprising at least a bandwidth part (BWP) of the carrier bandwidth configured for uplink transmission”).
Regarding claim 11, LEI et al. teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive, at least one configuration for a downlink transmission corresponding to one or more sub-bands of the set of sub-bands and a number of symbols in the set of slots ([0004]: “In the time domain, communication may be time-divided into slots. Each slot may carry, for example, 7 or 14 symbols (e.g., orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) symbols). The network may configure each slot as a downlink slot (e.g., all symbols are dedicated for downlink communication), an uplink slot (e.g., all symbols are dedicated for uplink communication), or a flexible slot. A flexible slot can include symbols that may be classified as uplink symbols, downlink symbols, or flexible symbols that may be configured as uplink or downlink symbols....For example, the flexible symbols in a slot may be dynamically reconfigured using a slot format indicator (SFI) transmitted via downlink control information (DCI) within a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).”); and
receive, the downlink transmission based on at least in part on the determined slot formats corresponding to the one or more sub-bands indicate that the number of symbols are downlink symbols, ([0008]: “select a slot format of a slot comprising the carrier bandwidth, the slot format including one of a half-duplex slot comprising at least a bandwidth part (BWP) of the carrier bandwidth configured for uplink transmission or downlink transmission, a sub-band full-duplex slot including at least the BWP configured for simultaneous uplink transmission and downlink transmission, or a flexible slot including at least one flexible symbol configurable as a half-duplex symbol or a sub-band full-duplex symbol.”). see figure 6.
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Claims 1, 12, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Papasakellariou (US 11,032,765 B2).
Regarding claims 1, 12, 15 and 16, Papasakellariou discloses a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:
receive, one or more downlink control information (DCI) messages, wherein the one or more DCI messages indicate a communication format configuration corresponding to a set of slots and a set of sub-band within a carrier (“gNB transmits DCI format A over period of 5 slots” 1010, Fig. 10), and
determine a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for each sub-band of the set of sub-bands based on the one or more DCI messages (“UE determines slot configuration over period of 5 slots to be {A,B,D,D, A}, 1040 Fig. 10).
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Claims 1-5, 7-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by ABOTABL et al. (US 2021/0400673 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 12, 15 and 16, ABOTABL et al. discloses a user equipment (UE) (Downlink Control Information for Frequency Domain Slot Format Indication), comprising:
at least one memory; and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:
receive, one or more downlink control information (DCI) messages, wherein the one or more DCI messages indicate a communication format configuration corresponding to a set of slots and a set of sub-band within a carrier (“a user equipment may receive, from a base station, downlink control information that includes a plurality of frequency domain slot format indications (SFIs)”, see Abstract, and
determine a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for each sub-band of the set of sub-bands based on the one or more DCI messages, see figure 4C and 6.
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Regarding claims 2, 13 and 17, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages include at least one slot format indicator (SFI) indicating a slot format for each slot of the set of slots. (“downlink control information that includes a plurality of frequency domain slot format indications (SFIs)” see Abstract.
Regarding claims 3, 14 and 18, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages further include a sub-band pattern indicator (SPI) including a set of bitmaps (Slot Freq. Comb. ID), wherein each bitmap of the set of bitmaps is associated with a symbol in the set of slots and indicates a transmission direction for each sub-band of the set of sub-band. Figure 7 shows DCI messages include FD frequency domain configurations including a set of bitmaps (slot freq. comb ID), wherein each Slot Freq. Comb ID is associated with a symbol in the set of slots (FD slot) and indicates a transmission direction for each sub-band of the set of sub-band ([0095]: “For example, the UE 120 may determine that the FD slot is to be a downlink slot (e.g., all downlink symbols),an uplink slot (e.g., all uplink symbols) or a flexible slot (e.g., all flexible symbols, that can be used for downlink or uplink).”)
Regarding claims 4 and 19, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein a bitmap of the set of bitmaps is valid in determining the slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for each sub-band of the set of sub-bands when it is associated with a flexible symbols indicated by the slot format indicated by the SFI. (([0095]: “For example, the UE 120 may determine that the FD slot is to be a downlink slot (e.g., all downlink symbols),an uplink slot (e.g., all uplink symbols) or a flexible slot (e.g., all flexible symbols, that can be used for downlink or uplink).”)
Regarding claims 5 and 20, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein a number of bitmaps included in the set of bitmaps determined based on one of:
([0084]: “time domain DCI and frequency domain DCI may be associated with the same periodicity. That is, the UE 120 may monitor for frequency domain DCI at the same periodicity as the periodicity that the UE 120 uses to monitor for time domain DCI. In some aspects, time domain DCI and frequency domain DCI may be associated with different periodicities. That is, the UE 120 may monitor for frequency domain DCI at a different periodicity than the periodicity that the UE 120 uses to monitor for time domain DCI.”)
Regarding claim 7, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages include one or more pairs of slot format indicators (SFIs) and sub-band pattern indicators (SPIs), each SPI corresponds to an SFI, and each SFI indicates a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for an associated sub-band of the set of sub-bands. ([0070]: “Each time domain SFI may be associated with a respective slot format combination identifier (e.g., SlotFormatCombinationID). For example, SFI 5 may map to slot format combination identifier 3.”). See Fig. 6 and 7.
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Regarding claim 8, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages include one or more slot format indicators (SFIs), (figure 6 shows DCI messages include SFIs) and one sub-band pattern indicator (SPI) (figure 7 shows DCI message include SPI (Slot Freq. Comb. ID)), each SFI indicates a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for an associated sub-band of the set of sub-bands, and the SPI includes a bitmap indicating one or more sub-bands associated with the one or more SFIs. ([0070]: “Each time domain SFI may be associated with a respective slot format combination identifier (e.g., SlotFormatCombinationID). For example, SFI 5 may map to slot format combination identifier 3.”). See Fig. 6 and 7.
Regarding claim 9, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the one or more DCI messages include a set of slot format indicators (SFIs), and each SFI indicates a slot format for each slot of the set of slots and for an associated sub-band of the set of sub-band. See Figures 4C and 6.
Regarding claim 10, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive at least one configuration for an uplink transmission corresponding to one or more sub-bands of the set of sub-bands and a number of symbols in the set of slots; and
perform, the uplink transmission based at least in part on the determined slot formats corresponding to the one or more sub-bands indicate that the number of symbols is uplink symbols ([0070]:”Each time domain SFI may be associated with a respective slot format combination identifier (e.g., SlotFormatCombinationID). For example, SFI 5 may map to slot format combination identifier 3...For example, as shown in FIG. 6, slot format combination identifier 3 may map to slot format 0, slot format 56, and slot format 1, which indicate time domain configurations for three slots. In some aspects, a time domain configuration for uplink (U) communication, downlink (D) communication, or flexible (F) communication (e.g., uplink or downlink).” See fig. 7).
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Regarding claim 11, ABOTABL et al. teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the UE to:
receive, at least one configuration for a downlink transmission corresponding to one or more sub-bands of the set of sub-bands and a number of symbols in the set of slots, see figure 7.
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 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of ABOTABL et al. (US 2021/0400673 A1) in view of Abdelghaffar et al. (US 11,770,234 B2.
Regarding claim 6, ABOTABL et al. further teaches wherein one or more DCI messages further include a set of sub-band pattern indicators (SPIs). Figure 7 shows one or more DCI messages include a set of sub-band pattern indicators (SlotFreq.Comb.ID 1...4),
ABOTABL et al. fails to teach wherein each SPI (SlotFormat Combination in the set of SPI indicates:
a starting resource block (RB) and a number of contiguous RBs of an associated time-frequency domain resource;
a starting symbol (RB1) and a number of consecutive symbols of the associated time-frequency domain resource; and
a transmission direction.
Abdelghaffar et al. in the same field of invention, teaches “Resource Format Indicators in bandwidth part management for Full-Duplex Resource Allocation.”
Abdelghaffar et al. teaches wherein one or more DCI message (DCI 805,figure 8) further include a set of sub-band pattern indicators (SPI) (RFI 1...RFI 7 shows in figure 8 indicating a set of frequency resources), wherein each SPI in the set of SPI indicates:
a starting resource block (RB) and a number of contiguous RBs of an associated time-frequency domain resource (See RFI 1...RFI7)
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;
a starting symbol and a number of consecutive symbols of the associated time-frequency domain resource and a transmission direction. (item 920a shows a starting symbol and a number of consecutive symbols of the associated time-frequency domain resource.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to those having ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the sub-band pattern indicator includes a starting resource block and a starting symbol associated with time-frequency domain resource.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDA H PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3135. The examiner can normally be reached 571-272-3135.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Jiang can be reached at 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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BRENDA H. PHAM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2412
/BRENDA H PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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