DETAILED ACTION
In response to communications filed 09/26/2025.
Claims 16-19, 21, 24-26 and 28-32 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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 09/26/2025 has been entered.
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 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 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.
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 16-18, 21, 24, 25 and 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2022/0060293 A1) in view of Zhou et al. (US 2020/0260391 A1) hereinafter “Matsumura” and “Zhou” respectively.
Regarding Claim 16, Matsumura teaches A method performed by a user equipment (UE) (Matsumura: paragraph 0166 & Fig. 10, user terminal or user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0206 & Fig. 13) in a wireless communication system (Matsumura: paragraph 0164 & Fig. 10, radio communication system), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a base station (Matsumura: paragraph 0165 & Fig. 10, base station; see also paragraph 0184 & Fig. 11), UE capability information (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting capability information) indicating that the UE supports physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting support of simultaneous transmission of a plurality of UL channels or PUCCH; see also paragraphs 0115, 0122 & 0130, repeated transmission) related to multiple transmission and reception points (TRPs) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0045 & 0277, multiple transmission/reception points (TRPs));
receiving, from the base station, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with a PUCCH spatial relation activation for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0039 & 0125, UE receives a MAC CE that activates the PUCCH spatial relation information), the MAC CE including a first PUCCH spatial relation information identifier (ID) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)), a second PUCCH spatial relation information ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)) and a PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0029 & 0040, PUCCH resource ID (index)) which is to be activated with first spatial relation information and second spatial relation information (Matsumura: paragraph 0039, UE may receive a MAC CE that activates or deactivates the PUCCH spatial relation information (PUCCH spatial relation information activation/deactivation MAC CE, PUCCH spatial relation information indicator MAC CE), wherein the MAC CE is applied to all PUCCH resources in a PUCCH resource group including the PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0040-0042 & 0089-0094, PUCCH spatial relation information which further indicates a group of resources based on the resource ID); and
performing a PUCCH transmission associated with the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0125, UE may transmit the UCI using the activated PUCCH spatial relation information),
wherein the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are used for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, list of PUCCH spatial relation information), based on information configured by a higher layer signaling (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, parameters (PUCCH configuration information, PUCCH-Config) required for PUCCH transmission may be configured through higher layer signaling).
Matsumura fails to explicitly teach the PUCCH repetitions are further based on a transmission order. However, Zhou from an analogous art similarly teaches a wireless device may transmit multiple repetitions based on an uplink grant and an RV sequence. Each repetition may be associated with a different RV value (e.g., RV 0, RV 1, RV 2, RV 3) and an order of transmission of the repetitions may be indicated by an RV sequence parameter (Zhou: paragraphs 0480-0483).
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 Matsumura to include a transmission order for repetitions as taught by Zhou so as to prevent PUCCH overlapping according to uplink timing adjustment.
Regarding Claim 17, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the MAC CE is received via a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0125-0126, repeated transmission corresponding to respective PDSCH and plurality of pieces of PUCCH spatial relation information corresponding to the respective plurality of PDSCHs).
Regarding Claim 18, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches transmitting, to the base station, hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information corresponding to the PDSCH (Matsumura: paragraphs 0059, 0063 & 0116, UCI includes the HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH).
Regarding Claim 21, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the PUCCH repetitions are associated with an inter-slot repetition or an intra-slot repetition (Matsumura: paragraph 0138, subsequent PUCCH resources to be a certain timing of X slots).
Regarding Claim 24, Matsumura teaches A method performed by a base station (Matsumura: paragraph 0165 & Fig. 10, base station; see also paragraph 0184 & Fig. 11) in a wireless communication system (Matsumura: paragraph 0164 & Fig. 10, radio communication system), the method comprising:
receiving, from a user equipment (UE) (Matsumura: paragraph 0166 & Fig. 10, user terminal or user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0206 & Fig. 13), UE capability information indicating that the UE supports (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting capability information) physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting support of simultaneous transmission of a plurality of UL channels or PUCCH; see also paragraphs 0115, 0122 & 0130, repeated transmission) related to multiple transmission and reception points (TRPs) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0045 & 0277, multiple transmission/reception points (TRPs));
transmitting, to the UE, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with a PUCCH spatial relation activation for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0039 & 0125, UE receives a MAC CE that activates the PUCCH spatial relation information), the MAC CE including a first PUCCH spatial relation information identifier (ID) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId) a second PUCCH spatial relation information ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)) a PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraph 0040, PUCCH resource ID (index)) which is to be activated with first spatial relation information and second spatial relation information (Matsumura: paragraph 0039, UE may receive a MAC CE that activates or deactivates the PUCCH spatial relation information (PUCCH spatial relation information activation/deactivation MAC CE, PUCCH spatial relation information indicator MAC CE), wherein the MAC CE is applied to all PUCCH resources in a PUCCH resource group including the PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0040-0042 & 0089-0094, PUCCH spatial relation information which further indicates a group of resources based on the resource ID); and
receiving, from the UE, uplink data associated with the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0125, UE may transmit the UCI using the activated PUCCH spatial relation information),
wherein the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are used for the PUCCH repetitions, based on information configured by a higher layer signaling (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, parameters (PUCCH configuration information, PUCCH-Config) required for PUCCH transmission may be configured through higher layer signaling).
Matsumura fails to explicitly teach the PUCCH repetitions are further based on a transmission order. However, Zhou from an analogous art similarly teaches a wireless device may transmit multiple repetitions based on an uplink grant and an RV sequence. Each repetition may be associated with a different RV value (e.g., RV 0, RV 1, RV 2, RV 3) and an order of transmission of the repetitions may be indicated by an RV sequence parameter (Zhou: paragraphs 0480-0483).
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 Matsumura to include a transmission order for repetitions as taught by Zhou so as to prevent PUCCH overlapping according to uplink timing adjustment.
Regarding Claim 25, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the MAC CE is transmitted via a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0125-0126, repeated transmission corresponding to respective PDSCH and plurality of pieces of PUCCH spatial relation information corresponding to the respective plurality of PDSCHs).
Regarding Claim 28, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the PUCCH repetitions are associated with an inter-slot repetition or an intra-slot repetition (Matsumura: paragraph 0138, subsequent PUCCH resources to be a certain timing of X slots).
Regarding Claim 29, Matsumura teaches A user equipment (UE) (Matsumura: paragraph 0166 & Fig. 10, user terminal or user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0206 & Fig. 13) in a wireless communication system (Matsumura: paragraph 0164 & Fig. 10, radio communication system), the UE comprising:
a transceiver (Matsumura: paragraph 0206 & Fig. 13, transmitting/receiving section); and
at least one processor (Matsumura: paragraph 0206 & Fig. 13, processing section) coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
transmit, to a base station (Matsumura: paragraph 0165 & Fig. 10, base station; see also paragraph 0184 & Fig. 11, base station), UE capability information (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting capability information) indicating that the UE supports physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting support of simultaneous transmission of a plurality of UL channels or PUCCH; see also paragraphs 0115, 0122 & 0130, repeated transmission) related to multiple transmission and reception points (TRPs) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0045 & 0277, multiple transmission/reception points (TRPs)),
receive, from the base station, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with a PUCCH spatial relation activation for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0039 & 0125, UE receives a MAC CE that activates the PUCCH spatial relation information), the MAC CE including a first PUCCH spatial relation information identifier (ID) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)) a second PUCCH spatial relation information ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)) a PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraph 0040, PUCCH resource ID (index)) which is to be activated with first spatial relation information and second spatial relation information (Matsumura: paragraph 0039, UE may receive a MAC CE that activates or deactivates the PUCCH spatial relation information (PUCCH spatial relation information activation/deactivation MAC CE, PUCCH spatial relation information indicator MAC CE), wherein the MAC CE is applied to all PUCCH resources in a PUCCH resource group including the PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0040-0042 & 0089-0094, PUCCH spatial relation information which further indicates a group of resources based on the resource ID); and
perform a PUCCH transmission associated with the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0125, UE may transmit the UCI using the activated PUCCH spatial relation information),
wherein the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are used for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, list of PUCCH spatial relation information), based on sequence related information configured by a higher layer signaling (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, parameters (PUCCH configuration information, PUCCH-Config) required for PUCCH transmission may be configured through higher layer signaling).
Matsumura fails to explicitly teach the PUCCH repetitions are further based on a transmission order. However, Zhou from an analogous art similarly teaches a wireless device may transmit multiple repetitions based on an uplink grant and an RV sequence. Each repetition may be associated with a different RV value (e.g., RV 0, RV 1, RV 2, RV 3) and an order of transmission of the repetitions may be indicated by an RV sequence parameter (Zhou: paragraphs 0480-0483).
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 Matsumura to include a transmission order for repetitions as taught by Zhou so as to prevent PUCCH overlapping according to uplink timing adjustment.
Regarding Claim 30, Matsumura teaches A base station (Matsumura: paragraph 0165 & Fig. 10, base station; see also paragraph 0184 & Fig. 11) in a wireless communication system (Matsumura: paragraph 0164 & Fig. 10, radio communication system), the base station comprising:
a transceiver (Matsumura: paragraph 0184 & Fig. 11, transmitting/receiving section); and
at least one processor (Matsumura: paragraph 0184 & Fig. 11, processing section) coupled with the transceiver and configured to:
receive, from a user equipment (UE) (Matsumura: paragraph 0166 & Fig. 10, user terminal or user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0206 & Fig. 13), UE capability information indicating (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting capability information) that the UE supports physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0146, UE reporting support of simultaneous transmission of a plurality of UL channels or PUCCH; see also paragraphs 0115, 0122 & 0130, repeated transmission) related to multiple transmission and reception points (TRPs) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0045 & 0277, multiple transmission/reception points (TRPs)),
transmit, to the UE, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) associated with a PUCCH spatial relation activation for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0039 & 0125, UE receives a MAC CE that activates the PUCCH spatial relation information), the MAC CE including a first PUCCH spatial relation information identifier (ID) (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)) a second PUCCH spatial relation information ID (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026 & 0037, PUCCH spatial relation information index ID or information ID (i.e. pucch-SpatialRelationInfoId)) and a PUCCH resource ID (Matsumura: paragraph 0040, PUCCH resource ID (index)) which is to be activated with first spatial relation information and second spatial relation information (Matsumura: paragraph 0039, UE may receive a MAC CE that activates or deactivates the PUCCH spatial relation information (PUCCH spatial relation information activation/deactivation MAC CE, PUCCH spatial relation information indicator MAC CE), wherein the MAC CE is applied to all PUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource group (Matsumura: paragraphs 0040-0042 & 0089-0094, PUCCH spatial relation information which further indicates a group of resources based on the resource ID), and
receive, from the UE, data associated with the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraph 0125, UE may transmit the UCI using the activated PUCCH spatial relation information),
wherein the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are used for the PUCCH repetitions (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, list of PUCCH spatial relation information), based on sequence related information configured by a higher layer signaling (Matsumura: paragraphs 0026-0027, parameters (PUCCH configuration information, PUCCH-Config) required for PUCCH transmission may be configured through higher layer signaling).
Matsumura fails to explicitly teach the PUCCH repetitions are further based on a transmission order. However, Zhou from an analogous art similarly teaches a wireless device may transmit multiple repetitions based on an uplink grant and an RV sequence. Each repetition may be associated with a different RV value (e.g., RV 0, RV 1, RV 2, RV 3) and an order of transmission of the repetitions may be indicated by an RV sequence parameter (Zhou: paragraphs 0480-0483).
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 Matsumura to include a transmission order for repetitions as taught by Zhou so as to prevent PUCCH overlapping according to uplink timing adjustment.
Regarding Claim 31, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are respectively used for a first PUCCH repetition and a second PUCCH repetition of the PUCCH transmission (Matsumura: paragraph 0115-0117, UE may repeatedly report one piece of UCI by using at least one PUCCH resource and a plurality of pieces of PUCCH spatial relation information (repeated transmission, repetition)) thus teaching the first spatial relation information used for a first PUCCH repetition and a second spatial relation information used for a second PUCCH in at least one embodiment).
Regarding Claim 32, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the first spatial relation information is used for a first PUCCH repetition and a second PUCCH repetition of the PUCCH transmission, and the second spatial relation information is used for a third PUCCH repetition and a fourth PUCCH repetition of the PUCCH transmission (Matsumura: paragraph 0115-0117, UE may repeatedly report one piece of UCI by using at least one PUCCH resource and a plurality of pieces of PUCCH spatial relation information (repeated transmission, repetition)) thus teaching the first spatial relation information used for a first and second PUCCH repetition and a second spatial relation information used for a third and fourth PUCCH in at least one embodiment).
Claims 19 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura-Zhou in view of Tekeda et al. (US 2022/0039129 A1) hereinafter “Tekeda.”
Regarding Claim 19, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above however fails to explicitly teach the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are applied to transmit uplink data in a first slot that is after a number of slots from a slot in which the HARQ-ACK information is transmitted, the number of slots corresponding to a value of a number of slots in a subframe multiplied by three.
However, Tekeda from an analogous art similarly teaches when a slot for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the PDSCH that has provided the MAC CE is set to n, the activation/deactivation based on the MAC CE may be applied from slot n+3*(the number of slots in a subframe)+1 (Tekeda: paragraphs 0041 & 0079). 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 Matsumura-Zhou to include applying an activation of the PUCCH spatial relations in a first slot existing after three slots from a HARQ-ACK as taught by Tekeda so as to indicate the activation with respect to the plurality of pieces of PUCCH-spatialRelationInfo in one PUCCH resource through the MAC-CE).
Regarding Claim 26, Matsumura-Zhou teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches receiving, from the UE, hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information corresponding to the PDSCH (Matsumura: paragraphs 0059, 0063 & 0116, UCI includes the HARQ-ACK for the PDSCH). Matsumura-Zhou however fails to explicitly teach wherein the first spatial relation information and the second spatial relation information are configured to be applied to receive the uplink data in a first slot that is after a number of slots from a slot in which the HARQ-ACK information is transmitted, the number of slots corresponding to a value of a number of slots in a subframe multiplied by three.
However, Tekeda from an analogous art similarly teaches when a slot for transmitting hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) for the PDSCH that has provided the MAC CE is set to n, the activation/deactivation based on the MAC CE may be applied from slot n+3*(the number of slots in a subframe)+1 (Tekeda: paragraphs 0041 & 0079). 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 Matsumura-Zhou to include applying an activation of the PUCCH spatial relations in a first slot existing after three slots from a HARQ-ACK as taught by Tekeda so as to indicate the activation with respect to the plurality of pieces of PUCCH-spatialRelationInfo in one PUCCH resource through the MAC-CE).
Response to Amendment
Regarding claims 31 and 32, in light of Applicant's remarks, previous rejection under 35 USC § 112(a) has been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Arguments:
Matsumura alone or in combination fails to teach or suggest the MAC CE is applied to all PUCCH resources in a PUCCH resource group including the PUCCH resource ID (remarks, pages 10-11).
Examiner's response:
Applicant's arguments filed 09/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding argument a), after review of the prior art, Matsumura teaches the PUCCH spatial relation information indicator MAC CE may further include at least one of an R (Reserved) field, a PUCCH resource ID (index) field, and an Si field. In a case that the Si field is set to 1, PUCCH spatial relation information with an PUCCH spatial relation information index i is activated (Matsumura: paragraphs 0040-0042). Matsumura further teaches the R (Reserved) field may be used to indicate an index identifying at least one of the PUCCH resource set group (Matsumura: paragraphs 0089-0094). Since Matsumura teaches the UE may receive a MAC CE that activates the PUCCH spatial relation information which further indicates a group of resources based on the resource ID, Matsumura inherently teaches and/or implies the activation is applied to all resources in that specific resource group of resource set in at least one embodiment.
All other arguments regarding a transmission order of the PUCCH repetitions as amended are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
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/NAJEEB ANSARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/SYED ALI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463