www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/624,354
`
`01/03/2022
`
`Yassin Aden AWAD
`
`17747US01
`
`6366
`
`Xsensts
`
`/Sony
`
`nes
`
`Xsensus / Sony
`100 Daingerfield Road, Suite 402
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`
`WIDHALM DE RODRIG, ANGELA MARIE
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2443
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/29/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`Xdocket @ XSensus.com
`
`Xsensuspat@ XSensus.com
`anaquadocketing @ Xsensus.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/624,354
`AWAD et al.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`Angela Widhalm de Rodriguez
`2443
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s)filed on 06 August 2024.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)[¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-16,20-21,41 and 43 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`CL] Claim(s)__is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-16,20-21,41 and 43is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)7) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20241123
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`1.
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined
`
`underthefirst inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`2.
`
`This is a final office action in response to remarksfiled on 6 August 2024.
`
`Claims 1-16, 20-21, 41, and 43 are amended. No additional claims are canceled or
`
`added. Claims 1-16, 20-21, 41, and 43 are pending in this application.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`3.
`
`Applicant’s arguments, see remarks pages 9-10, filed 6 August 2024, with
`
`respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-16, 20-21, 41, and 43 under Ahn in view of
`
`Nishio and Babaei have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the
`
`rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, anew ground(s) of
`
`rejection is madein view of newly discovered prior art Kim et al. (U.S. Patent
`
`Publication 2020/0037367 (U.S. provisional application 62/475,836)) and further in view
`
`of previously cited Nishio et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2010/0128686) and Babaei et
`
`al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0215870).
`
`Applicant argued that the prior art of record (in particular Ahn, Nishio, and
`
`Babaei) did not explicitly disclose the amendment that the second signal comprises both
`
`control data and downlink data (see remarks pages 9-10), however examiner has
`
`incorporated newly discovered Kim into the rejection below to teach this amendment.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 3
`
`Claim Objections
`
`4.
`
`Claim 43 is objected to becauseof the following informalities: Claim 43 was
`
`amendedto recite “The communications device’in line 1. Claim 43 is an independent
`
`claim and there is no previous mention of “a communications device’ within the claim.
`
`Appropriate correction is required.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`5.
`
`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-AlA) 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 undereither status.
`
`6.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis forall
`
`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent fora claimed invention may notbe obtained, notwithstanding thatthe claimed
`invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the
`claimed invention and the prior artare such that the claimed invention as a whole would have
`been obvious beforethe effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having
`ordinary skillin the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall notbe
`negated by the mannerin whichthe invention was made.
`
`7.
`
`Claims 1-16, 20-21, 41, and 43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being
`
`unpatentable over Kim et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2020/0037367 | U.S. provisional
`
`application 62/475,836) in view of Nishio et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2010/0128686)
`
`and further in view of Babaei et al. (U.S. Patent Publication 2019/0215870).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 4
`
`8.
`
`Regarding claim 1, Kim disclosed a method for transmitting data or receiving
`
`data by acommunications device (see Kim Fig. 7, provisional Fig. 3-1 on pages 7-8:
`
`transmission between UE and eNB during random access procedure; examiner
`
`interprets the UE as being functionally equivalent to the claimed “communications
`
`device”), the method comprising:
`
`transmitting a first signal comprising a random access preamble anda first
`
`portion of uplink data (see Kim Fig. 9 #5920 Msg1, provisional page 10 line 12: UE
`
`sends Msg1 that includes random access (RA) preamble as well as early uplink (UL)
`
`data),
`
`receiving a second signal comprising a random access responsein
`
`response tothe first signal (see Kim Fig. 9 #5930, provisional page 10 lines 13-14:
`
`UE receives Msg2 that includes RAR from eNB in response to RA preamble sent by
`
`UE), and
`
`transmitting, in response to receiving the second signal, a third signal
`
`comprising a second portion of uplink data (see Kim Fig. 9 #S940, provisional page
`
`10 line 15: UE sends Msg3 that includes second UL data to eNB | Examiner notes that
`
`applicant’s specification includes multiple figures (e.g. Fig. 6, 9A, 9B, 12) that describe
`
`different embodiments involving these three signals and additional signals. Examiner
`
`recommends amending the claims to clarify the desired embodiment),
`
`wherein the second signal further comprises an indication of downlink
`
`radio resources forming a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) reserved
`
`for the transmission of one or more acknowledgements or negative
`
`acknowledgements (ACK/NACKs), and downlink data (see combination below), and
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 5
`
`one of the one or more ACK/NACKsis for reception by the communications
`
`device in response to the transmission of the third signal (see Kim Fig. 9 #5950,
`
`provisional page 10 lines 16-17: UE receives Msg4 that includes ACK).
`
`With respect to the limitation “wherein the second signal further comprises an
`
`indication of downlink radio resources forming a Physical Downlink Shared
`
`Channel (PDSCH) reserved for the transmission of one or more
`
`acknowledgements or negative acknowledgements (ACK/NACKs), and downlink
`
`data’:
`
`Kim disclosed wherein the second message in arandom access procedure
`
`includes both control data and downlink data (see Kim Fig. 14 #51430, [0190],
`
`provisional page 12 line 31: UE receives Msg2 that includes RAR and early DL data;
`
`RAR also includes TA command and UL grant information),
`
`i.e. “wherein the second
`
`signal further comprises an indication of radio resources and downlink data”. Kim
`
`also disclosed sending both UL data and DL data in different messages of the random
`
`access procedure (see Kim Fig. 16, provisional page 13 line 14 — page 14 line 10: both
`
`early UL data and early DL data are sent during the random accessoperation, e.g.
`
`Msg1 includes UL data, Msg2 includes DL data (see Kim [0210], provisional page 14
`
`lines 1-2), Msg3 includes additional UL data (see Kim [0211], provisional page 14 lines
`
`3-6)).
`
`Although Kim also disclosed sending ACKs during the random access procedure
`
`(see Kim Fig. 9 #5950, provisional page 10 lines 16-17: UE receives Msg4that includes
`
`ACK), e.g. DL ACK and UL ACK (see Kim Fig. 16, provisional page 13 lines 31-33), as
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 6
`
`well as indicating PUSCH resources used for the DL ACK (see Kim Fig. 16, provisional
`
`page 13 lines 21-23), Kim did not explicitly disclose that the indication of radio
`
`resources is “an indication of downlink radio resources forming a Physical
`
`Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) reserved for the transmission of one or more
`
`acknowledgements or negative acknowledgements (ACK/NACKs)’.
`
`Howeverin a related art, Nishio disclosed an ACK/NACK channel allocating
`
`section (see Nishio Fig.
`
`1 #105) and designating which ACK/NACK channelis
`
`associated with which downlink resource (see Nishio [0041]),
`
`i.e. “an indication of
`
`downlink radio resources reserved for the transmission of one or more
`
`acknowledgements or negative acknowledgements, ACK/NACKs’.
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim and Nishio to further
`
`clarify how acknowledgements are sent. Replacing Kim’s ACK/NACK transmission with
`
`Nishio’s ACK/NACK channels would reduce downlink resources required for
`
`ACK/NACK channels and improvethe data transmission efficiency (see Nishio [0009}).
`
`Although Nishio disclosed associating ACK/NACK channels with downlink
`
`resources, Nishio did not explicitly disclose that the downlink resources are “forming a
`
`Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH”. Howeverin a related art, Babaei
`
`disclosed a downlink control information (DCI) comprising downlink (DL) scheduling
`
`assignments that comprise PDSCH resourceindication (see Babaei [0474]) and
`
`transmitting a RAR as the second step of the RA procedure, such that a UE monitors
`
`the PDCCH carrying a DCI to detect RAR transmitted on a PDSCH in a RAR window
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 7
`
`(see Babaei [0417], Fig. 55),
`
`i.e. “an indication of downlink radio resources forming
`
`a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)’.
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the types of downlink resources used to send ACK/NACK.Replacing
`
`Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the
`
`types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system
`
`would improve robustness for BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling
`
`(see Babaei [0396]).
`
`9.
`
`Regarding claim 2, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`1, wherein the indication of the downlink radio resources comprises an indication
`
`of a time window during which the communications device should monitor for the
`
`reception of the PDSCH. (see Babaei [0308]: base station transmits a RACH
`
`configuration that includes parameters indicating a time window to monitor responses|
`
`Babaei [0313]: UE starts a time window to monitor a RAR; starts a time window at a
`
`start of a first PDCCH).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. monitoring time window, involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei's PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 8
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`10.
`
`Regarding claim 3, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`2, wherein the indication of the time window comprises an indication of a starting
`
`time of the time window (see Babaei [0313]: configuring a UE to start a time window
`
`for monitoring a RAR, e.g. after a fixed duration).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. monitoring time window, involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`11.
`
`Regarding claim 4, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`2, wherein indication of the time window comprises an indication of a fixed time
`
`offset from one of a time of reception of the second signal and a time of
`
`transmission of the third signal, and the method comprises determining, based
`
`on thefixed offset time, a starting time of the time window (see Babaei [0477]:
`
`defining ACK/NACK offset | Babaei [0313]: configuring a UE to start a time window for
`
`monitoring a RAR, e.g. after a fixed duration from the end of a preamble transmission |
`
`Babaei [0308]: defining time windows for monitoring for a variety messages).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 9
`
`It would have been obviousto oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. monitoring time window, involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`12.
`
`Regarding claim 5, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`2, wherein the indication of the time window comprises an indication of a
`
`temporal length of the time window (see Babaei [0264]: setting values for
`
`transmission time window duration | Babaei [0409]: setting an inactivity time window for
`
`a specific value of time).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. monitoring time window,involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 10
`
`13.|Regarding claim 6, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`2, comprising receiving, via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signalling, an
`
`indication of a starting time of the time window (see Babaei [0260]: using RRC
`
`signaling to configure timing, e.g. UL time alignment (see Babaei [0619])).
`
`It would have been obviousto oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. monitoring time window, involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`14.
`
`Regarding claim 7, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`1, comprising:
`
`receiving the PDSCH (see Babaei [0417]: the second step of a four-step RACH
`
`procedure includes detecting RAR transmitted on a PDSCH),
`
`determining whether one or more conditions associated with the PDSCH
`
`are satisfied (see Babaei [0420]: determining success or not of the PDSCH; examiner
`
`interprets a successful contention resolution as being functionally equivalent to
`
`determining that conditions associated with PDSCH aresatisfied), and
`
`if the one or more conditions are satisfied, determining that the one of the
`
`one or more ACK/NACKsSsis for reception by the communications devicein
`
`responseto the transmission of the third signal (see Nishio [0046]: sending
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 11
`
`ACK/NACK that is associated with a particular transmission from UE and a particular
`
`ACK/NACK channel).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim and Nishio to further
`
`clarify when and how acknowledgements are sent. Replacing Kim’s ACK/NACK
`
`transmission with Nishio’s ACK/NACK channels would reduce downlink resources
`
`required for ACK/NACK channels and improve the data transmission efficiency (see
`
`Nishio [0009)).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. satisfied conditions,
`
`involving the downlink resources
`
`used to send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei’s PDSCH
`
`would more specifically describe the types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s
`
`teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for BWP switching (see
`
`Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396]).
`
`15.
`
`Regarding claim 8, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`7, wherein the one or more conditions comprise the PDSCH comprising an
`
`identifier associated with the communications device (see Babaei [0477]: DCI
`
`includes a variety of identifying information | Babaei [0417]: comparing RNTIs
`
`transmitted on a PDSCH).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 12
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. types of satisfied conditions,
`
`involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`16.
`
`Regarding claim 9, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`7, wherein the one or more conditions comprise each of one or morebits within
`
`the PDSCH associated with radio resources in which the communications device
`
`transmitted the third signal having a specified binary value (see Babaei [0477]:
`
`different DCI formats specify bits for a variety of fields).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. types of satisfied conditions,
`
`involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK. Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 13
`
`17.|Regarding claim 10, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`7, wherein the one or more conditions comprise the PDSCH comprising a
`
`Resource Indication Value (RIV) associated with the communications device (see
`
`Babaei [0477]: DCI includes mapping PDSCH resources; different DCI formats specify
`
`bits/values for a variety offields).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. types of satisfied conditions,
`
`involving the downlink
`
`resources used to send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with
`
`Babaei’s PDSCH would morespecifically describe the types of downlink resources.
`
`Including Babaei’s teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for
`
`BWP switching (see Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396]).
`
`18.
`
`Regarding claim 11, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`9, wherein when the communications device either transmits the third signal in
`
`the same radio resources used by another communications device, or has a
`
`similar RIV to another communications device, the one or more conditions further
`
`comprise determining whether the PDSCH comprises additional information
`
`associated with the communications device (see Babaei [0419]: comparing the
`
`identity transmitted in the third RA step | Babaei [0420]: contention resolution involves
`
`resolving identities, e.g. via C-RNTI or additional
`
`identifying information when there is
`
`no C-RNTI | Babaei [0657]: contention resolution can also be based onatimer).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 14
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. satisfied conditions,
`
`involving the downlink resources
`
`used to send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei’s PDSCH
`
`would more specifically describe the types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s
`
`teachings into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for BWP switching (see
`
`Babaei [0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`19.
`
`Regarding claim 12, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`11, wherein the additional information is an antenna port index associated with an
`
`antenna port used by the communications device to transmit the third signal (see
`
`Babaei [0506]: mapping port values and resources | Babaei [0477]: DCI includes
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`antenna ports used for transmission).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. antenna port, involving the downlink resources used to
`
`send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei's PDSCH would
`
`more specifically describe the types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s teachings
`
`into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for BWP switching (see Babaei
`
`[0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 15
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`20.
`
`Regarding claim 13, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
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`1, comprising receiving, an indication of a set of radio resources forming a control-
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`resource set (CORESET)that comprises the PDSCH, the CORESETeither being
`
`specific to the communications device or common among a group of
`
`communications devices including the communications device (see Babaei [0291]:
`
`configuring UE with one or more control resource sets | [0288]: defining DL BWP for
`
`control resource sets | [0261]: allocating resources from CORESETs, e.g. PDSCH (see
`
`[0262])).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. CORESET,involving the downlink resources used to
`
`send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei's PDSCH would
`
`more specifically describe the types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s teachings
`
`into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for BWP switching (see Babaei
`
`[0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`21.
`
`Regarding claim 14, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`13, wherein the indication of the CORESETis included within the second signal
`
`(see Babaei [0387]: at least one configured DL BWP comprises one CORESET needed
`
`for RACH response,
`
`i.e. “second signal’).
`
`It would have been obviousto oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. CORESET,involving the downlink resources used to
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 16
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`send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei’s PDSCH would
`
`more specifically describe the types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s teachings
`
`into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for BWP switching (see Babaei
`
`[0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`22.
`
`Regarding claim 15, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`1, comprising
`
`determining an acknowledgementidentifier in accordance with predefined
`
`information known by the communications device (see Nishio [0003]: identifying
`
`ACK/NACK channel for a mobile station according to an allocation control channel and
`
`the transmission number| Nishio [0034]: each mobile station is allocated specific
`
`ACK/NACK channels and the associated resources (see Nishio [0043])),
`
`receiving the PDSCH (see Nishio [0046]: receiving downlink message, e.g.
`
`ACK/NACK from base station | Babaei [0417]: monitoring for downlink messages over
`
`PDSCH),
`
`determining whether the PDSCH comprises the determined
`
`acknowledgementidentifier (see Nishio [0046]: determining that ACK/NACK is
`
`associated with a particular transmission from UE and a particular ACK/NACK channel),
`
`and
`
`if the PDSCH comprises the determined acknowledgementidentifier,
`
`determining that the one of the one or more ACK/NACKsis for reception by the
`
`communications device in responseto the transmission of the third signal (see
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 17
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`Nishio [0046]: determining that ACK/NACK from the base station is associated with a
`
`particular transmission from UE and a particular ACK/NACK channel).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim and Nishio to further
`
`clarify details, e.g. based on ACK ID, about when and how acknowledgements are sent.
`
`Replacing Kim’s ACK/NACK transmission with Nishio’s ACK/NACK channels would
`
`reduce downlink resources required for ACK/NACK channels and improve the data
`
`transmission efficiency (see Nishio [0009)).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim-Nishio and Babaei
`
`to further clarify the details, e.g. using PDSCH, involving the downlink resources used to
`
`send ACK/NACK.Replacing Nishio’s downlink resources with Babaei's PDSCH would
`
`more specifically describe the types of downlink resources. Including Babaei’s teachings
`
`into Kim-Nishio’s system would improve robustness for BWP switching (see Babaei
`
`[0376]) and DCI signaling (see Babaei [0396)).
`
`23.
`
`Regarding claim 16, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`15, wherein the communications device determines the acknowledgement
`
`identifier based on a combination of a plurality of parameters, the plurality of
`
`parameters comprising an index of a first or a last OFDM symbolof radio
`
`resources in which the communications device transmitted the third signal (see
`
`Nishio [0046]: ACK/NACK is identified using a combination of information that includes
`
`resource, transmission number, and channel number| [0043]: base station allocates
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/624,354
`Art Unit: 2443
`
`Page 18
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`channel number and specific resources to specific mobile station), an index of a time
`
`slot comprising the radio resources in which the communications device
`
`transmitted the third signal (see Nishio [0046]: ACK/NACK isidentified using a
`
`combination of information that includes resource, transmission number, and channel
`
`number), and an index of an uplink carrier used for the transmission of the third
`
`signal (see Nishio [0046]: ACK/NACK is identified using a combination of information
`
`that includes resource, transmission number, and channel number| [0043]: base station
`
`allocates channel number and specific resources to specific mobile station).
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the effective
`
`filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kim and Nishio to further
`
`clarify details, e.g. ACK ID, about when and how acknowledgements are sent.
`
`Replacing Kim’s ACK/NACK transmission with Nishio’s ACK/NACK channels would
`
`reduce downlink resources required for ACK/NACK channels and improve the data
`
`transmission efficiency (see Nishio [0009)).
`
`24.
`
`Regarding claim 20, Kim-Nishio-Babaei disclosed the method according to Claim
`
`15, wherein, if the communications device determines that it has transmitted as
`
`the third signal a plurality of consecutive transmission units of a same transport
`
`block (see Babaei [0414]: transmitting one or more transport blocksin third step of RA
`
`procedure| [0415]: determining if there are repeated transmissions | [0399]: using the