DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
A preliminary amendment received on 9/24/2024 amending claims 1, 6, 7, 9, 14, 15, and 17-20 and canceling claims 21-22 has been entered by the examiner.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 9/24/2024 has been entered and considered by the examiner.
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 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fakoorian et al (US2021/0360664 A1) IDS submitted by Applicant.
Regarding claims 1, 17, and 19, Fakoorian teaches a method/apparatus/ non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for resource determination, performed by a terminal (Abstract), the method comprising:
one or more processors; and a memory for storing a processor-executable instruction; wherein the one or more processors are collectively configured to (Para. 0008):
determining based on a protocol, a frequency-domain resource occupied by an uplink subband used for uplink transmission in a specified downlink slot, wherein the specified downlink slot is used for simultaneous uplink transmission and downlink transmission (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0072, 0090, and 0101; the UE 115-a may determine frequency information for a downlink message (e.g., a communication via a downlink data region 215) and an uplink message (e.g., a communication via an uplink data region 205). In some cases, the frequency information may be frequency parameters identified based on an FDRA field in a joint control message; i.e. the protocol could be full vs half duplex or FDRA vs TDRA and Figs. 2-5 show these resources).
Regarding claims 2 and 10, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the protocol indicates to determine resource blocks (RB) occupied by the uplink subband based on RBs occupied by an uplink bandwidth part (BWP) in an uplink slot; determining, based on the protocol, the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband used for uplink transmission in the specified downlink slot comprises: determining that the RBs occupied by the uplink subband are same as the RBs occupied by the uplink BWP (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0072, 0090, and 0101-0103; the frequency information may be frequency parameters identified based on an FDRA field in a joint control message (e.g., joint DCI). For example, the frequency information may indicate parameters such as a starting frequency allocation location (e.g., an index of an RB or RB group (RBG)), a length of the frequency allocation (e.g., a quantity of RBs or RBG scheduled for the channel); UE 115-a may determine BWPs 230 for receiving downlink messages based on an indicated RBG allocation being within a configured downlink portion of the frequency bandwidth 225. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE 115-a may determine BWPs 230 for transmitting uplink messages based on an indicated RBG allocation being within a configured uplink portion of the frequency bandwidth).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the protocol indicates to determine a number of resource blocks (RBs) occupied by the uplink subband based on a number of RBs occupied by an uplink bandwidth part (BWP) in an uplink slot, and to determine the RBs occupied by the uplink subband based on a reference RB; determining, based on the protocol, the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband used for uplink transmission in the specified downlink slot comprises: determining that the uplink subband comprises a specified number of consecutive RBs with the reference RB being a start RB or an end RB; wherein the specified number is same as the number of RBs occupied by the uplink BWP (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0072, 0090, and 0101-0103; the frequency information may be frequency parameters identified based on an FDRA field in a joint control message (e.g., joint DCI). For example, the frequency information may indicate parameters such as a starting frequency allocation location (e.g., an index of an RB or RB group (RBG)), a length of the frequency allocation (e.g., a quantity of RBs or RBG scheduled for the channel); UE 115-a may determine BWPs 230 for receiving downlink messages based on an indicated RBG allocation being within a configured downlink portion of the frequency bandwidth 225. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE 115-a may determine BWPs 230 for transmitting uplink messages based on an indicated RBG allocation being within a configured uplink portion of the frequency bandwidth).
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the reference RB comprises: an RB with a minimum index value or a maximum index value in RBs occupied by a downlink BWP; or, an RB with a minimum index value in RBs occupied by a first control resource set (CORESET) for transmitting downlink control information (DCI); wherein a number of the first CORESET is one or more; or, an RB with a minimum index value in RBs occupied by a second CORESET for transmitting a common search space (CSS) (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0065, 0072, 0090, and 0101-0103; the frequency information may be frequency parameters identified based on an FDRA field in a joint control message (e.g., joint DCI). For example, the frequency information may indicate parameters such as a starting frequency allocation location (e.g., an index of an RB or RB group (RBG)), a length of the frequency allocation (e.g., a quantity of RBs or RBG scheduled for the channel); UE 115-a may determine BWPs 230 for receiving downlink messages based on an indicated RBG allocation being within a configured downlink portion of the frequency bandwidth 225. Additionally, or alternatively, the UE 115-a may determine BWPs 230 for transmitting uplink messages based on an indicated RBG allocation being within a configured uplink portion of the frequency bandwidth; i.e. starting RB would read on minimum RB).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the first CORESET is a CORESET used for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission in the specified downlink slot, or the first CORESET is a CORESET used for PDCCH transmission in another downlink slot; the second CORESET is a CORESET used for PDCCH transmission in the specified downlink slot, or the second CORESET is a CORESET used for PDCCH transmission in another downlink slot (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0065, 0072, 0090, and 0101-0103; physical control channel and a physical data channel may be multiplexed on a downlink carrier, for example, using one or more of time division multiplexing (TDM) techniques, frequency division multiplexing (FDM) techniques, or hybrid TDM-FDM techniques. A control region (e.g., a control resource set (CORESET)) for a physical control channel may be defined by a number of symbol periods and may extend across the system bandwidth or a subset of the system bandwidth of the carrier. One or more control regions (e.g., CORESETs) may be configured for a set of the UEs 115. For example, one or more of the UEs 115 may monitor or search control regions for control information according to one or more search space sets, and each search space set may include one or multiple control channel candidates in one or more aggregation levels arranged in a cascaded manner).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the uplink BWP belongs to an activated BWP (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0061, 0065, 0072, 0090, and 0101-0103; A carrier may be divided into one or more BWPs having the same or different numerologies. In some examples, a UE 115 may be configured with multiple BWPs. In some examples, a single BWP for a carrier may be active at a given time and communications for the UE 115 may be restricted to one or more active BWPs).
Regarding claims 7 and 15, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the RBs occupied by the uplink subband is located in a range of RBs occupied by an activated downlink BWP; or, the RBs occupied by the uplink subband comprise at least one RB located outside a range of RBs occupied by an activated downlink BWP (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0061, 0065, 0072, 0090, and 0101-0103; A carrier may be divided into one or more BWPs having the same or different numerologies. In some examples, a UE 115 may be configured with multiple BWPs. In some examples, a single BWP for a carrier may be active at a given time and communications for the UE 115 may be restricted to one or more active BWPs).
Regarding claim 8, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the method further comprises at least one of: determining RBs occupied by a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband based on information in a frequency-domain resource allocation information field comprised in received downlink control information (DCI); determining RBs occupied by a PUSCH in the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband based on first resource indication information comprised in received first radio resource control (RRC) signaling; or determining RBs occupied by a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and an uplink reference signal respectively in the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband based on second resource indication information comprised in received second RRC signaling (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0072, 0090-0096, and 0101-0103; UE 115-a may receive DCI from the base station 105 (e.g., via downlink control region 220) indicating a BWP for receiving a downlink communication (e.g., a PDSCH transmission via the downlink data region 215) or for transmitting an uplink communication (e.g., a PUSCH transmission via the uplink data region 205); the joint control message may be received via RRC signaling, a MAC-CE, or DCI. In some examples, the joint DCI may provide timing information within a TDRA field or frequency information within an FDRA field, which may indicate time-frequency resources for both the downlink and uplink message for the UE 115-a).
Regarding claims 9, 18, and 20, Fakoorian teaches a method/apparatus/ non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for resource determination, performed by a base station (Abstract), the method comprising:
one or more processors; and a memory for storing a processor-executable instruction; wherein the one or more processors are collectively configured to (Para. 0008):
determining, based on a protocol, a frequency-domain resource occupied by an uplink subband used for uplink transmission in a specified downlink slot, wherein the specified downlink slot is used for simultaneous uplink transmission and downlink transmission (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0072, 0090, and 0101; the UE 115-a may determine frequency information for a downlink message (e.g., a communication via a downlink data region 215) and an uplink message (e.g., a communication via an uplink data region 205). In some cases, the frequency information may be frequency parameters identified based on an FDRA field in a joint control message; i.e. the protocol could be full vs half duplex or FDRA vs TDRA and Figs. 2-5 show these resources).
Regarding claim 16, Fakoorian teaches the limitations of the previous claims. Fakoorian further teaches wherein the method further comprises at least one of: sending downlink control information (DCI) to a terminal; wherein a frequency-domain resource allocation information field is used by the terminal to determine RBs occupied by a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) in the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband; sending first radio resource control (RRC) signaling comprising first resource indication information to the terminal; wherein the first resource indication information is used by the terminal to determine RBs occupied by the PUSCH in the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband; or sending second RRC signaling comprising second resource indication information to the terminal; wherein the second resource indication information is used by the terminal to determine RBs occupied by a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) and an uplink reference signal respectively in the frequency-domain resource occupied by the uplink subband (Figs. 2-6; Paras. 0005, 0072, 0090-0096, and 0101-0103; UE 115-a may receive DCI from the base station 105 (e.g., via downlink control region 220) indicating a BWP for receiving a downlink communication (e.g., a PDSCH transmission via the downlink data region 215) or for transmitting an uplink communication (e.g., a PUSCH transmission via the uplink data region 205); the joint control message may be received via RRC signaling, a MAC-CE, or DCI. In some examples, the joint DCI may provide timing information within a TDRA field or frequency information within an FDRA field, which may indicate time-frequency resources for both the downlink and uplink message for the UE 115-a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENT KRUEGER whose telephone number is (303)297-4238. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00 MT.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached on (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KENT KRUEGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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