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 .
Applicant’s RCE filed 12/23/25 is acknowledged.
Claim 1-16 have been amended.
Claims 1-16 are pending.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 12/23/25 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/3/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 10-13 of the remarks, in regard to the independent claims, the Applicant disagrees with the rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ling et al. US 20230156626 (hereinafter “Ling”) in view of Gao et al. US 20230077264 (hereinafter “Gao”) and in further view of Jiang et al. US 20220369247 (hereinafter “Jiang”)
Specifically, the Applicant remarks:
Ling does not teach a repetition with a structure in which two power control sets are activated via MAC-CE
Gao never discloses that MAC-CE based simultaneous activation of first and second power control sets are identified for a multiple-TRP repetition in a single beam environment of FR1
Jiang does not disclose the concept of mapping and activating two different power control sets to the same PUCCH resource for multiple TRP PUCCH repetitions
All three references never disclose that the RRC message provides, together with the configuration of power control parameter sets, a maximum number of sets thereof that regulate subsequent update operations performed based on a MAC-CE
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Regarding (1), the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach receiving a MAC-CE for updating multiple power control sets for PUCCH repetition. Ling does not explicitly teach this specific limitation which is why the Examiner included the Gao and Liang reference in the rejection. Gao specifically teaches receiving MAC-CE for updating a power control set for multiple TRP PUCCH repetition as mention in [0054] and [0057]. Jiang specifically teaches activating multiple power control sets via MAC-CE as mentioned in [0070-0071] and [0073]. Therefore, the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach this limitation.
Regarding (2), the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach MAC-CE based simultaneous activation of first and second power control sets for multiple TRP repetition in a single beam environment FR1. Ling specifically teaches configuring multiple power control sets for multiple-TRP repetition in FR1 as mentioned in [0054]. Gao specifically teaches receiving MAC-CE for updating a power control set for multiple TRP PUCCH repetition as mention in [0054] and [0057]. Jiang specifically teaches activating multiple power control sets via MAC-CE as mentioned in [0070-0071] and [0073]. Therefore, the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach this limitation.
Regarding (3), the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach mapping and activating two power control sets to the same PUCCH resource for multiple TRP PUCCH repetitions. Ling specifically teaches configuring multiple power control sets for multiple-TRP repetition in FR1 as mentioned in [0054]. Gao specifically teaches receiving MAC-CE for updating a power control set for multiple TRP PUCCH repetition as mention in [0054] and [0057]. Jiang specifically teaches mapping and activating two power control sets to the same PUCCH resource as mentioned in [0072]. Therefore, the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach this limitation.
Regarding (4), the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach RRC message providing a maximum number of sets that regulate subsequent updates based on MAC-CE. Ling teaches RRC message providing a maximum number of sets as mentioned in [0070] and [0073]. Both Gao and Jiang teach updating power control parameters using MAC-CE as mentioned above. Therefore, the combination of Ling, Gao, and Jiang teach this limitation.
On page 13 of the remarks, in regard to the dependent claims, the Applicant states that the claims are allowable at least due to the deficiencies of the ground of rejection applied to the independent claims.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
The Examiner kindly refer the Applicant to the reasoning pertaining to the independent claims, detailed above.
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 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) 1-2, 5-6, 9-10, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ling et al. US 20230156626 (hereinafter “Ling”) in view of Gao et al. US 20230077264 (hereinafter “Gao”) and in further view of Jiang et al. US 20220369247 (hereinafter “Jiang”)
As to claim 1 and 9 (claim 1 is the method claim for the UE in claim 9):
Ling discloses:
A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: (“The method may be implemented by a UE (e.g., UE 104 as illustrated and shown in FIG. 1)”, Ling [0038])
receiving, from a base station, a radio resource control (RRC) message including first information configuring one or more power control sets for a repetition of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) transmission in a frequency range 1 (FR 1) (“Considering that a PUCCH repetition with one or more beams or multiple TRPs may be supported both in FR1 (low carrier frequency range) and FR2 (high carrier frequency range) and one PUCCH transmission will not be configured with spatial relation information especially in FR1”, Ling [0049]) (“For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, if a UE is configured by RRC to maintain M (M>=1) closed power control loops for a PUCCH transmission with one or more beams, and if the UE is configured by RRC signaling to transmit a PUCCH transmission repeatedly in multiple slots, 2 M bits are included in the TPC command field for PUCCH transmission in DCI format 1_0/1_1.”, Ling [0054]), second information associated with a maximum number of the one or more power control sets, (“For example, in these embodiments, if UE is configured to maintain M (M>=1) closed loops, 2 M bits are included in the TPC command field for PUCCH transmission in DCI format 1_0/1_1. The first 2 bits within the 2 M bits correspond to the closed power control loop index 0, the second 2 bits within the 2 M bits corresponds to the closed power control loop index 1, and the third 2 bits within the 2 M bits (if any) corresponds to the closed power control loop index 2 (if any), and so on. These embodiments assume that M equals to the number of TRPs receiving the PUCCH transmission with multiple PUCCH repetitions.”, Ling [0070]) (“In these embodiments, the number of predefined p0-PUCCH indexes may be configured as 1 or 2. If there is only 1 predefined p0-PUCCH index configured for the PUCCH transmission, the p0-PUCCH in power control parameter set 0 is same as those in the p0-PUCCH in power control parameter set 1.”, Ling [0073]) (Examiner’s Note: the number of predefined index set the number of different power control parameter sets which maps to “maximum number of the one or more power control sets”) and third information configuring one or more PUCCH resources; (“For example, in some embodiments of the present disclosure, if a UE is configured by RRC to maintain M (M>=1) closed power control loops for a PUCCH transmission with one or more beams, and if the UE is configured by RRC signaling to transmit a PUCCH transmission repeatedly in multiple slots, 2 M bits are included in the TPC command field for PUCCH transmission in DCI format 1_0/1_1.”, Ling [0054])
and wherein the first power control set and the second power control set are activated for multiple TRPs: (“Some embodiments of the present disclosure refer to a case in which there are 2 TRPs receiving the PUCCH transmission with repetition. In these embodiments, two predefined PUCCH power control parameter sets are configured for a PUCCH transmission with repetition. A PUCCH power control parameter set includes a p0-PUCCH identifier, a pathloss reference RS identifier, and a closed loop index value, the closed loop index value is associated with a TPC command with 2 bit in a TPC command field of a DCI format 1_0/1_1 or a TPC command with 2 bit in a DCI format 2_2.”, Ling [0071])
and transmitting, to the base station, a PUCCH on the PUCCH resource that is activated with the power control set. (“In step 504, the BS receives each PUCCH repetition of the plurality of PUCCH repetitions in a time interval of a plurality of time intervals. The power for each PUCCH repetition may be determined according to the configuration information and a mapping relationship between the each PUCCH repetition and a power control parameter set of the plurality of power control parameter sets.”, Ling [0085])
Ling as described above does not explicitly teach:
receiving, from the base station, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) for updating a power control set for a multiple transmission reception point (TRP) PUCCH repetition,
wherein the MAC CE includes an identifier (ID) of a PUCCH resource, an ID of a first power control set among the one or more power control sets, and an ID of a second power control set among the one or more power control sets
wherein the ID of the first power control set and the ID of the second power control set correspond to the ID of the PUCCH resource,
However, Gao further teaches updating power control set using MAC-CE which includes:
receiving, from the base station, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (“Based on the DL(UL) beam management measurements performed by the UE(gNB), the gNB selects one of the RS IDs from the list of configured ones in PUCCH_SpatialRelationInfo. The selected spatial relation is then activated via a MAC-CE message signaled to the UE for a given PUCCH resource. The UE then uses the signaled spatial relation for the purposes of adjusting the Tx spatial filtering configuration for the transmission on that PUCCH resource.”, Gao [0054]) for updating a power control set for a multiple transmission reception point (TRP) PUCCH repetition, (“FIG. 9 illustrates PUCCH enhancement with multiple Transmission and Reception Points (TRPs) by repeating a PUCCH towards to different TRPs;”, Gao [0104]) (“The MAC CE for activation/deactivation for PUCCH spatial relation is shown in FIG. 8. The MAC-CE message contains (1) the ID of the PUCCH resource, and (2) an indicator of which of the 8 configured spatial relations in PUCCH_SpatialRelationInfo is selected (given by the 8 bits S.sub.0, S.sub.1, S.sub.2, . . . , S.sub.7). The MAC CE also includes the Serving”, Gao [0055]) (“In addition to proving the spatial relation for PUCCH, each PUCCH_SpatialRelationInfo (as shown below) also provides some PUCCH power control parameters including a Reference RS ID (i.e., pucch-PathlossReferenceRS-Id) for path loss estimation, p0-PUCCH-Id for open loop power control , and closedLoopIndex for closed loop power control. The pucch-PathlossReferenceRS can be either a CSI-RS or SSB.”, Gao [0057])
Ling and Gao are analogous because they both pertain to updating power control parameters for PUCCH.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include updating power control set using MAC-CE as described in Gao into Ling. By modifying the method to include updating power control set using MAC-CE as taught by Gao, the benefits of improved reliability (Gao [0130] and Ling [0036]) are achieved.
The combination of Gao and Ling as described above does not explicitly teach:
wherein the MAC CE includes an identifier (ID) of a PUCCH resource, an ID of a first power control set among the one or more power control sets, and an ID of a second power control set among the one or more power control sets
wherein the ID of the first power control set and the ID of the second power control set correspond to the ID of the PUCCH resource,
However, Jiang further teaches MAC-CE that indicates PUCCH resource ID and power control identification which includes:
wherein the MAC CE includes an identifier (ID) of a PUCCH resource, an ID of a first power control set among the one or more power control sets, and an ID of a second power control set among the one or more power control sets (“The RRC signaling or MAC CE can include 3 states (value 0, 1 and 2) to indicate the first candidate group of power control parameters (as in the first case), the second candidate group of power control parameters (as in the second case), or both (as in the third case) respectively.”, Jiang [0073]) (“Under the first case, the PUCCH resource may be linked with the first candidate group of power control parameters. Specifically, the PUCCH resource power control may be based on {a PUCCH pathloss reference RS Id=0, p0 Id=0, closed loop index=0}. This may be a single beam transmission. The transmit power of all occasions and frequency hops of this PUCCH resource indicated by a scheduling grant (a DCI or configured grant) may be the same.”, Jiang [0070]) (“Under the second case, the PUCCH resource may be linked with the second candidate group of power control parameters. Specifically, the PUCCH resource power control may be based on {a PUCCH pathloss reference RS Id=1, p0 Id=1, closed loop index=1}. This also may be single beam transmission. The transmit power of all occasions and frequency hops of this PUCCH resource indicated by a scheduling grant (a DCI or configured grant) may be the same”, Jiang [0071])
wherein the ID of the first power control set and the ID of the second power control set correspond to the ID of the PUCCH resource, (“Under the first case, the PUCCH resource may be linked with the first candidate group of power control parameters. Specifically, the PUCCH resource power control may be based on {a PUCCH pathloss reference RS Id=0, p0 Id=0, closed loop index=0}. This may be a single beam transmission. The transmit power of all occasions and frequency hops of this PUCCH resource indicated by a scheduling grant (a DCI or configured grant) may be the same.”, Jiang [0070]) (“Under the second case, the PUCCH resource may be linked with the second candidate group of power control parameters. Specifically, the PUCCH resource power control may be based on {a PUCCH pathloss reference RS Id=1, p0 Id=1, closed loop index=1}. This also may be single beam transmission. The transmit power of all occasions and frequency hops of this PUCCH resource indicated by a scheduling grant (a DCI or configured grant) may be the same”, Jiang [0071]) (“Under the third case, the PUCCH resource may be linked with both the first and the second candidate groups of power control parameters. This may be a multi-beam transmission. All occasions and frequency hops of this PUCCH resource indicated by a scheduling grant (a DCI or configured grant) may be divided into two parts corresponding to the first and the second candidate groups of power control parameters respectively. The first part of PUCCH occasions and frequency hops may be based on {a PUCCH pathloss reference RS Id=0, p0 Id=0, closed loop index=0} and the second part of PUCCH occasions and frequency hops may be based on {a PUCCH pathloss reference RS Id=1, p0 Id=1, closed loop index=1}”, Jiang [0072])
Ling, Jiang, and Gao are analogous because they both pertain to updating power control parameters for PUCCH.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include MAC-CE that indicates PUCCH resource ID and power control identification as described in Jiang into Ling as modified by Gao. By modifying the method to include MAC-CE that indicates PUCCH resource ID and power control identification as taught by Jiang, the benefits of improved reliability (Gao [0130] and Ling [0036]) and improved power controlling scheme (Jiang [0085]) are achieved.
As to claim 2 and 10 (claim 2 is the method claim for the UE in claim 10):
Ling discloses:
The method of claim 1, wherein the first information configuring the one or more power control sets includes at least one of an ID of a reference signal for estimating a PUCCH path loss, a value of transmission power (PO) of the UE, or an index of a closed loop for a power control of the PUCCH transmission. (“If the UE is provided pathlossReferenceRSs and is not provided PUCCH-SpatialRelationlnfo, the UE obtains the referenceSignal value in PUCCH-PathlossReferenceRS from the pucch-PathlossReferenceRS-Id with index 0 in PUCCH-PathlossReferenceRS where the RS resource is either on a same serving cell or, if provided, on a serving cell indicated by a value of pathlossReferenceLinking.”, Ling [0034])
As to claim 5 and 13 (claim 5 is the method claim for the base station in claim 13):
Claim 5 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the base station.
As to claim 6 and 14 (claim 6 is the method claim for the base station in claim 14):
Claim 6 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2 from the perspective of the base station.
Claim(s) 3, 7, 11, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ling in view of Gao and Jiang, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Chen et al. US 20240267901 (hereinafter “Chen”)
As to claim 3 and 11 (claim 3 is the method claim for the UE in claim 11):
The combination of Gao, Jiang, and Ling as described above does not explicitly teach:
The method of claim 1, wherein the RRC message further includes fourth information configuring a PUCCH resource group, and wherein, in case that the ID of the PUCCH resource is included in the PUCCH resource group, the first power control set and the second power control set are associated with all of PUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource group.
However, Chen further teaches RRC message that includes information on a PUCCH resource group which includes:
The method of claim 1, wherein the RRC message further includes fourth information configuring a PUCCH resource group, and wherein, in case that the ID of the PUCCH resource is included in the PUCCH resource group, the first power control set and the second power control set are associated with all of PUCCH resources in the PUCCH resource group.(“The base station may use RRC signaling to configure spatial relation information for a group of PUCCH resources (e.g., via PUCCH-ResourceGroup-r16). The IE PUCCH-ResourceGroup-r16 may include a PUCCH group ID (PUCCH-ResourceGroupId-r16) and a list of PUCCH resources (e.g., up to 16 indicated by resourcePerGroupList-r16). The base station may use a MAC CE to update (and effectively activate or deactivate) the group of PUCCH resources. The update of one PUCCH resource in the group of PUCCH resources indicates that all PUCCH resources in the group of PUCCH resources are to be updated.”, Chen [0068]) (“According to various aspects described herein, a base station may use a MAC CE (e.g., enhanced MAC CE) that is originally intended for FR2 to update power control parameters in FR1. The MAC CE for FR2 indicates both spatial settings and power control parameters and thus the UE, when updating power control parameters for FR1, may ignore or refrain from using the spatial settings in the MAC CE. That is, for a single TRP (sTRP) PUCCH, the base station may use the MAC CE to activate, deactivate, or update a set of power control parameters (in FR1) of the UE spatial relation configuration for an identified PUCCH resource (PUCCH resource ID) or for all PUCCH resources in a PUCCH resource group to which the identified PUCCH resource belongs. The UE may reuse the power control parameters (e.g., pucch-PathlossReferenceRS-Id, pucch-PathlossReferenceRS-Id. P0-PUCCH-Id) associated with a PUCCH-SpatialRelationInfold identified in the MAC CE for FR2 and not use the spatial settings (referenceSignal) associated with the PUCCH-SpatialRelationInfoId. By using the existing (enhanced) MAC CE structure that is designed for FR2 (for updating spatial relations) for updating transmit power control parameters for FR1 (where spatial relations are not updated), the base station 110 and the UE 120 may conserve processing resources and signaling resources that would otherwise be consumed for additional MAC CE structure complexity (e.g., having to process separate MAC CE for FR1 transmit control parameters). Furthermore, by indicating whether the MAC CE applies to a single PUCCH resource or to a whole group of PUCCH resources, the base station 110 and the UE 120 may conserve processing resources and signaling resources by not sending multiple MAC CEs or by not updating more PUCCH resources than necessary.”, Chen [0075])
Ling, Jiang, Chen, and Gao are analogous because they both pertain to updating power control parameters for PUCCH.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include RRC message that includes information on a PUCCH resource group as described in Chen into Ling as modified by Gao and Jiang. By modifying the method to include RRC message that includes information on a PUCCH resource group as taught by Chen, the benefits of improved reliability (Gao [0130] and Ling [0036]) and improved power controlling scheme (Jiang [0085] and Chen [0075]) are achieved.
As to claim 7 and 15 (claim 7 is the method claim for the base station in claim 15):
Claim 7 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3 from the perspective of the base station.
Claim(s) 4, 8, 12, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ling in view of Gao and Jiang, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Matsumura et al. US 20230276447 (hereinafter “Matsumura”)
As to claim 4 and 12 (claim 4 is the method claim for the UE in claim 12):
The combination of Gao, Jiang, and Ling as described above does not explicitly teach:
The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, to the base station, UE capability information indicating whether the UE supports the repetition of the PUCCH transmission via the multiple TRPs in the FR 1.
However, Matsumura further teaches UE informing the base station that it supports repetition of PUCCH transmission via TRPs which includes:
The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, to the base station, UE capability information indicating whether the UE supports the repetition of the PUCCH transmission via the multiple TRPs in the FR 1 (“The UE may support subslot-based PUCCH repetition using at least one of indication of a plurality of PUCCH resources (for a plurality of TRPs) and a plurality of spatial relations per PUCCH resource, and may report capability information regarding this support to the network.”, Matsumura [0102]) (“Each CC may be included in at least one of a frequency range 1 (FR1) or a second frequency range 2 (FR2). The macro cell C1 may be included in FR1, and the small cell C2 may be included in FR2. For example, FR1 may be a frequency range of 6 GHz or less (sub-6 GHz), and FR2 may be a frequency range higher than 24 GHz (above-24 GHz). Note that the frequency bands, definitions, and the like of the FR1 and FR2 are not limited thereto, and, for example, the FR1 may correspond to a frequency band higher than the FR2.”, Matsumara [0136])
Ling, Jiang, Gao, and Matsumura are analogous because they both pertain to supporting repetition of PUCCH transmission.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include UE informing the base station that it supports repetition of PUCCH transmission via TRPs as described in Matsumura into Ling as modified by Jiang and Gao. By modifying the method to include UE informing the base station that it supports repetition of PUCCH transmission via TRPs as taught by Matsumura, the benefits of improved reliability (Gao [0130], Matsumura [0006], and Ling [0003]) and improved power controlling scheme (Jiang [0085]) are achieved.
As to claim 8 and 16 (claim 8 is the method claim for the base station in claim 16):
Claim 8 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 4 from the perspective of the base station.
Conclusion
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/A.C.K./
Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471