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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 15-20 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 15, the claims recite “an invalid sub-interval comprising one or more invalid subframes, wherein at least one invalid subframe of the invalid sub-interval is between the uplink communication sub-interval and a next uplink communication sub-interval of a next communication interval, and wherein at least one invalid subframe of the invalid sub-interval is between the downlink communication sub-interval and a next downlink communication sub-interval of the next communication interval.” First, the claim requires that the invalid sub-interval comprises one or more invalid subframes. But then also requires “at least one invalid subframe … is between the uplink communication sub-interval and a next uplink communication sub-interval” and “at least one invalid subframe … is between the downlink communication sub-interval and a next downlink communication sub-interval.” It is not clear if the invalid sub-interval must comprise at least two invalid subframes because there are “at least one invalid subframe … between the uplink communication sub-interval and a next uplink communication sub-interval” and “at least one invalid subframe … between the downlink communication sub-interval and a next downlink communication sub-interval.” If the “at least one invalid subframe” is the same subframe that is “between the uplink communication sub-interval and a next uplink communication sub-interval” and “between the downlink communication sub-interval and a next downlink communication sub-interval,” then the second recitation of “at least one invalid subframe” should be “the at least one invalid subframe” to indicate that they are the same “at least one invalid subframe.”
Claims 2-8 and 15-20 are rejected based on their dependencies to claims 1 and 15.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-8 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye et al. (US 2020/0236524 A1) in view of Zhang et al. (US 2023/0239873 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Ye discloses A user equipment (UE), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; a transceiver; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and the transceiver, the one or more processors individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to and A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising (Figs. 2, 5, [0040], [0043], [0065], [0066]: UE 102 comprises a transceiver, a processor, and a memory):
receive, via the transceiver, an indication of a scheduling delay value for one or more transmissions, wherein the scheduling delay value is based at least in part on the one or more transmissions being in accordance with one or more communication intervals that each comprise ([0094]: the UE 102 may receive an NPDCCH… the UE 102 may determine an uplink scheduling delay based at least partly on information included in the NPDCCH. [0095]: the uplink scheduling parameter may indicate a number of uplink subframes to be used, by the UE 102, to determine the uplink scheduling delay… the NPDCCH may indicate a number of uplink subframes for an uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH):
an uplink communication sub-interval comprising one or more uplink communication subframes ([0096]: uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH may be based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size … the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames. [0111] and TDD UL/DL configuration table);
a downlink communication sub-interval comprising one or more downlink communication subframes, wherein the uplink communication sub-interval is non-overlapping in time with the downlink communication sub-interval ([0096]: uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH may be based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size … the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames. [0111] and TDD UL/DL configuration table); and
an invalid sub-interval comprising one or more invalid subframes, wherein at least one invalid subframe of the invalid sub-interval is between the uplink communication sub-interval and a next uplink communication sub-interval of a next communication interval([0135]: When the scheduled NPUSCH occurs on the invalid UL subframe (for instance, on the DL subframe according to TDD configuration), the NPUSCH transmission may be postponed to the next valid UL subframe. [0111] and TDD UL/DL configuration table); and
transmit or receive, via the transceiver and one or more uplink communication subframes or one or more downlink communication subframes included in the one or more communication intervals, the one or more transmissions in accordance with the scheduling delay value ([0094]: determine time resources and/or frequency resources for the transmission of the NPUSCH. At operation 830, the UE 102 may determine an uplink scheduling delay based at least partly on information included in the NPDCCH. At operation 835, the UE 102 may transmit the NPUSCH).
Ye does not disclose, but Zhang discloses wherein at least one invalid subframe of the invalid sub-interval is between the downlink communication sub-interval and a next downlink communication sub-interval of the next communication interval ([0087]-[0089]: the scheduling delay may be counted based on a presence of invalid downlink subframes and invalid uplink subframes. Table 10A: invalid UL subframes are denoted by 0 and are located between UL communication sub-interval and a next UL communication sub-interval, and invalid DL subframes are denoted by 0 and are located between DL communication sub-interval and a next DL communication sub-interval, where each UL and DL communication sub-interval has one UL and DL subframe).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the scheduling parameter, as taught by Ye, to be also based on invalid downlink subframes, as taught by Zhang.
Doing so provides a scheduling delay for a first HARQ process being subject to the crossing schedule or a scheduling delay for HARQ processes following the first HARQ process (Zhang: [0090]).
Regarding claim(s) 2 and 16, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 15 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein, to transmit, or receive, the one or more transmissions in accordance with the scheduling delay value, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
transmit, or receive, via the transceiver, a first subset of the one or more transmissions in a first set of one or more uplink communication subframes or one or more downlink communication subframes included in a first communication interval included in the one or more communication intervals ([0094]: transmission, by the UE 102, of an NPUSCH in one or more radio frames. At operation 825, the UE 102 may determine time resources and/or frequency resources for the transmission of the NPUSCH. At operation 830, the UE 102 may determine an uplink scheduling delay based at least partly on information included in the NPDCCH. At operation 835, the UE 102 may transmit the NPUSCH); and
transmit, or receive, via the transceiver and in accordance with the scheduling delay value, a second subset of the one or more transmissions in a second set of one or more uplink communication subframes or one or more downlink communication subframes included in a second communication interval included in the one or more communication intervals ([0094]: transmission, by the UE 102, of an NPUSCH in one or more radio frames. At operation 825, the UE 102 may determine time resources and/or frequency resources for the transmission of the NPUSCH. At operation 830, the UE 102 may determine an uplink scheduling delay based at least partly on information included in the NPDCCH. At operation 835, the UE 102 may transmit the NPUSCH).
Regarding claim(s) 3 and 17, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 15 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein, to receive the indication, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
receive, via the transceiver, downlink control information indicating a quantity of communication intervals from among the one or more communication intervals, wherein the scheduling delay value is based at least in part on the quantity of communication intervals from among the one or more communication intervals ([0112]: For NPUSCH format 1, it is dynamically scheduled by NPDCCH, with 2 bits in DCI format NO for indication of scheduling delay. Different from NPDSCH scheduling delay which only counts the valid DL subframes, the scheduling delay for NPUSCH indicates the absolute number of subframes. [0078]: uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size. [0096]: the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames).
Regarding claim(s) 4, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 3 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein the downlink control information is in accordance with a first format associated with the one or more communication intervals and indicates the quantity of communication intervals via a first portion of the downlink control information ([0112]: For NPUSCH format 1, it is dynamically scheduled by NPDCCH, with 2 bits in DCI format NO for indication of scheduling delay … the scheduling delay for NPUSCH indicates the absolute number of subframes).
Regarding claim(s) 5 and 18, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 15 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein the scheduling delay value is based at least in part on at least one of: a quantity of communication intervals from among the one or more communication intervals or a duration of a communication interval from among the one or more communication intervals ([0078]: uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size. [0096]: the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames).
Regarding claim(s) 6 and 19, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 15 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein the scheduling delay value is based at least in part on a quantity of one or more uplink communication subframes included in the one or more communication intervals, a quantity of one or more downlink communication subframes included in the one or more communication intervals, or both ([0078]: uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size. [0096]: the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames).
Regarding claim(s) 7, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 1 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein the scheduling delay value is independent of a quantity of invalid subframes included in the one or more communication intervals ([0078]: uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size. [0096]: the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames. [0135]: all UL subframes according to the indicated TDD configuration can be assumed as valid NB-IoT UL subframes without any additional configuration. When the scheduled NPUSCH occurs on the invalid UL subframe (for instance, on the DL subframe according to TDD configuration), the NPUSCH transmission may be postponed to the next valid UL subframe).
Regarding claim(s) 8 and 20, Ye in view of Zhang discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 15 as outlined above.
Ye discloses wherein the one or more transmissions comprise one or more physical uplink shared channel transmissions, one or more physical downlink shared channel transmissions, one or more random access messages, one or more feedback response messages, or any combination thereof ([0094]: determine time resources and/or frequency resources for the transmission of the NPUSCH. At operation 830, the UE 102 may determine an uplink scheduling delay based at least partly on information included in the NPDCCH. At operation 835, the UE 102 may transmit the NPUSCH. [0095]: the uplink scheduling parameter may indicate a number of uplink subframes to be used, by the UE 102, to determine the uplink scheduling delay… the NPDCCH may indicate a number of uplink subframes for an uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding independent claim 9, the limitations “monitor a search space comprising a plurality of control signal candidates in accordance with a periodicity, wherein the periodicity is based at least in part on one or more communication intervals that each comprise: an uplink communication sub-interval comprising one or more uplink communication subframes; a downlink communication sub-interval comprising one or more downlink communication subframes, wherein the uplink communication sub-interval is non-overlapping in time with the downlink communication sub-interval; and an invalid sub-interval comprising one or more invalid subframes, wherein at least one invalid subframe of the invalid sub-interval is between the downlink communication sub-interval and a next downlink communication sub-interval of a next communication interval” in conjunction with other limitations recited in the claim is neither taught nor suggested by the prior art of record.
A search has been performed and no prior art has been found that solely, or in any reasonable combination, reads on the claims as presented. The closest prior(s) art found is/are as follows:
Ye et al. (US 2020/0236524 A1) discloses the UE 102 may receive an NPDCCH… the UE 102 may determine an uplink scheduling delay based at least partly on information included in the NPDCCH, where the uplink scheduling parameter may indicate a number of uplink subframes to be used, by the UE 102, to determine the uplink scheduling delay… the NPDCCH may indicate a number of uplink subframes for an uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH. The uplink scheduling delay for the transmission of the NPUSCH may be based on a sum of a predetermined first number of subframes and a variable second number of subframes. The second number of subframes may be based on a window of variable size … the window may include: the number of uplink subframes indicated by the uplink scheduling parameter, and a variable number of downlink subframes that depends on a starting subframe index of the window within the one or more radio frames. ([0094]-[0096]).
Zhang et al. (US 2023/0239873 A1) discloses the scheduling delay may be counted based on a presence of invalid downlink subframes and invalid uplink subframes, and invalid UL subframes are denoted by 0 and are located between UL communication sub-interval and a next UL communication sub-interval, and invalid DL subframes are denoted by 0 and are located between DL communication sub-interval and a next DL communication sub-interval, where each UL and DL communication sub-interval has one UL and DL subframe. ([0087]-[0089], table 10A).
Neither Ye nor Zhang, taken alone or in any reasonable combination, teach the claims as presented.
Therefore claims 9-14 are allowed over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THE HY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3813. The examiner can normally be reached on Mo-Fr: 8am-4pm.
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/THE HY NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
TheHy.Nguyen@USPTO.gov
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