HARQ FEEDBACK FOR GROUPCAST ON NEW RADIO UU INTERFACE

DETAILED ACTION Status of Case The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 11/27/2024. Claims 1-8 are pending. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on 11/27/2024 has been considered by Examiner. Double Patenting The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer. Claims 1-7 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 5, 7-12, and 14-15 of U.S. Patent No. 12,192,857. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all of the limitations of the claims of the instant application are recited in the claims of the 12,192,857 patent (see correspondence table below): Instant Application U.S. Patent No. 12,192,857 1. An apparatus comprising circuitry configured to: receive one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; receive, via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating first enabling/disabling information about HARQ for the first RNTI; upon detecting the first HARQ configuration indicates enabling, receive a second HARQ configuration indicating a second enabling/disabling information about HARQ for a first set of transmissions of the first groupcast service or the first broadcast service associated with the first RNTI, wherein the second HARQ configuration is received via Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling; receive the first set of transmissions; determine whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service based on the second HARQ configuration; based on the HARQ being enabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, transmit a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, not transmit the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first HARQ configuration comprises a first indicator of HARQ enablement for the first groupcast service or broadcast service. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, based on the HARQ being enabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service, the HARQ feedback is transmitted by being multiplexed with a HARQ feedback for a unicast. 4. An apparatus, comprising circuitry configured to: configure one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; transmit, via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating first enabling/disabling information about HARQ for the first RNTI; based on the first HARQ configuration indicating enabling, transmit a second HARQ configuration indicating a second enabling/disabling information about HARQ for a first set of transmissions of the first groupcast service or the first broadcast service associated with the first RNTI, wherein the second HARQ configuration is received via Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling transmit the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being enabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, receive a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, not receive the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions, wherein whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service is determined based on the first HARQ configuration. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the first HARQ configuration comprises a first indicator of HARQ enablement for the first groupcast service or broadcast service. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein, based on the HARQ being enabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service, the HARQ feedback is transmitted by multiplexed with a HARQ feedback for a unicast. 7. A method performed by a network node device, the method comprising: configuring one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; transmitting, via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating first enabling/disabling information about HARQ for the first RNTI; based on the first HARQ configuration indicating enabling, transmitting a second HARQ configuration indicating a second enabling/disabling information about HARQ for a first set of transmissions of the first groupcast service or the first broadcast service associated with the first RNTI, wherein the second HARQ configuration is received via Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling transmitting the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being enabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, receiving a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, not receiving the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions, wherein whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service is determined based on the first HARQ configuration. 1. An apparatus, comprising a processor, a memory, and communication circuitry, the apparatus being connected to a network via the communication circuitry, the apparatus further comprising computer-executable instructions stored in the memory which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: receive one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; receive a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating whether a HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first RNTI; receive a first set of transmissions, the first set of transmissions being part of the first groupcast service or broadcast service; determine whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service based on the first HARQ configuration; based on the HARQ being enabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, transmit a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, not transmit the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions.3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: receive a second HARQ configuration indicating whether a HARQ is enabled or disabled for a second RNTI of the one or more RNTIs, the second HARQ comprising a second indicator of a hybrid HARQ enablement for a second groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; and receive a second set of transmissions, the second set of transmissions being part of the second groupcast service or broadcast service.5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: monitor, upon detecting the second indicator, an indication in Downlink Control Information (DCI) pertaining to the second groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the indication indicates whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the second groupcast service or broadcast service.11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first HARQ configuration and the second HARQ configuration are transmitted via RRC signaling. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first HARQ configuration comprises a first indicator of HARQ enablement for the first groupcast service or broadcast service. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, based on the HARQ being enabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service, the HARQ feedback is transmitted by being multiplexed with a HARQ feedback for a unicast. 8. An apparatus, comprising a processor, a memory, and communication circuitry, the apparatus being connected to a network via the communication circuitry, the apparatus further comprising computer-executable instructions stored in the memory which, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to: configure one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; transmit a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating whether a HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first RNTI; transmit a first set of transmissions, the first set of transmissions being part of the first groupcast service or broadcast service; and based on the HARQ being enabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, receive a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, not receive the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions, wherein whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service is determined based on the first HARQ configuration.10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: transmit a second HARQ configuration indicating whether a HARQ is enabled or disabled for the second RNTI of the one or more RNTIs, the second HARQ comprising a second indicator of a hybrid HARQ enablement for a second groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; and transmit a second set of transmissions, the second set of transmissions being part of the second groupcast service or broadcast service. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to: transmit, after sending the second indicator, an indication in Downlink Control Information (DCI) pertaining to the second groupcast service or broadcast service, the indication is indicating whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the second groupcast service or broadcast service. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first HARQ configuration comprises a first indicator of HARQ enablement for the first groupcast service or broadcast service. 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, based on the HARQ being enabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service, the HARQ feedback is transmitted by multiplexed with a HARQ feedback for a unicast. 15. A method for a network node, the method comprising: configuring one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; transmitting a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating whether a HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first RNTI; transmitting a first set of transmissions, the first set of transmissions being part of the first groupcast service or broadcast service; and based on the HARQ being enabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, receiving the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, not receiving the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions, wherein whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service is determined based on the first HARQ configuration. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 1-7 are allowed, subject to correction of the noted double patenting rejections above. Claim 8 is allowed. The closest prior art consists of Ye (USPAN 2021/0258104). Ye discloses to receive one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) (see figure 7, wherein disclosed is two RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service (see paragraph 52: the UE may communication via one or more broadcasting standards such as ATSC-M/H or DVB-H), wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service (see paragraph 52: the UE may communication via one or more broadcasting standards such as ATSC-M/H or DVB-H); receive a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating whether a HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first RNTI (see step 802 in figure 8 and step 1002 in figure 10, wherein disclosed is receiving said HARQ configuration; also, see paragraph 102); determine whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service based on the first HARQ configuration; if the HARQ is enabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, transmit a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and if the HARQ is disabled for the groupcast service or broadcast service, not transmit the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions (see step 806 in figure 8: determining whether to transmit a HARQ feedback based on whether the HARQ feedback is enabled or disabled). However, Ye do not disclose, suggest, or render obvious the limitations of the instant claims reciting to receive one or more Radio Network Temporary Identifiers (RNTIs) pertaining to at least one groupcast service or broadcast service, wherein the one or more RNTIs includes a first RNTI pertaining to a first groupcast service or broadcast service of the at least one groupcast service or broadcast service; receive, via a Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) configuration indicating first enabling/disabling information about HARQ for the first RNTI; upon detecting the first HARQ configuration indicates enabling, receive a second HARQ configuration indicating a second enabling/disabling information about HARQ for a first set of transmissions of the first groupcast service or the first broadcast service associated with the first RNTI, wherein the second HARQ configuration is received via Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling; receive the first set of transmissions; determine whether the HARQ is enabled or disabled for the first groupcast service or broadcast service based on the second HARQ configuration; based on the HARQ being enabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, transmit a HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions; and based on the HARQ being disabled for the first set of transmissions of the groupcast service or broadcast service, not transmit the HARQ feedback for the first set of transmissions. As such, the instant claims are allowed over the closest prior art reference of Ye. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jamal Javaid whose telephone number is 571-270-5137 and email address is Jamal.Javaid@uspto.gov. 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, Charles Jiang, can be reached on 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). /JAMAL JAVAID/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412