DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
This is in response to an amendment/response/communication filed 6/23/2026.
No claims have been cancelled.
No claims have been added.
Claims(s) 1-20 is/are currently pending.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 8/12/2022. These drawings are accepted
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 6/23/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 USC § 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of 35 USC § 103.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Go et al. (US 20220239440 A1) in view of Park et al. (US 20230061346 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Go et al. teaches a method, comprising: receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration from a base station at a user equipment (UE) (Paragraph 214-215, The UE expressly receives SRS configuration signaling from the base station), the UE having N antenna groups (Paragraph 275, 284, 288, 310, The disclosed UE has multiple panels, each comprising one or more antennas/antenna ports), N being an integer greater than two (Paragraph 295, 313, The four-panel embodiment expressly provides an integer number of antenna groups greater than two (N=4)), the SRS configuration indicating N SRS resources for the N antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 290, 295, 310, 314, The passage configures SRS resources on a per-panel basis, including four SRS resource sets corresponding respectively to four UE panels), the N SRS resources each being associated with an SRS resource indicator (SRI) (Paragraph 264, 270, 314, Each selectable SRS resource is identified/mapped through an SRI, including SRS resources across the panel-associated resource sets); performing SRS transmission (Paragraph 271, 290, The UE expressly transmits SRS using one or multiple configured SRS resources) using the N SRS resources from the N antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 290, 295, 395-396, The UE transmits panel-associated SRS resources from their respective antenna panels, including expressly changing the transmitting panel according to the SRS resource); receiving a downlink control information (DCI) from the base station (Paragraph 261-262, The UE expressly receives uplink-scheduling DCI from the base station via PDCCH), the DCI corresponding to a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Paragraph 261, 266, The received DCI contains scheduling information for and controls transmission of the corresponding PUSCH), the DCI indicating two SRIs (Paragraph 314, 331, The PUSCH indication can use two SRIs, and the DCI SRI field is extended to select multiple SRS resources across panel-associated SRS resource sets) associated with two of the N SRS resources (Paragraph 270, 314, Each indicated SRI identifies an associated SRS resource, so two SRIs select two resources from the plurality of configured panel-associated SRS resources); and transmitting the PUSCH using two antenna groups of the N antenna groups (Paragraph 301, 427, 429, The UE can simultaneously transmit PUSCH using a plurality, including two, of its multiple antenna panels) corresponding to the two SRIs indicated in the DCI (Paragraph 308-309, 314, 326, Because SRS resource sets correspond to panels and DCI SRIs select SRS resources from those sets for PUSCH transmission, the indicated SRIs identify the corresponding antenna panels/beams used for PUSCH).
Go et al. does not explicitly teach the DCI indicating two transmission precoder matrix indicators (TPMIs)...and two precoders corresponding to the two TPMIs indicated in the DCI.
However, Park et al. teaches the DCI indicating two transmission precoder matrix indicators (TPMIs) (Paragraph 357, 445, For the expressly contemplated two-TRP arrangement, respective per-TRP TPMI fields in the DCI teach two TPMIs)...and two precoders corresponding to the two TPMIs indicated in the DCI (Paragraph 303, 357, 449, Each per-TRP TPMI carried by the DCI indicates the precoder applied to the corresponding antenna ports).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the DCI indicating two transmission precoder matrix indicators (TPMIs)...and two precoders corresponding to the two TPMIs indicated in the DCI as taught by Park et al. in the system of Go et al., so that it would enable explicit signaling of independent precoder selections for the multiple antenna groups identified by the DCI-selected SRIs, thereby improving support for multi-panel/multi-TRP PUSCH transmission through flexible and efficient precoder assignment while maintaining compatibility with the existing SRS-based antenna selection framework.
Regarding claim 2, Go et al. teaches the DCI indicates more than two SRIs associated with more than two of the N SRS resources, and the transmitting includes: transmitting the PUSCH using the more than two antenna groups of the N antenna groups corresponding to the more than two SRIs indicated in the DCI (Paragraphs 263-264, 270-271, 281, 288, 301, 306, 308-310, 313-314, 431, 433, teach DCI/SRI-based selection of multiple SRS resources associated with respective antenna panels, support up to four panel-associated SRS resource sets, and transmit a DCI-scheduled PUSCH using multiple corresponding panels/beams).
Regarding claim 3, Go et al. teaches the DCI further indicates one of co-phasing information of the two antenna groups, and amplitude information of the two antenna groups (Paragraphs 263, 269, 360, 364-368, 371, 424, and 431 teach DCI-controlled multi-panel PUSCH transmission including precoding/TPMI information and panel-specific power and phase-related parameters).
Regarding claim 4, Go et al. teaches the transmitting the PUSCH includes: transmitting the PUSCH using the two antenna groups based on uplink transmission timings of the two antenna groups derived from the co-phasing information of the two antenna groups (Paragraphs 274-275, 278-279, 281, 288, 301, 306, 308, 314, 365-366, 369, 371, 427-429, 431, and 621-623 teach that antenna groups/panels may have respective uplink synchronization/timing-advance values and may simultaneously transmit a DCI-scheduled PUSCH using multiple panels).
Regarding claim 5, Go et al. teaches the transmitting the PUSCH includes: transmitting the PUSCH using the two antenna groups based on frequency-domain phase compensations of the two antenna groups derived from the co-phasing information of the two antenna groups (Paragraphs 231-233 and 254-257 teach frequency-domain phase error and phase compensation using PTRS, paragraphs 281, 288, 301, 306, 308, 365-366, 370-371, 427-429, 431, and 491 apply panel-specific phase/PTRS operation and simultaneous PUSCH transmission to multiple antenna groups/panels, and paragraphs 260, 263, 269, 360, 424, and 599-600 teach precoding antenna-port signals over frequency-domain resources).
Regarding claim 6, Go et al. teaches the amplitude information of the two antenna groups is indicated by two transmit power control (TPC) commands indicated in the DCI, the two TPC commands corresponding to the two antenna groups, respectively (Paragraphs 274-275, 281, 306, 312-314, 364-368, and 375-378 teach antenna-group/panel-specific power control, expressly including a TPC command series for each panel ID, while paragraphs 320-321, 421, 423, 427, 429, and 431 teach DCI-controlled multi-panel PUSCH transmission).
Regarding claim 7, Go et al. teaches receiving a group-based beam measurement report configuration; transmitting a group-based beam measurement report based on the group-based beam measurement report configuration, the group-based beam measurement report being obtained based on measurement of channel-state- information reference signals (CSI-RS) or synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) transmitted from the base station, at least two transmission and reception points (TRPs) of the base station, or at least two TRPs of the base station and another base station; and receiving two transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states for an uplink transmission of SRS, PUSCH, or physical uplink control channel (PUCCH),the two TCI states indicating two of the CSI-RS or two of the SSBs transmitted from the base station, the at least two TRPs of the base station, or the at last two TRPs of the base station and the other base station (Paragraphs 173-174, 177-178, 180-182, and 184 teach measuring CSI-RS/SSB beams from a BS/TRP and reporting preferred measured beams; paragraphs 320-323 and 423 teach candidate/group-based beam and UL-TCI signaling associated with reporting; and paragraphs 336-339, 344, 346, 352, 354, 419, 421, 427, 429, 431-432, and 622 teach receiving/configuring multiple UL-TCI states for SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH with CSI-RS/SSB reference signals and multi-panel/multi-TRP operation).
Regarding claim 8, Go et al. teaches the group-based beam measurement report includes: information of downlink beams corresponding to ones of the CSI-RS or SSBs transmitted from the base station, the at least two TRPs of the base station, or the at last two TRPs of the base station and the other base station, or information of the antenna groups corresponding to the downlink beams (Paragraphs 173-174, 177-178, 180-182, and 184 teach beam measurement and reporting of preferred downlink beams through CSI-RS/SSB identifiers, while paragraphs 276-278, 281-282, 289, 321-323, 334, 341-342, 352, 359, 423, and 427-429 teach associating beams/reference CSI-RSs or SSBs with panels/antenna groups and reporting/using best beam-panel candidates).
Regarding claim 9, Go et al. teaches receiving a configuration of three SRS resources for UE antenna panel selection and beam measurement, the three SRS resources corresponding to three antenna groups of the N antenna groups, the three SRS resources being associated with three SRIs; transmitting SRS using the three SRS resources from the three antenna groups, respectively; receiving two TCI states indicating two SRIs of the three SRIs associated with the three SRS resources for an uplink transmission of SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH (Paragraphs 208-209, 214-215, 217-219, 275, 281, 289-292, 295, 297, 306, and 308-313 teach configuring and transmitting beam-management SRS resources on respective UE antenna panels/groups, paragraphs 263-264, 270-271, 314, 320, 331-332, and 424-425 associate SRS resources with SRIs and expressly contemplate one or two SRIs, and paragraphs 339-340, 344, 346-347, 352-354, 421, 423-425, 431, and 433 teach UL-TCI states identifying SRS resources/SRIs and panels/beams for SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH uplink transmission).
Regarding claim 10, Go et al. teaches a method, comprising: receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration from a base station at a user equipment (UE) (Paragraph 209, 214-215, teaches the UE receiving from the base station an RRC SRS-Config containing configured SRS resources and SRS resource sets), the UE having N antenna groups (Paragraph 275, 284, 288, 310, The disclosed UE has multiple panels, each comprising one or more antennas/antenna ports), N being an integer greater than two (Paragraph 295, 313, The four-panel embodiment expressly provides an integer number of antenna groups greater than two (N=4)), the SRS configuration indicating N SRS resources for the N antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 290, 295, 310, 314, The passage configures SRS resources on a per-panel basis, including four SRS resource sets corresponding respectively to four UE panels), the N SRS resources each associated with an SRS resource indicator (SRI) (Paragraph 264, 270, 314, Each selectable SRS resource is identified/mapped through an SRI, including SRS resources across the panel-associated resource sets); performing SRS transmission (Paragraph 271, 290, The UE expressly transmits SRS using one or multiple configured SRS resources) using the N SRS resources from the N antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 290, 295, 395-396, The UE transmits panel-associated SRS resources from their respective antenna panels, including expressly changing the transmitting panel according to the SRS resource); receiving a first downlink control information (DCI) from the base station (Paragraph 170, 261-262, teaches the UE receiving uplink-scheduling DCI from the base station over the PDCCH), the first DCI scheduling a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Paragraph 260-261, 266, 332, teaches DCI carrying scheduling information for and controlling transmission of the corresponding PUSCH); selecting two antenna groups from the N antenna groups for transmission of the PUSCH (Paragraph 301, 306-308, 427, teaches selecting one or more panels from a plurality of activated panels for PUSCH transmission and expressly supports simultaneous transmission using a plurality of selected panels, encompassing selection of two panels).
Go et al. does not explicitly teach the first DCI indicating N transmission precoder matrix indicators (TPMIs) corresponding to the N antenna groups, respectively; selecting two TPMIs from the N TPMIs, the selected two TPMIs corresponding to the selected two antenna groups; and transmitting the PUSCH using the selected two antenna groups with two precoders corresponding to the two TPMIs selected from the N TPMIs indicated in the first DCI.
However, Park et al. teaches the first DCI indicating N transmission precoder matrix indicators (TPMIs) (Paragraph 431, 473, A single DCI expressly carries a plurality of TPMIs, including a respective TPMI for each of a plurality of TRPs) corresponding to the N antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 311, 421, 473, The passage provides a TPMI for each respective TRP and expressly applies the multi-TRP UL scheme equivalently to respective UE panels); selecting two TPMIs from the N TPMIs (Paragraph 431, 473, The single DCI provides multiple respective TPMIs that may be individually applied for UL transmissions, supporting selection of two TPMIs from the plurality), the selected two TPMIs corresponding to the selected two antenna groups (Paragraph 311, 473, Because respective TPMIs are provided for respective TRPs and the TRP-specific PUSCH scheme is expressly applicable to respective panels, the selected TPMIs correspond to the selected antenna group); and transmitting the PUSCH using the selected two antenna groups with two precoders (Paragraph 299, 300, 303, 311, 422, The passage expressly defines the TPMI as indicating the precoder applied for PUSCH transmission, establishing the TPMI-to-precoder correspondence) corresponding to the two TPMIs selected from the N TPMIs indicated in the first DCI (Paragraph 431, 473, The DCI contains respective TPMIs for the plurality of transmission points, from which the TPMIs applicable to the selected two transmission paths/panels are used for their corresponding PUSCH precoders).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first DCI indicating N transmission precoder matrix indicators (TPMIs) corresponding to the N antenna groups, respectively; selecting two TPMIs from the N TPMIs, the selected two TPMIs corresponding to the selected two antenna groups; and transmitting the PUSCH using the selected two antenna groups with two precoders corresponding to the two TPMIs selected from the N TPMIs indicated in the first DCI as taught by Park et al. in the system of Go et al., so that it would enable the base station to efficiently signal antenna-group-specific precoding information for multiple UE antenna panels in a single DCI, thereby supporting coordinated multi-panel PUSCH transmission with the appropriate precoders while reducing control signaling overhead and improving uplink transmission flexibility and efficiency.
Regarding claim 11, Go et al. teaches transmitting a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) to indicate the selected two antenna groups by indicating two SRIs corresponding to the two selected antenna groups or the selected two TPMIs corresponding to the two selected antenna groups (Paragraphs 170-171 and 447 teach UE transmission of uplink control information on PUCCH, paragraphs 275, 278, 281, 284, 288, 301, and 306-309 teach antenna groups as panels and selection/identification of multiple panels for uplink transmission including PUCCH, paragraphs 269, 313-314, 320-321, 323, 339-340, 345-347, 352, 419, 421, 443, and 445 associate SRIs/UL-TCI information with SRS resources and panel/beam identification, and paragraph 269 associates TPMIs with SRI-selected SRS resources).
Regarding claim 12, Go et al. teaches receiving at least one DCI field indicating: two candidate antenna groups among the three antenna groups, or co-phasing information and amplitude information of the respective two candidate antenna groups (Paragraphs 261-264 and 269 teach receiving DCI fields carrying SRI, antenna-port, and precoding/TPMI information; paragraphs 275, 278, 281, 288-290, 306-308, and 313-314 equate panels with antenna groups and teach selection of multiple panel-associated SRS resources through an extended DCI SRI field; paragraphs 320-323, 421, 423, 427, 429, and 622 teach DCI/UL-TCI signaling that selects from candidate panel states and supports multiple panel IDs, while paragraphs 364-368, 371, and 623 teach panel-specific power and phase-related parameters).
Regarding claim 13, Go et al. teaches transmitting the PUSCH using the selected two antenna groups based on uplink transmission timings or frequency-domain phase compensations of the selected two antenna groups derived from the co-phasing information indicated by the at least one DCI field (Paragraphs 275, 278, 281, 288, 306, 308, 365-366, 427-429, and 621-623 teach transmitting a PUSCH using multiple selected antenna groups/panels with panel-specific uplink timing advances, while paragraphs 231-233, 254, 256-257, 370-371, and 623 teach frequency-domain phase-error compensation/PTRS on a per-panel basis and paragraphs 260-261, 263, and 621 tie PUSCH transmission parameters to DCI).
Regarding claim 14, Go et al. teaches the amplitude information of the respective two candidate antenna groups is indicated by two transmit power control (TPC) commands indicated in the respective DCI, the two TPC commands corresponding to the two candidate antenna groups, respectively (Paragraphs 336, 339, 341-342, 365-368, and 375-377 teach panel-specific signaling for multiple antenna panels and expressly teach a separate UL power-control parameter set including a TPC command series for each panel, thereby supporting respective TPC-based amplitude/power control for two candidate antenna groups).
Regarding claim 15, Go et al. teaches receiving a group-based beam measurement report configuration; transmitting a group-based beam measurement report based on the group-based beam measurement report configuration, the group-based beam measurement report being obtained based on measurement of channel-state- information reference signals (CSI-RS) ) or synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) transmitted from the base station, at least two transmission and reception points (TRPs) of the base station, or at least two TRPs of the base station and another base station; and receiving two transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states indicating two of the CSI-RS or two of the SSBs transmitted from the base station, the at least two TRPs of the base station, or the at last two TRPs of the base station and the other base station for an uplink transmission of SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH (Paragraphs 173-174, 177-178, and 180-184 teach measuring CSI-RS/SSB beams from a base station/TRP and transmitting a beam report identifying preferred measured CSI-RSs/SSBs, paragraphs 186-188 and 190 teach configuring multiple TCI states associated with CSI-RS/SSB reference signals, and paragraphs 336, 339, and 344-346 teach UL-TCI states using CSI-RS/SSB references for SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH transmission).
Regarding claim 16, Go et al. teaches receiving a configuration of three SRS resources for UE antenna panel selection and beam measurement, the three SRS resources corresponding to three antenna groups of the N antenna groups, the three SRS resources being associated with three SRIs; transmitting SRS using the three SRS resources from the three antenna groups, respectively; receiving two TCI states indicating two SRIs of the three SRIs associated with the three SRS resources for an uplink transmission of SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH (Paragraphs 208-209, 214-215, 218-219, 275, 278, 289-292, 295, 313, 465, and 467 teach configuring and transmitting beam-management SRS resources through respective UE antenna panels/groups, paragraphs 264, 270-271, 314, and 424-425 associate the multiple SRS resources with respective SRIs, and paragraphs 320, 339, 344-346, 421, 423-425, 427, 429, and 463 teach multiple UL-TCI states/reference-SRS and panel/beam indications for SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH).
Regarding claim 17, Go et al. teaches a method, comprising: receiving a sounding reference signal (SRS) configuration from a base station at a user equipment (UE) (Paragraph 209, 214-215, teaches the UE receiving from the base station an RRC SRS-Config containing configured SRS resources and SRS resource sets), the UE having three antenna groups (Paragraph 275, 278, 281, 313, The passage defines a panel as an antenna/antenna-port group and supports up to four panels), the SRS configuration indicating three groups of SRS resources for the three antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 209, 290-292, 297, 310, 313, The passage configures groups/sets containing one or more SRS resources on a respective per-panel basis and supports up to four such panel-associated groups), each SRS resource of the three groups of SRS resources being associated with an SRS resource indicator (SRI) (Paragraph 264, 270, 314, The passage maps SRIs to SRS resources and expressly extends that SRI-to-resource mapping to SRS resources across all configured SRS resource sets); performing SRS transmission using the three groups of SRS resources from the three antenna groups, respectively (Paragraph 290-292, 295, 311, The passage teaches SRS transmission using respective groups of SRS resources from corresponding panels and permits SRS resources from multiple panel-associated groups to be transmitted), each SRS resource of the three groups of SRS resources corresponding to a transmission beam (Paragraph 218-219, 227, 290, 298, Each configured SRS resource is transmitted using a Tx beam, with the passage expressly correlating the number of SRS resources with the number of transmittable beams and giving respective resource-to-beam correspondence); and receiving a downlink control information (DCI) indicating at least two SRIs of the SRIs associated with each SRS resource of the three groups of SRS resources (Paragraph 314, 331-332, teaches DCI-based SRI indication selecting a plurality of SRS resources across multiple SRS resource sets and specifically provides one or two SRIs for PUSCH beam indication), the DCI scheduling a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Paragraph 261, 266, 269, 332, teaches UL DCI scheduling the PUSCH and carrying the SRI indication used for that scheduled PUSCH); and transmitting the PUSCH using the transmission beams from two of the at least two antenna groups corresponding to the at least two SRIs (Paragraph 288, 301, 308, 326-327, 428, teaches simultaneous multi-panel PUSCH transmission and expressly uses the SRI-indicated SRS transmit beam as the PUSCH transmit beam), the transmission beams corresponding to two of the at least two SRIs (Paragraph 270, 326-327, 331-332, The SRI identifies the previously transmitted SRS resource and its transmission beam, and the SRI field then indicates that beam for PUSCH transmission, expressly including an embodiment based on two SRIs).
Go et al. does not explicitly teach the at least two SRIs corresponding to at least two antenna groups, respectively.
However, Park et al. teaches the at least two SRIs corresponding to at least two antenna groups, respectively (Paragraphs 311, 416-417, 421, provides respective SRI/SRS-resource indications for multiple TRPs, maps SRS resources to panels, and expressly applies the TRP-specific UL arrangement to respective UE panels).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the at least two SRIs corresponding to at least two antenna groups, respectively as taught by Park et al. in the system of Go et al., so that it would enable the base station to distinctly identify and schedule uplink transmissions for multiple UE antenna groups (or panels) using their corresponding SRS resources and transmission beams, thereby improving support for multi-panel/multi-TRP beam management, beam-specific PUSCH transmission, and overall uplink transmission flexibility and efficiency.
Regarding claim 18, Go et al. teaches the at least two SRIs include three SRIs corresponding to the three antenna groups, respectively, and the method further includes: selecting two antenna groups from the three antenna groups, the selected two antenna groups corresponding to the two of the at least two antenna groups corresponding to the at least two SRIs; and transmitting a PUCCH to indicate the selected two antenna groups by indicating the two SRIs corresponding to the selected two antenna groups (Paragraphs 264 and 270-271 associate SRIs with respective SRS resources, paragraphs 275, 278, 301, and 306-310 teach antenna groups as panels and selecting/identifying one or more panels from multiple panels for uplink transmission, paragraphs 331-332 expressly contemplate two SRIs, and paragraphs 345-347, 352-354, 421, 423, 443, 445, and 447 associate panel/beam selection with PUCCH transmission).
Regarding claim 19, Go et al. teaches receiving a group-based beam measurement report configuration; transmitting a group-based beam measurement report based on the group-based beam measurement report configuration, the group-based beam measurement report being obtained based on measurement of channel-state- information reference signals (CSI-RS) or synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) transmitted from the base station, at least two transmission and reception points (TRPs) of the base station, or at least two TRPs of the base station and another base station; and receiving two transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states indicating two of the CSI-RS or two of the SSBs transmitted from the base station, the at least two TRPs of the base station, or the at last two TRPs of the base station and the other base station for an uplink transmission of SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH (Paragraphs 173-174, 177-178, and 180-184 teach measuring CSI-RS/SSB beams from a base station/TRP and transmitting a beam report identifying preferred measured CSI-RSs/SSBs, paragraphs 186-188 and 190 teach configuring TCI states associated with CSI-RS/SSB reference signals, and paragraphs 320-323 and 325-326 teach candidate/group-based UL-TCI signaling using CSI-RS/SSB references for SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH transmission).
Regarding claim 20, Go et al. teaches receiving a configuration of three SRS resources for UE antenna panel selection and beam measurement, the three SRS resources for UE antenna panel selection and beam measurement corresponding to the three antenna groups, the three SRS resources being associated with three SRIs; transmitting SRS using the three SRS resources for UE antenna panel selection and beam measurement from the three antenna groups, respectively; receiving two TCI states indicating two SRIs of the three SRIs associated with the three SRS resources for UE antenna panel selection and beam measurement for an uplink transmission of SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH (Paragraphs 214-215, 217-219, 289-292, 295, 306, 308-314, 329, and 393-396 teach configuring and transmitting beam-management/panel-selection SRS resources on respective UE panels/antenna groups; paragraphs 264, 270-271, 314, 331-332, and 424-425 associate the SRS resources with SRIs and expressly contemplate one or two SRIs; and paragraphs 320, 323, 325-326, 336, 339, 344, 346, 421, 427, and 431-433 teach multiple UL-TCI states identifying SRS resources/SRIs and panels/beams for SRS, PUSCH, or PUCCH transmission).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW SHAJI KURIAN whose telephone number is (703)756-1878. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
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/A.S.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/MICHAEL K PHILLIPS/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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