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
The following is a final office action in response to applicant’s reply, filed on 12/29/2025, to the Non-Final Office Action mailed on 06/26/2025.
Claims 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, and 20 are amended. Claims 1-20 are pending and addressed below.
Applicant’s amendment has overcome claim objections, previously set forth in the non-final office action.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 8 and 15 are objected to because limitation “activating a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) of the SCell with a corresponding TCI state indicated by the TCI indication” is not clearly disclosed in the Spec. There is no disclosure of activation of PDSCH of the SCell with a corresponding TCI state. For example, Spec. para [30] only states “In another embodiment, the TCI state information includes the TCI state indication for the data channel (PDSCH) of the activated SCell, comprising of a BWP Id and a list of activated TCI states.”.
Other claims are subjected to the same objection for being dependent on the above objected claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1, 5-8, and 12-15 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IDS reference, ZTE R2-1907096, On Directly Configuring SCell as Activated, Reno, USA, 13th - 17th May 2019, hereinafter NPL-Z, in view of AI; Jianxun et al US 20210352654 A1, hereinafter Al, and further in view of CUI; Jie et al US 20210321405 A1, hereinafter CUI.
Regarding claims 1, 8 and 15, NPL-Z teaches, a method, comprising:
entering a radio resource control (RRC) connected mode by a User Equipment (UE) in a primary cell of a mobile communication network (NPL-Z implicitly teaches this limitation. AUE always enters a RRC connected mode with a primary cell);
receiving an RRC configuration from the network, wherein the RRC configuration comprises information for adding a Secondary Cell (SCell), information for activating the SCell, and a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) indication for the SCell (NPL-Z Section.2 Discussion: “When configuring the SCell in activated state in SCell addition case, it is preferred to configure an active TCI state for PDCCH reception via RRC, i.e. one step activation... If the RRC message which configures the SCell in activated also indicates an active UE specific TCI state for PDCCH reception, the UE can use it for activating PDCCH monitoring which is part of SCell activation when the UE is ready to do so.”, teaches SCell and TCI activations via RRC in one-step), wherein an activation time for the SCell is reduced by a time delay from a MAC CE operation (NPL-Z Section 2: Discussion “Because the RRC handling delay on UE side is uncertain, following the legacy two step approach, it is difficult for the network to determine the timing to transmit the MAC CE. If the MAC CE is transmitted too early, i.e. before RRC processing is finished, UE cannot handle the MAC CE. If the MAC CE is transmitted too late, additional delay will be caused.”, teaches UE uses TCI activated via RRC in one-step approach instead of waiting for activation of TCI via MAC-CE in legacy two-step approach, thus, reducing time delay from MAC-CE operation).
NPL-Z does not expressly teach, however, in the same field of endeavor, AI teaches, activating a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) of the SCell with a corresponding TCI state indicated by the TCI indication ([0079] “Example Embodiment 4 may relate to indicating the TCI state information used for PDCCH monitoring or PDSCH reception when the BS configures a serving cell as activated state or dormant state via RRC message or MAC CE.”, [0085] “In an embodiment, the BS may indicate which TCI state information is used for PDSCH reception on a downlink BWP in the RRC message besides the candidate TCI state information for PDSCH reception or activated TCI state information for PDSCH reception. In this case, the UE may apply the indicated TCI state to be used for PDSCH reception on the BWP upon reception of the RRC message.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-Z to include the features as taught by AI above in order to reduce the delay caused by the additional MAC CE and PDCCH signaling (AI [0079])
While teaching CSI-RS in the activated SCell (see NPL-Z Section 2 “…associating one or two downlink reference signals (SSB or CSI-RS in NR) with a corresponding quasi-collocation (QCL) type…”, NPL-Z and AI does not expressly teach, performing channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) measurements and reporting for the activated SCell.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Cui teaches, performing channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) measurements and reporting for the activated SCell (Cui [85], [92] teaches CSI-RS based measurement and reporting of CQI in the activated SCell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-Z and AI to include the features as taught by Cui above in order to alleviate delay in SCell activation (Cui [0005]).
With respect to claim 8, claim recites the identical features of claim 1 for a corresponding user equipment (UE). Therefore, it is subjected to the same rejection.
With respect to claim 15, claim recites the identical features of claim 1 for a corresponding inter-working transmitting side. Therefore, it is subjected to the same rejection.
Regarding claims 7 and 14, NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, teaches the method/UE, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 8.
Cui further teaches, wherein the UE operates under a frequency range 2 (FR2), and wherein a TCI state is not provided by the network prior to the RRC configuration (see CUI [5] teaching SCell being activated belongs to FR2, and no prior TCI information before the SCell activation process).
Regarding claims 5, 12 and 19, NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, teaches the methods/UE, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
Al further teaches, wherein the TCI indication comprises a control resource set (CORESET) ID and an activated TCI state for a control channel (Al [20], [77], teaches an operation of SCell activation, and TCI indication comprising CORESET ID and PDCCH TCI state).
Regarding claims 6, 13 and 20, NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, teaches the methods/UE, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
Al further teaches, wherein the TCI indication comprises a bandwidth part (BWP) ID a list of activated TCI states for a data channel (Al [78] teaches TCI state information comprises BWP ID and a list of TCI states).
Claims 2, 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, as applied to the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15 above, and further in view of TANG; Zhixun et al US 20210251040 A1, hereinafter Tang.
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, teaches the methods/UE, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
NPL-Z and AI and Cui do not expressly teach, however, in the same field of endeavor, Tang teaches, wherein the time delay from the MAC CE operation comprises a time for performing Hybrid Automatic repeat request (HARQ) THARQ plus a time for processing the MAC CE (Tang [20], [22]-[24], teaches time delay for MAC CE operation comprises THARQ and MAC CE processing time).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-Z and AI and Cui to include the features as taught by Tang above in order that secondary cells can be activated or deactivated dynamically to adapt to data bursts between the device and the base station to achieve high data throughput (Tang [0004]).
Claims 3, 10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, as applied to the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15 above, and further in view of KIM; Young-Bum et al US 20140086127 A1, hereinafter Kim, and yet further in view of Xiao; Jiehua et al US 20220174686 A1, hereinafter Xiao.
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, teaches the methods/UE, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
NPL-Z and AI and Cui do not expressly teach, wherein the information for adding the SCell comprises bandwidth part (BWP) configuration information, data channel configuration information, and a list of candidate TCI states for the SCell addition.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kim teaches, wherein the information for adding the SCell comprises bandwidth part (BWP) configuration information (Kim [72] “… Scell addition may include downlink CC bandwidth information of the Scell, … downlink and uplink data transmission related information of the Scell.”, teaches SCell-addition information comprises BW information (=BWP config information) and data transmission related information (=data channel config 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 modify the invention of NPL-Z and AI and Cui to include the features as taught by Kim above in order to provide a method for using a plurality of cells in a communication system supporting carrier aggregation between different evolved Node Bs (eNBs) (Kim [0003]).
NPL-Z and AI and Cui and Kim do not expressly teach, wherein the information for adding the SCell comprises … a list of candidate TCI states for the SCell addition.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Xiao teaches, wherein the information for adding the SCell comprises … a list of candidate TCI states for the SCell addition (Xiao [158]-[160], [164], teaches SCell activation information comprises “a resource set TCI state” (= a list of TCI state). “Candidate TCI state” is interpreted as a TCI state used in the SCell operation.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-Z and AI and Cui and Kim to include the features as taught by Xiao above in order to provide a method to avoid activation delay of the secondary cell and utilization of the air interface resource (Xiao [0007]).
Claims 4, 11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, as applied to the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15 above, and further in view of WANG; Xiaona et al US 20210329546 A1, hereinafter Wang.
Regarding claims 4, 11 and 18, NPL-Z, in view of AI and Cui, teaches the methods/UE, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15.
NPL-Z and AI and Cui do not expressly teach, however, in the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, wherein the information for activating the SCell comprises a subset of candidate TCI states for the SCell activation (Wang [99] “The one or more activated TCI states are a subset of the TCI state list…”, [181] “…TCI state corresponding to TCI state ID 0 in the TCI state list…”, teaches SCell activation includes a TCI state that part (=subset) of a TCI list).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of NPL-Z and AI and Cui to include the features as taught by Wang above in order to reduce the activation delay of the secondary cell and improve communication quality and reliability (Wang [0006]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Leng, U.S. Publication No. US 20230247492 A1 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONAL PSCELL ADDITION AND CHANGE para [108, [116], [118].
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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/MAHBUBUL BAR CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475