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
Applicant’s amendment filed on March 31, 2026, has been entered. Claims 35-54 are presently pending with claims 35, 40, 45, and 50 being independent. Claims 36-39, 41-44, 46-49, and 51-54 have been previously presented. Claims 1-34 are canceled. Claims 35, 40, 45, and 50 are currently amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see replacement sheet, filed March 31, 2026, with respect to Fig. 3 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objection of the drawing has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 35, 40, 45, and 50 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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 35-54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2022/0295589 A1; hereinafter Tsai) in view of Zhang et al. (AU 2019341362 B2; hereinafter Zhang ‘1362).
Regarding claim 35, Tsai teaches a method, performed by a terminal device (read as UE) (Fig. 1, UE; ¶ [0046] The UE may communicate with multiple TRPs.),
the method comprising:
determining (read as configured or determined), for a cell, a first reference signal (RS) set and a second RS set for beam failure detection (read as BFD) (¶ [0082] Multiple sets may be configured for a BWP by configuring multiple lists, each list comprising one or more RS for BFD (e.g., failureDetectionResources).; ¶ [0086] A first set of BFD RS is configured. A second set of BFD RS is determined.); and
Tsai does not explicitly teach transmitting, to a network device, beam failure recovery information, the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set;
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set; and
an indication about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set,
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set.
In analogous art, Zhang ‘1362 teaches transmitting, to a network device (read as base station), beam failure recovery information (page 46, lines 11-26, Reports the index of the one reference signal to a base station. The terminal can send the PRACH on the PRACH resource corresponding to the selected reference signal. Reporting reference signal indication information herein includes that the terminal sends a preamble on a reporting resource or the terminal reports, in a PUCCH, indication information.),
the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter (read as set index information) indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set (read as at least one of the first set or the second set) (page 27, lines 13-14, The first-type beam failure recovery parameters include at least one of: a beam failure detection signal set.; page 28, lines 8-22, Both the first set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters and the second set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters correspond to the first set of second-type beam failure recovery parameters. When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters corresponding to the set index information.)
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 36, lines 16-28 and page 37, lines 1-5, Set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters is reported. Reference signal indication information or set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters are included in a channel associated with a control resource set for beam failure recovery. The set index information may be indicated by index information of a frequency domain bandwidth, control channel resource group, CC, CC group, or data channel configuration information corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters.); and
an indication (read as indication information) about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set (read as candidate reference signal set) corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 77, lines 27-28, page 78, lines 1-6, Two beam failure detection reference signal sets and two candidate reference signal sets are provided; as long as a beam failure event is detected in any beam failure detection reference signal set, a new reference signal is selected from the candidate reference signal set corresponding to the any beam failure detection reference signal set. One reference indication information selected from a candidate reference signal set can be reported.; page 78, lines 25-28, The terminal can inform TRP0 through the SR/MAC-CE command indication information of a reference signal selected by the terminal from candidate reference signal set 1.),
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set (page 28, lines 21-22, When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.), and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value (read as set index information of the A sets when A>1) indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set (page 29, lines 1-3, When a beam failure event is detected by a beam failure detection reference signal set in any one or more of the first to third sets.; page 36, lines 14-17, In response to the number A of sets being greater than 1, set index information of the A sets is reported.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a reference signal set index taught by Zhang ‘1362 with reference signals for beam failure detection as taught by Tsai. One would have been motivated to do so in order improve link recovery and reliability by enabling the network to quickly identify which beam or reference signal set has failed (Zhang ‘1362: pages 1-4).
Regarding claim 36, Tsai teaches wherein the first reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SS/PBCH block) (¶ [0070] UE is configured for beam failure detection (BFD) based on configuration method which when the higher layers (e.g. RRC) provides the reference signal (RS, e.g., CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] UE assesses the radio link quality according to the periodic CSI-RS resource configurations or SS/PBCH blocks.; ¶ [0185] Candidate RS ID 0 may refer to one RS in q1,0,k.).
Regarding claim 37, Tsai teaches wherein reference signals in the first RS set (read as q0,i,k) or the second RS set are channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs) (¶ [0070] The higher layers provides the reference signal (RS, e.g. CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] Each set q0,i,k and q1,i,k independently associated with multiple sets of periodic CSI-RS.).
Regarding claim 38, Tsai teaches wherein a link quality of each reference signal in at least one of the first RS set or the second RS set is less than a first threshold (¶ [0107] When the link quality for all RS in q0,0,k are below a threshold.).
Regarding claim 39, Tsai teaches wherein an index of the first reference signal is transmitted to the network device (¶ [0112] During a BFR procedure, UE may report only one beam with corresponding to the measured CSI-RS resource index (CRI) per TRP at a CC.; ¶ [0160] The failed CC index(es) or the new/identified candidate beam/RS qnew,i are reported by MAC-CE conveyed by PUSCH.), and
receiving power of the first reference signal is larger than or equal to a second threshold (¶ [0183] The AC field for example indicates the presence of the Candidate RS ID field. If at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the SSBs in candidateBeamRSSCellList or the CSI-RSs with CSI-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the CSI-RSs in candidateBeamRSSCellList is available, the AC field is set to 1.).
Regarding claim 40, Tsai teaches a method, performed by a network device (read as TRP) (Fig. 27A, element 119 TRP; ¶ [0046] The UE may communicate with multiple TRPs.; ¶ [0194] TRPs may be any type of device configured to wirelessly interface with at least one of the WTRU to facilitate access to communication networks.),
the method comprising:
transmitting, for a cell, a first reference signal (RS) set and a second RS set for beam failure detection (¶ [0108] UE is configured with two sets of RS for BFD.; ¶ [0108] A first RS of the first set of RSs is transmitted from a first TRP. A third RS of the third set of RSs is transmitted from the first TRP.); and
Tsai does not explicitly teach receiving, from a terminal device, beam failure recovery information, the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set;
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set; and
an indication about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set,
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set.
In analogous art, Zhang ‘1362 teaches receiving, from a terminal device, beam failure recovery information (page 46, lines 11-26, Reports the index of the one reference signal to a base station. The terminal can send the PRACH on the PRACH resource corresponding to the selected reference signal. Reporting reference signal indication information herein includes that the terminal sends a preamble on a reporting resource or the terminal reports, in a PUCCH, indication information.),
the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter (read as set index information) indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set (read as at least one of the first set or the second set) (page 27, lines 13-14, The first-type beam failure recovery parameters include at least one of: a beam failure detection signal set.; page 28, lines 8-22, Both the first set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters and the second set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters correspond to the first set of second-type beam failure recovery parameters. When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters corresponding to the set index information.)
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 36, lines 16-28 and page 37, lines 1-5, Set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters is reported. Reference signal indication information or set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters are included in a channel associated with a control resource set for beam failure recovery. The set index information may be indicated by index information of a frequency domain bandwidth, control channel resource group, CC, CC group, or data channel configuration information corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters.); and
an indication (read as indication information) about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set (read as candidate reference signal set) corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 77, lines 27-28, page 78, lines 1-6, Two beam failure detection reference signal sets and two candidate reference signal sets are provided; as long as a beam failure event is detected in any beam failure detection reference signal set, a new reference signal is selected from the candidate reference signal set corresponding to the any beam failure detection reference signal set. One reference indication information selected from a candidate reference signal set can be reported.; page 78, lines 25-28, The terminal can inform TRP0 through the SR/MAC-CE command indication information of a reference signal selected by the terminal from candidate reference signal set 1.),
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set (page 28, lines 21-22, When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.), and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value (read as set index information of the A sets when A>1) indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set (page 29, lines 1-3, When a beam failure event is detected by a beam failure detection reference signal set in any one or more of the first to third sets.; page 36, lines 14-17, In response to the number A of sets being greater than 1, set index information of the A sets is reported.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a reference signal set index taught by Zhang ‘1362 with reference signals for beam failure detection as taught by Tsai. One would have been motivated to do so in order improve link recovery and reliability by enabling the network to quickly identify which beam or reference signal set has failed (Zhang ‘1362: pages 1-4).
Regarding claim 41, Tsai teaches wherein the first reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SS/PBCH block) (¶ [0070] UE is configured for beam failure detection (BFD) based on configuration method which when the higher layers (e.g. RRC) provides the reference signal (RS, e.g., CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] UE assesses the radio link quality according to the periodic CSI-RS resource configurations or SS/PBCH blocks.; ¶ [0185] Candidate RS ID 0 may refer to one RS in q1,0,k.).
Regarding claim 42, Tsai teaches wherein reference signals in the first RS set (read as q0,i,k) or the second RS set are channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs) (¶ [0070] The higher layers provides the reference signal (RS, e.g. CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] Each set q0,i,k and q1,i,k independently associated with multiple sets of periodic CSI-RS.).
Regarding claim 43, Tsai teaches wherein a link quality of each reference signal in at least one of the first RS set or the second RS set is less than a first threshold (¶ [0107] When the link quality for all RS in q0,0,k are below a threshold.).
Regarding claim 44, Tsai teaches wherein an index of the first reference signal is received from the terminal device (read as UE) (¶ [0112] During a BFR procedure, UE may report only one beam with corresponding to the measured CSI-RS resource index (CRI) per TRP at a CC.; ¶ [0160] The failed CC index(es) or the new/identified candidate beam/RS qnew,i are reported by MAC-CE conveyed by PUSCH.), and
receiving power of the first reference signal is larger than or equal to a second threshold (¶ [0183] The AC field for example indicates the presence of the Candidate RS ID field. If at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the SSBs in candidateBeamRSSCellList or the CSI-RSs with CSI-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the CSI-RSs in candidateBeamRSSCellList is available, the AC field is set to 1.).
Regarding claim 45, Tsai teaches a terminal device, comprising a processor configured to cause the terminal device to (Fig. 27F, element 118 Processor; ¶ [0248] WTRU may include a processor.; ¶ [0249] The processor may perform signal coding, data processing, power control, input/output processing, or any other functionality that enables the WTRU to operate in a wireless environment.):
determine (read as configured or determined), for a cell, a first reference signal (RS) set and a second RS set for beam failure detection (read as BFD) (¶ [0082] Multiple sets may be configured for a BWP by configuring multiple lists, each list comprising one or more RS for BFD (e.g., failureDetectionResources).; ¶ [0086] A first set of BFD RS is configured. A second set of BFD RS is determined.); and
Tsai does not explicitly teach transmit, to a network device, beam failure recovery information, the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set;
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set; and
an indication about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set,
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set.
In analogous art, Zhang ‘1362 teaches transmit, to a network device (read as base station), beam failure recovery information (page 46, lines 11-26, Reports the index of the one reference signal to a base station. The terminal can send the PRACH on the PRACH resource corresponding to the selected reference signal. Reporting reference signal indication information herein includes that the terminal sends a preamble on a reporting resource or the terminal reports, in a PUCCH, indication information.),
the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter (read as set index information) indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set (read as at least one of the first set or the second set) (page 27, lines 13-14, The first-type beam failure recovery parameters include at least one of: a beam failure detection signal set.; page 28, lines 8-22, Both the first set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters and the second set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters correspond to the first set of second-type beam failure recovery parameters. When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters corresponding to the set index information.)
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 36, lines 16-28 and page 37, lines 1-5, Set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters is reported. Reference signal indication information or set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters are included in a channel associated with a control resource set for beam failure recovery. The set index information may be indicated by index information of a frequency domain bandwidth, control channel resource group, CC, CC group, or data channel configuration information corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters.); and
an indication (read as indication information) about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set (read as candidate reference signal set) corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 77, lines 27-28, page 78, lines 1-6, Two beam failure detection reference signal sets and two candidate reference signal sets are provided; as long as a beam failure event is detected in any beam failure detection reference signal set, a new reference signal is selected from the candidate reference signal set corresponding to the any beam failure detection reference signal set. One reference indication information selected from a candidate reference signal set can be reported.; page 78, lines 25-28, The terminal can inform TRP0 through the SR/MAC-CE command indication information of a reference signal selected by the terminal from candidate reference signal set 1.),
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set (page 28, lines 21-22, When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.), and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value (read as set index information of the A sets when A>1) indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set (page 29, lines 1-3, When a beam failure event is detected by a beam failure detection reference signal set in any one or more of the first to third sets.; page 36, lines 14-17, In response to the number A of sets being greater than 1, set index information of the A sets is reported.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a reference signal set index taught by Zhang ‘1362 with reference signals for beam failure detection as taught by Tsai. One would have been motivated to do so in order improve link recovery and reliability by enabling the network to quickly identify which beam or reference signal set has failed (Zhang ‘1362: pages 1-4).
Regarding claim 46, Tsai teaches wherein the first reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SS/PBCH block) (¶ [0070] UE is configured for beam failure detection (BFD) based on configuration method which when the higher layers (e.g. RRC) provides the reference signal (RS, e.g., CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] UE assesses the radio link quality according to the periodic CSI-RS resource configurations or SS/PBCH blocks.; ¶ [0185] Candidate RS ID 0 may refer to one RS in q1,0,k.).
Regarding claim 47, Tsai teaches wherein reference signals in the first RS set (read as q0,i,k) or the second RS set are channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs) (¶ [0070] The higher layers provides the reference signal (RS, e.g. CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] Each set q0,i,k and q1,i,k independently associated with multiple sets of periodic CSI-RS.).
Regarding claim 48, Tsai teaches wherein a link quality of each reference signal in at least one of the first RS set or the second RS set is less than a first threshold (¶ [0107] When the link quality for all RS in q0,0,k are below a threshold.).
Regarding claim 49, Tsai teaches wherein an index of the first reference signal is transmitted to the network device (¶ [0112] During a BFR procedure, UE may report only one beam with corresponding to the measured CSI-RS resource index (CRI) per TRP at a CC.; ¶ [0160] The failed CC index(es) or the new/identified candidate beam/RS qnew,i are reported by MAC-CE conveyed by PUSCH.), and
receiving power of the first reference signal is larger than or equal to a second threshold (¶ [0183] The AC field for example indicates the presence of the Candidate RS ID field. If at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the SSBs in candidateBeamRSSCellList or the CSI-RSs with CSI-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the CSI-RSs in candidateBeamRSSCellList is available, the AC field is set to 1.).
Regarding claim 50, Tsai teaches network device, comprising a processor configured to cause the network device to (Fig. 27F, element 118 Processor; ¶ [0248] The example WTRU may include a processor 118. The base stations or the nodes that the base stations may represent, such as proxy nodes, among others, may include some or all of the elements depicted in Fig. 27F.):
transmit, for a cell, a first reference signal (RS) set and a second RS set for beam failure detection (¶ [0108] UE is configured with two sets of RS for BFD.; ¶ [0108] A first RS of the first set of RSs is transmitted from a first TRP. A third RS of the third set of RSs is transmitted from the first TRP.); and
Tsai does not explicitly teach receive, from a terminal device, beam failure recovery information, the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set;
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set; and
an indication about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set,
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set.
In analogous art, Zhang ‘1362 teaches receive, from a terminal device, beam failure recovery information (page 46, lines 11-26, Reports the index of the one reference signal to a base station. The terminal can send the PRACH on the PRACH resource corresponding to the selected reference signal. Reporting reference signal indication information herein includes that the terminal sends a preamble on a reporting resource or the terminal reports, in a PUCCH, indication information.),
the beam failure recovery information comprising an indication associated with a parameter (read as set index information) indicating:
whether beam failure is detected for one or both of the first RS set and the second RS set (read as at least one of the first set or the second set) (page 27, lines 13-14, The first-type beam failure recovery parameters include at least one of: a beam failure detection signal set.; page 28, lines 8-22, Both the first set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters and the second set of first-type beam failure recovery parameters correspond to the first set of second-type beam failure recovery parameters. When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters corresponding to the set index information.)
an index of one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 36, lines 16-28 and page 37, lines 1-5, Set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters is reported. Reference signal indication information or set index information of the A sets of first-type beam failure recovery parameters are included in a channel associated with a control resource set for beam failure recovery. The set index information may be indicated by index information of a frequency domain bandwidth, control channel resource group, CC, CC group, or data channel configuration information corresponding to the first-type beam failure recovery parameters.); and
an indication (read as indication information) about the presence of a first reference signal in a third RS set (read as candidate reference signal set) corresponding to one of the first RS set or the second RS set (page 77, lines 27-28, page 78, lines 1-6, Two beam failure detection reference signal sets and two candidate reference signal sets are provided; as long as a beam failure event is detected in any beam failure detection reference signal set, a new reference signal is selected from the candidate reference signal set corresponding to the any beam failure detection reference signal set. One reference indication information selected from a candidate reference signal set can be reported.; page 78, lines 25-28, The terminal can inform TRP0 through the SR/MAC-CE command indication information of a reference signal selected by the terminal from candidate reference signal set 1.),
wherein:
in a case where the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a first value indicating that the beam failure is detected for only one RS set among the first RS set and the second RS set (page 28, lines 21-22, When a beam failure event is detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set in at least one of the first set or the second set.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.), and
in a case where the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set, the parameter is set to a second value (read as set index information of the A sets when A>1) indicating that the beam failure is detected for both the first RS set and the second RS set (page 29, lines 1-3, When a beam failure event is detected by a beam failure detection reference signal set in any one or more of the first to third sets.; page 36, lines 14-17, In response to the number A of sets being greater than 1, set index information of the A sets is reported.; page 37, lines 7-11, Reporting the set index information is configured for indicating the beam failure event being detected according to a beam failure detection reference signal set corresponding to the set index information.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine a reference signal set index taught by Zhang ‘1362 with reference signals for beam failure detection as taught by Tsai. One would have been motivated to do so in order improve link recovery and reliability by enabling the network to quickly identify which beam or reference signal set has failed (Zhang ‘1362: pages 1-4).
Regarding claim 51, Tsai teaches wherein the first reference signal is a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) or a synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block (SS/PBCH block) (¶ [0070] UE is configured for beam failure detection (BFD) based on configuration method which when the higher layers (e.g. RRC) provides the reference signal (RS, e.g., CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] UE assesses the radio link quality according to the periodic CSI-RS resource configurations or SS/PBCH blocks.; ¶ [0185] Candidate RS ID 0 may refer to one RS in q1,0,k.).
Regarding claim 52, Tsai teaches wherein reference signals in the first RS set (read as q0,i,k) or the second RS set are channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs) (¶ [0070] The higher layers provides the reference signal (RS, e.g. CSI-RS) resources for UE to perform BFD.; ¶ [0072] Each set q0,i,k and q1,i,k independently associated with multiple sets of periodic CSI-RS.).
Regarding claim 53, Tsai teaches wherein a link quality of each reference signal in at least one of the first RS set or the second RS set is less than a first threshold (¶ [0107] When the link quality for all RS in q0,0,k are below a threshold.).
Regarding claim 54, Tsai teaches wherein an index of the first reference signal is received from the terminal device (read as UE) (¶ [0112] During a BFR procedure, UE may report only one beam with corresponding to the measured CSI-RS resource index (CRI) per TRP at a CC.; ¶ [0160] The failed CC index(es) or the new/identified candidate beam/RS qnew,i are reported by MAC-CE conveyed by PUSCH.) , and
receiving power of the first reference signal is larger than or equal to a second threshold (¶ [0183] The AC field for example indicates the presence of the Candidate RS ID field. If at least one of the SSBs with SS-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the SSBs in candidateBeamRSSCellList or the CSI-RSs with CSI-RSRP above rsrp-ThresholdBFR amongst the CSI-RSs in candidateBeamRSSCellList is available, the AC field is set to 1.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xia et al. (US 2018/0288756 A1) discloses “System and Method for Communications Beam Recovery”
Cirik et al. (US 2022/0217592 A1) “Beam Failure Recovery Procedure in Carrier Aggregation”
Zhou et al. (US 2023/0413359 A1) “Configuration for Beam Failure Recovery”
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/D.M.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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