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 . The instant First Office Action on the merits is in response to claims filed on 11/22/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 13 and 20 are the base independent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2, 11-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over REN et al (WO 2022/150944) in view of NAM et al (US 2022/0201701).
Regarding claims 1, 13 and 20, REN discloses a user equipment (UE) (fig. 8; [0118]; UE 115), related method and CRM configured for the UE, comprising:
one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and
one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to:
transmit a capability message that indicates a capability of the UE to support dynamic change of control channel blind decoding candidates (fig. 2, fig. 6; [0105]; e.g. At 605, the UE 115-e may transmit a UE capability indication to the base station 105-e. The UE capability indication may provide, among other things, an indication of an ability of the UE 115-e to perform adjustment to blind decoding limits);
receive, in accordance with the capability message, an indication that a quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates in a slot to be monitored by the UE is changed ([0106]; At 610, the base station 105-e may configure blind decoding limits and triggers 20 for adjusting the blind decoding limits), wherein the slot has a slot position in a frame and wherein the indication is based at least in part on the slot position ([0101]; e.g. blind decoding limit adjustments may be performed based on a periodic pattern. In some cases, the pattern may be based on a slot location of a PDCCH); and
monitor, in the slot and in accordance with the indication, the quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates for one or more control channels ([0047], [0101], [0116]; e.g. a trigger condition for adjustment of a first blind decoding limit from a first number of blind decoding candidates that are to be monitored for a control channel communication from the base station to a second number of blind decoding candidates that are to be monitored from the control channel communication).
Although REN discloses the indication related to quantity of blind decoding candidates is changed, the reference does not explicitly disclose the candidates is in the slot to be monitored (emphasis added).
However, NAM discloses:
an indication that a quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates in a slot to be monitored by the UE is changed (par 144; e.g. a quantity of CCEs and PDCCH candidates for blind decoding for single-TTI scheduling, a quantity of control channel monitoring occasions within a TTI or set of TTIs for single-TTI Scheduling; wherein TTI reads on a slot to be monitored; also see fig. 4, par 158);
and monitor, in the slot the blind decoding candidates (par 149; may configure the UE 115-a to monitor a first search space set periodicity corresponding to a scheduling interval based (e.g., in accordance with) the indication of the search space set periodicity associated with the scheduling interval; also par 173).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of NAM with the electronic system of REN. One is motivated as such to switch processing modes based on characteristics of the UE (NAM, par 173).
Regarding claims 2 and 14, REN discloses:
determine the quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates in accordance with the indication and based at least in part on an aggregation level associated with communication via the one or more control channels ([0107]; e.g. the nominal blind decoding limits may be determined based on an aggregation level)
Regarding claim 11, REN discloses:
wherein the indication is received in a media access control-control element or a downlink control information message ([0103]; e.g. there may be specific blind decoding limits in the slot, which may be indicated by another DCI, by RRC signaling, combined with the piggyback configuration, in a MAC-CE).
Regarding claim 12, REN discloses:
receive a second indication that the quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates in a second slot to be monitored by the UE is changed to a second quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates, wherein the second slot has a second slot position in a frame and wherein the second indication is based at least in part on the second slot position; and monitor, in the second slot and in accordance with the second indication, the second quantity of control channel blind decoding candidates for one or more second control channels (see mapping of claim 1, & [0047]; the adjustment may increase or reduce the number of blind decoding candidates, hence a second indication).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-10 and 15-19 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YAOTANG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4023. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-18:00 ET (M, W, TH & alternate F).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HADI ARMOUCHE can be reached at 571-270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YAOTANG WANG/SCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
