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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/26/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-14, 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cao (Pub No.: 2023/0096215).
Regarding claim 1, Cao discloses a wireless device (see UE in fig. 19) comprising: one or more processors (see processor 901 in fig. 30); and memory (see memory 902 in fig. 30) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to:
receive, via a first cell (see serving gNB in fig. 19) that is a serving cell for the wireless device, a message indicating an activation of one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states associated with a second cell (see target gNB in fig. 19) that is a non-serving cell for the wireless device (Cao see fig. 19, see “MAC CE activation information of uplink data beam” from serving gNB; fig. 26, step S13; para. 0161, 0168, 0169; In step S13, MAC CE including the activation information of the uplink beam is further transmitted to the UE. The activation information of the uplink beam may include: the information of the ID of the target cell and the uplink TCI state identifier.). The UE receives activation information of one or more TCI states associated with a non-serving/target cell from the serving gNB (e.g., serving cell); and
transmit, in response to the one or more TCI states being associated with the second cell and via the second cell, an uplink transmission based on the one or more TCI states (Cao see para. 0095, 0107, 0140; In para. 0095, … unit 102 may determine the activation information of the uplink beam of the target cell to which the UE is to be handed over. In other words, the determination unit 102 may determine which uplink beam(s) should be activated for uplink transmission with respect to the target cell. In para. 0107, …the MAC CE further includes the activation information of the uplink data beam of the target cell. The uplink data beam, for example, is used for transmitting the PUSCH.). Thus, the UE performs, based on the activation information, uplink data transmission (e.g., PUSCH) via the target cell.
Claim 17 is rejected similarly to claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, Cao discloses a base station (see serving gNB in fig. 19) comprising: one or more processors (see controller 821 in fig. 28); and memory (see memory 822 in fig. 28) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the base station to:
transmit, to a wireless device via a first cell (see serving gNB in fig. 19) that is a serving cell for the wireless device, a message indicating an activation of one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states associated with a second cell that is a non-serving cell for the wireless device (Cao see fig. 19, see “MAC CE activation information of uplink data beam” to the UE; fig. 26, step S13; para. 0161, 0168, 0169; In step S13, MAC CE including the activation information of the uplink beam is further transmitted to the UE. The activation information of the uplink beam may include: the information of the ID of the target cell and the uplink TCI state identifier.). The serving gNB (e.g., serving cell) transmits activation information of one or more TCI states associated with a non-serving/target cell to the UE; and
receive, in response to the one or more TCI states being associated with the second cell and via the second cell, an uplink transmission based on the one or more TCI states (Cao see para. 0095, 0107, 0140; In para. 0095, … unit 102 may determine the activation information of the uplink beam of the target cell to which the UE is to be handed over. In other words, the determination unit 102 may determine which uplink beam(s) should be activated for uplink transmission with respect to the target cell. In para. 0107, …the MAC CE further includes the activation information of the uplink data beam of the target cell. The uplink data beam, for example, is used for transmitting the PUSCH.). The target cell receives, based on the activation information, uplink data transmission (e.g., PUSCH) from the UE.
Regarding claims 2, 10, 18, Cao discloses the feature wherein the instructions further cause the wireless device to receive, via the first cell, a first message indicating a plurality of TCI states comprising the one or more TCI states (Cao see para. 0092, 0094; transmit configuration information of a universal uplink TCI state to the UE via RRC signaling. The transmits/receives universal uplink TCI state includes an uplink TCI state of the uplink beam of the serving cell of the UE and an uplink TCI state of the uplink beam of the non-serving cell other than the serving cell.).
Regarding claims 3, 11, 19, Cao discloses the feature wherein the plurality of TCI states further comprise one or more first TCI states associated with the first cell and one or more second TCI states associated with the second cell (Cao see para. 0092; transmit configuration information of a universal uplink TCI state to the UE via RRC signaling. The universal uplink TCI state includes an uplink TCI state of the uplink beam of the serving cell of the UE and an uplink TCI state of the uplink beam of the non-serving cell other than the serving cell.). At least one uplink TCI state associated with the first cell and one uplink TCI state associated with the second cell.
Regarding claims 4, 12, 20, Cao discloses the feature wherein the one or more TCI states are determined to be associated with the second cell based on a cell identifier of the one or more TCI states (Cao see para. 0094, 0109; the activation information of the uplink data beam may include the information of the ID of the target cell and the uplink TCI state ID).
Regarding claims 5, 13, Cao discloses the feature wherein the second cell is a neighbor cell of the first cell (Cao see fig. see target gNB; para. 0108). The target gNB is a neighbor cell of the serving gNB.
Regarding claims 6, 14, Cao discloses the feature wherein transmitting the uplink transmission is further in response to the one or more TCI states being activated (Cao see para. 0095, 0107; the MAC CE further includes the activation information of the uplink data beam of the target cell. The uplink data beam, for example, is used for transmitting the PUSCH.). The UE performs, based on the activation information, uplink data transmission (e.g., PUSCH) via the target cell.
Regarding claims 8, 16, Cao discloses the feature wherein the message comprises one of a media access control control element (MAC CE) or downlink control information (DCI) (Cao see para. 0095, 0107; the MAC CE further includes the activation information of the uplink data beam of the target cell. The uplink data beam, for example, is used for transmitting the PUSCH.).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The 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.
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.
Claim(s) 7, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cao (Pub No.: 2023/0096215) in view of Kung et al. (Pub No.: 2022/0078670).
Regarding claims 7, 15, Cao does not explicitly disclose the feature wherein the instructions further cause the wireless device to initiate, in response to the one or more TCI states being associated with the second cell, a random access procedure for the second cell, wherein the uplink transmission is a random-access preamble.
Kung et al. from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the feature wherein the instructions further cause the wireless device to initiate, in response to the one or more TCI states being associated with the second cell, a random access procedure for the second cell, wherein the uplink transmission is a random-access preamble (Kung et al. see para. 0591, 0602; The source cell may provide second information to the UE, wherein the second information indicates initiation of a mobility procedure to access the target cell (e.g., a new PCell). The mobility procedure may comprise a random access procedure (e.g., a random access procedure on the target cell), one or more Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) transmissions and/or beam activation (e.g., beam Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state activation)… The second information may indicate to (e.g., instruct) the UE to perform a random access procedure to the target cell. Alternatively and/or additionally, the second information may indicate to (e.g., instruct) the UE to perform an uplink transmission to the target cell (via one or more uplink resources provided and/or configured by the source cell, for example).)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the disclosure of Cao and to implement with the feature as taught by Kung et al. to perform a random access procedure to the target cell based on the second information, wherein the second information imitates a mobility procedure to access the target cell using a random access procedure, one or more PUSCH transmission and the beam TCI state activation.
The motivation would be to improve transmission reliability.
Examiner's Note
The Applicant is welcome to request a telephonic interview if the Applicant has any questions or requires any additional information that would further or expedite the prosecution of the application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cui et al. (Pub No.: 2021/0321405) discloses a method and apparatus of a device that acquires transmission configuration indicator (TCI) information for secondary cell (SCell) activation. In some embodiments, the TCI information is acquired for SCell activation by determining, during secondary cell (SCell) activation, that beam information to enable a user equipment (UE) to make a reliable layer 1 (L1)-Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) measurement report is unavailable, perform the L1-RSRP measurement using information of one or more Synchronization Signal Blocks (SSBs) during the SCell activation, wherein the one or more processors perform the L1-RSRP measurement using information of one or more SSBs during the SCell activation by identifying, by the UE, one or more detectable SSBs during the SCell activation and using information of the one or more detectable SSBs for the L1-RSRP measurement.
Li (Pub No.: 2022/0377770) discloses a method for activating a TCI state includes: receiving a first MAC CE signaling, the first MAC CE signaling for activating a first TCI state; and using the first TCI state as TCI states of all serving cells on the same frequency band.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAN YUEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1413. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10:30am-7pm.
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/KAN YUEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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