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 Amendment to the claims filed on 01/28/2026 complies with the requirements of 37 CFR 1.121(c) and has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's Arguments/Remarks filed 01/28/2026 (Resp.) have been fully considered hereinafter.
Applicant’s main argument seems to be that neither Rahman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0272685 (hereinafter Rahman) nor 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #104-e, R1-2100588, Agenda Item: 8.1.1, Title: "Enhancement on multi-beam operation," Source: MediaTek Inc, February 2021, (hereinafter 3GPP R1-2100588) discloses the UE receiving by some signaling “a parameter or a mode, never mind such a parameter to set the wireless communication device to operate a mode of a plurality of modes” – See Resp., at page 9; see also id., at page 10, arguing the same (“Rahman and R1- 2100588 fail to combine to teach or suggest receipt of a parameter to set the wireless communication device to operate in a mode of a plurality of modes”)
The plain meaning of the claimed “condition”, “mode”, and “parameter”, as understood by one of ordinary skills in the art, comprises a sheer number of examples from the technical specifications known in the art. Because these terms are to be interpreted in light of the Specification, we look first at the set disclosed therein. The UE determined conditions indicated in the Specification are: (1) the UE is not provided with a TCI state pool in a serving CC; (2) the TCI state ID(s) configured by a RRC or MAC-CE signaling may not be defined/found in a TCI state pool in a serving CC; and (3) the UE is configured by a RRC signaling with a first parameter to determine a TCI state applied for a signal in a serving CC according to a TCI state pool in a reference CC indicated by an index – See [¶¶0053-55]. In addition, a second parameter indicates to the UE two modes for determining the TCI state for a serving CC: (1) according to a TCI state pool in the serving CC; and (2) according to a TCI state pool in the reference CC – See [¶0056]. However, the Specification fails to explain the nature of the first and second parameters and why there is need for both of them to indicate to the UE basically the same thing: to determine a TCI state applied for a signal in a serving CC according to a TCI state pool in a reference CC. In sum, the distinguishable condition here is that the UE does not have/find a TCI state and/or TCI state pool and the UE must assume or determine one through other means, e.g., from a reference CC, whereby “the reference CC is the CC with the lowest or highest index (e.g., cell index) in the CC group” or “can be the CC that is configured with a TCI state pool in the CC group” – See [¶0052], i.e., condition (3) and mode (2) supra. That is because mode (1) supra inherently eliminates/invalidates all enumerated conditions. Applicant could have simplified the independent claim language to recite the distinguishing combination.
Second, the argument that “Rahman and R1- 2100588 fail to combine to teach or suggest receipt of a parameter to set the wireless communication device to operate in a mode of a plurality of modes” is unpersuasive in view of the broadness of the term “parameter” and Rahman’s inclusion of at least 3GPP TS 38.331 V16.4.1 (2021-03), “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification (Release 16)” (hereinafter 3GPP TS 38.331); 3GPP TS 38.321 V16.4.0 (2021-03), “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (Release 16)” (hereinafter 3GPP TS 38.321) and 3GPP TS 38.214 v16.5.0 (2021-03), "NR, Physical Layer Procedures for Data (Release 16)” (hereinafter 3GPP TS 38.214), at the time of the effective filing date of the present application, and further updated for Rel-17 – See [¶0040]. For example, 3GPP TS 38.331:397-399 specifies the case of cross-carrier scheduling whereby the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig Information Element (IE) used to specify the UE configuration when the cross-carrier scheduling is used in a cell, containing parameters enableDefaultBeamForCCS (“This field indicates whether default beam selection for cross-carrier scheduled PDSCH is enabled, see TS 38.214 [19]. If not present, the default beam selection behaviour is not applied”), other (“Parameters for cross-carrier scheduling, i.e., a serving cell is scheduled by a PDCCH on another (scheduling) cell. The network configures this field only for SCells”), or own (“Parameters for self-scheduling, i.e., a serving cell is scheduled by its own PDCCH”) and schedulingCellId (“Indicates which cell signals the downlink allocations and uplink grants, if applicable, for the concerned SCell”), i.e., for a UE configured with multiple carriers, enableDefaultBeamForCCS is a parameter indicating whether a common TCI state exists across all carriers (e.g., as specified in 3GPP TS 38.214:60, “if the UE is configured with enableDefaultBeamForCCS and when receiving the aperiodic CSI-RS, the UE applies the QCL assumption of the lowest-ID activated TCI state applicable to the PDSCH within the active BWP of the cell in which the CSI-RS is to be received”), i.e., whether a condition supra is met, and other combined with schedulingCellId is a parameter indicating whether TCI state signalling is received on a different CC, i.e., mode (2) supra. 3GPP TS 38.331 defines other cases wherein a UE is configured with multiple CCs, e.g., parameters configured through ServingCellConfig IE used to configure the UE with a serving cell, which may be the SpCell or an SCell – See 3GPP TS 38.331:611-617; see also TCI-State IE at pages 654-655, defining for each QCL parameter “cell” as “UE's serving cell in which the referenceSignal is configured. If the field is absent, it applies to the serving cell in which the TCI-State is configured. The RS can be located on a serving cell other than the serving cell in which the TCI-State is configured only if the qcl-Type is configured as typeC or typeD. See TS 38.214 [19] clause 5.1.5”; ControlResourceSet IE, at page 394-397, identifies the control resource set within a serving cell, and specifies tci-PresentInDCI (“indicates if TCI field is present or absent in DCI format 1_1. When the field is absent the UE considers the TCI to be absent/disabled. In case of cross carrier scheduling, the network sets this field to enabled for the ControlResourceSet used for cross carrier scheduling in the scheduling cell if enableDefaultBeamForCCS is not configured (see TS 38.214 [19], clause 5.1.5)”). While 3GPP technical specifications do not define a “reference CC” where to look for a TCI state pool, a CC is specifically indicated in cross-carrier configuration for receiving a DCI activating a TCI codepoint for the present serving cell in a purported mode (2) as defined by the present Specification and 3GPP R1-2100588 gives an example of a reference CC.
Therefore, Applicant’s arguments against Rahman and 3GPP R1-2100588 is unpersuasive. The argument is also moot in view of new grounds of rejection necessitated by the Amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 (b)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Amended Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Amended Claim 17 recites the limitation "communicating, . . . a signal in a first component carrier (CC) according to information associated with the beam state" but “a beam state” has not yet been determined, i.e., the required mode of a plurality of modes is “for determining a beam state” but the step of determining has not yet been executed. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Therefore, Amended Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) for indefiniteness.
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.
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.
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 1-19, as amended, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Rahman et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0272685, provisional application No. 63/149,151, filed on Feb. 12, 2021, and provisional application No. 63/154,366, filed on Feb. 26, 2021 (hereinafter Rahman1), in view of Rahman et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0124893, including provisional applications #63/035,378 filed June 5, 2020 and # 63/091,138, filed October 13, 2020 (hereinafter Rahman2), and further in view of 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #104-e, R1-2100588, Agenda Item: 8.1.1, Title: "Enhancement on multi-beam operation," Source: MediaTek Inc, February 2021, (hereinafter 3GPP R1-2100588).
Regarding Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 teaches a method (“methods and apparatuses to enable dynamic multi-beam operations in a wireless communication system” – See [¶0004]) comprising:
determining, by a wireless communication device, that a defined condition is met (the UE “receiving configuration information including a list of CCs and a set of TCI states” – See [¶0007], whereby “[a] set of hypotheses or the so-called TCI states is configured via higher-layer (RRC) signaling and, when applicable, a subset of those TCI states is selected/activated via MAC CE for the TCI field code points” in a DCI – See [¶0105], and “a TCI state ID indication is CC-specific (per CC) for a CC” or “TCI state ID indication is common (a single/same RS is indicated via the TCI state ID) across multiple CCs” – See [¶0202], i.e., “the UE is configured with a higher layer IE TCI-state that indicates a combination of quasi co-location types, QCL-type A and QCL-type D” to look for the source reference signals (RS) to orient its Rx/Tx beams– See [¶0164] whereby “the location of the QCL-type A source RS is determined based on . . . the CC ID, and the RS ID” – See [¶0171] and “[f]or QCL-type D, a source RS determined according to the TCI state indicated by a common TCI state ID is used to provide QCL-type D indication across the set of configured CCs” – See [¶0172]; furthermore, in a “unified TCI state1 (beam indication) framework wherein a common beam (or TCI state) is used for (associated with) the transmission/reception of both data (PDSCH/PUSCH) and control (PDCCH/ PUCCH), and also for DL and UL (for example, when beam correspondence holds between DL and UL)” but “the common beam (TCI state) indication/update has to happen prior to (separately from) the transmission/reception of the control information (e.g., DL/UL-related DCI in PDCCH) scheduling a DL assignment for DL data (PDSCH) or an UL grant for UL data (PUSCH)” – See [¶0109], e.g., through RRC or MAC-CE2 – See [¶0105]; furthermore, “the UE is configured with a TCI state pool for the set of K> 1 CCs, e.g., via higher layer signaling, where the TCI state pool . . .” – See [¶0188] “. . . . is a common pool for both source RS for QCL-type A and source RS for QCL-type D” – See [¶¶0189-90] or “the UE is configured with two separate TCI state pools for the set of K> 1 CCs, e.g., via higher layer signaling, where one TCI state pool is for the TCI state indicating the source RS for QCL-type A, and another TCI state pool is for the TCI state indicating the source RS for QCL-type D” – See [¶0192] and each of the “TCI state pools can be configured common across multiple CCs. Or, one or both of the two TCI state pools can be configured separately for each CC” – See [¶0193], e.g., a common “TCI state pool can be configured in the PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config) for each BWP/CC” using “tci-StateToAddModList and tci-StateToReleaseList in PDSCH-Config [that] together determine the TCI state pool, the details of which is illustrated in Table 5 and can be found in TS 38.331” – See [¶0449], except “[f]or [a first] CC/BWP . . . the [common] TCI state pool is absent in the corresponding PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config) for that BWP/CC” – See [¶0450]; i.e., a first condition is met)
Rahman1 teaches receiving, by the wireless communication device via a signaling, a parameter to set the wireless communication device to operate in a mode of a plurality of modes for determining a beam state (“a dynamic, L1-control or DCI based, common beam indication mechanism” may be used in the unified TCI state – See [¶0204], e.g., “a DCI indicating a common beam for data (PDSCH/PUSCH) and control (PDCCH/PUCCH) for both DL and UL” – See [¶0205] whereby, “when the parameter . . . tci-PresentlnDCI is also 'enabled', . . ., the TCI state indication/update applicable for decoding the DL-DCI and/or UL-DCI (in the pertinent PDCCH) is signaled/received in the latest (most recent) DCI while the TCI state indication/update applicable for decoding the assigned DL data in the pertinent PDSCH (associated with the DL assignment in the DL-DCI) is signaled/received in the latest (most recent) DL-DCI” – See [¶0333], and the UE can receives DCI by decoding the PDCCH with the default TCI state configured for the CORESET of the first CC but would not be able to decode a DL/UL DCI sent on a PDCCH with the common beam because the first CC is not configured with the TCI state pool containing that beam activated – See, e.g., 3GPP TS 38.331:611, describing the ServingCellConfig IE, indicating enableDefaultTCI-StatePerCoresetPoolIndex-r16 as “enabled” and, at page 394, describing the ControlResourceSet IE indicating the tci-PresentlnDCI is also 'enabled,' specifically “[i]n case of cross carrier scheduling, the network sets this field to enabled for the ControlResourceSet used for cross carrier scheduling in the scheduling cell if enableDefaultBeamForCCS is not configured (see TS 38.214 [19], clause 5.1.5),”; i.e., the tci-PresentlnDCI indicates a plurality of modes for determining a beam state: when enabled, a DCI can indicate the beam state and when “disabled” a RRC or MAC-CE configuration determines a beam state).
However, Rahman1 does not teach determining, by the wireless communication device responsive to the defined condition being met, a beam state to be applied to a signal in a first component carrier (CC) according to a beam state pool in a second CC and the mode of the plurality of modes indicated by the tci-PresentlnDCI being enabled, e.g., in a cross-carrier configuration case.
Rahman2, like Rahman1, teaches that a “UE is configured with a set (list) of M > 1 CCs (or DL BWPs or cells or UL BWPs), an index i E {0,1, ... , M - l} is used to denote the i-th CC in the set (list) of M > 1 CCs (or DL BWPs or cells or UL BWPs), i.e., the notations CC(i), DCI(i), PDCCH(i), PDSCH(i), TCI state(i), PUCCH(i), PUSCH(i), PRACH(i) etc. are used to denote the relevant terms for the i-th CC” – See [¶0152] and also “configured to receive a dedicated DCI (TCI-DCI) indicating the common beam (TCI state) for all DL and UL channels” – See [¶0149]. Furthermore, Rahman2 teaches among the examples “used for the DCI indicating beams for M CCs” – See [¶0159], examples pertaining to cross-carrier configuration of the UE – See [¶0162], [¶0169], [¶0211] and [¶0217], whereby a UE is configured with CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig Information Element (IE) through RRC – See 3GPP TS 38.331:397-399, indicating the schedulingCellId when a scheduling DCI is received on another CC.
Rahman2 further teaches determining, by the wireless communication device responsive to the defined condition being met (e.g., when the TCI state pool with eth common TCI beam is absent in the corresponding PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config) for the first CC, as taught by Rahman1), the beam state to be applied to a signal in the first component carrier (CC) according to a beam state pool in a second CC and the mode of the plurality of modes (i.e., when the mode when tci-PresentlnDCI is set to “enable,” as taught by Rahman1) (“In one example I.1.2 (of cross-carrier beam indication), the UE is configured to receive a DCI(i) in PDCCH(i) associated with CC(i), wherein the DCI(i) includes an indication about the beam (TCI state) for CC(i2) where i≠i2”and “the DCI(i) may also include an indication about the beam (TCI state) for CC(i)” – See [¶0162] and Fig. 17 A and B, showing the DCI received on CCi scheduling a TCI state for CCi2 from the TCI state pool of CCi, whereby CCi is the schedulingCellId receiving the DCI with the indicated TCI state for CCi2).
Thus, Rahman1 and Rahman2, each teaches a UE configured with multiple CCs whereby each CC may be configured with a list of TCI states (e.g., a TCI state pool) using the PDSCH-Config IE known in the art. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have understood that when the UE is configured for cross-carrier scheduling and tci-PresentlnDCI is set to enable, and a first CC among the multiple CCs is without a TCI state pool containing a common beam scheduled by DCI, as taught by Rahman1, a TCI state for that CC may be scheduled by the DCI received in second CC configured with a TCI pol containing the common beam, as taught by Rahman2, because the tci-PresentlnDCI is enabled and the DCI TCI codepoint is mapped to a TCI state for the first CC3. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the combination through techniques known in the art. Finally, the combination achieves the predictable result of enabling multi-beam operations for multiple CCs with more aggressive use cases which require large number of beams and fast beam switching (e.g., higher frequency bands, high mobility, and/or larger number of narrower analog beams), e.g., using dynamic beam indication via DCI, as taught in both Rahman1 and Rahman2.
Although Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 teaches a common TCI state indicated by DCI in a TCI state pool configured to a set of CCs, and further a beam state to be applied to a signal in a first CC according to a beam state pool in a second CC and the mode of the plurality of modes when a defined condition is met, Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 does not explicitly teach the communicating, by the wireless communication device, the signal according to information associated with the beam state.
Section 2.3.4, 3GPP R1-2100588:13-14 discusses TCI state update stating that “the main purpose to introduce Rel-17 unified TCI framework and DCI-based TCI update instead of using MAC-CE” is “latency reduction” and “Rel-17 unified TCI framework may be used for fast UL panel selection, layer-1/2 inter-cell mobility, or cross-carrier scheduling for intra/inter-band CA,” and further teaches, like Rahman2, TCI update in cross-carrier cases (“since at least DCI format 1_1/1_2 is agreed to support joint or separate DL/UL TCI update, it is possible to use a DCI to achieve cross-carrier joint or separate DL/UL TCI update, i.e. a DCI received in a scheduling CC can be used for TCI state update in a scheduled CC indicated by a carrier indicator field in the DCI. This is especially important for FR1+FR2 CA, where the control channels would be on the FR1 CC due to better reliability and coverage”).
Section 2.3.4, 3GPP R1-2100588:13-14 further teaches the UE communicating the signal according to information associated with the beam state (“In order to align the beam application time in the set of configured CCs, UE should determines the first slot that UE can apply the new TCI state based on a reference CC with the smallest SCS in the set of configured CC”; see also § 2.3.2, explaining how the TCI codepoint in the DCI 1_1/1_2 formats is decoded to one or two activated TCI states and whether they are used for DL/UL/CSI acquisition/SRS transmission).
Thus, Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and 3GPP R1-2100588 each teaches a UE configured for cross-carrier scheduling receiving TCI state update through DCI received in the scheduling CC, e.g., on a common beam configured in a common TCI state pool. A person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have understood that the communication based on the updated TCI state considering the first slot that UE can apply the new TCI state to the scheduled CC based on the smallest SCS in the set of configured CC as reference CC (the scheduling CC) as taught in 3GPP R1-2100588, could have been combined with the method and apparatus for determining the beam state to be applied to a signal in the scheduled CC, as taught in Rahman1 in view of Rahman2, because both consider the case of unified TCI states and cross-carrier configuration of the UE. Furthermore, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been able to carry out the combination through techniques known in the art. Finally, the combination is motivated by advancing technical specifications for FR2 supporting common TCI state ID update and activation to provide common QCL information and/or a common spatial TX filter across a set of configured CCs, beam indication using TCI state associated with non-serving cell RS beam, and application time if cross-carrier joint or separate DL/UL TCI update is supported, as taught in 3GPP R1-2100588, as well as avoiding unnecessary configuration overhead and required UE memory, where the TCI state pool can be configured on a reference CC in the set of configured CCs, as also taught in 3GPP R1-2100588.
Therefore, Amended Claim 1 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 2, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the beam state includes at least one of: a quasi-colocation (QCL) assumption, a spatial relation, or a power control (PC) parameter (a “TCI state ID activates/indicates a TCI state from a TCI state pool” – See [¶0439] and Table 7, whereby the “higher layer IE TCI-state that indicates a combination of quasi co-location types, QCL-type A and QCL-type D, where the type of source RS for QCL-Type A is one of RS 1, RS2, RS3 and the type of the source RS for QCL-Type D is one of RSI through RS6” – See [¶0164] and Table 1, and “for the case of multiple CCs . . . the source RS type has to be different for QCL-type A and QCL-type D” or “the source RS type can be same or different for QCL-type A and QCL-type D. When it is the same, two different source RSs (of the sane type) has to be used for QCL-type A and QCL-type D” – See [¶0168]; furthermore, “[f]or QCL-type A, a BWP (or CC or cell) ID for the source RS can be absent (not provided/configured) in the TCI state (or in a QCL-Info included in the TCI state) . . . the BWP (or CC or cell) ID for source RS is determined according to a target CC of the TCI state, and the configured source RS ID” – See [¶0171], i.e., the UE can make assumptions regarding the source RS).
Thus, Claim 2 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 3, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the signal comprises at least one of: a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), a PUCCH group, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), or a sounding reference signal (SRS) (the UE “uses the indicated beam (TCI state) to receive DL control (PDCCH) starting in the same (slot N) or later slot(s)” – See [¶0215], or “for UL data (PUSCH) and UL control (PUCCH)”, or even “data (PDSCH/PUSCH) and control (PDCCH/PUCCH) for both DL and UL” – See [¶0250]; furthermore in “UL multi-beam operation . . . the SRI field in the UL-related DCI (that carries the UL grant, such as DCI format 0_1 in NR) . . . corresponds to a "target" SRS resource that is linked to a reference RS” and “Upon successfully decoding the UL-related DCI with the SRI, the UE performs UL transmission (such as data transmission on PUSCH) with the UL TX beam associated with the SRI” – See [¶0125]).
Therefore, Claim 3 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 4, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, comprising:
receiving, by the wireless communication device from a wireless communication node in the first CC, downlink control information (DCI) including a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field (“when the parameter tci-dci-IsPresent is 'enabled' and tciPresentlnDCI in PDSCH-Config is also 'enabled', both the DL-TCI-DCI [i.e., the beam for receiving the scheduling DCI] and DL-DCI [i.e., the DCI scheduling e.g. a DL grant] are present (configured and hence can be received). . . the TCI state indication/update applicable for decoding the assigned DL data in the pertinent PDSCH (associated with the DL assignment in the DL-DCI) is signaled/received in the latest (most recent) DL-DCI” – See [¶0243]). However, Rahman1 does not teach that the TCI field indicates an activated beam state in the second CC (“In one example I.1.2 (of cross-carrier beam indication), the UE is configured to receive a DCI(i) in PDCCH(i) associated with CC(i), wherein the DCI(i) includes an indication about the beam (TCI state) for CC(i2) where i≠i2” – See [¶0162]).
Therefore, Claim 4 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 5, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, comprising:
receiving, by the wireless communication device from a wireless communication node, a control signaling that indicates an index of the second CC (“a UE is configured with a set (list) of M> 1 CCs or M> 1 CCs (or DL BWPs or cells or UL BWPs) for DL reception and/or UL transmission” and “further configured to receive a (single) common beam or TCI state for all CCs (e.g., via L-1 control (DCI) signaling and/or MAC CE based indication)” indicating that the “same/single RS determined according to the TCI state . . . is used to provide QCL-Type D indication (for DL reception) and to determine UL TX spatial filter (for UL transmission) across the set of configured CCs” – See [¶0137]; whereby the type of the source RS for DL and/or UL beam is according to at least one of the examples in Table 1, and, e.g., “[w]hen the UE is provided with a source RS of type RS1 or RS2 or RS3 and with index csi-RS-Index . . . configured as the DL[/UL]-beam RS, the UE receives[/transmits] the DL[/UL] transmission using a same spatial domain filter as for a reception of a CSI-RS with resource index provided by csi-RS-Index for a same serving cell or, if servingCellid is provided, for a serving cell indicated by servingCellid” – See [¶¶0155-7], i.e., the configuration indicates an index of the second/reference CC),
the control signaling comprising at least one of: a radio access control (RRC) signaling, a medium access control element (MAC CE) signaling, or a downlink control information (DCI) signaling (“the common beam or TCI state (or beam ID or TCI state ID) . . . is indicated/configured (via RRC and/or MAC CE and/or DCI), where this indication/ configuration can be common for all CCs or independent for each CC” – See [¶0138]); and
determining, by the wireless communication device, the second CC according to the index of the second CC (the index csi-RS-Index points to the serving cell, as explained, supra; see also 3GPP TS 38.331:654 describing TCI-State IE).
In addition, 3GPP R1-2100588 teaches that because “it is possible that UE receives a DCI in a CC with the smaller SCS that indicates TCI update for CC(s) with larger SCS(s), . . . the UE should determines the first slot that UE can apply the new TCI state based on a reference CC with the smallest SCS in the set of configured CC” and “a DCI received in a scheduling CC can be used for TCI state update in a scheduled CC indicated by a carrier indicator field in the DCI” – See Proposal 30, 3GPP R1-2100588:15, therefore, e.g., the DL-DCI in Rahman1 may contain an index pointing to the second/reference CC for common TCI state update.
Therefore, Claim 5 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 6, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman2 further teaches the method of claim 1, comprising:
receiving, by the wireless communication device from a wireless communication node, a control signaling (e.g., in cross-carrier configuration wherein the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE indicates the schedulingCellId second CC as the scheduling carrier, the UE receives the TCI-DCI for the first CC on the schedulingCellId) that indicates at least one of an index of the first CC or an index of a CC group including the first CC (“the UE is configured to receive a DCI(i) in PDCCH(i) associated with CC(i), wherein the DCI(i) includes an indication about the beam (TCI state) for CC(i2) where i≠i2”– See [¶449], and i2 indicates the first CC, or “where i2ϵ I2 and I2 is the subset including M2 CC indices” and the first CC index– See [¶0169]) ,
the control signaling comprising at least one of: a radio access control (RRC) signaling, a medium access control element (MAC CE) signaling, or a downlink control information (DCI) signaling, as stated above; and
determining, by the wireless communication device, the first CC according to the index of the first CC or the index of the CC group including the first CC (e.g., when “i is fixed or configured (e.g., via higher layer RRC and/or MAC CE based signaling), and i2 is indicated via DCI(i). For example, if M=3, i2 (≠i) is indicated using a 1-bit indication in DCI(i),”– See [¶0167] e.g., “0” indicates first CC and “1” indicates third CC; see also 3GPP TS 38.331:398, indicating carrierIndicatorSize parameter of the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig; 3GPP R1-2100588, teaching that “a DCI received in a scheduling CC can be used for TCI state update in a scheduled CC indicated by a carrier indicator field in the DCI” – See Proposal 30, 3GPP R1-2100588:15, offers a solution that points directly to the first CC).
Therefore, Claim 6 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 7, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the second CC and the first CC belong to a same CC group (“a UE is configured with a set S1 (list) of M1>1 CCs (or BWPs or cells) for DL reception ( of PDCCH or/and PDSCH) or/and UL transmission (of PUCCH or/and PUSCH)” – See [¶0438], e.g., the second CC is an SpCell, and the first cell is a SCell configured as part of the same CellGroupConfig IE as shown in Table 5 – See [¶0449]) and the method comprises:
determining, by the wireless communication device from the CC group, a CC with a configured beam state pool, as the second CC (“The TCI state pool can be configured in the PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config) for each BWP/CC . . . via the IE ServingCellConfig, which in turn is provided via the IEs SpCellConfig or SCellConfig” – See id., therefore the UE determines servCelllndex of the SpCellConfig IE points to second CC and that only ServingCellConfig IE for second CC points to a pdsch-ServingCellConfig IE, i.e., a PDSCH-Config IE configuring a TCI state pool); or
determining, by the wireless communication device from the CC group, a CC that is a primary cell (PCell), as the second CC (when the CellGroupConfig IE is used to configure a master cell group (MCG) wherein the second CC is a SpCell and secondary cell group (SCG) where a CC is a PCell, and the IE ServCellIndex, used to uniquely identify a serving cell (i.e. the PCell, the PSCell or an SCell), has maxNrofServingCells > 1).
Therefore, Claim 7 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 8, dependent from Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defined condition is met comprises:
determining that the wireless communication device is not provided or configured with a beam state pool in the first CC (when “a UE is configured with a set S1 (list) of M1>1 CCs (or BWPs or cells) for DL reception (of PDCCH or/and PDSCH) or/and UL transmission (of PUCCH or/and PUSCH)” – See [¶0438], e.g., 3 CCs, but for first CC “the TCI state pool is absent in the corresponding PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config)” – See [¶0450] while a “common TCI state ID indicates/activates a TCI state from a common TCI state pool across the [other] two CCs” – See [¶0442]).
Therefore, Claim 8 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 9, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defined condition is met comprises:
determining, by the wireless communication device, that a beam state identifier (ID) configured by a radio resource control (RRC) signaling for the beam state applied to the signal, is not defined in a beam state pool in the first CC (when “for the reception of PDCCH or DMRS of PDCCH, likewise, for the reception of PDSCH or DMRS of PDCCH, the UE is configured with a higher layer IE TCI-state that indicates a combination of quasi co-location types, QCL-type A and QCL-type D” – See [¶0174], “[f]or QCL-type A, a BWP (or CC or cell) ID for the source RS can be absent (not provided/configured) in the TCI state (or in a QCL-Info included in the TCI state)” – See [¶0175], then “the BWP (or CC or cell) ID for source RS is determined according to a target CC of the TCI state, and the configured source RS ID and the corresponding active BWP ID” – See [¶0171], i.e., according to the second CC, therefore not in the first CC a beam state pool, and “the UE applies the known characteristics of the reference RS to the assigned DL transmission” wherein “’reference RS’ corresponds to a set of characteristics of DL or UL TX beam, such as direction, precoding/ beamforming, number of ports” – See [¶0118])
wherein a type of the signal includes at least one of periodic or aperiodic (whereby, e.g., the “QCL-type A source RS is tracking RS (TRS), which corresponds to a CSI-RS resource in a NZPCSI- RS-ResourceSet configured with higher layer parameter trs-Info, and QCL-type D source RS is a CSI-RS resource in a NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet configured with higher layer parameter repetition” – See [¶0114] and “aperiodic CSI-RS is transmitted by the NW” – See [¶0121] and Fig. 12; furthermore, the TCI state is for signals on PDCCH, which is aperiodic, or DMRS of PDCCH, usually periodic)
Therefore, Claim 9 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 10, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defined condition is met comprises:
determining, by the wireless communication device, that a beam state identifier (ID) activated by a medium access control element (MAC CE) signaling for the beam state to be applied to the signal, is not defined in a beam state pool in the first CC (when “[t]he TCI state corresponds to a reference RS (in this case, an AP-CSI-RS) defined/configured via the TCI state definition (higher-layer/RRC configured, from which a subset is activated via MAC CE for the DCI-based selection)” – See [¶0129] and Fig. 12, i.e., the TCI state is one activated by MAC CE; see also §§6.1.3.14-15, 3GPP TS 38.321: 121-122, disclosing MAC CE for activating TCI states for UE specific PDCCH/PDSCH, showing the Serving cell ID field, indicating that “[i]f the indicated Serving Cell is configured as part of a simultaneousTCI-UpdateList1 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateList2 as specified in TS 38.331 [5], this MAC CE applies to all the Serving Cells in the set simultaneousTCI-UpdateList1 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateList2, respectively,” i.e., first CC is not part of simultaneousTCI-UpdateList1 or simultaneousTCI-UpdateList2),
wherein a type of the signal includes at least one of: semi-persistent or aperiodic (whereby the MAC CE activates TCI states for receiving on PDCCH/PDSCH, e.g., a DCI on the PDCCH, i.e., an aperiodic signal).
Furthermore, § 2.3.2, 3GPP R1-2100588:11, discloses “DCI format 1_1/1_2 without DL assignment for TCI update . . . since TCI update may be still required for CSI acquisition or SRS transmission even these is no DL or UL traffic” or “can be used for indicating SPS PDSCH release,” i.e., indicating aperiodic or SPS signals.
Therefore, Claim 10 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 11, dependent from Amended Claim 1, Rahman1 does not teach the method of claim 1, wherein determining that the defined condition is met comprises:
receiving, by the wireless communication device via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, a parameter to enable the wireless communication device to determine the beam state to be applied to the signal in the first CC according to the beam state pool in the second CC.
However, Rahman2 teaches cross-carrier configuration of the UE already configured with tci-PresentlnDCI enabled, as explained in Amended Claim 1 supra. Because the UE is configured for cross-carrier with at least first and second CCs, the parameter enableDefaultBeamForCCS may be enabled in the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig IE, to indicate “whether default beam selection for cross-carrier scheduled PDSCH is enabled, see TS 38.214” – See 3GPP TS 38.331, at page 397-399, whereby the default beam across all CCs has a state defined in the TCI pool state of the second CC, i.e., one TCI state chosen from the tci-StateToAddModList parameter of the PDSCH-Config IE configured to the second CC; specifically, 3GPP TS 38.214 v16.5.0 (2021-03), "NR, Physical Layer Procedures for Data (Release 16)” (hereinafter 3GPP TS 38.214) states, at page 60, “if the UE is configured with enableDefaultBeamForCCS and when receiving the aperiodic CSI-RS, the UE applies the QCL assumption of the lowest-ID activated TCI state applicable to the PDSCH within the active BWP of the cell in which the CSI-RS is to be received,” i.e., the second CC. 3GPP R1-2100588 similarly teaches “reuse TCI state pool for PDSCH in a reference cell,” e.g., the second CC – See § 2.1.5, 3GPP R1-2100588: 2-3, further detailed in Proposal 7 and Figure 1.
Therefore, Claim 11 is obvious over Rahman1 in view pf Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 12, dependent from Claim 11, 3GPP R1-2100588 further teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the parameter indicates at least an index of the second CC, or
wherein if the wireless communication device is provided with the parameter, the wireless communication device does not expect that the wireless communication device is provided or configured with a beam state pool in the first CC (“The TCI state pool can be configured on a reference CC in the set of configured CCs,” e.g., the second CC, configured e.g., through PDSCH-Config such that “[a] CC ID for QCL-TypeA RS is absent in a TCI state of the TCI state pool and the CC ID for QCL-TypeA RS is determined according to a target CC” for each TCI-State in the tci-StateToAddModList parameter of the TCI state pool – See § 2.1.5, 3GPP R1-2100588:3; therefore, when the UE applies the DefaultBeamForCCS from the shared TCI pool of the reference CC, the QCL-TypeA RS is determined according to the first CC although there is no beam state pool in the first CC).
Therefore, Claim 12 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Amended Claim 13, dependent from Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the parameter is to set the wireless communication device to operate in a mode 2 wherein:
in a mode 1, the wireless communication device is to determine the beam state to be applied to the signal in the first CC according to a beam state pool in the first CC (the “TCI state pool can be configured in the PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config) for each BWP/CC,” e.g., using RRC signaling to set the tci-StateToAddModList and tci-StateToReleaseList in PDSCH-Config together – See [¶0449]); and for the first CC, “the TCI state pool is absent in the corresponding PDSCH configuration (PDSCH-Config) for that BWP/CC” – See [¶0450].
Rahman2 further teaches cross-carrier configuration of the UE whereby the parameter enableDefaultBeamForCCS may be enabled in the CrossCarrierSchedulingConfig and Section 2.1.5, 3GPP R1-2100588:3 teaches that a default beam across carriers can be determined in mode 2, whereby the wireless communication device is to determine the beam state to be applied to the signal in the first CC according to the beam state pool in the second CC (“sharing a single RRC TCI state pool for the set of configured CCs . . . [t]he TCI state pool can be configured on a reference CC in the set of configured CCs,” e.g., the second CC)
Therefore, Amended Claim 13 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 14, dependent from Amended Claim 13, Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588 further teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the parameter has the same limitations as the parameter in Claim 12, recited with the same language and applied to the same mode as recited in Amended Claim 13. Because Claims 12 and 13 as amended are obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588, Claim 14 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 15, dependent from Claim 1, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 1, comprising:
reporting, by the wireless communication device to a wireless communication node, a capability of the wireless communication device (“The number of configured TCI state pools in a CC/BWP can be subject to (conditioned on) the UE capability information reported by the UE, the UE capability information can include information on the number of or the maximum number of TCI state pools that the UE can be configured with within a CC/BWP” – See [¶0439], e.g., using UE capability IEs described in § 6.3.3, 3GPP TS 38.331:677 et seq., and that includes the FR1 and FR2 bands supported by the UE) to support at least one of:
in a mode 1, the wireless communication device is to determine the beam state to be applied to the signal in the first CC according to a beam state pool in the first CC (e.g., when UE capability indicates 1 TCI pool/CC only and parameters “tci-StateToAddModList and tci-StateToReleaseList in PDSCH-Config together determine the TCI state pool” for the first CC/BWP – See [¶0449]).
Section 2.3.4, 3GPP R1-2100588:15 further teaches that “for FR1+FR2 CA . . . the control channels would be on the FR1 CC due to better reliability and coverage” indicating that if first CC is in FR2, the “TCI state pool can be configured on a reference CC” to receive PDCCH in FR1 band, e.g., the second CC, therefore the wireless communication device is to determine the beam state to be applied to the signal in the first CC according to the beam state pool in the second CC; or in a mode 2, the wireless communication device is to determine the beam state to be applied to the signal in the first CC according to the beam state pool in the second CC.
Therefore, Claim 15 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Claim 16, dependent from Claim 2, Rahman1 further teaches the method of claim 2, the QCL assumption includes a first QCL type and a second QCL type (the QCL type and the “RS [is] determined according to the TCI state [ID]” – See [¶0137] and the TCI-State IE, associating one or two DL reference signals with a corresponding quasi-colocation (QCL) type, as per 3GPP TS 38.331:654-655, and “the type of the source RS is a CSI-RS resource in a NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceSet configured with higher layer parameter trs-Info . . . referred to as RS1,” common for QCL Types – See [¶0149] and Table 1, and the “UE is configured with a combination of source RSs for two different QCL-types, say QCL-type Tl and QCL-type T2” – See [¶0197])
wherein the first QCL type includes at least one of QCL TypeA, QCL TypeB or QCL TypeC, and the second QCL type includes at least QCL TypeD (QCL types “(Tl, T2) corresponds to one of (A, D), (B, C), (B, D), (C, D), where QCL-types A, B, C, and D are defined in” standards – See [¶¶0197-0201], i.e., T2 is QCL TypeD and T1 QCL TypeC),
a RS of the first QCL type is located in the first CC and is indicated by a RS resource identifier (ID) in the beam state (e.g., a TCI State ID configured for the TCI pool of the second CC indicates two DL RSs, one RS with QCL info type 1 configured as typeC, then the RS can be located on a serving cell other than the serving cell in which the TCI-State is configured, i.e., on the first CC and not on the second CC – See 3GPP TS 38.331:655, wherein the RS is indicated by a NZP-CSI-RS-ResourceId value in the TCI-State ID), and
a RS of the second QCL type is located in the first CC or the second CC and is indicated by a RS resource ID in the beam state (the other DL RS with QCL info type 2 is of typeD and can be located in the first CC or the second CC – See id.), and
the RS of the first QCL type is quasi co-located with the RS of the second QCL type (“the TCI state pool is a common pool for both source RS for QCL-type [C] and source RS for QCL-type D, and . . . one TCI state is indicated from the common pool, which indicates two source RSs for the two QCL-type” – See [¶0190], i.e., the same beam/TCI state ID for the two QCL-types).
Therefore, Claim 16 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Amended Claim 17, Rahman1 teaches a method comprising:
transmitting, by a wireless communication node to a wireless communication device, via a signaling, a parameter to set the wireless communication device to operate in a mode of a plurality of modes for determining a beam state (e.g., the base station configures tci-PresentlnDCI as ‘enabled’ in the default CORESET of each CC, and “[i]n case of cross carrier scheduling, the network sets this field to enabled for the ControlResourceSet used for cross carrier scheduling in the scheduling cell if enableDefaultBeamForCCS is not configured (see TS 38.214 [19], clause 5.1.5),” e.g., when there is no common default beam for all CCs configured yet to the UE – See 3GPP TS 38.331:394-95; and Rahman2 further teaches cross-carrier configuration of the wireless communication device),
communicating, by the wireless communication node with the wireless communication device, a signal in a first component carrier (CC) according to information associated with the beam state (a base station is configured to “generate configuration information including a list of CCs and a set of TCI states; and generate a TCI state update that is common for the list of CCs . . . and for each CC(i) in the list of CCs, where i is a CC index: transmit a DL control channel or a DL data channel associated with the CC(i) for reception via a beam bi, wherein the beam bi, is based on the TCI state update” of the CC(i)– See [¶0006], e.g., for i=1 indicating first CC)
wherein the same limitations as recited in Amended Claim 1 with the same language are applied to the steps executed by the wireless communication device in the communication to determine the beam state.
Because Amended Claim 1 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588, Amended Claim 17 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Amended Claim 18, Rahman1 teaches, in Fig. 3, a wireless communication device comprising: at least one processor and a transceiver (“the UE 116 includes an antenna 305, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 310, TX processing circuitry 315, a microphone 320, and receive (RX) processing circuitry 325 . . . a processor 340, an input/output (I/O) interface (IF) 345 . . . a memory 360. The memory 360 includes an operating system (OS) 361 and one or more applications 362” – See [¶0066]) the device configured to perform the steps recited in Amended Claim 1. Because Amended Claim 1 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588, Amended Claim 18 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Regarding Amended Claim 19, Rahman1 teaches, in Fig. 2, a wireless communication node, comprising: at least one processor configured to: communicate, via a transceiver with a wireless communication device (“the gNB 102 includes multiple antennas 205a-205n, multiple RF transceivers 210a-210n, transmit (TX) processing circuitry 215, and receive (RX), processing circuitry 220” – See [¶0056] and Fig. 3, wherein “the controller/processor 225 could control the reception of DL channel signals and the transmission of UL channel signals by the RF transceivers 210a-210n, the RX processing circuitry 220, and the TX processing circuitry 215 in accordance with well-known principles” – See [¶0059] and “could support beam forming or directional routing operations in which outgoing signals from multiple antennas 205a-205n are weighted differently to effectively steer the outgoing signals in a desired direction” – See [¶0060]) and configured to execute the steps recited in Amended Claim 17. Because Amended Claim 17 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588, Amended Claim 19 is obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
In sum, Claims 1-19, as amended, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as obvious over Rahman1 in view of Rahman2 and further in view of 3GPP R1-2100588.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Tsai, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0231801 discloses one or more TCI states to a set of CCs based on a slot of a reference CC;
Park et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0292335 discloses unified TCI framework, common beam indication, and DCI TCI codepoints;
Onggosanusi et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0164760, disclosing TCI state update, including the so-called QCL linkage, with the UL TX beam indication (carried by the UL TCI field, indicating the TCI state associated with the selected source/reference RS) is transmitted in a DCI accompanied with DL assignment or UL grant, and UE-group DCI can be used to group the TCI signaling from a set of UEs without any DL assignment or UL grant.
Matsumura et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0379902 teaches method and apparatus for receiving TCI list indicating a plurality of transmission configuration indication (TCI) states applicable to multiple types of channels in a plurality of serving cells;
Liu et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0168788 teaches spatial quasi co-location is established between component carriers, beam management, e.g., beam configuration or reference signal configuration, of one component carrier may be performed based at least in part on beam management information of the other and information about a SQCL group including spatially quasi co-located carriers, may be transmitted to a UE, e.g., using broadcast signaling, radio resource control (RRC) signaling, a media access control-control element (MAC-CE), downlink control information (DCI) signaling, or a combination thereof;
Xu et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0303953 discloses configuration parameters indicating transmission configuration indication (TCI) state pools, wherein each TCI state pool, of the TCI state pools, comprises TCI states. The method may also include transmitting an indication of a TCI state pool from the TCI state pools;
Tian et al., WIPO Patent Application Publication No. WO2022147659, teaches method for indicating uplink and downlink beams comprising configuring a TCI state pool and mapping table for a UE, the TCI state pool at least comprising the mapping relationship between a beam index and a component carrier;
Guan et al., China Patent Application Publication CN112399597A discloses the terminal equipment updates the sending beams and/or the receiving beams of the first CC and the one or more second CCs based on the beam update information of the first CC, wherein the one or more second CCs have an association relationship with the first CC, for example, the one or more second CCs and the first CC use the same beam configuration.
Tian, et al., WIPO Patent Application Publication No WO 2022/147659 discloses configuring a TCI state pool and mapping table for a UE;
3GPP RAN1 #103 e-meeting, R1-2100001, “Chairman’s Notes RAN1 #103-e”, November 2020;
3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #104-e, R1-2100588, Agenda Item: 8.1.1, Title: "Enhancement on multi-beam operation," Source: MediaTek Inc, February 2021;
3GPP TS 38.331 V16.8.0 (2022-03), “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol specification (Release 16)”;
3GPP TS 38.321 V16.4.0 (2021-03), “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (Release 16)”;
3GPP TS 38.214 v16.5.0 (2021-03), “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Physical Layer Procedures for Data (Release 16)”;
3GPP TS 36.212 v16.5.0 (2021-03) “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Multiplexing and Channel coding (Release 16)”;
3GPP TS 38.213 v16.5.0 (2021-03) “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Physical Layer Procedures for Control.”
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/L.G.G./ Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JOSEPH E AVELLINO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478
1 See also § 2.1, 3GPP R1- 2100588, discussing Unified TCI framework, including TCI state pool for multiple CCs and § 2.3.1 discussing activating multiple TCI states for a UE.
2 In Rel-16, “a common beam based multi-beam operation is supported in the 3GPP NR specification beam management, wherein a common beam for DL data (PDSCH) and control (PDCCH) is indicated via a MAC CE based signaling (when the higher layer parameter tci-PresentlnDCI in PDSCH-Config is not 'enabled')” – See [¶0109] including “when the UE is configured with multiple component carriers (CCs)” – See [¶0111].
3 See, e.g., §7.3, 3GPP TS 38.212 v16.5.0 (2021-03) “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; NR; Multiplexing and Channel coding (Release 16)” describing DL DCI formats, e.g., DCI Format 1_2, including “Carrier indicator – 0, 1, 2 or 3 bits determined by higher layer parameter carrierIndicatorSizeDCI-1-2, as defined in Clause 10.1 of [5, TS38.213].”