UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`15/807,202
`
`11/08/2017
`
`Seigo Nakao
`
`733456.410C6
`
`7284
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panason1e
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`CHOWDHURY' HARUN UR R
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2473
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/23/2020
`
`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
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`following e—mail address(es):
`US PTOeACtion @ SeedIP .Com
`
`pairlinkdktg @ seedip .eom
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`017/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`15/807,202
`Examiner
`HARUN U CHOWDHURY
`
`Applicant(s)
`Nakao et al.
`Art Unit
`2473
`
`AIA (FITF) Status
`N0
`
`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from 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, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 01/14/2020.
`CI A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a). This action is FINAL.
`
`2b) D This action is non-final.
`
`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4):] 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 Expade Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)
`
`Claim(s)
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`flis/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above Claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`
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`[:1 Claim(s)s_is/are allowed.
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`Claim(ss) 1 —3, 5— 11 and 13— 16 is/are rejected.
`
`Claim(ss) 4—and 12 is/are objected to.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`S)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`C] Claim(s
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible 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.jjgptgng/patents/init_event§/pph/index.'sp or send an inquiry to PPeredhack@g§ptg.ggv.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`
`is/are: a)[:| accepted or b)D objected to by the Examiner.
`11):] The drawing(s) filed on
`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). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)C] Some**
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`c)C] None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`
`2.[:] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`
`SD Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in 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) [3 Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) C] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) E] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20200317
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`1.
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`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent
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`provisions.
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`Status of Claims
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`2.
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`Claims 1-16 are pending wherein claims 1 and 9 are in independent form.
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`Response to Arguments
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`3.
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`Applicant's arguments filed on 01/14/2020 have been fully considered but they
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`are not persuasive. The reasons set forth below.
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`4.
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`On page 5 of the remarks, applicant argues, “However, combining the disclosure
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`of the Provisional Application of Kim with Fig. 9 of Tiirola would result in that, in
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`slot#l, CS#0-7 corresponding to ACK/NACK resource#0-3, 6-9, 12-15 are used
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`for ACK/NACK and CS#8—11 are used for CQI. ln slot#2, on the other hand,
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`CS#O, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11 corresponding to ACK/NACK resource#0-3, 6-9, 12-15
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`are used for ACK/NACK. That is, while in slot#l, eight (8) cyclically continuous
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`indexes (CS#0-7) are included in the first set for ACK/NACK (N =8), in slot#2 on
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`the other hand, the first set for ACK/NACK (CS#O, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11) clearly
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`does not include eight (8) cyclically continuous indexes (N a6 8).”
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`In response, examiner respectfully disagrees because:
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`Claim recites that N number of cyclically continuous indexes are applicable in two
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`consecutive slots. Kim discloses that cyclic shift indexes 0-7 (N number of
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`cyclically continuous indexes) are used for ACK/NACK but Kim does not explicitly
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`disclose that cyclic shift indexes 0-7 (N number of cyclically continuous indexes)
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 3
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`are applicable in two consecutive slots. Tiirola discloses that cyclic shift indexes
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`0-7 (N number of cyclically continuous indexes) are applicable in two consecutive
`
`slots (Fig. 9). According to Fig. 9 of Tiirola, cyclic shift index #0 is used for
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`resources 0 and 12 in slot 1 and for resources 15 and 3 in slot 2; cyclic shift
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`index #1 is used for resources 6 in slot 1 and for resources 11 in slot 2; 9%
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`shift index #2 is used for resources 1 and 13 in slot 1 and for resources 14 and 2
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`in slot 2; cyclic shift index #3 is used for resources 7 in slot 1 and for resources
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`10 in slot 2; cyclic shift index #4 is used for resources 2 and 14 in slot 1 and for
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`resources 13 and 1
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`in slot 2; cyclic shift index #5 is used for resources 8 in slot 1
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`and for resources 9 in slot 2; cyclic shift index #6 is used for resources 3 and 15
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`in slot 1 and for resources 12 and 0 in slot 2; cyclic shift index #7 is used for
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`resources 9 in slot 1 and for resources 8 in slot 2. Therefore, it is very clear from
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`Fig. 9 that cyclic shift indexes 0-7 (N number of cyclically continuous indexes) are
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`applicable in two consecutive slots of one TTl.
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`Therefore, in view of above reasons, examiner maintains the rejection.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
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`Page 4
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`5.
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`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
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`for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described
`as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented
`and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the
`time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject
`matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was
`made.
`
`6.
`
`Claims 1, 2, 7-10, 15, 16 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
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`unpatentable over Kim et al (US 20100142475 A1, hereinafter referred to as Kim) in
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`view of Tiirola et al (US 20080298433 A1, hereinafter referred to as Tiirola).
`
`Re claim 1, Kim teaches a device (Base station) (Fig. 1-2, Par 0028-
`
`0034), comprising:
`
`(i) a transmitter (BS transmits data to UE and thus, it is evident that the BS has a
`
`transmitter to transmit data to the UE), which, in operation, transmits data to a
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`terminal (UE) (Fig. 1-2, Par 0028-0034); and
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`(ii) a receiver (BS receives ACK/NACK/CQI from UE and thus, it is evident that
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`the BS has a receiver to receive ACK/NACK/CQI from the UE), which, in
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`operation, receives, from the terminal, an acknowledgement/negative
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`acknowledgement (ACK/NACK) signal for the data (Fig. 1-2, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, Par
`
`0028-0034, Par 0051 -0056, Par 0059-0062),
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`(iii) the ACK/NACK signal (modulation symbol d(0)) being multiplied with a
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`sequence defined by a cyclic shift value (cyclically shifted sequence r(n,a))
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`having a cyclic shift index (cyclic shift index “a”), which is within a first subset
`
`including N number of one or more cyclically continuous indexes (first eight CS
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 5
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`indices (1 to 8) are allocated for ACK/NACK as disclosed in table 7-8), the first
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`subset (first eight CS indices for ACK/NACK as disclosed in table 7-8) being
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`mutually exclusive with a second subset that includes one or more indexes used
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`for a channel quality indicator (CQI) signal (CS indices 10-12 for CQI as
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`disclosed in table 7, CS indices 10, 11 for CQI as disclosed in table 8) where the
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`first subset and the second subset are in a set of indexes (CS indices disclosed
`
`in table 7-8), (Fig. 7-8, Fig. 11-14, Par 0051-0056, Par 0059-0062, Par 0086, Par
`
`0090, Par 0096-0102, Par 0115-0121; Provisional application #60972255, table
`
`4-5).
`
`Kim does not explicitly disclose that N (CS indices for ACK/NACK) being
`
`applicable in two consecutive slots.
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`Tiirola teaches that N (CS indices for ACK/NACK) being applicable in two
`
`consecutive slots (intra TTl cyclic shifts hopping for ACK/NACK as shown in Fig.
`
`9) (Par 0080, Par 0082-0083, Par 0088-0089, Par 0091 -0095, Par 0099, Par
`
`0107).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of
`
`invention to modify Kim by including the feature that N (CS indices for
`
`ACK/NACK) being applicable in two consecutive slots, as taught by Tiirola for the
`
`purpose of maximizing the orthogonality of the ZC sequences used by various
`
`UEs, as taught by Tiirola (Par 0047).
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`Claim 9 recites a method performing the steps recited in claim 1 and
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`thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 6
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`Re claims 2, 10, Kim teaches that the receiver, in operation, receives the
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`multiplied ACK/NACK signal using a mixed RB as shown in Fig. 7) supporting a
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`mix of the multiplied ACK/NACK signal and the CQI signal that is transmitted
`
`from another terminal (Fig. 7-9, Par 0051-0056, Par 0059-0062, Par 0084-0086,
`
`Par 0096-0108).
`
`Re claims 7, 15, Kim teaches that the set of indexes consists of twelve
`
`integers (Fig. 9, Par 0060-0062, Par 0096-0102).
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`Re claims 8, 16, Kim teaches that N is less than twelve (Fig. 9, Par 0060-
`
`0062, Par 0096-0102).
`
`7.
`
`Claims 3, 5, 6, 11, 13, 14 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being
`
`unpatentable over Kim and Tiirola as applied to claims 1 and 9 above and further in
`
`view of Shen et al (US 20080316957 A1, hereinafter referred to as Shen).
`
`Re claims 3, 11, Kim teaches that N (CS indices for ACK/NACK) being
`
`applicable in two consecutive slots (CS indices are applicable in two consecutive
`
`slots as disclosed in Fig. 9) (Par 0059-0062).
`
`Kim does not explicitly disclose that the cyclic shift index is calculated
`
`based on a first value and a second value, the first value being calculated based
`
`on a symbol number and a cell identity, the second value being calculated based
`
`on a slot number and a resource index of a physical uplink control channel
`
`(PUCCH) allocated to the terminal, the second value being one of N number of
`
`one or more values.
`
`Shen teaches that the cyclic shift index is calculated based on a first value
`
`and a second value, the first value being calculated based on a symbol number
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 7
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`and a cell identity, the second value being calculated based on a slot number
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`and a resource index of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) allocated to
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`the terminal, the second value being one of N number of one or more values,
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`(Cyclic shift is selected for ACK/NACK based on cell identity, ACK/NACK
`
`resource index, OFDM symbol number, slot number) (Fig. 6, Table 2-8, Par
`
`0023, Par 0031 -0033, Par 0046-0050, Par 0060-0065).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of
`
`invention to modify Kim by including the feature that the cyclic shift index is
`
`calculated based on a first value and a second value, the first value being
`
`calculated based on a symbol number and a cell identity, the second value being
`
`calculated based on a slot number and a resource index of a physical uplink
`
`control channel (PUCCH) allocated to the terminal, the second value being one
`
`of N number of one or more values, as taught by Shen for the purpose of
`
`reducing signaling overhead in a wireless communication system, as taught by
`
`Shen (Par 0002, Par 0017).
`
`Re claims 5, 13, Kim teaches that cyclic shift value between consecutive
`
`slots varies (CS value in the first slot is different than the CS value in the second
`
`slot, Fig. 9) (Par 0059-0062).
`
`Kim does not explicitly disclose a difference in the cyclic shift value
`
`between consecutive slots varies among resource indexes of a physical uplink
`
`control channel (PUCCH).
`
`Shen teaches that a difference in the cyclic shift value between
`
`consecutive slots varies among resource indexes of a physical uplink control
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 8
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`channel (PUCCH) (CS selected based on the slot number and ACK/NACK
`
`resource index) (Fig. 6, Table 2-8, Par 0023, Par 0031-0033, Par 0046-0050, Par
`
`0060-0065).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of
`
`invention to modify Kim by including the feature that a difference in the cyclic
`
`shift value between consecutive slots varies among resource indexes of a
`
`physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), as taught by Shen for the purpose of
`
`reducing signaling overhead in a wireless communication system, as taught by
`
`Shen (Par 0002, Par 0017).
`
`Re claims 6, 14, Kim teaches that the cyclic shift value is
`
`changed between symbols, wherein a difference in the cyclic shift value between
`
`the symbols is common in a cell (a base station), and the cyclic shift value is
`
`changed between consecutive slots (Fig. 9, Par 0051 -0057, Par 0059-0062, Par
`
`0090, Par 0096-0108, Par 0120-0121).
`
`Kim does not explicitly disclose that a difference in the cyclic shift value
`
`between consecutive slots varies among resource indexes of a physical uplink
`
`control channel (PUCCH).
`
`Shen teaches that a difference in the cyclic shift value between
`
`consecutive slots varies among resource indexes of a physical uplink control
`
`channel (PUCCH) (CS selected based on the slot number and ACK/NACK
`
`resource index) (Fig. 6, Table 2-8, Par 0023, Par 0031-0033, Par 0046-0050, Par
`
`0060-0065).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 9
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of
`
`invention to modify Kim by including the feature that a difference in the cyclic
`
`shift value between consecutive slots varies among resource indexes of a
`
`physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), as taught by Shen for the purpose of
`
`reducing signaling overhead in a wireless communication system, as taught by
`
`Shen (Par 0002, Par 0017).
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 4, 12 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.
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`Conclusion
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`THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of
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`time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`
`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire
`
`THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
`
`In the event a first reply is
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`filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory
`
`action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory
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`period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory
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`action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be
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`calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 10
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`the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing
`
`date of this final action.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from
`
`the examiner should be directed to HARUN UR R CHOWDHURY whose
`
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`
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`
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the
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`examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B Yao can be reached on 5712723182. The fax
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`
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`Application/Control Number: 15/807,202
`Art Unit: 2473
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`Page 11
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`Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-
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`
`/HARUN CHOWDHURY/
`
`Examiner, Art Unit 2473
`
`