DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the RCE filed 17 March 2026. Claims 1, 2, 4-13, 15-22, 29-30, and 32-39 are pending in this application.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 17 March 2026 has been entered.
Objection to the amendment
For Claims 1, 12, 30, and 36, the following matter appears to have been cancelled from the claims, but the matter is simply missing, not stricken through:
“wherein the first set of repetitions of the uplink communication and the second set of repetitions of the uplink communication are different sets of repetitions”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 4-5, 12, 15-16, 29, 32, 35-36, and 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshioka et al. (US 2022/0361200) in view of Xu et al. (US 2021/0219246).
For Claims 1 and 30, Yoshioka teaches a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory (see paragraph 257), and a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
receiving downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a first set of repetitions of an uplink communication according to a first set of transmission parameters, and a second set of repetitions of the uplink communication according to a second set of transmission parameters (see paragraphs 38-40, 96: DCI, repetition sets with and without segmentation; Figure 1, paragraphs 28-34: transmission parameters); and
transmitting phase tracking reference signals (PTRSs), in the first set of repetitions according to one or more first PTRS port and demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port associations for the first set of repetitions, and in the second set of repetitions according to one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations for the second set of repetitions (see paragraphs 143, 151; see paragraphs 44-45, 97: UL PTRS as scheduled; paragraphs 91, 110: port associations).
While Yoshioka does teach transmission parameters including TPMI for the repetition sets (see paragraphs 12, 301, 112), Yoshioka as applied above is not explicit as to, but Xu teaches the first set of transmission parameters comprising a first uplink beam, a first spatial domain filter, a first set of uplink power control parameters, and a first transmit precoding matrix indicator (TPMI), and the second set of transmission parameters comprising a second uplink beam, a second spatial domain filter, a second set of uplink power control parameters, and a second TPMI (see paragraph 230: DCI contents include TPMI, UL spatial domain filter corresponding to a UL beam; paragraphs 252, 256: DCI also includes UL power control parameters in association with UL beam; paragraph 170: UL beam),
wherein the first set of transmission parameters and the second set of transmission parameters are different sets of transmission parameters, wherein the first uplink beam and the second uplink beam are different uplink beams (see paragraphs 225, 238-239, 248-249: different parameters for the multiple transmission opportunities indicated in the DCI; paragraph 246: different parameters for different repetitions).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include different sets of parameters for different repetition sets as in Xu when implementing the method of Yoshioka. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of using optimal parameters for different transmissions.
For Claims 12 and 36, Yoshioka teaches a base station for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory (see paragraph 257), and a method of wireless communication performed by a base station, comprising:
determining that a first set of repetitions of an uplink communication are to be transmitted by a user equipment (UE) according to a first set of transmission parameters, and a second set of repetitions of the uplink communication are to be transmitted by the UE according to a second set of transmission parameters (see paragraphs 97-100, 103, 106: determining parameters for repetition sets); and
transmitting downlink control information (DCI) that schedules the first set of repetitions according to the first set of transmission parameters, and the second set of repetitions according to the second set of transmission parameters, wherein the DCI indicates one or more first phase tracking reference signal (PTRS) port and demodulation reference signal (DMRS) port associations for the first set of repetitions, and one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations for the second set of repetitions (see paragraph 143; see paragraphs 53-54: DCI is necessarily sent downlink from the base station; see paragraphs 44-45, 97: UL PTRS as scheduled; paragraphs 91, 110: port associations).
While Yoshioka does teach transmission parameters including TPMI for the repetition sets (see paragraphs 12, 301, 112), Yoshioka as applied above is not explicit as to, but Xu teaches the first set of transmission parameters comprising a first uplink beam, a first spatial domain filter, a first set of uplink power control parameters, and a first transmit precoding matrix indicator (TPMI), and the second set of transmission parameters comprising a second uplink beam, a second spatial domain filter, a second set of uplink power control parameters, and a second TPMI (see paragraph 230: DCI contents include TPMI, UL spatial domain filter corresponding to a UL beam; paragraphs 252, 256: DCI also includes UL power control parameters in association with UL beam; paragraph 170: UL beam),
wherein the first set of transmission parameters and the second set of transmission parameters are different sets of transmission parameters, wherein the first uplink beam and the second uplink beam are different uplink beams (see paragraphs 225, 238-239, 248-249: different parameters for the multiple transmission opportunities indicated in the DCI; paragraph 246: different parameters for different repetitions).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include different sets of parameters for different repetition sets as in Xu when implementing the method of Yoshioka. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of using optimal parameters for different transmissions.
For Claims 4, 15, 32, and 38, Yoshioka teaches the method, wherein the one or more first PTRS port and DMRS port associations and the one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations are based at least in part on a single PTRS port and DMRS port association indication of the DCI (see paragraph 110, paragraphs 38, 53-55, 62: port associations, determination based on indication in DCI).
For Claims 5 and 16, while Yoshioka does teach signaling TPMI, port indications and SRS indications (see paragraphs 91, 111-112), Yoshioka as applied above is not explicit as to, but Xu teaches the method, wherein the one or more first PTRS port and DMRS port associations and the one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations are based at least in part on the single PTRS port and DMRS port association indication when at least one of:
the DCI indicates the first transmit precoding matrix indicator (TPMI) or a first quantity of layers for the first set of repetitions, and the second TPMI or a second quantity of layers for the second set of repetitions (see paragraph 230: DCI contents include TPMI, UL spatial domain filter corresponding to a UL beam; paragraphs 252, 256: DCI also includes UL power control parameters in association with UL beam; paragraph 170: UL beam; paragraph 246: different parameters for different repetitions),
the DCI indicates a first set of DMRS ports for the first set of repetitions, and a second set of DMRS ports for the second set of repetitions, or
the DCI indicates first sounding reference signal (SRS) resources for the first set of repetitions, and second SRS resources for the second set of repetitions.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to include different sets of parameters for different repetition sets as in Xu when implementing the method of Yoshioka. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of using optimal parameters for different transmissions.
For Claims 29 and 35, Yoshioka teaches the method, wherein a quantity of PTRSs that are transmitted in the first set of repetitions or the second set of repetitions is based at least in part on sounding reference signal (SRS) resources indicated by the DCI (see paragraph 111).
Claim(s) 2, 6-11, 13, 17-22, 33-34, 37, and 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshioka et al. (US 2022/0361200) and Xu et al. (US 2021/0219246) as applied to claims 1, 4, 12, 15, 30, and 36 above, and further in view of R1-1803748 (hereinafter D7, as listed in the extended European search report and search opinion; 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #92bis, Sanya, China, April 16-20, 2018; CATT, “Remaining issues on PT-RS”).
For Claims 2, 13, 37, and 39, while Yoshioka does teach the DCI indicating the number of layers (see paragraphs 112, 145, 301,92), the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein the first set of repetitions are scheduled with more than one layer and the second set of repetitions are scheduled with more than one layer (see tables 1 and 4, L_max=2, section 2 “considering … the maximum number of supported layers for the PUSCH … and the number of PT-RS ports, the required IE bitwidth varies from 0 to 2 bits”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
For Claims 6 and 17, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein the one or more first PTRS port and DMRS port associations and the one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations are based at least in part on respective PTRS port and DMRS port association indications of the DCI (see tables 1-6, section 2 “the association between PTRS port(s) and DMRS port(s) are indicated explicitly in the DCI format 0_1”, “based on Table 6, each bit indicates one PT-RS port being associated with one DMRS port”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
For Claims 7, 18, and 33, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein a first bit of a field of the DCI is for indicating the one or more first PTRS port and DMRS port associations, and a second bit of the field of the DCI is for indicating the one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations (see tables 1-6, section 2 “the association between PTRS port(s) and DMRS port(s) are indicated explicitly in the DCI format 0_1”, “based on Table 6, each bit indicates one PT-RS port being associated with one DMRS port”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
For Claims 8, 19, and 34, while Yoshioka does teach a DCI indication of a number of layers (see paragraphs 112, 145), the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein the first set of repetitions are scheduled with at most two layers and the second set of repetitions are scheduled with at most two layers (see tables 1, 4, “L_max=2”, section 2, “Considering … the maximum number of supported layers for the PUSCH … and the number of PT-RS ports, the required IE bitwidth varies from o to 2 bits”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
For Claims 9 and 20, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein a value of the first bit is based at least in part on a first quantity of PTRS ports that are to be used for the first set of repetitions, and a value of the second bit is based at least in part on a second quantity of PTRS ports that are to be used for the second set of repetitions (see tables 4-6, “UL-PTRS-ports=2”; section 2, “for 1 PTRS port case, reuse the table 7.3.1.1.2-25 and 7.3.1.1.1-26 defined in 38.212”; “The bitwidth of IE in DCI for indicating PT-RS to DMRS port association for UL in CP-OFDM is 0, 1, or 2 bits, taking into account the number of SRS ports, maximum ranks supported, and number of PT-RS ports”).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
For Claims 10 and 21, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein the value of the first bit, when the first quantity of PTRS ports is one, or the value of the second bit, when the second quantity of PTRS ports is one, indicates whether a single PTRS port is associated with a first DMRS port or a second DMRS port (tables 1-3, “UL-PTRS-ports-1”, section 2, “For 1 PT-RS port case”; “a PT-RS port should be mapped to a unique DMRS port).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
For Claims 11 and 22, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but D7 teaches the method, wherein the one or more first PTRS port and DMRS port associations are determined without reference to the value of the first bit when the first quantity of PTRS ports is two, and the one or more second PTRS port and DMRS port associations are determined without reference to the value of the second bit when the second quantity of PTRS ports is two (see table 3, “UL-PTRS-ports=2”, section 2, “For 2 PTRS ports case”; table 6, each bit indicates one PT-RS port being associated with one DMRS port).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ signaling as in D7 when implementing the method of Yoshioka. The motivation would be to configure the UE in accord with agreed upon signaling.
Response to Arguments
The amendment filed 17 March 2026 has been entered.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to rejections under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered, but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection introduced herein. The claims remain rejected under 35 USC 103.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Guo (US 2022/0345272) teaches a system for providing transmission parameters.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CASSANDRA L DECKER whose telephone number is (571)270-3946. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 4:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faruk Hamza can be reached at 571-272-7969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CASSANDRA L DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2466 4/27/2026
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights