Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/925,670

DATA RECEPTION AND TRANSMISSION METHOD, DATA TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION METHOD AND APPARATUSES THEREOF

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 24, 2024
Priority
Apr 28, 2022 — continuation of PCTCN2022090100
Examiner
HOLLAND, JENEE LAUREN
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Fujitsu Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
597 granted / 715 resolved
+23.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +7% lift
Without
With
+7.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
41 currently pending
Career history
750
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
8.8%
-31.2% vs TC avg
§103
63.1%
+23.1% vs TC avg
§102
15.4%
-24.6% vs TC avg
§112
9.2%
-30.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 715 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . 1. Claims 1-20 are pending. Specification 2. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The Examiner recommends a new title including the terms PDCCH, monitoring search space set, serving cells, and/or carrier indicator field. 3. The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract recites acronyms that are not defined in the abstract. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b). Claim Objections 4. Claims 1-20 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 1-20 recite the variable PNG media_image1.png 61 72 media_image1.png Greyscale without defining the variable. Claim 1 recites the acronyms PDCCH, DCI, and PUSCH without defining the meaning of the terms. Claim 3 recites the acronym CCE without defining the meaning of the terms. Claims 4 and 16 recite the acronym USS without defining the meaning of the terms. Claims 2, 6-7, 13 and 17-18 recite “and/or” which should read “and” or “or”. Appropriate correction is required. 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 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. 5. Claim(s) 1-6, 10-17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being disclosed by Wang et al., US 2023/0354367 hereafter Wang. As for claim 1, Wang discloses: A data reception and transmission apparatus, applicable to a terminal equipment, the apparatus comprising a receiver and a transmitter: wherein the receiver is configured to: receive a first information configuring PNG media_image1.png 61 72 media_image1.png Greyscale value for a set of serving cells (Wang, [0218]-[0220], Receive a RRC signal further indicating a Carrier Indicator Field (CIF) value associated with the specific DCI format. [0221] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of cells corresponds to at most one CIF value.); and monitor, in a search space set of a scheduling cell ([0017], The first cell is also referred as the scheduling cell, and the second cell is also referred as the scheduled cell), PDCCH candidates for one or both of first DCI format and second DCI format ([0094], Enable PDCCH monitoring for DCIs scheduling single cell when PDCCH monitoring for DCIs scheduling multiple cells is configured, new DCI formats are used for DCIs scheduling multiple cells so that the UE can decode the existing DCI formats assuming a first DCI sizes, and decode the new DCI formats assuming a second DCI sizes.); and wherein, the first DCI format is used for scheduling of one PUSCH in one cell, or a plurality of PUSCHs in a plurality of cells, ([0085] a DCI format scheduling multiple cells may be used for scheduling unicast PDSCH or unicast PUSCH) and the second DCI format is used for scheduling of one PDSCH in one cell, or a plurality of PDSCHs in a plurality of cells. ([0017], To indicate the PDSCH or the PUSCH scheduled in the second cell, a carrier indicator field can be configured in DCI format 0_1, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 0_2, or DCI format 1_2 in the first cell, which indicates a value associated with the second cell. [0018] The value of the carrier indicator field that is used to indicate the second cell is configured via the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE in the ServingCellConfig IE for the second cell, and the serving cell index of the first cell is also indicated in the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE.) As for claims 2 and 13, Wang discloses the receiver is further configured to receive PDSCH(s) scheduled by the second DCI format; and/or, the transmitter is configured to transmit PUSCH(s) scheduled by the first DCI format. ([0008], It is noted that DCI format 0_0, DCI format 0_1, and DCI format 0_2 are used for scheduling PUSCH, while DCI format 1_0, DCI format 1_1, and DCI format 1_2 are used for scheduling PDSCH.) As for claims 3 and 14, Wang discloses wherein, the n.sub.CI value is used for determining CCE indexes of a PDCCH candidate. ([0023], a carrier indicator field value for determining the CCE indexes for aggregation level L corresponding to the PDCCH candidate. [0157]-[0158]) As for claims 4 and 15, Wang discloses the first information is included in serving cell configuration information of the scheduling cell ([0017], The first cell is also referred as the scheduling cell. To indicate the PDSCH or the PUSCH scheduled in the second cell, a carrier indicator field can be configured in DCI format 0_1, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 0_2, or DCI format 1_2 in the first cell). As for claims 5 and 16, Wang discloses the search space set is a USS set. ([0007], It is noted that a search space may also be referred as a search space set. [0006] Configurations of a search space also include configuration of the type of the search space, i.e., UE specific search space (USS)) As for claims 6 and 17, Wang discloses the first DCI format is used for scheduling of one PUSCH in one cell out of the set of serving cells, or a plurality of PUSCHs in a plurality of cells out of the set of serving cells; ([0056], the first DCI format is associated with a first cell of the plurality of cells in which a second shared channel is scheduled by the first DCI format, and in a second case where the first DCI format is the specific DCI format, the first DCI format is only associated with the single specific cell.) and/or the second DCI format is used for scheduling of one PDSCH in one cell out of the set of serving cells, or a plurality of PDSCHs in a plurality of cells out of the set of serving cells; ([0017], To indicate the PDSCH or the PUSCH scheduled in the second cell, a carrier indicator field can be configured in DCI format 0_1, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 0_2, or DCI format 1_2 in the first cell, which indicates a value associated with the second cell.) and/or, the set of serving cells includes or does not include the scheduling cell, and/or, the scheduling cell is a primary cell or a secondary cell. ([0079] A Primary Cell (PCell) may refer to the SpCell of an MCG. A Primary SCG Cell (PSCell) may refer to the SpCell of an SCG. MCG may refer to a group of serving cells associated with the Master Node (MN), including the SpCell and optionally one or more Secondary Cells (SCells).) As for claim 10, Wang discloses the receiver is further configured to: monitor, in a second search space set of the scheduling cell, PDCCH candidates for DCI format(s) different from the first DCI format and the second DCI format. ([0223] the specific DCI format is monitored for at least one of a scheduling downlink (DL) in a first search space and a scheduling uplink (UL) in a second search space. For example, the DCI format(s) that may be configured to be monitored in a search space are {DCI format 0_3}, {DCI format 1_3}, and {DCI format 0_3, DCI format 1_3}) As for claim 11, Wang discloses the DCI format(s) is used only for scheduling of one PUSCH or PDSCH of one cell. ([0017] In regards of cross carrier scheduling, A DCI transmitted in a first cell can be used to schedule a PDSCH or a PUSCH in a second cell.) As for claim 12, Wang discloses: A data reception and transmission apparatus, applicable to a network device, the apparatus (Wang, [0195] FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of a node for wireless communication, in accordance with various aspects of the present application. As shown in FIG. 6, a node 600 may include a transceiver 620, a processor 628, a memory 634, one or more presentation components 638, and at least one antenna 636.) comprising a receiver and a transmitter: wherein the transmitter is configured to: transmit, a first information configuring n.sub.CI value for a set of serving cells (Wang, [0218]-[0220], Transmit a RRC signal further indicating a Carrier Indicator Field (CIF) value associated with the specific DCI format. [0221] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of cells corresponds to at most one CIF value.); and, transmit, in a search space set of a scheduling cell ([0017], The first cell is also referred as the scheduling cell, and the second cell is also referred as the scheduled cell), PDCCH candidates for one or both of first DCI format and second DCI format ([0192] [0192] To configure the number of PDCCH candidates for new DCI formats transmitted in a search space in a first cell which schedules a second cell, a third cell, and a fourth cell. [0193]-[0194], [0094]); and wherein, the first DCI format is used for scheduling of one PUSCH in one cell, or a plurality of PUSCHs in a plurality of cells, ([0085] a DCI format scheduling multiple cells may be used for scheduling unicast PDSCH or unicast PUSCH) and the second DCI format is used for scheduling of one PDSCH in one cell, or a plurality of PDSCHs in a plurality of cells. ([0017], To indicate the PDSCH or the PUSCH scheduled in the second cell, a carrier indicator field can be configured in DCI format 0_1, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 0_2, or DCI format 1_2 in the first cell, which indicates a value associated with the second cell. [0018] The value of the carrier indicator field that is used to indicate the second cell is configured via the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE in the ServingCellConfig IE for the second cell, and the serving cell index of the first cell is also indicated in the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE.) As for claim 20, Wang discloses: A communication system, comprising: a terminal equipment; and a network device (Wang, [0202], FIG. 7 can be carried out by a network device 71 and a terminal device 75, wherein the network device 71 can be a BS, and the terminal device 75 can be UE) configured to communicate with terminal equipment, wherein the terminal equipment includes: a receiver configured to: receive a first information configuring PNG media_image1.png 61 72 media_image1.png Greyscale value for a set of serving cells (Wang, [0218]-[0220], Receive a RRC signal further indicating a Carrier Indicator Field (CIF) value associated with the specific DCI format. [0221] In one embodiment, each of the plurality of cells corresponds to at most one CIF value.); and monitor, in a search space set of a scheduling cell ([0017], The first cell is also referred as the scheduling cell, and the second cell is also referred as the scheduled cell), PDCCH candidates for one or both of first DCI format and second DCI format ([0094], Enable PDCCH monitoring for DCIs scheduling single cell when PDCCH monitoring for DCIs scheduling multiple cells is configured, new DCI formats are used for DCIs scheduling multiple cells so that the UE can decode the existing DCI formats assuming a first DCI sizes, and decode the new DCI formats assuming a second DCI sizes.); and wherein, the first DCI format is used for scheduling of one PUSCH in one cell, or a plurality of PUSCHs in a plurality of cells, ([0085] a DCI format scheduling multiple cells may be used for scheduling unicast PDSCH or unicast PUSCH) and the second DCI format is used for scheduling of one PDSCH in one cell, or a plurality of PDSCHs in a plurality of cells. ([0017], To indicate the PDSCH or the PUSCH scheduled in the second cell, a carrier indicator field can be configured in DCI format 0_1, DCI format 1_1, DCI format 0_2, or DCI format 1_2 in the first cell, which indicates a value associated with the second cell. [0018] The value of the carrier indicator field that is used to indicate the second cell is configured via the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE in the ServingCellConfig IE for the second cell, and the serving cell index of the first cell is also indicated in the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE.) Allowable Subject Matter 6. Claims 7-9 and 18-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion 7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 2013/0022005 [0096] The mobile stations 200 and 200a search their respective UE-specific search spaces to find PDCCH in DCI formats 0 and 1A, no matter which transmission mode is set. The mobile stations 200 and 200a also search their respective UE-specific search spaces to find PDCCH in DCI format 1, 1B, 1D, 2, 2A, or 2B, depending on which transmission mode is used for the CCs with which they are performing data communication. 8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENEE HOLLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-7196. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, IAN MOORE can be reached at (571)272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. JENEE HOLLAND Examiner Art Unit 2469 /JENEE HOLLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 24, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+7.2%)
2y 11m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 715 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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