DETAILED ACTION
In response to communication(s) filed 12/22/2025.
Claims 20-24, 26-29 and 31-35 are pending for examination.
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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-AIA ) 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 under either status.
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.
Claims 20-24, 26-29 and 31-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2023/0118586 A1) in view of Grant et al. (US 2020/0280409 A1) hereinafter “Huang” and “Grant” respectively.
Regarding Claim 20, Huang teaches A method comprising:
receiving, from a base station (Huang: paragraph 0098 & Figs. 4-5, network entity; see also paragraph 0108 & Fig. 8, network entity as a base station), information for a first spatial parameter for uplink transmission through at least one of downlink control information or configuration information (Huang: paragraph 0098 & Figs. 4-5, UE receives a resource configuration message including a first parameter; see also paragraphs 0072-0073, first parameter includes a spatial relation parameter corresponding to full duplex uplink (FD UL));
updating a second spatial parameter for downlink reception of a control channel (Huang: paragraph 0073, second parameter corresponding to full duplex downlink (FD DL); see also paragraphs 0089, 0099 & Figs. 4-5, UE determines full duplex (FD) reference signal based on the resource configuration message), the control channel being related to at least one specific control resource (Huang: paragraphs 0082, 0091 & Figs 4-5, network entity selects a reception beam of the network entity for FD DL transmission based on second parameter of the resource configuration message) configured for a user equipment (Huang: paragraph 0097 & Fig. 5, user equipment; see also paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7), and
receiving, from the base station, the control channel based on the second spatial parameter (Huang: paragraphs 0092-0093 & Fig. 4, base station transmits the DL scheduling grant to the UE that indicates a DL beam to use for scheduled DL; see also paragraphs 0058, 0065-0067, second configuration information or second DCI sent by network device for downlink).
Huang fails to explicitly teach updating a second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter wherein a spatial reference signal for the second spatial parameter is updated based on a spatial reference signal for the first spatial parameter. However, Grant from an analogous art similarly teaches a user equipment uses the UL reference signals associated with the signaled TCI as a spatial QCL reference for adjusting a receive (Rx) spatial filter/spatial precoder/beam for reception of one or more downlink signals such that it is reciprocal to the spatial Tx configuration associated with the uplink reference signal (Grant: paragraphs 0062, 0085, 0157, 0181 & Figs. 10-11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang to include adjusting spatial Rx configuration based on spatial Tx configuration as taught by Grant so as to improve performance and optimize communications between the network and each user equipment.
Regarding Claim 21, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the at least one specific control resource is at least one control resource in which the control channel is monitored (Huang: paragraph 0069, beam selector may be configured to select the DL reception beam based on a parameter of a resource configuration message).
Regarding Claim 22, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the at least one specific control resource is entire control resource configured by a higher layer for the user equipment (Huang: paragraph 0075, resource configuration message is included in RRC signaling message), and
wherein the entire control resource is at least one control resource configured for the user equipment other than a control resource configured in initial access process (Huang: paragraph 0088, said resource configuration message).
Regarding Claim 23, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein information indicating at least one of whether to enable to activate to update of the second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter is provided (Huang: paragraph 0104, activation message to activate transmission of the FD reference signal). Examiner recites same reasoning to combine Huang-Grant to teach updating of the second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter as presented in rejected claim 21.
Regarding Claim 24, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above however fails to explicitly teach wherein, based on that the update of the second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter is disabled or deactivated, a spatial parameter configured by a higher layer for a control resource in which the control channel is monitored is applied (Huang: paragraph 0104, deactivating transmission of the FD reference signal in response to receiving the deactivation message. Examiner recites same reasoning to combine Huang-Grant to teach updating of the second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter as presented in rejected claim 21.
Regarding Claim 26, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein, based on that the first spatial parameter is configured for an uplink control channel resource including scheduling request (Huang: paragraphs 0092, uplink scheduling grant indicates a UL beam to use for scheduled UL communications) the second spatial parameter is for a reception of the control channel for uplink scheduling (Huang: paragraph 0092, downlink scheduling grant indicates a DL beam to use for scheduled DL communications).
Regarding Claim 27, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein, based on that the first spatial parameter is configured for an uplink control channel resource including ACK/NACK information (Huang: paragraph 0053, acknowledge/negative-acknowledge (ACK/NACK) feedback), the second spatial is for a reception for a reception of a control channel for downlink scheduling (Huang: paragraph 0073, second parameter corresponding to full duplex downlink (FD DL)).
Regarding Claim 28, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein, based on that the first spatial parameter is configured for an uplink control channel including a periodic or semi-persistent channel state information reporting (Huang: paragraph 0080, resource configuration message may indicate a periodicity between consecutive transmissions of the FD reference signal), the second spatial parameter is for a reception of the downlink control channel and a downlink data channel scheduled by the downlink control channel (Huang: paragraph 0073, second parameter corresponding to full duplex downlink (FD DL)).
Regarding Claim 29, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein, based on that the first spatial parameter is indicated through uplink scheduling or triggering downlink control information (Huang: paragraph 0098 & Figs. 4-5, UE receives a resource configuration message including a first parameter; see also paragraphs 0072-0073, first parameter includes a spatial relation parameter corresponding to full duplex uplink (FD UL)), the second spatial parameter is for a reception of downlink control channel for uplink scheduling downlink control information (Huang: paragraph 0073, second parameter corresponding to full duplex downlink (FD DL)), and
wherein the uplink scheduling or triggering downlink control information is related to at least one of an uplink data channel, an uplink data channel including ACK/NACK, or an uplink data channel including a semi-persistent or aperiodic channel state information reporting (Huang: paragraph 0093, uplink data transfer),
Regarding Claim 31, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein at least one of a physical uplink control channel or a physical uplink shared channel is transmitted to the base station based on the first spatial parameter (Huang: paragraph 0054, UE is required to transmit UL data channels (like a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)) via the designated UL beams).
Regarding Claim 32, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the first spatial parameter and the second spatial parameter are configured in a unified manner, or a linkage between the first spatial parameter and the second spatial parameter is configured (Huang: paragraphs 0089, 0099 & Figs. 4-5, UE determines full duplex (FD) reference signal based on the resource configuration message).
Regarding Claim 33, Huang teaches A user equipment (UE) (Huang: paragraph 0097 & Fig. 5, user equipment; see also paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7) comprising:
at least one transceiver (Huang: paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7, wireless radios); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one transceiver (Huang: paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7, processor)),
wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
receive, from a base station (Huang: paragraph 0098 & Figs. 4-5, network entity; see also paragraph 0108 & Fig. 8, network entity as a base station), through the at least one transceiver (Huang: paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7, said wireless radios), information for a first spatial parameter for uplink transmission through at least one of downlink control information or configuration information (Huang: paragraph 0098 & Figs. 4-5, UE receives a resource configuration message including a first parameter; see also paragraphs 0072-0073, first parameter includes a spatial relation parameter corresponding to full duplex uplink (FD UL));
update a second spatial parameter for downlink reception of a control channel (Huang: paragraph 0073, second parameter corresponding to full duplex downlink (FD DL); see also paragraphs 0089, 0099 & Figs. 4-5, UE determines full duplex (FD) reference signal based on the resource configuration message), the control channel being related to at least one specific control resource (Huang: paragraphs 0082, 0091 & Figs 4-5, network entity selects a reception beam of the network entity for FD DL transmission based on second parameter of the resource configuration message) configured for the user equipment (Huang: paragraph 0097 & Fig. 5, said user equipment; see also paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7); and
receive, from the base station through the at least one transceiver, the control channel based on the second spatial parameter (Huang: paragraphs 0092-0093 & Fig. 4, base station transmits the DL scheduling grant to the UE that indicates a DL beam to use for scheduled DL; see also paragraphs 0058, 0065-0067, second configuration information or second DCI sent by network device for downlink).
Huang fails to explicitly teach updating a second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter wherein a spatial reference signal for the second spatial parameter is updated based on a spatial reference signal for the first spatial parameter. However, Grant from an analogous art similarly teaches a user equipment uses the UL reference signals associated with the signaled TCI as a spatial QCL reference for adjusting a receive (Rx) spatial filter/spatial precoder/beam for reception of one or more downlink signals such that it is reciprocal to the spatial Tx configuration associated with the uplink reference signal (Grant: paragraphs 0062, 0085, 0157, 0181 & Figs. 10-11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang to include adjusting spatial Rx configuration based on spatial Tx configuration as taught by Grant so as to improve performance and optimize communications between the network and each user equipment.
Regarding Claim 34, Huang teaches A method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE) (Huang: paragraph 0097 & Fig. 5, user equipment; see also paragraph 0095 & Fig. 7), information for a first spatial parameter for uplink reception through at least one of downlink control information or configuration information (Huang: paragraph 0098 & Figs. 4-5, transmit a resource configuration message including a first parameter to the UE; see also paragraphs 0072-0073, first parameter includes a spatial relation parameter corresponding to full duplex uplink (FD UL)); and
transmitting, to the user equipment, a control channel based on a second spatial parameter for downlink transmission, the control channel being related to at least one specific control resource configured for the user equipment (Huang: paragraphs 0092-0093 & Fig. 4, base station transmits the DL scheduling grant to the UE that indicates a DL beam to use for scheduled DL; see also paragraphs 0058, 0065-0067, second configuration information or second DCI sent by network device for downlink).
Huang fails to explicitly teach updating a second spatial parameter based on the first spatial parameter wherein a spatial reference signal for the second spatial parameter is updated based on a spatial reference signal for the first spatial parameter. However, Grant from an analogous art similarly teaches a user equipment uses the UL reference signals associated with the signaled TCI as a spatial QCL reference for adjusting a receive (Rx) spatial filter/spatial precoder/beam for reception of one or more downlink signals such that it is reciprocal to the spatial Tx configuration associated with the uplink reference signal (Grant: paragraphs 0062, 0085, 0157, 0181 & Figs. 10-11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Huang to include adjusting spatial Rx configuration based on spatial Tx configuration as taught by Grant so as to improve performance and optimize communications between the network and each user equipment.
Regarding Claim 35, Huang-Grant teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches A computer readable medium storing at least one computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform the method of claim 20 (Huang: paragraph 0173, computer-readable medium implementation).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claims 20, 33 and 34 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Bai et al. (US 2021/0195599 A1) teaches a UE receiving a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state indicating a QCL relationship between a CSI-RS and one or more reference signals of the downlink channel and further modifying uplink and downlink beam configurations based on the TCI state (paragraphs 00006-0008).
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/NAJEEB ANSARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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