DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 24 March 2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 24 March 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment, filed 24 March 2026, has been entered and carefully considered.
Claims 1, 7, 17, 29 and 30 are amended.
Claims 6 and 22 are canceled.
Claims 31 and 32 are newly added.
Claims 1-5, 7-21 and 23-32 are currently pending.
The outstanding objection to Claims 17 and 30 are withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to said claims.
The outstanding rejections of Claims 1-5, 7-9, 11, 17-21, 23, 24, 29 and 30 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) and Claims 10, 12-16 and 25-28 under 35 U.S.C. 103 are withdrawn in light of Applicant’s respective amendments to Claims 1, 17, 29 and 30.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 24 March 2026 regarding Matsumura’s disclosure of non-serving cells have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Office notes that while Figure 3 of Applicant’s specification shows a UE in communication with a serving cell 320 and a non-serving cell 325 and determining metrics associated with beams associated with a non-serving cell (e.g., to support inter-cell mobility) (paragraph 0054), Applicant’s specification does not differentiate serving and non-serving cells such that “non-serving” is limited as to its relationship (or lack thereof) with the UE. Figure 4 illustrates a process of receiving reference signals from two separate base stations and indicates that base station may be “associated” with a “non-serving” cell. It is further noted that the specification is silent as to how the base station is considered to be a “non-serving” cell. As such, Matsumura’s disclosure of multiple TRPs in communication with the UE, where the TRPs may correspond to different physical cell IDs (as disclosed in paragraph 0076) reasonably reads on the presence of a “serving” cell and “non-serving” cell, absent further limitation in the claim language or special definition in Applicant’s specification.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the remaining limitations in claim 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-5, 7-9, 11, 17-21, 23, 24 and 29-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2024/0107354), hereinafter Matsumura, in view of Ernstrom et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2024/0106594), hereinafter Ernstrom, and Yu et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2020/0322109), hereinafter Yu.
Regarding Claim 1, Matsumura discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication (Figure 37 and paragraph 0376; Figure 36 more specifically discloses components of the UE), comprising:
a memory (Figure 37, memory 1002); and
one or more processors, coupled to the memory (Figure 37, processor 1001 coupled to memory 1022 via bus 1007), configured to:
receive, from a serving cell, a group based beam report configuration that configures one or more group based beam reports for reporting one or more beam metrics associated with a plurality of reference signals associated with at least one beam group comprising a plurality of beams, wherein the plurality of beams includes one or more beams associated with one or more non-serving cells (Figure 36 and paragraph 0369 – the transmitting/receiving section of the UE receives configuration information related to pairs of channel measurement resources (CMR) as part of an RRC IE “CSI-ReportConfig”; Figures 4-5 and paragraphs 0150-0151 – CSI report for CMRs in a multi-TRP CSI configuration; paragraph 0076 – the plurality of TRPs correspond to different cell IDs (and are thereby different cells, such as serving and non-serving); Figures 31A-31B and paragraphs 0262-0264 – the UE is configured for group-based beam reporting for SSBs/NZP CSI-RSs from both TRP#1 and TRP#2);
receive the plurality of reference signals associated with the at least one beam group comprising the plurality of beams (Figures 31A-31B and paragraphs 0262-0264 – the UE is receives SSBs/NZP CSI-RSs from both TRP#1 and TRP#2); and
transmit a group based beam report that includes the one or more beam metrics associated with the at least one beam group (Figures 31A-31B and paragraphs 0262-0264 – the UE is configured for group-based beam reporting for SSBs/NZP CSI-RSs from both TRP#1 and TRP#2).
However, Matsumura does not disclose wherein the plurality of reference signals includes a reference signal that indicates a beam associated with a non-serving cell of the one or more non-serving cells or the group based beam report comprising beam metrics associated with the at least one group comprising the one or more beams associated with the one or more non-serving cells. In an analogous art, Ernstrom discloses this. Specifically, Ernstrom discloses the UE obtaining neighbor resource information from a network node, specifically with regards to downlink positioning reference signals (PRS) in order to obtain selected measurements on the neighbor DL PRS (paragraphs 0044-0048 and Figure 3 at step 340). Further, the UE reports resource radio condition measurement of the selected resources (paragraph 0047). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura and Ernstrom in order to improve accuracy of NR Rel. 16 measurements (refer to paragraphs 0016-0021 of Ernstrom).
However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the reference signal is received from the serving cell and is configured by a radio resource control (RRC) configuration dedicated to the non-serving cell. In an analogous art, Yu discloses this. Specifically, Yu discloses a UE connected to multiple TRPs (Figure 3) and receiving an RRC signal for configuring multiple CORESET groups in order to trigger a QCL assumption as part of a reference signal reception (paragraphs 0035 and 0044-0045). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom with Yu. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the UE to process downlink control information prior to PDSCH reception (see paragraphs 0004-0005 and Figure 1 of Yu).
Claim 29 is a method claim, comprising the same steps as the functions performed by the UE of Claim 1. Accordingly, Claim 29 is rejected using the same rationale as presented above for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 17, Matsumura discloses a network node for wireless communication (Figure 37 and paragraph 0376; Figure 35 more specifically discloses components of the base station), comprising:
a memory (Figure 37, memory 1002); and
one or more processors, coupled to the memory (Figure 37, processor 1001 coupled to memory 1022 via bus 1007), configured to:
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a group based beam report configuration that configures one or more group based beam reports for reporting one or more beam metrics associated with a plurality of reference signals associated with at least one beam group comprising a plurality of beams, wherein the plurality of beams includes one or more beams associated with one or more non-serving cells, wherein the network node corresponds to a serving cell of the UE (Figure 35 and paragraphs 0344-0346– the transmitting/receiving section of the base station transmits configuration information related to pairs of channel measurement resources (CMR) as part of an RRC IE “CSI-ReportConfig” for a plurality of TRPs; Figures 4-5 and paragraphs 0150-0151 – CSI report for CMRs in a multi-TRP CSI configuration; paragraph 0076 – the plurality of TRPs correspond to different cell IDs (and are thereby different cells, such as serving and non-serving); Figures 31A-31B and paragraphs 0262-0264 – the UE is configured for group-based beam reporting for SSBs/NZP CSI-RSs from both TRP#1 and TRP#2); and
receive, from the UE, a group based beam report that includes the one or more beam metrics associated with the at least one beam group (paragraph 0345 – the transmitting/receiving section of the base station receives the group-based beam report on the basis of the configuration information).
However, Matsumura does not disclose transmitting, to the UE, a reference signal that indicates a beam associated with a non-serving cell of the one or more non-serving cells or the group based beam report comprising beam metrics associated with the at least one group comprising the one or more beams associated with the one or more non-serving cells. In an analogous art, Ernstrom discloses this. Specifically, Ernstrom discloses the UE obtaining neighbor resource information from a network node, specifically with regards to downlink positioning reference signals (PRS) in order to obtain selected measurements on the neighbor DL PRS (paragraphs 0044-0048 and Figure 3 at step 340). Further, the UE reports resource radio condition measurement of the selected resources (paragraph 0047). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura and Ernstrom in order to improve accuracy of NR Rel. 16 measurements (refer to paragraphs 0016-0021 of Ernstrom).
However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the reference signal is received from the serving cell and is configured by a radio resource control (RRC) configuration dedicated to the non-serving cell. In an analogous art, Yu discloses this. Specifically, Yu discloses a UE connected to multiple TRPs (Figure 3) and receiving an RRC signal for configuring multiple CORESET groups in order to trigger a QCL assumption as part of a reference signal reception (paragraphs 0035 and 0044-0045). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom with Yu. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the UE to process downlink control information prior to PDSCH reception (see paragraphs 0004-0005 and Figure 1 of Yu).
Claim 30 is a method claim, comprising the same steps as the functions performed by the UE of Claim 17. Accordingly, Claim 30 is rejected using the same rationale as presented above for Claim 17.
Regarding Claims 2 and 18, Matsumura discloses the at least one beam group comprises a plurality of beam groups, and wherein each beam group of the plurality of beam groups includes at least one beam of the one or more beams associated with the one or more non-serving cells (Figures 31A-31B and paragraphs 0263-0264 – beam pairs are configured for group-based beam reporting from both serving and non-serving TRPs).
Regarding Claims 3 and 19, Matsumura discloses each beam group of the plurality of beam groups that includes the at least one beam of the one or more beams associated with the one or more non-serving cells includes only the at least one beam of the one or more beams associated with the one or more non-serving cells (Figures 31A-31B – the CMR resources can be divided between TRP#1 and TRP#2).
Regarding Claims 4 and 20, Matsumura discloses a beam group of the plurality of beam groups that includes the at least one beam of the one or more beams associated with the one or more non-serving cells includes at least one beam associated with a serving cell (Figure 31B and paragraph 0264 – a beam pair includes a beam from TRP#1 (serving) and a beam from TRP#2 (non-serving)).
Regarding Claims 5 and 21, Matsumura discloses at least one of a quantity of beam groups of the at least one beam group or a quantity of beams of the one or more beams associated with one or more non-serving cells is based at least in part on a capability of the UE (paragraph 0274 – the number of CMR repetitions may be determined on the basis of UE capability).
Regarding Claims 7 and 23, Matsumura discloses the beam is configured as a quasi co-location source associated with the non-serving cell (paragraph 0112 – the UE may assume that the NZP-CSI-RS resource configured for one CSI report are QCLed with respect to “QCL-TypeD” for each resource).
Regarding Claim 8, Matsumura discloses the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from the serving cell, a configuration of the reference signal (paragraph 0111 –NZP-CSI-RS resources for interference measurement and channel measurement are configured by higher layer signaling).
Regarding Claim 9, Matsumura discloses the one or more processors, to receive the plurality of reference signals, are configured to receive, from a non-serving cell of the one or more non-serving cells, a reference signal that indicates a beam associated with a non- serving cell of the one or more non-serving cells (Figures 31A-31B and paragraphs 0263-0264 – beam pairs are configured for group-based beam reporting from both serving and non-serving TRPs).
Regarding Claims 11 (receive) and 24 (transmit), Matsumura discloses the one or more processors are further configured to receive/transmit a group based beam report configuration that indicates the one or more beam metrics, wherein the one or more beam metrics include at least one of: a layer one reference signal received power (paragraph 0269 – in an NxN beam pairing arrangement from two TRPs, the group-based beam report can include L1-RSRP) or a layer one signal to interference plus noise ratio (paragraph 0267 – the group-based report is applied to L1 SINR measurement).
Regarding Claims 31 and 32, the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses one or more reference signals of the plurality of reference signals are configured by an RRC configuration dedicated to the serving cell (Yu discloses a UE connected to multiple TRPs (Figure 3) and receiving an RRC signal for configuring multiple CORESET groups in order to trigger a QCL assumption as part of a reference signal reception (paragraphs 0035 and 0044-0045)). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom with Yu. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the UE to process downlink control information prior to PDSCH reception (see paragraphs 0004-0005 and Figure 1 of Yu).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura in view of Ernstrom and Yu, as applied to Claim 9 above, and further in view of Li (United States Pre-Grant Publication 20230009770). The combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claim 9, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the one or more processors are further configured to receive, from the non-serving cell, a configuration of the beam. In an analogous art, Li discloses this. Specifically, Li discloses, at paragraph 0062, the serving base station obtains the neighbor reference signal configuration from the reference cell and forwards to the UE. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Li. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce network signaling overhead due to multiple beam reports.
Claims 12-16 and 25-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura in view of Matsumura in view of Ernstrom and Yu, as applied to Claims 1 and 24 above, and further in view of Hakola et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 20230403591), hereinafter Hakola.
Regarding Claims 12 (receive) and 25 (transmit), the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claims 1 and 24, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the plurality of reference signals are associated with a beam group of the at least one beam group, and wherein the one or more processors, to receive/transmit the plurality of reference signals are configured to receive the plurality of reference signal simultaneously. In an analogous art, Hakola discloses this. Specifically, Hakola discloses, at paragraphs 0073-0074, that in in group-based beam reporting, the UE receives reference signals simultaneously. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Hakola. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the TRP to efficiently schedule beam resources over time based on UE reporting (refer to paragraph 0076 of Hakola).
Regarding Claims 13 (receive) and 26 (transmit), the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claims 1 and 17, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose a first reference signal of the plurality of reference signals is associated with a first beam group of the at least one beam group and a second reference signal of the plurality of reference signals is associated with a second beam group of the at least one beam group, and wherein receiving/transmitting the plurality of reference signals comprises receiving/transmitting the first reference signal and the second reference signal simultaneously. In an analogous art, Hakola discloses this. Specifically, Hakola discloses, at paragraph 0074, that for group-based beam reporting for multi-TRP (i.e., at least first/second reference signals and beam groups), it is expected that multiple spatial filters are used by the UE and reporting should indicate the capability of simultaneous reception. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Hakola. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the TRP to efficiently schedule beam resources over time based on UE reporting (refer to paragraph 0076 of Hakola).
Regarding Claims 14 (transmit) and 27 (receive), the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claims 1 and 17, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the group based beam report is associated with a first beam, the one or more processors are further configured to transmit/receive an additional group based beam report associated with a second beam, and wherein the one or more processors, to receive/transmit the plurality of reference signals, are configured to receive/transmit a first reference signal associated with the first beam and a second reference signal associated with the second beam simultaneously. In an analogous art, Hakola discloses this. Specifically, Hakola discloses, at paragraph 0074, that for group-based beam reporting for multi-TRP (i.e., at least first/second reference signals and beam groups), it is expected that multiple spatial filters are used by the UE and reporting should indicate the capability of simultaneous reception. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Hakola. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the TRP to efficiently schedule beam resources over time based on UE reporting (refer to paragraph 0076 of Hakola).
Regarding Claim 15, the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claim 1, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the one or more processors are further configured to transmit an indication of a UE capability associated with simultaneous reception of beams. In an analogous art, Hakola discloses this. Specifically, at paragraph 0074, Hakola discloses the UE group-based beam reporting indicates the capability of simultaneous reception. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Hakola. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the TRP to efficiently schedule beam resources over time based on UE reporting (refer to paragraph 0076 of Hakola).
Regarding Claim 16, the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claim 1, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the one or more processors are further configured to receive a group based beam report configuration that configures simultaneous reception of beams. In an analogous art, Hakola discloses this. Specifically, at paragraph 0074, Hakola discloses the network configures criteria associated with group-based reporting defining simultaneous reception. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Hakola. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the TRP to efficiently schedule beam resources over time based on UE reporting (refer to paragraph 0076 of Hakola).
Regarding Claim 28, the combination of Matsumura, Ernstrom and Yu discloses the limitations of Claim 1, as described above. However, Matsumura does not disclose the one or more processors are further configured to: receive an indication of a UE capability associated with simultaneous reception of beams; and transmit a group based beam report configuration that configures simultaneous reception of beams based at least in part on the indication of the UE capability. In analogous art, Hakola discloses this. Specifically, at paragraph 0074, Hakola discloses the network configures criteria associated with group-based reporting defining simultaneous reception and the UE group-based beam reporting indicates the capability of simultaneous reception). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Matsumura / Ernstrom / Yu and Hakola. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow the TRP to efficiently schedule beam resources over time based on UE reporting (refer to paragraph 0076 of Hakola).
Conclusion
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/ANDREW W CHRISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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