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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/22/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 22, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts that the claims are patentable because the combination of Grant and Yi allegedly does not teach “wherein in response to the TCI state being designated for the CORESET, the receiver receives the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the CORESET,” because Yi fails to teach that even if a TCI state is designated for the CORESET through one method (such as through RRC/MAC CE), the UE determines the TCI relation using another method.
However, Yi does teach wherein, in response to a TCI state being designated for the CORESET (Yi, paragraph [0072], base station transmits CORESET configuration for each CORESET to the terminal; paragraph [0091], TCI indication may be in MAC CE), the receiver receives the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the control resource set (Yi, paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0109], configured TCI state may be updated by the RACH procedure; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraph [0294], beam recovery CORESET currently indicated TCI state may not be aligned with the PRACH, the TCI state of the CORESET may be determined based on the selected RACH preamble).
Accordingly, Yi discloses that when a TCI state may be designated for a CORESET through one method by the base station via MAC CE (Yi, paragraphs [0072], [0091]), the UE determines the TCI relation using another method of updating a TCI state based on a beam selected by the UE to transmit a preamble of a RACH procedure (Yi, paragraphs [0099], [0102], [0106]-[0107], [0109], [0112], [0253], [0294]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claim(s) 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant et al. (US 2020/0059281) in view of Yi et al. (US 2020/0120584).
Regarding claim 7, Grant discloses a terminal (Grant, paragraph [0002], UE or wireless terminal) comprising:
a receiver that receives control information that is a trigger for initiating a random access procedure (Grant, Fig. 3, PDCCH order trigger signal; paragraph [0026], gNB transmits a trigger signal to wireless device to update the SS-BPL that initiates a PRACH transmission by the wireless device to indicate to the gNB a new SS-BPL; paragraph [0049], gNB send a trigger signal to the wireless device);
a processor (Grant, paragraph [0071], processing circuit) that selects an occasion for transmitting a random access preamble (Grant, Fig. 1, PRACH signal; Fig. 3, PRACH-like preamble; paragraph [0007], wireless device transmits signal similar to a preamble on PRACH; paragraph [0031], PRACH occasion; paragraph [0049], responsive to the trigger signal, wireless device detects a preferred SS block and transmits PRACH-like preamble); and
a transmitter (Grant, paragraph [0070], transmitter) that transmits the random access preamble using the occasion (Grant, Fig. 1, PRACH signal; Fig. 3, PRACH-like preamble; paragraph [0007], wireless device transmits signal similar to a preamble on PRACH; paragraph [0008], during the PRACH; paragraph [0031], configured PRACH occasions; paragraph [0034], wireless device transmits PRACH signals associated with SS block by a spatial QCL assumption to form a first BPL; paragraph [0049], responsive to the trigger signal, wireless device transmits reselection signal resembling a preamble on the PRACH),
wherein the receiver receives a response to the random access preamble using a control resource set that is for monitoring control information for receiving the response (Grant, Fig. 1, PDSCH and/or PDCCH in response to PRACH signal; paragraph [0004], gNB signals to wireless device that CSI-RS is QCL’d with PDSCH and DMRS; paragraph [0008], during the beam recovery procedure, the gNB and wireless device establish a SS beam pair link and the wireless device assumes spatial QCL with previously transmitted SS block; paragraph [0034], wireless device detects a preferred SS block and transmits PRACH signals to the gNB on the same beam as the preferred SS block was received; after receiving the PRACH signal from the wireless device on the preferred beam, the gNB knows the preferred SS block and beam and transmits downlink data on PSCCH or PDSCH associated by a second spatial QCL assumption to form a second BPL; paragraph [0042], gNB and wireless device each have an established BPL under a spatial QCL assumption for DL SS block and UL PRACH signal; paragraphs [0053]-[0054], UE receives Msg2 having QCL relation with the SSB, base station specifies RACH occasion index so as to obtain the QCL relation between the PDCCH order and the SSB).
Grant does not explicitly disclose wherein the receiver receives a response to the random access preamble using a CORESET (Control Resource Set), that is for monitoring control information for receiving the response,
wherein the receiver receives Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) information that is not designated for the CORESET,
wherein, in response to a TCI state being designated for the control resource set, the receiver receives the response using the QCL information that is not designated for the control resource set, and
wherein in response to the TCI state not being designated for the CORESET, the receiver receives the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the CORESET.
Yi discloses wherein the receiver receives a response to the random access preamble using a CORESET (Control Resource Set), that is for monitoring control information for receiving the response (Yi, paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0123], CORESET for RAR, CORESET configured for RAR reception; paragraph [0253], CORESET predefined or preconfigured and used for RAR reception or RAR procedure); and
wherein the receiver receives Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) information that is not designated for the CORESET (Yi, paragraph [0072], base station transmits CORESET configuration for each CORESET to the terminal; paragraph [0091], TCI indication may be in MAC CE ; paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure may be needed; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraph [0273], a plurality of search space sets/CORESETs may be configured, and one search space set/CORESET may correspond to one of TCI states ( or SS/PBCH block indexes)),
wherein, in response to a TCI state being designated for the CORESET (Yi, paragraph [0072], base station transmits CORESET configuration for each CORESET to the terminal; paragraph [0091], TCI indication may be in MAC CE), the receiver receives the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the control resource set (Yi, paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0109], configured TCI state may be updated by the RACH procedure; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraph [0273], a plurality of search space sets/CORESETs may be configured, and one search space set/CORESET may correspond to one of TCI states ( or SS/PBCH block indexes); paragraph [0294], beam recovery CORESET currently indicated TCI state may not be aligned with the PRACH, the TCI state of the CORESET may be determined based on the selected RACH preamble), and
wherein in response to the TCI state not being designated for the CORESET, the receiver receives the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the CORESET (Yi, paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure may be needed, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0109], configured TCI state may be updated by the RACH procedure; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraphs [0126], TCI state may not be indicated for the CORESET for RAR and then beam recovery procedure changes the previous TCI state; paragraph [0127], CORESET for RAR may be configured without a TCI state and then the TCI state is updated according to the RACH procedure; paragraph [0294], beam recovery CORESET currently indicated TCI state may not be aligned with the PRACH, the TCI state of the CORESET may be determined based on the selected RACH preamble).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Yi into the system of Grant in order to align the optimal beam between the UE and a network operating on multi-beams (Yi; [0240]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Grant and Yi, particularly Grant discloses wherein the processor selects a synchronization signal block, and selects the occasion corresponding to the synchronization signal block (Grant, Fig. 3, PRACH-like preamble; paragraph [0031], PRACH occasion; paragraph [0034], wireless device transmits PRACH signals on the uplink that are associated with the SS block by a spatial QCL, wireless device detects preferred SS block and transmits PRACH signals on the same beam; paragraph [0049], gNB transmits the SS blocks in a beam swept manner, each PRACH resource is associated with a SS block), and
the receiver assumes quasi co-location with the synchronization signal block when receiving the response (Grant, Fig. 1, PDSCH and/or PDCCH; paragraph [0034], after receiving the PRACH signal from the wireless device, the gNB knows the preferred SS block and beam and transmits downlink data on PSCCH or PDSCH associated by a second spatial QCL assumption to form a second BPL; paragraph [0049], when receiving the PRACH resource, the network knows which SS blocks the wireless device prefers).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Grant and Yi, particularly Grant discloses wherein the synchronization signal block is associated with a beam (Grant, Fig. 3, PRACH-like preamble; paragraph [0031], PRACH occasion; paragraph [0034], wireless device transmits PRACH signals on the uplink that are associated with the SS block by a spatial QCL, wireless device detects preferred SS block and transmits PRACH signals on the same beam; paragraph [0049], gNB transmits the SS blocks in a beam swept manner, each PRACH resource is associated with a SS block).
Claim 10 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 7.
Regarding claim 11, Grant discloses a base station (Grant, paragraph [0002], base station) comprising:
a transmitter that transmits control information that is a trigger for initiating a random access procedure (Grant, Fig. 3, PDCCH order trigger signal; paragraph [0026], gNB transmits a trigger signal to wireless device to update the SS-BPL that initiates a PRACH transmission by the wireless device to indicate to the gNB a new SS-BPL; paragraph [0049], gNB send a trigger signal to the wireless device);
a receiver (Grant, paragraph [0070], transmitter) that receives the random access preamble using an occasion for transmitting a random access preamble that is selected (Grant, Fig. 1, PRACH signal; Fig. 3, PRACH-like preamble; paragraph [0007], wireless device transmits signal similar to a preamble on PRACH; paragraph [0008], during the PRACH; paragraph [0031], configured PRACH occasions; paragraph [0034], wireless device transmits PRACH signals associated with SS block by a spatial QCL assumption to form a first BPL; paragraph [0049], responsive to the trigger signal, wireless device transmits reselection signal resembling a preamble on the PRACH),
wherein the transmitter transmits, to a terminal, a response to the random access preamble using a control resource set that is for monitoring control information for receiving the response (Grant, Fig. 1, PDSCH and/or PDCCH in response to PRACH signal; paragraph [0004], gNB signals to wireless device that CSI-RS is QCL’d with PDSCH and DMRS; paragraph [0008], during the beam recovery procedure, the gNB and wireless device establish a SS beam pair link and the wireless device assumes spatial QCL with previously transmitted SS block; paragraph [0034], wireless device detects a preferred SS block and transmits PRACH signals to the gNB on the same beam as the preferred SS block was received; after receiving the PRACH signal from the wireless device on the preferred beam, the gNB knows the preferred SS block and beam and transmits downlink data on PSCCH or PDSCH associated by a second spatial QCL assumption to form a second BPL; paragraph [0042], gNB and wireless device each have an established BPL under a spatial QCL assumption for DL SS block and UL PRACH signal; paragraphs [0053]-[0054], UE receives Msg2 having QCL relation with the SSB, base station specifies RACH occasion index so as to obtain the QCL relation between the PDCCH order and the SSB).
Grant does not explicitly disclose wherein the transmitter transmits, to a terminal, a response to the random access preamble using a CORESET (Control Resource Set), that is for monitoring control information for receiving the response,
wherein the transmitter transmits Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) information that is not designated for the CORESET,
wherein, in response to a TCI state being designated for the control resource set, the transmitter transmits the response using the QCL information that is not designated for the control resource set, and
wherein in response to the TCI state not being designated for the CORESET, the transmitter transmits the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the CORESET.
Yi discloses wherein the transmitter transmits, to a terminal, a response to the random access preamble using a CORESET (Control Resource Set), that is for monitoring control information for receiving the response (Yi, paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0123], CORESET for RAR, CORESET configured for RAR reception; paragraph [0253], CORESET predefined or preconfigured and used for RAR reception or RAR procedure); and
wherein the transmitter transmits Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) information that is not designated for the CORESET (Yi, paragraph [0072], base station transmits CORESET configuration for each CORESET to the terminal; paragraph [0091], TCI indication may be in MAC CE ; paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure may be needed; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraph [0273], a plurality of search space sets/CORESETs may be configured, and one search space set/CORESET may correspond to one of TCI states ( or SS/PBCH block indexes)),
wherein, in response to a TCI state being designated for the CORESET, the transmitter transmits the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the control resource set(Yi, paragraph [0072], base station transmits CORESET configuration for each CORESET to the terminal; paragraph [0091], TCI indication may be in MAC CE; paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0109], configured TCI state may be updated by the RACH procedure; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraph [0273], a plurality of search space sets/CORESETs may be configured, and one search space set/CORESET may correspond to one of TCI states ( or SS/PBCH block indexes); paragraph [0294], beam recovery CORESET currently indicated TCI state may not be aligned with the PRACH, the TCI state of the CORESET may be determined based on the selected RACH preamble), and
wherein in response to the TCI state not being designated for the CORESET, the transmitter transmits the response using the TCI information that is not designated for the CORESET (Yi, paragraph [0099], RAR is transmitted through common search space or search space associated with beam recovery failure, the CORESET/TCI state may be determined based on the RACH procedure may be needed, or if the RACH procedure is triggered by a PDCCH command, it may be assumed that RAR is transmitted by using the QCL information the same as the QCL information used for transmission of the PDCCH command; paragraph [0102], whenever there is a RACH procedure, the TCI state may be updated for reception of RAR; paragraph [0106]-[0107], different TCI states (based on the RACH procedure) not including the TCI state of the beam recovery procedure, may be associated with the CORESET; paragraph [0109], configured TCI state may be updated by the RACH procedure; paragraph [0112], updating the TCI state based on the RACH procedure; paragraph [0253], TCI state of the corresponding CORESET may be configured based on a beam selected for the RACH procedure; paragraphs [0126], TCI state may not be indicated for the CORESET for RAR and then beam recovery procedure changes the previous TCI state; paragraph [0127], CORESET for RAR may be configured without a TCI state and then the TCI state is updated according to the RACH procedure; paragraph [0294], beam recovery CORESET currently indicated TCI state may not be aligned with the PRACH, the TCI state of the CORESET may be determined based on the selected RACH preamble).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Yi into the system of Grant in order to align the optimal beam between the UE and a network operating on multi-beams (Yi; [0240]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Guo (US 20180343653) discloses UE can assume no TCI (transmission configuration indication) filed in QCL configuration signaling for PDCCH; If the TCI filed is present in the QCL configuration signaling for PDCCH, the UE can assume to choose to ignore the TCI field.
Liou et al. (US 20190297640) discloses if network configures a corresponding CORESET configuration for scheduled serving cells, TCI-StatesPDCCH in CORESETs of scheduled serving cell may be ignored or may not be used by a UE when the UE receives or monitors PDCCH of scheduled serving cell on scheduling serving cell. Alternatively, if network configures a corresponding CORESET configuration for scheduled serving cells, TCI-StatesPDCCH in CORESETs of scheduled serving cell may comprise a set of TCI states, wherein the set of TCI states are associated with reference signals transmitted in the scheduling serving cell.
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/A.L.L/Examiner, Art Unit 2413
/UN C CHO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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