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 .
Claims 1, 3-4, 21-28, and 30-36 are pending.
Claims 2, 5-20, and 29 have been cancelled.
Response to Amendment
In response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 12/17/2025, the objections of claims 23 and 34 have been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/17/2025 have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, (pages 6-8), that the combination of HUANG and Guo fails to teach or suggest activation signaling comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner submits that the combination HUANG and Guo discloses activation signaling comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling.
HUANG discloses activation signaling ([0057, 0068, 0080]).
It is disclosed in paragraphs ([0057, 0068, 0080]) in HUANG as follows:
[0057] The base station configures the BFD-RS to the terminal through a signaling. In addition to a reference signal ID in configuration parameters of the configuration, the configuration parameters may also include a reference signal type (e.g., SSB or CSI-RS) and/or a transmission power and/or a resource indication of a reference signal and/or a reference signal resource.
[0068] The BFD-RS set of one SCell is the sum of BFD-RSs associated with the SCell in the BFD-RSs configured by the base station for the terminal through a signaling and reference signals with the QCL type being the QCL-TypeD in the TCI state of the CORESET corresponding to the SCell. In this configuration manner, beams in which whether a beam failure occurs is monitored include candidate beams that can be used by a current PDCCH, and the base station may further configure the terminal to monitor more beam directions.
[0080] If the beam-failure-monitoring association relationship indicates, for the Cell, the reference signal used when performing the beam failure monitoring, then the number of reference signals used when performing the beam failure monitoring for each Cell may be one or more (i.e., at least two). In this manner, optionally, the base station may send a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell.
Guo discloses comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling ([0140, 0353]).
It is disclosed in paragraphs ([0140, 0353]) in Guo as follows:
[0140] Otherwise, (or If the bit size of beam report payload is larger than that can be accommodated in a single PUCCH reporting instance), the UE can report only a subset of the beam report with N selected CRIs or SSBRIs and their corresponding N L1-RSRP and differential L1-RSRP. The subset the UE can report can be: Alt#1, the M CRIs or SSBRIs of N CRIs or SSBRIs with the largest L1-RSRP. M can be the largest number of that the bit size of report with M CRIs or SSBRIs and M L1-RSRP/differential L1-RSRP is no more than that can be accommodated in a single PUCCH reporting instance; Alt#2, the subset (M out of N) is reported by the UE, The UE can also report which subset is reported. In one example, an additional signaling with[log.sub.2(.sub.M.sup.N)] bits can be signaled from the UE to indicate which subset is reported; and Alt 3, the subset is configured to the UE, for example, via higher layer (RRC) or more dynamic MAC CE based or DCI based signaling.
[0353] After sending PRACH transmission for beam failure recovery request, the UE would begin to monitor search space for beam failure recovery to detect the gNB's response. If the UE receives gNB's response successfully in search space for beam failure recovery, the UE would continue to monitor PDCCH n search space for beam failure recovery until the UE receives a MAC CE activation for a TCI state or higher layer parameter TCIStatesPDCCH-ToAddlist and/or TCIStatesPDCCH-ToReleaseList, which are used to activate new TCI state or configure/re-configure TCI states for PDCCH.
For the above reasons, the combination of HUANG and Guo discloses activation signaling comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling.
Applicant argues, (pages 6-8), that the combination of HUANG and Guo fails to teach or suggest the UE determines a q0 comprising a list of RSs for beam failure assessment.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner submits that the combination HUANG and Guo discloses the UE determines a q0 comprising a list of RSs for beam failure assessment.
HUANG discloses comprising a list of RSs for beam failure assessment ([0057, 0068, 0080]).
It is disclosed in paragraph ([0080]) in HUANG as follows:
[0080] If the beam-failure-monitoring association relationship indicates, for the Cell, the reference signal used when performing the beam failure monitoring, then the number of reference signals used when performing the beam failure monitoring for each Cell may be one or more (i.e., at least two). In this manner, optionally, the base station may send a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell.
Guo discloses the UE determines a q0 ([0288]).
It is disclosed in paragraph ([0288]) in Guo as follows:
[0288] In one embodiment, a UE can be configured, for a serving cell, with a set q.sub.0 of periodic CSI-RS resource configuration indexes by higher layer parameter Beam-Failure-Detection-RS-ResourceConfig and with a set q.sub.1 of CSI-RS resource configuration indexes and/or SS/PBCH block indexes by higher layer parameter Candidate-Beam-RS-List for radio link quality measurements on the serving cell. If the UE is not provided with higher layer parameter Beam-Failure-Detection-RS-ResourceConfig, the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations with same values for higher layer parameter TCI-StatesPDCCH as for control resource sets that the UE is configured for monitoring PDCCH.
For the above reasons, the combination of HUANG and Guo discloses the UE determines a q0 comprising a list of RSs for beam failure assessment.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
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 1, 3-4, 21-28, and 30-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG et al. (Pub. No.: US 20220131591 A1), hereinafter HUANG, in view of Guo et al. (Pub. No.: US 20190190582 A1), hereinafter Guo.
With respect to claim 1, HUANG teaches A method comprising:
receiving, by a wireless communication device from a wireless communication node, a first activation signaling that includes a first information ([0057, 0068, 0080], receiving, by a wireless communication device/ terminal from a wireless communication node/ base station, the base station may send a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell); and
according to the first information ([0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell),
comprises a list of reference signals (RSs) for beam failure assessment ([0057, 0068, 0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell).
HUANG does not explicitly teach comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises.
However, Guo teaches comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling ([0140, 0353], UE receives a MAC CE activation), determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0 ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ), and wherein the q0 comprises ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 3, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 1. HUANG teaches wherein the first information includes an indication of a first RS ([0051]).
With respect to claim 4, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 3. HUANG teaches wherein the first RS comprises: a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) ([0051]).
With respect to claim 21, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 1. HUANG does not explicitly teach wherein the q0 is associated with a first index, and the value of the first index corresponds to 0 or another defined value.
However, Guo teaches wherein the q0 is associated with a first index, and the value of the first index corresponds to 0 or another defined value ([0211, 0288],).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, wherein the q0 is associated with a first index, and the value of the first index corresponds to 0 or another defined value, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 22, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 21. HUANG teaches wherein the first information indicates a set of one or more downlink (DL) RSs ([0068, 0080]).
HUANG does not explicitly teach corresponding to the first index. However, Guo teaches corresponding to the first index ([0211, 0288],).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, corresponding to the first index, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo,
With respect to claim 23, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 21. HUANG teaches comprises the set of one or more DL RSs ([0068, 0080]).
HUANG does not explicitly teach the q0. However, Guo teaches the q0 ([0288]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, the q0, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 24, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 21.
HUANG does not explicitly teach the q0 is applied to a TRP determined according to the first index value corresponding to the q0. However, Guo teaches the q0 is applied to a TRP determined according to the first index value corresponding to the q0 ([0288]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, the q0 is applied to a TRP determined according to the first index value corresponding to the q0, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 25, the combination of HUANG and Guo teaches the method of claim 21.
HUANG does not explicitly teach wherein the q0 comprises two qOs corresponding to a first index with value 0 and a first index with value 1 respectively. However, Guo teaches the wherein the q0 comprises two qOs corresponding to a first index with value 0 and a first index with value 1 respectively ([0289]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, wherein the q0 comprises two qOs corresponding to a first index with value 0 and a first index with value 1 respectively, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 26, HUANG teaches A wireless communication device comprising:
at least one processor configured to ([0211], processor):
receive, via a receiver from a wireless communication node, a first activation signaling that includes a first information ([0057, 0068, 0080], receiving, by a wireless communication device/ terminal from a wireless communication node/ base station, the base station may send a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell); and
according to the first information ([0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell),
comprises a list of reference signals (RSs) for beam failure assessment ([0057, 0068, 0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell).
HUANG does not explicitly teach comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises.
However, Guo teaches comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling ([0140, 0353], UE receives a MAC CE activation), determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0 ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ), and wherein the q0 comprises ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 27, HUANG teaches A wireless communication node comprising:
at least one processor configured to ([0232], processor):
transmit, via a transmitter to a wireless communication device, a first activation signaling that includes a first information ([0057, 0068, 0080], receiving, by a wireless communication device/ terminal from a wireless communication node/ base station, the base station may send a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell); and
according to the first information ([0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell),
comprises a list of reference signals (RSs) for beam failure assessment ([0057, 0068, 0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell).
HUANG does not explicitly teach comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises.
However, Guo teaches comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling ([0140, 0353], UE receives a MAC CE activation), determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0 ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ), and wherein the q0 comprises ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 28, HUANG teaches A method comprising:
transmitting, by a wireless communication node to a wireless communication device, a first activation signaling that includes a first information ([0057, 0068, 0080], receiving, by a wireless communication device/ terminal from a wireless communication node/ base station, the base station may send a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell); and
according to the first information ([0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell),
comprises a list of reference signals (RSs) for beam failure assessment ([0057, 0068, 0080], a beam-failure-monitoring reference signal list for a cell, and all reference signals in the list are reference signals used for performing the beam failure monitoring for the Cell).
HUANG does not explicitly teach comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises.
However, Guo teaches comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling ([0140, 0353], UE receives a MAC CE activation), determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0 ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ), and wherein the q0 comprises ([0288], the UE determines q.sub.0 to include SS/PBCH blocks and periodic CSI-RS configurations ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Guo, comprising a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, determining, by the wireless communication device, at least a q0, and wherein the q0 comprises, into the teachings of HUANG, in order to provide beam reporting scheme in an advanced wireless communication system (Guo, [0003]).
With respect to claim 30, this claim recites the method of claim 3, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 31, this claim recites the method of claim 4, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 32, this claim recites the method of claim 21, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 33, this claim recites the method of claim 22, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 34, this claim recites the method of claim 23, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 35, this claim recites the method of claim 24, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 36, this claim recites the method of claim 25, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIET TANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7193. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00.
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, IAN MOORE can be reached on (571) 272-3085. 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.
/KIET TANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
Prosecution Insights