DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
This Office Action is in response to the Amendment filed on 02/05/2026.
Response to Arguments
In the instant Amendment, claims 49, 69, 75-79 and 80 have been amended. The previous claim objection to claim 76 is withdrawn responding to the amendments to the claim 76. The previous claim objection to claims 5, 29 and 35 are withdrawn responding to the amendments to the claim 5 and 29. The previous rejection to claims 75-79 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, are withdrawn responding to the amendments to claims 75-79.
Applicant’s arguments on 02/05/2026 with respects to claims 49, 51-55, 69-79 and 80 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection necessitated by Applicant’s amendment.
Claim Objections
Claims 49 is objected to because of the following informalities: minor informalities.
For claim 49, lines 2-3, the limitation “Downlink Control Information” should be replaced with “Downlink Control Information, (DCI)”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION. —The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 69 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 69, recites the limitations “the uplink transmission configuration” in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 49, 55, 69, 74-75 and 80 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saha et al. (U.S 2023/0011479) in view of NPL-Huawei, HiSilicon, Enhancements on multi-TRP for reliability and robustness in Rel-17(R1-2100209), 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #104-e R1-2100209, January 25th - February 5th, 2021, (13p); hereinafter “NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209”.
For claim 49:
Saha discloses a method comprising: obtaining, from a network device, Downlink Control Information to schedule a Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmission (see Saha, at least paragraph [0007]; receiving, from the network entity, a downlink control information (DCI) scheduling a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission), the DCI including a Sounding Resource Signal (SRS) resource set selection parameter indicate a mapping to map a first SRS resource index (SRI) field to a first SRS resource set and a second SRI field to a second SRS resource set (see Saha, at least paragraph [0032]; update a mapping of a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource set indicator (SRI) to OLPC parameters. In other cases, dynamic control information (DCI) may indicate a particular set of OLPC parameters to use, also see [0065], wherein both the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set are configured with a codebook usage, and both the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set are configured with a same number of SRS resources; and
providing the PUSCH transmission for transmission based on the DCI (see Saha, at least Figure 10 and paragraph [0075]; a PUSCH transmission is scheduled with a DCI format having an SRI, the UE obtains a mapping from an sri-PUSCH-PowerControlld in SRI-PUSCH-PowerControl (RRC configured) between a set of values for the SRI field in the DCI format and a set of indexes provided by p0-PUSCH-AlphaSetId. The set of indexes may map to a set of P0-PUSCH-AlphaSet values and determines the values of (P.sub.0, α) from the p0-PUSCHAlphaSetId value that is mapped to the SRI field value).
Saha does not explicitly disclose wherein both the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set are configured with a codebook usage, and both the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set are configured with a same number of SRS resources.
NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, discloses for codebook based PUSCH transmission, it has been agreed to support two SRS resource sets for two TRPs and at most two spatial filters are supported for SRS, and each of the spatial filters can be used for one TRP in multi-TRP based PUSCH transmission. So, one spatial filter can be configured for one SRS resource set. For the case with full power transmission mode-2 (see NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209, at least section 2, 2.2, 2.2.1, proposal 11; For the case with full power transmission mode-2, two SRS resources can be configured for each SRS resource set corresponding to each TRP; otherwise, one SRS resource is configured for each SRS resource set. Also see section 2.2.2, 2.2.3; Both sequential and cyclic beam mapping pattern for PUSCH transmission with more than two repetitions should be supported).
Therefore, it would have been obvious statement before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a system comprises a method as taught by NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209. The motivation for doing this is to provide a system networks where method may support codebook based PUSCH transmission (SRIs, SRS resource sets).
For claim 69:
For claim 69, claim 69 is directed to an apparatus which has similar scope as claim 49. Therefore, claim 69 remains un-patentable for the same reasons.
For claim 75:
For claim 75, claim 75 is directed to a method which has similar scope as claim 49. Therefore, claim 75 remains un-patentable for the same reasons.
For claims 55, 74 and 80:
Saha - NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209 further discloses wherein the DCI comprises DCI format 0_2 (see NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209, at least section 2, 2.2.3; DCI Format 0_2). The motivation for doing this is to provide a system networks where method may support codebook based PUSCH transmission (SRIs, SRS resource sets).
Claims 51, 54, 70, 73, 76 and 79 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Saha et al. (U.S 2023/0011479) in view of NPL-Huawei, HiSilicon, Enhancements on multi-TRP for reliability and robustness in Rel-17(R1-2100209), 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #104-e R1-2100209, January 25th - February 5th, 2021, (13p); hereinafter “NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209” further in view of Kim et al. (U.S 2023/0023982).
(Note: For citation purposes, hereinafter, Kim et al. (PCT/KR2021/007972) which the translation filed on 06.24.2021, which qualifies as prior art date).
For claims 51, 70 and 76:
Saha- NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209 does not explicitly disclose wherein the first SRI field and a-the second SRI field have a common bit width that is based on a number of SRS resources and the method further comprises: determining both the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set have to be configured with the number of SRS resources.
Kim, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, discloses what Jang fails: there is only one SRI field (with the same size) as in the existing method, but one SRS resource may be selected from one SRS resource set through the indicated 1-bit SRI value. Two SRS resources exist in the SRS resource set, and each codepoint of the SRI field as an SRS resource for one SRS resource set or an SRS resource for a plurality of SRS resource sets and one of 2(/4) SRS resources defined in one SRS resource set is selected through the 1 (/2) bit SRI field of DCI (see Kim, at least paragraph [0271]-[0280]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious statement before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a system comprises a method as taught by Kim. The motivation for doing this is to provide a system networks where method may be equally applied even when the UL TCI field is introduced instead of the SRI field .
For claims 54, 73 and 79:
Saha- NPL-Huawei- R1-2100209 does not explicitly disclose wherein the SRS resource set selection parameter comprises a codepoint of "11."
Kim, from the same or similar fields of endeavor, discloses what Jang fails: when a codepoint (e.g., codepoint 10 or 11) in which SRS resources are configured for two (or two or more) SRS resource sets is indicated, the precoder/beamforming of the corresponding SRS alternates to multiple PUSCH TOs (see Kim, at least paragraph [0272]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious statement before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a system comprises a method as taught by Kim. The motivation for doing this is to provide a system networks where method may be equally applied even when the UL TCI field is introduced instead of the SRI field .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 52-53, 71-72, 77 and 78 would be allowable if rewritten in all independents form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims and any objections and 112b -second paragraph rejection(s), set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The prior arts made or record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosures. Cirik et al. (U.S 2023/0035143), discloses One of a plurality of SRS resource indicators (SRI) associated with the configured uplink grant may indicate an SRS resource of an SRS resource set for transmitting a transport block. Based on deactivation of an antenna panel associated with the SRS resource set, a second transport block may be transmitted based on a second SRI of the plurality of SRIs, thus ensuring continuous uplink transmission associated with the configured uplink grant without having to indicate via configuration parameters a new SRI field associated with the configured uplink grant.
Cirik et al. (2019/0349061), discloses a PUSCH transmission without HARQ-ACK or CSI, and a SRS transmissions (with aperiodic SRS transmissions having higher priority than semi-persistent and/or periodic SRS transmissions).
Wang et al. (U.S 2024/0155637), discloses When the DCI format does not schedule a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) and does not trigger a sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of 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 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 period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAN HUONG TRUONG whose telephone number is (571)270-5829. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri (7:30AM-5:00PM).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, RICKY NGO can be reached on 571-272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAN-HUONG TRUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
05/28/2026
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