DETAILED ACTION
The office action is in response to the application filed received on Oct. 22, 2024.
The Oath was received on Oct. 22, 2024.
Claims 14-20 are pending in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on Feb. 3, 2025 and June 2, 2026 have been considered by the examiner.
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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 14 recites a specific cell from which search space set configuration is received. But it doesn’t define that specific cell as “for counting the PDCCH candidates”. It is unclear in the claim whether all the specific cells are referring to the same cell or if there are other specific cells. Further, Claim 14 recites “a scheduling cell based on the search set configuration.” and “different scheduled cells”. But it is unclear whether the recitation of “a set of the scheduled cells” is referring to the different scheduled cells” and whether the scheduling cell is referring to a scheduling cell being monitored.
Both impact the scope and are unclear and should be resolved as soon as possible.
Claim 16 recites “the set”, it is unclear which set is being referred to with that limitation, there are multiple sets in claim 14 and none of them are a set of specific cells.
Claims 17 and 18 recites “a search space set for the scheduling cell.” It is unclear whether the configuration for the schedule cell is different from the configuration for a specific cell or not. Please double check they are clearly separate.
Claims 19 and 20 have the same issues as claim 14 and claims 15-18 are dependent from claim 14 and contain the same issues as claim 14.
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.
Claims 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ebrahim MolavianJazi, et. al. (USPub. No.: US 20230057605 A1, hereinafter “MolavianJazi”).
Regarding claim 14, MolavianJazi teaches that a method of monitoring a control signal by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: (MolavianJazi, in Paragraphs [0065]-[0067], teaches that with various wireless communication system introduced in Paragraph [0065], to monitor PDCCH (control channel) according to the search space set, UE counts a number of PDCCH candidates in a search space set, regardless of a number of DCI format sizes associated with the search space set.) receiving a search space set configuration for a specific cell including information on a number of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates for each control channel element (CCE) aggregation level; and (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0156], teaches that for each DL BWP (Downlink Bandwidth Part) configured to a UE in a serving cell (specific cell), the UE is provided (received) by higher layer signaling the search space set, S, with S ≤ 10. For each search space set from the S search space sets, the UE is provided (received) the following by Search Space: i) search space index, s, 0 < s < 40, by searchSpaceId, ii) an association between the search space sets and a CORESET, p, by controlResourceSetld or by controlResourceSetld-v1610, iii) a PDCCH monitoring periodicity of ks slots and a PDCCH monitoring offset of slots, by monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset, iv) a number of PDCCH candidates Ms(L) per CCE aggregation level L, where the CCE aggregation level L is one of aggregationLevel1, aggregationLevel2, aggregationLevel4, aggregationLevel8, and aggregationLevel16. Thus, the UE receives a search space set configuration for a serving cell including a number of PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level such as aggregation level 1, aggregation level 2, …, or aggregation level 16.)
monitoring the PDCCH candidates for a downlink control information (DCI) format on a scheduling cell based on the search space set configuration, (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0069], teaches that
a UE monitors across all PDCCH candidates in all search space set in a downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a scheduling cell with up to 3 DCI format size for unicast data. UE counts a number of sizes for DCI formats per serving cell based on a number of configured PDCCH candidates in respective search space sets for the corresponding active DL BWP. Thus, UE monitors PDCCH candidates for DCI formats having different sizes associated with a scheduling cell according to respective search space sets.) wherein the DCI format is a DCI format for scheduling physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) or physical uplink shared channels (PUSCHs) on different scheduled cells, and (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0079], teaches that A DCI format provides scheduling information parameters for PDSCH or PUSCH on a single serving cell. In addition, if the serving cell is a scheduled cell, the UE receives a DCI format for the PDSCH/PUSCH in a PDCCH that the UE receives on a corresponding scheduling cell. Thus, the DCI format is a DCI format for scheduling PDSCH or PUSCH on different scheduled cells.) wherein the specific cell for counting the number of the PDCCH candidates is determined from a set of the scheduled cells based on search space sets with a same search space identifier (ID) being provided on the specific cell and the scheduling cell (MolavianJazi, in paragraph [0089], teaches that a search space set for multi-cell
scheduling is associated with DCI format(s) both for multi-cell scheduling on a set of co-scheduled cells and for single cell scheduling on a first scheduled cell (the specific cell) from the set of co-scheduled cells. Such search space set is commonly configured and linked on the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell. Thus, UE monitors the linked search space sets when both are configured on active DL BWPs of the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell. Here, the search space set is indicated by searchSpaceID as described in Paragraph [0156]. When UE monitors a PDCCH candidate with L non-overlapping CCEs in a slot according to the search space set, UE counts the PDCCH candidate as a full/single count towards a number of monitored PDCCH candidates in the slot for the first scheduled cell. Thus, the specific cell for counting the number of the PDCCH candidates is determined from a set of the scheduled cells based on search space sets commonly configured or linked on the specific cell and the scheduling cell.)
Regarding claim 15, MolavianJazi teaches the features defined in the claim 14, -refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
MolavianJazi further teaches that wherein the number of the PDCCH candidates is equal to a number of PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level configured for the specific cell (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0156], teaches for each DL BWP configured to a UE in a serving cell (the specific cell), by higher layer signaling, the search space sets are provided to UE. For each search space set, UE is provided a number of PDCCH candidates per CCE aggregation level L, where L is one of 1, 2, 4, 8, or 16, by aggregation level L for CCE aggregation level L, respectively. Thus, for the search space set for the serving cell, the number of PDCCH candidates is equal to a number of PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level, since the number of PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level is determined by the corresponding CCE aggregation level.)
Regarding claim 16, MolavianJazi teaches the features defined in the claim 14, -refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
MolavianJazi further teaches that wherein the set includes not only the specific cell but also cells other than the specific cell (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0089], teaches that a search space set for multi-cell scheduling is associated with DCI format(s) both for multi-cell scheduling on a set of co-scheduled cells and for single cell scheduling on a first scheduled cell (specific cell) from the set of co-scheduled cells. The search space set is commonly configured or linked on the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell, and the UE monitors the linked search space sets when both are configured on active DL BWPs of the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell (the specific cell). Thus, the search space set includes not only the specific cell but also cells other than the specific cell.)
Regarding claim 17, MolavianJazi teaches the features defined in the claim 14, -refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
MolavianJazi further teaches that wherein a search space set configuration for the scheduling cell includes a parameter for configuring the DCI format, and wherein the parameter includes only information on the DCI format (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0156], teaches that for each DL BWP configured to a UE in a serving cell (scheduling cell), by higher layer signaling, search space set configuration is provide to UE. For each search space set, UE is provided an indication that search space set, s, is either a CSS (Common Search Space) set or a USS (UE specific Search Space) set by searchSpaceType (the parameter for configuring the DCI format). Based on the search space type, as described in [0157]-[0158], either one DCI format or multiple DCI formats are indicated and configured to monitor PDCCH candidates for the corresponding DCI format(s).)
Regarding claim 18, MolavianJazi teaches the features defined in the claim 14, -refer to the indicated claim for reference(s).
MolavianJazi further teaches that wherein a search space set configuration for the scheduling cell includes a parameter for configuring the DCI format, and wherein the parameter includes information on the DCI format and another DCI format different from the DCI format (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0156], teaches that for each DL BWP configured to a UE in a serving cell (scheduling cell), by higher layer signaling, search space set configuration is provide to UE. For each search space set, UE is provided an indication that search space set, s, is either a CSS (Common Search Space) set or a USS (UE specific Search Space) set by searchSpaceType (the parameter for configuring the DCI format). Based on the search space type, as described in [0157]-[0158], either one DCI format or multiple DCI formats are indicated and configured to monitor PDCCH candidates for the corresponding DCI format(s).)
Regarding claim 19, MolavianJazi teaches that a user equipment (UE) configured to monitor a signal in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform specific operations comprising: (MolavianJazi, in Paragraphs [0065]-[0067], teaches that with various wireless communication system introduced in Paragraph [0065], to monitor PDCCH (control channel) according to the search space set, UE counts a number of PDCCH candidates in a search space set, regardless of a number of DCI format sizes associated with the search space set. in Fig. 3 and in Paragraphs [0047] and [0050], the UE 116 includes an antenna 305, a RF transceiver 310, TX processing circuitry 315, a microphone 320, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 325. The memory 360 includes an operating system (OS) 361 and one or more applications 362. The processor 340 can include one or more processors or other processing devices and execute the OS 361 stored in the memory 360 in order to control the overall operation of the UE 116.) receiving a search space set configuration for a specific cell including information on a number of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates for each control channel element (CCE) aggregation level; and (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0156], teaches that for each DL BWP (Downlink Bandwidth Part) configured to a UE in a serving cell (specific cell), the UE is provided (received) by higher layer signaling the search space set, S, with S ≤ 10. For each search space set from the S search space sets, the UE is provided (received) the following by Search Space: i) search space index, s, 0 < s < 40, by searchSpaceId, ii) an association between the search space sets and a CORESET, p, by controlResourceSetld or by controlResourceSetld-v1610, iii) a PDCCH monitoring periodicity of ks slots and a PDCCH monitoring offset of slots, by monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset, iv) a number of PDCCH candidates Ms(L) per CCE aggregation level L, where the CCE aggregation level L is one of aggregationLevel1, aggregationLevel2, aggregationLevel4, aggregationLevel8, and aggregationLevel16. Thus, the UE receives a search space set configuration for a serving cell including a number of PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level such as aggregation level 1, aggregation level 2, …, or aggregation level 16.) monitoring the PDCCH candidates for a downlink control information (DCI) format on a scheduling cell based on the search space set configuration, (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0069], teaches that a UE monitors across all PDCCH candidates in all search space set in a downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a scheduling cell with up to 3 DCI format size for unicast data. UE counts a number of sizes for DCI formats per serving cell based on a number of configured PDCCH candidates in respective search space sets for the corresponding active DL BWP. Thus, UE monitors PDCCH candidates for DCI formats having different sizes associated with a scheduling cell according to respective search space sets.) wherein the DCI format is a DCI format for scheduling physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) or physical uplink shared channels (PUSCHs) on different scheduled cells, and (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0079], teaches that A DCI format provides scheduling information parameters for PDSCH or PUSCH on a single serving cell. In addition, if the serving cell is a scheduled cell, the UE receives a DCI format for the PDSCH/PUSCH in a PDCCH that the UE receives on a corresponding scheduling cell. Thus, the DCI format is a DCI format for scheduling PDSCH or PUSCH on different scheduled cells.) wherein the specific cell for counting the number of the PDCCH candidates is determined from a set of the scheduled cells based on search space sets with a same search space identifier (ID) being provided on the specific cell and the scheduling cell (MolavianJazi, in paragraph [0089], teaches that a search space set for multi-cell scheduling is associated with DCI format(s) both for multi-cell scheduling on a set of co-scheduled cells and for single cell scheduling on a first scheduled cell (the specific cell) from the set of co-scheduled cells. Such search space set is commonly configured and linked on the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell. Thus, UE monitors the linked search space sets when both are configured on active DL BWPs of the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell. Here, the search space set is indicated by searchSpaceID as described in Paragraph [0156]. When UE monitors a PDCCH candidate with L non-overlapping CCEs in a slot according to the search space set, UE counts the PDCCH candidate as a full/single count towards a number of monitored PDCCH candidates in the slot for the first scheduled cell. Thus, the specific cell for counting the number of the PDCCH candidates is determined from a set of the scheduled cells based on search space sets commonly configured or linked on the specific cell and the scheduling cell.)
Regarding claim 20, MolavianJazi teaches that an apparatus for a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one computer memory operably connected to the at least one processor and configured to, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: (MolavianJazi, in Fig. 3 and in Paragraphs [0047] and [0050], teaches that in Fig. 3, the UE 116 includes an antenna 305, a RF transceiver 310, TX processing circuitry 315, a microphone 320, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 325. The memory 360 includes an operating system (OS) 361 and one or more applications 362. The processor 340 can include one or more processors or other processing devices and execute the OS 361 stored in the memory 360 in order to control the overall operation of the UE 116.) receiving a search space set configuration for a specific cell including information on a number of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) candidates for each control channel element (CCE) aggregation level; and (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0156], teaches that for each DL BWP (Downlink Bandwidth Part) configured to a UE in a serving cell (specific cell), the UE is provided (received) by higher layer signaling the search space set, S, with S ≤ 10. For each search space set from the S search space sets, the UE is provided (received) the following by Search Space: i) search space index, s, 0 < s < 40, by searchSpaceId, ii) an association between the search space sets and a CORESET, p, by controlResourceSetld or by controlResourceSetld-v1610, iii) a PDCCH monitoring periodicity of ks slots and a PDCCH monitoring offset of slots, by monitoringSlotPeriodicityAndOffset, iv) a number of PDCCH candidates Ms(L) per CCE aggregation level L, where the CCE aggregation level L is one of aggregationLevel1, aggregationLevel2, aggregationLevel4, aggregationLevel8, and aggregationLevel16. Thus, the UE receives a search space set configuration for a serving cell including a number of PDCCH candidates for each CCE aggregation level such as aggregation level 1, aggregation level 2, …, or aggregation level 16.) monitoring the PDCCH candidates for a downlink control information (DCI) format on a scheduling cell based on the search space set configuration, (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0069], teaches that a UE monitors across all PDCCH candidates in all search space set in a downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a scheduling cell with up to 3 DCI format size for unicast data. UE counts a number of sizes for DCI formats per serving cell based on a number of configured PDCCH candidates in respective search space sets for the corresponding active DL BWP. Thus, UE monitors PDCCH candidates for DCI formats having different sizes associated with a scheduling cell according to respective search space sets.) wherein the DCI format is a DCI format for scheduling physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) or physical uplink shared channels (PUSCHs) on different scheduled cells, and (MolavianJazi, in Paragraph [0079], teaches that A DCI format provides scheduling information parameters for PDSCH or PUSCH on a single serving cell. In addition, if the serving cell is a scheduled cell, the UE receives a DCI format for the PDSCH/PUSCH in a PDCCH that the UE receives on a corresponding scheduling cell. Thus, the DCI format is a DCI format for scheduling PDSCH or PUSCH on different scheduled cells.) wherein the specific cell for counting the number of the PDCCH candidates is determined from a set of the scheduled cells based on search space sets with a same search space identifier (ID) being provided on the specific cell and the scheduling cell (MolavianJazi, in paragraph [0089], teaches that a search space set for multi-cell scheduling is associated with DCI format(s) both for multi-cell scheduling on a set of co-scheduled cells and for single cell scheduling on a first scheduled cell (the specific cell) from the set of co-scheduled cells. Such search space set is commonly configured and linked on the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell. Thus, UE monitors the linked search space sets when both are configured on active DL BWPs of the scheduling cell and the first scheduled cell. Here, the search space set is indicated by searchSpaceID as described in Paragraph [0156]. When UE monitors a PDCCH candidate with L non-overlapping CCEs in a slot according to the search space set, UE counts the PDCCH candidate as a full/single count towards a number of monitored PDCCH candidates in the slot for the first scheduled cell. Thus, the specific cell for counting the number of the PDCCH candidates is determined from a set of the scheduled cells based on search space sets commonly configured or linked on the specific cell and the scheduling cell.)
Conclusion
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/JAEYOUNG KWAK/Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/KEVIN T BATES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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