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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by YI et al. (Patent No: WO 2022/047348 A2), hereinafter, YI.
The prior-art is also used in EU rejection.
Regarding Claim 1, YI teaches,
A method for a terminal to receive downlink control information in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving configuration information of multiple cells to be scheduled through a single downlink control information (DCI); -Fig. 21; Paragraph [0229] ([0229] recites, “FIG. 21 illustrates an example of embodiments of a multi-carrier or multi-cell scheduling. When a wireless device is configured with a multi-carrier or multi-cell scheduling for a plurality of serving cells of configured serving cells, the wireless device may receive a DCI that indicates resource assignment(s) and/or CSI/SRS requests for at least one cell of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may indicate resource assignments for the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may indicate a CSI request for one or more cells of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may indicate a SRS request for one or more second cells of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may schedule one or more transport blocks for one or more third cells of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may schedule downlink data for the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may schedule uplink data for the plurality of serving cells.”)
receiving the single DCI for the multiple cells, based on the received configuration information; -Fig. 21; Paragraph [0229] (Fig. 21 shows single DCI for multiple cells (cell2, cell3) based on multi cell configuration received through RRC as shown in the Fig. [0229] recites, “The DCI may indicate resource assignments for the plurality of serving cells. …. The DCI may schedule downlink data for the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may schedule uplink data for the plurality of serving cells.”)
and receiving a downlink data channel and/or transmitting an uplink data channel based on the received single DCI, -Paragraph [0230] ([0230] recites, “Based on the DCI, the wireless device may receive a first transport block (e.g., TB#1) via a first downlink carrier or a first cell (e.g., cell 2). The wireless device may receive a second transport block (e.g., TB#2) via a second downlink carrier or a second cell (e.g., cell 3). When the DCI may schedule uplink data, the wireless device may transmit a first TB via a first uplink carrier and may transmit a second TB via a second uplink carrier based on the DCI. The base station may transmit one or more radio resource control (RRC) messages indicating/comprising configuration parameters for a multi-carrier/multi-cell scheduling.”)
wherein the number of multiple cells is smaller than or equal to a maximum number of cells to be scheduled through the single DCI. -Fig. 21; Paragraph [0113-0114] ([0113-0114] recites, “The other aggregated cells for the UE may be referred to as secondary cells (SCells). In an example, the SCells may be configured after the PCell is configured for the UE. For example, an SCell may be configured through an RRC Connection Reconfiguration procedure…..Configured SCells may be activated and deactivated using a MAC CE with respect to FIG. 4B. For example, a MAC CE may use a bitmap (e.g., one bit per SCell) to indicate which SCells (e.g., in a subset of configured SCells) for the UE are activated or deactivated. Configured SCells may be deactivated in response to an expiration of an SCell deactivation timer (e.g., one SCell deactivation timer per SCell).” As explained above at any time a subset of the configured SCells can be activated depending on the bitmap. It can’t be more than the SCells configured. Therefore, at any point number of multiple cells is smaller or equal to maximum number of cells configured. The activation process is shown in Fig. 21.)
Regarding Claim 2, YI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
YI further teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein the single DCI comprises information identifying the multiple cells. -Fig. 21; Paragraph [0229, 0237] (Fig. 21 shows DCI comprises information regarding Cell 2, cell 3. [0229] recites, “The DCI may indicate resource assignments for the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may indicate a CSI request for one or more cells of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may indicate a SRS request for one or more second cells of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may schedule one or more transport blocks for one or more third cells of the plurality of serving cells.” [0237] recites, “In an example, the DCI may comprise a first NDI bit for the first cell of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may comprise a second NDI bit for the second cell of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may comprise a plurality of NDI bits for the plurality of serving cells. Each NDI bit of the plurality of NDI bits may correspond to each cell of the plurality of serving cells. The DCI may comprise a plurality of NDI bits for a cell of the plurality of cells in response to the DCI schedules a multi-slot (e.g., multi-TTI) scheduling. “)
Regarding Claim 3, YI teaches the limitations of Claim 2.
YI further teaches,
The method of claim 2, wherein the information identifying the multiple cells is cell group indication information that indicates the multiple cells. -Paragraph [0066, 0087] ([0066] recites, “Dual connectivity is a technique that allows a UE to connect to two cells or, more generally, two cell groups: a master cell group (MCG) and a secondary cell group (SCG). A split bearer is when a single radio bearer, such as one of the radio bearers provided by the PDCPs 214 and 224 as a service to the SDAPs 215 and 225, is handled by cell groups in dual connectivity. The PDCPs 214 and 224 may map/de-map the split radio bearer between RLC channels belonging to cell groups.” [0087] recites, “The mobility management mechanism used in RRC idle 604 and RRC inactive 606 may allow the network to track the UE on a cell-group level so that the paging message may be broadcast over the cells of the cell group that the UE currently resides within instead of the entire mobile communication network.”)
Regarding Claim 4, YI teaches the limitations of Claim 2.
YI further teaches,
The method of claim 2, wherein the information identifying the multiple cells is bitmap-based information. -Paragraph [0114] ([0114] recites, “Configured SCells may be activated and deactivated using a MAC CE with respect to FIG. 4B. For example, a MAC CE may use a bitmap (e.g., one bit per SCell) to indicate which SCells (e.g., in a subset of configured SCells) for the UE are activated or deactivated. “)
Regarding Claim 5, YI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
YI further teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information of the multiple cells is received through a radio source control (RRC) message. -Fig. 21; Paragraph [0230] (Fig. 21 shows UE receiving multi-cell DCI configuration through RRC message. [0230] recites, “The base station may transmit one or more radio resource control (RRC) messages indicating/comprising configuration parameters for a multi-carrier/multi-cell scheduling. The configuration parameters may comprise/indicate a plurality of serving cells scheduled by a DCI.”)
Regarding Claim 6, YI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
YI further teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein a payload size of the single DCI is based on the maximum number of cells to be scheduled through the single DCI. -Fig. 23; Paragraph [0261-0262] (Fig. 23 shows single DCI fields and size for multi-cell scheduling with common and cell specific fields. It is easily understandable to an ordinary person with the skill in the art that DCI size is bounded by the maximum number of cells to be scheduled through the single DCI. [0261-0262] recites, “In an example, one field of the one or more second DCI field may be expanded in terms of a size based on the number of the plurality of cells. For example, the multi- carrier/multi-cell DCI format may comprise a single field, where the MCS field may comprise N * K bits where N is the number of plurality of scheduled cells and K is a size of MCS field for a single cell. Embodiments of the specification may consider one DCI field of the one or more second DCI fields is separated present for each cell or the one DCI field is expanded for the plurality of cells. One or more DCI bits of the one DCI field corresponding to each cell of the plurality of cells may be described as a DCI field for a cell in the specification. FIG. 23 is an example. It is not precluded that one or more DCI fields of the one or more first DCI fields may be separately present for each cell of the plurality of cells. It is not precluded that one or more DCI fields of the one or more second DCI field may be commonly present for the plurality of cells.”)
Claim 7 is essentially same as Claim 1 except for Claim 7 is viewed from network point of view (e.g., base station to transmit) whereas Claim 1 is viewed from terminal perspective (e.g., terminal to receive). The applicant’s attention is directed to Claim 1 above which is rejected. Claim 7 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 1.
Claim 8 is essentially same as Claim 2 except for Claim 8 is dependent claim of Claim 7, whereas Claim 2 is dependent claim of claim 1. The applicant’s attention is directed to Claim 2 above which is rejected. Claim 8 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 2.
Claim 9 is essentially same as Claim 3 except for Claim 9 is dependent claim of Claim 8, whereas Claim 3 is dependent claim of claim 2. The applicant’s attention is directed to Claim 3 above which is rejected. Claim 9 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 3.
Claim 10 is essentially same as Claim 4 except for Claim 10 is dependent claim of Claim 8, whereas Claim 4 is dependent claim of claim 2. The applicant’s attention is directed to Claim 4 above which is rejected. Claim 10 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 4.
Claim 11 is essentially same as Claim 5 except for Claim 11 is dependent claim of Claim 7, whereas Claim 5 is dependent claim of claim 1. The applicant’s attention is directed to Claim 5 above which is rejected. Claim 11 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 5.
Claim 12 is essentially same as Claim 6 except for Claim 12 is dependent claim of Claim 7, whereas Claim 6 is dependent claim of claim 1. The applicant’s attention is directed to Claim 6 above which is rejected. Claim 12 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 6.
Claim 13 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 1. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 1 above which is rejected. Claim 13 is rejected under the same rational as claim 1.
YI further teaches,
A communication device in a wireless communication system, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory configured to store instructions and operably electrically connectable to the at least one processor, wherein operations performed based on the instructions executed by the at least one processor. -Fig. 15; Claim 98 (recites, “ A wireless device comprising: one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to perform the method of any one of claims”)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED SAIFUDDIN whose telephone number is (703)756-4581. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-6:00pm.
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/AHMED SAIFUDDIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475
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