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 .
This office action is in response to remarks filed 05/01/2026.
Claims 10 and 12-14 are pending and presented for examination. Claims 10, and 12-14 are amended. No claims are added are cancelled.
Information Disclosure Statement
The listing of references in the PCT international search report is not considered to be an information disclosure statement (IDS) complying with 37 CFR 1.98. 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2) requires a legible copy of: (1) each foreign patent; (2) each publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; (3) for each cited pending U.S. application, the application specification including claims, and any drawing of the application, or that portion of the application which caused it to be listed including any claims directed to that portion, unless the cited pending U.S. application is stored in the Image File Wrapper (IFW) system; and (4) all other information, or that portion which caused it to be listed. In addition, each IDS must include a list of all patents, publications, applications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office (see 37 CFR 1.98(a)(1) and (b)), and MPEP § 609.04(a), subsection I. states, “the list ... must be submitted on a separate paper.” Therefore, the references cited in the international search report have not been considered. Applicant is advised that the date of submission of any item of information in the international search report will be the date of submission of the IDS for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements for the IDS with 37 CFR 1.97, including all timing statement requirements of 37 CFR 1.97(e). See MPEP § 609.05(a).
The documents cited in Japanese Office, No. 2022-574961 dated 07/09/2024 and International Search Report, PCT/JP2021/001088 dated 07/27/2021, are not listed in the IDS filings. Copies of cited publications are also not submitted.
Qualcomm Incorporated, Enhancements on beam management for multi-TRP [online], 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #103-e R1-2009253, 01 November 2020, Internet: URL:https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_ran/WG1_RL1/TSGR1_103-e/Docs/R1-2009253.zip, section 3
ASUSTEK, Discussion on beam management for multi-TRP [online] and 3GPP TSG RAN WGl # 103-e, 3GPP, November 13, 2020, RI-2009156, the [date of search 2024.07.04], the Internet URL:https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_ran/WG1_RL1_TSGR1_103-e/Docs/R1-2009156.zip
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
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.
Claim(s) 10 and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (US 20220103419, hereinafter “Zhou ‘419”), in view of Zhou et al. (US 20220103233 A1, hereinafter “Zhou ‘323”).
RE Claim 10, Zhou ‘419 discloses:
A terminal (UE with a transceiver and processor. ¶¶0159-0162, Fig. 14) comprising:
a receiver that receives information indicating, for the cell group, configuration of the first SR and the second SR (In a multi-TRP operation, after detecting a beam failure in one of the TRPs (or one of the beam groups associated with a TRP), a UE may transmit a BFR SR. As will be described in greater detail below, configuration of the PUCCH for SRs requesting UL grants to send TRP specific BFR MAC-CE may be in accordance with various rules described herein. In some cases, additional configuration of the SRs for TRP specific BFR, in accordance with rules proposed herein, may be specified in the 3GPP NR specification. ¶0125; For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140); and
a processor (¶¶0159-0162, Fig. 14) that controls to transmit the first SR by using the first PUCCH resource and the second SR by using the second PUCCH resource that are determined based on the information (At 1010, UE 120 may transmit (and PCell 1002 may receive) a LRR, link recovery request, message. The LRR message may be transmitted on PCell 1002 (e.g., PUCCH-PCell and/or PUCCH-SCell) in which the PUCCH BFR is configured. The LRR message may be similar to a scheduling request (SR) and use PUCCH format 0 or 1. The LRR message may be transmitted in a UL control channel. ¶0111; Operations 1200 begin, at block 1202, by the UE communicating with at least two TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups, each of the at least two beam groups associated with one of the at least two TRPs. At block 1204, the UE detects a beam failure in a beam group of the at least two beam groups. At block 1206, the UE transmits a beam group specific BFR SR, in accordance with one or more rules, for a UL grant to send a BFRQ specific to the beam group in which the beam failure was detected. ¶¶0128-0130, Fig. 12),
wherein the information indicates configuration of another SR for BFR on a secondary cell (For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140), and
only one PUCCH resource for the BFR on the secondary cell is configured by the information (where the PUCCH resources for the SR for the beam group specific BFR overlapped with PUCCH resources for the one or more other SRs do include PUCCH resources for an SR for a secondary cell (SCell) BFR, a medium access control (MAC) entity considers only one of a PUCCH of the SR for the beam group specific BFR or a PUCCH of the SR for the SCell BFR as valid, as specified by the one or more rules. ¶0200).
Zhou ‘419 does not explicitly disclose:
a transmitter that transmits, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second PUCCH resource used for transmission of a second SR for BFR for another TRP;
However, Zhou ‘323 discloses:
a transmitter that transmits, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second PUCCH resource used for transmission of a second SR for BFR for another TRP (UE beam manager configures PUCCH-BFR for TRP specific BFR. ¶0054, Fig. 2; System supports BFR for a multi-TRP operation associated with Pcell/PSCell/Scell, a cell group. ¶0079-0082, Fig. 6, 7; UE indicates various type of capabilities to support TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. ¶0132; A third UE capability indicated by the UE includes maximum number of TRPs may be configured with TRP specific BFR simultaneously. ¶0136; UE transmits to a network entity an indication of one or more capabilities of the UE to support beam group specific BFR. UE communicates with at least two transmission reception points, TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups. ¶¶0159, 0161, 0162; SCell BFR procedure in which a link recovery request, LRR, transmitted in a configured PUCCH resource. ¶0096; UE transmits LRR message, PUCCH-Pcell and/or PUCCH-Scell in which PUCCH BFR is configured. LRR is similar to a scheduling request, SR, using PUCCH formats. ¶0113; Examiner interpretation of PUCCH-Pcell is a first PUCCH resource and PUCCH-Scell is a second PUCCH resource. Flow diagram performed by UE to transmit capabilities to multiple TRPs to support BFR. ¶¶0126-0128, Fig. 12);
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Zhou ‘419, configuration of a UE for support of beam failure recovery with multiple TRPs to support transmit and receive with a base station, with the teachings of Zhou ‘323, UE transmits capability information supporting BFR with multiple TRPs to the network.
The motivation in doing so would be to support improvements to UE beam failure recovery of specific TRP in a network with multiple TRPs and beams in accordance with one or more capabilities of the UE. In the case a specific TRP becomes weak, beam recovery procedures can be performed to select a specific new beam to increase reliability and overall performance of network. . (Zhou ‘419: Abstract, ¶¶0006-0011, 0035-0036, 0074-0076; Zhou ‘323: Abstract, ¶¶0002, 0006-0008, 0035-0038, 0078-0079, 0096, 0113, Fig. 6, 7, 12, 13)
RE Claim 12, Tsai discloses:
A radio communication method for a terminal (UE with a transceiver and processor. ¶¶0159-0162, Fig. 14), comprising:
receiving information indicating, for the cell group, configuration of the first SR and the second SR (In a multi-TRP operation, after detecting a beam failure in one of the TRPs (or one of the beam groups associated with a TRP), a UE may transmit a BFR SR. As will be described in greater detail below, configuration of the PUCCH for SRs requesting UL grants to send TRP specific BFR MAC-CE may be in accordance with various rules described herein. In some cases, additional configuration of the SRs for TRP specific BFR, in accordance with rules proposed herein, may be specified in the 3GPP NR specification. ¶0125; For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140); and
controlling to transmit the first SR by using the first PUCCH resource and the second SR by using the second PUCCH resource that are determined based on the information (At 1010, UE 120 may transmit (and PCell 1002 may receive) a LRR, link recovery request, message. The LRR message may be transmitted on PCell 1002 (e.g., PUCCH-PCell and/or PUCCH-SCell) in which the PUCCH BFR is configured. The LRR message may be similar to a scheduling request (SR) and use PUCCH format 0 or 1. The LRR message may be transmitted in a UL control channel. ¶0111; Operations 1200 begin, at block 1202, by the UE communicating with at least two TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups, each of the at least two beam groups associated with one of the at least two TRPs. At block 1204, the UE detects a beam failure in a beam group of the at least two beam groups. At block 1206, the UE transmits a beam group specific BFR SR, in accordance with one or more rules, for a UL grant to send a BFRQ specific to the beam group in which the beam failure was detected. ¶¶0128-0130, Fig. 12),
wherein the information indicates configuration of another SR for BFR on a secondary cell (For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140), and
only one PUCCH resource for the BFR on the secondary cell is configured by the information (where the PUCCH resources for the SR for the beam group specific BFR overlapped with PUCCH resources for the one or more other SRs do include PUCCH resources for an SR for a secondary cell (SCell) BFR, a medium access control (MAC) entity considers only one of a PUCCH of the SR for the beam group specific BFR or a PUCCH of the SR for the SCell BFR as valid, as specified by the one or more rules. ¶0200).
Zhou ‘419 does not explicitly disclose:
transmitting, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second SR for BFR for another TRP;
However, Zhou ‘323 discloses:
transmitting, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second SR for BFR for another TRP (UE beam manager configures PUCCH-BFR for TRP specific BFR. ¶0054, Fig. 2; System supports BFR for a multi-TRP operation associated with Pcell/PSCell/Scell, a cell group. ¶0079-0082, Fig. 6, 7; UE indicates various type of capabilities to support TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. ¶0132; A third UE capability indicated by the UE includes maximum number of TRPs may be configured with TRP specific BFR simultaneously. ¶0136; UE transmits to a network entity an indication of one or more capabilities of the UE to support beam group specific BFR. UE communicates with at least two transmission reception points, TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups. ¶¶0159, 0161, 0162; SCell BFR procedure in which a link recovery request, LRR, transmitted in a configured PUCCH resource. ¶0096; UE transmits LRR message, PUCCH-Pcell and/or PUCCH-Scell in which PUCCH BFR is configured. LRR is similar to a scheduling request, SR, using PUCCH formats. ¶0113; Examiner interpretation of PUCCH-Pcell is a first PUCCH resource and PUCCH-Scell is a second PUCCH resource. Flow diagram performed by UE to transmit capabilities to multiple TRPs to support BFR. ¶¶0126-0128, Fig. 12);
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Zhou ‘419, configuration of a UE for support of beam failure recovery with multiple TRPs to support transmit and receive with a base station, with the teachings of Zhou ‘323, UE transmits capability information supporting BFR with multiple TRPs to the network.
The motivation in doing so would be to support improvements to UE beam failure recovery of specific TRP in a network with multiple TRPs and beams in accordance with one or more capabilities of the UE. In the case a specific TRP becomes weak, beam recovery procedures can be performed to select a specific new beam to increase reliability and overall performance of network. . (Zhou ‘419: Abstract, ¶¶0006-0011, 0035-0036, 0074-0076; Zhou ‘323: Abstract, ¶¶0002, 0006-0008, 0035-0038, 0078-0079, 0096, 0113, Fig. 6, 7, 12, 13)
RE Claim 13, Zhou ‘419 discloses:
A base station (¶¶0178-0181, Fig. 15) comprising:
a transmitter that transmits information indicating, for the cell group, configuration of the first SR and the second SR (In a multi-TRP operation, after detecting a beam failure in one of the TRPs (or one of the beam groups associated with a TRP), a UE may transmit a BFR SR. As will be described in greater detail below, configuration of the PUCCH for SRs requesting UL grants to send TRP specific BFR MAC-CE may be in accordance with various rules described herein. In some cases, additional configuration of the SRs for TRP specific BFR, in accordance with rules proposed herein, may be specified in the 3GPP NR specification. ¶0125; For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140); and
a processor that controls to receive the first SR by using the first PUCCH resource and the second SR by using the second PUCCH resource that are determined based on the information (At 1010, UE 120 may transmit (and PCell 1002 may receive) a LRR, link recovery request, message. The LRR message may be transmitted on PCell 1002 (e.g., PUCCH-PCell and/or PUCCH-SCell) in which the PUCCH BFR is configured. The LRR message may be similar to a scheduling request (SR) and use PUCCH format 0 or 1. The LRR message may be transmitted in a UL control channel. ¶0111; Operations 1200 begin, at block 1202, by the UE communicating with at least two TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups, each of the at least two beam groups associated with one of the at least two TRPs. At block 1204, the UE detects a beam failure in a beam group of the at least two beam groups. At block 1206, the UE transmits a beam group specific BFR SR, in accordance with one or more rules, for a UL grant to send a BFRQ specific to the beam group in which the beam failure was detected. ¶¶0128-0130, Fig. 12).
wherein the information indicates configuration of another SR for BFR on a secondary cell (For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140), and
only one PUCCH resource for the BFR on the secondary cell is configured by the information (where the PUCCH resources for the SR for the beam group specific BFR overlapped with PUCCH resources for the one or more other SRs do include PUCCH resources for an SR for a secondary cell (SCell) BFR, a medium access control (MAC) entity considers only one of a PUCCH of the SR for the beam group specific BFR or a PUCCH of the SR for the SCell BFR as valid, as specified by the one or more rules. ¶0200).
Zhou ‘419 does not explicitly disclose:
a receiver that receives, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second PUCCH resource used for transmission of a second SR for BFR for another TRP;
However, Zhou ‘323 discloses:
a receiver that receives, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second PUCCH resource used for transmission of a second SR for BFR for another TRP (UE beam manager configures PUCCH-BFR for TRP specific BFR. ¶0054, Fig. 2; System supports BFR for a multi-TRP operation associated with Pcell/PSCell/Scell, a cell group. ¶0079-0082, Fig. 6, 7; UE indicates various type of capabilities to support TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. ¶0132; A third UE capability indicated by the UE includes maximum number of TRPs may be configured with TRP specific BFR simultaneously. ¶0136; UE transmits to a network entity an indication of one or more capabilities of the UE to support beam group specific BFR. UE communicates with at least two transmission reception points, TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups. ¶¶0159, 0161, 0162; SCell BFR procedure in which a link recovery request, LRR, transmitted in a configured PUCCH resource. ¶0096; UE transmits LRR message, PUCCH-Pcell and/or PUCCH-Scell in which PUCCH BFR is configured. LRR is similar to a scheduling request, SR, using PUCCH formats. ¶0113; Examiner interpretation of PUCCH-Pcell is a first PUCCH resource and PUCCH-Scell is a second PUCCH resource. Flow diagram performed by UE to transmit capabilities to multiple TRPs to support BFR. ¶¶0126-0128, Fig. 12);
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Zhou ‘419, configuration of a UE for support of beam failure recovery with multiple TRPs to support transmit and receive with a base station, with the teachings of Zhou ‘323, UE transmits capability information supporting BFR with multiple TRPs to the network.
The motivation in doing so would be to support improvements to UE beam failure recovery of specific TRP in a network with multiple TRPs and beams in accordance with one or more capabilities of the UE. In the case a specific TRP becomes weak, beam recovery procedures can be performed to select a specific new beam to increase reliability and overall performance of network. . (Zhou ‘419: Abstract, ¶¶0006-0011, 0035-0036, 0074-0076; Zhou ‘323: Abstract, ¶¶0002, 0006-0008, 0035-0038, 0078-0079, 0096, 0113, Fig. 6, 7, 12, 13)
RE Claim 14, Tsai discloses:
A system comprising: a terminal (UE with a transceiver and processor. ¶¶0159-0162, Fig. 14); and a base station (¶¶0178-0181, Fig. 15),
the terminal comprising:
a receiver that receives information indicating, for the cell group, configuration of the first SR and the second SR (In a multi-TRP operation, after detecting a beam failure in one of the TRPs (or one of the beam groups associated with a TRP), a UE may transmit a BFR SR. As will be described in greater detail below, configuration of the PUCCH for SRs requesting UL grants to send TRP specific BFR MAC-CE may be in accordance with various rules described herein. In some cases, additional configuration of the SRs for TRP specific BFR, in accordance with rules proposed herein, may be specified in the 3GPP NR specification. ¶0125; For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140); and
a processor (¶¶0159-0162, Fig. 14) that controls to transmit the first SR by using the first PUCCH resource and the second SR by using the second PUCCH resource that are determined based on the information (At 1010, UE 120 may transmit (and PCell 1002 may receive) a LRR, link recovery request, message. The LRR message may be transmitted on PCell 1002 (e.g., PUCCH-PCell and/or PUCCH-SCell) in which the PUCCH BFR is configured. The LRR message may be similar to a scheduling request (SR) and use PUCCH format 0 or 1. The LRR message may be transmitted in a UL control channel. ¶0111; Operations 1200 begin, at block 1202, by the UE communicating with at least two TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups, each of the at least two beam groups associated with one of the at least two TRPs. At block 1204, the UE detects a beam failure in a beam group of the at least two beam groups. At block 1206, the UE transmits a beam group specific BFR SR, in accordance with one or more rules, for a UL grant to send a BFRQ specific to the beam group in which the beam failure was detected. ¶¶0128-0130, Fig. 12),
wherein the information indicates configuration of another SR for BFR on a secondary cell (For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140), and
only one PUCCH resource for the BFR on the secondary cell is configured by the information (where the PUCCH resources for the SR for the beam group specific BFR overlapped with PUCCH resources for the one or more other SRs do include PUCCH resources for an SR for a secondary cell (SCell) BFR, a medium access control (MAC) entity considers only one of a PUCCH of the SR for the beam group specific BFR or a PUCCH of the SR for the SCell BFR as valid, as specified by the one or more rules. ¶0200).
the base station comprising:
a transmitter that transmits the information (In a multi-TRP operation, after detecting a beam failure in one of the TRPs (or one of the beam groups associated with a TRP), a UE may transmit a BFR SR. As will be described in greater detail below, configuration of the PUCCH for SRs requesting UL grants to send TRP specific BFR MAC-CE may be in accordance with various rules described herein. In some cases, additional configuration of the SRs for TRP specific BFR, in accordance with rules proposed herein, may be specified in the 3GPP NR specification. ¶0125; For example, a first rule may address the coexistence of an SR for a secondary cell (Scell) BFR and an SR for a TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. More specifically, this rule may specify whether the SR for the TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR (e.g., a first type of SR) and the SR for the SCell BFR (e.g., a second type of SR) may be configured simultaneously in a same cell group. ¶0139; In some examples, the SR for the SCell BFR and the SR for the TRP specific BFR may be configured simultaneously within the same cell group. In other words, there may be up to two dedicated PUCCH-SR resources in a cell group, where the dedicated resources may be used for SCell BFR and TRP specific BFR. ¶0140).
Zhou ‘419 does not explicitly disclose:
a transmitter that transmits, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second PUCCH resource used for transmission of a second SR for BFR for another TRP per a cell group;
However, Zhou ‘323 discloses:
a transmitter that transmits, for a cell group, capability information related to support of a first physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource used for transmission of a first scheduling request (SR) for beam failure recovery (BFR) for one transmission/reception point (TRP) and a second PUCCH resource used for transmission of a second SR for BFR for another TRP per a cell group (UE beam manager configures PUCCH-BFR for TRP specific BFR. ¶0054, Fig. 2; System supports BFR for a multi-TRP operation associated with Pcell/PSCell/Scell, a cell group. ¶0079-0082, Fig. 6, 7; UE indicates various type of capabilities to support TRP specific (or beam group specific) BFR. ¶0132; A third UE capability indicated by the UE includes maximum number of TRPs may be configured with TRP specific BFR simultaneously. ¶0136; UE transmits to a network entity an indication of one or more capabilities of the UE to support beam group specific BFR. UE communicates with at least two transmission reception points, TRPs using beams associated with at least two beam groups. ¶¶0159, 0161, 0162; SCell BFR procedure in which a link recovery request, LRR, transmitted in a configured PUCCH resource. ¶0096; UE transmits LRR message, PUCCH-Pcell and/or PUCCH-Scell in which PUCCH BFR is configured. LRR is similar to a scheduling request, SR, using PUCCH formats. ¶0113; Examiner interpretation of PUCCH-Pcell is a first PUCCH resource and PUCCH-Scell is a second PUCCH resource. Flow diagram performed by UE to transmit capabilities to multiple TRPs to support BFR. ¶¶0126-0128, Fig. 12);
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Zhou ‘419, configuration of a UE for support of beam failure recovery with multiple TRPs to support transmit and receive with a base station, with the teachings of Zhou ‘323, UE transmits capability information supporting BFR with multiple TRPs to the network.
The motivation in doing so would be to support improvements to UE beam failure recovery of specific TRP in a network with multiple TRPs and beams in accordance with one or more capabilities of the UE. In the case a specific TRP becomes weak, beam recovery procedures can be performed to select a specific new beam to increase reliability and overall performance of network. . (Zhou ‘419: Abstract, ¶¶0006-0011, 0035-0036, 0074-0076; Zhou ‘323: Abstract, ¶¶0002, 0006-0008, 0035-0038, 0078-0079, 0096, 0113, Fig. 6, 7, 12, 13).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 10 and 12-14 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US-20220104036-A1 Zhou; Yan et al.
“BEAM GROUP SPECIFIC MEDIUM ACCESS CONTROL-CONTROL ELEMENT (MAC-CE) BASED BEAM FAILURE RECOVERY (BFR) REQUESTS”
In accordance with some embodiments, wireless communication for transmission of a beam failure recovery (BFR) MAC-CE is disclosed. A method performed on a user equipment (UE) includes detecting a beam failure of at least one beam of a beam group. The method further comprises triggering a BFR in response to the detection of the beam failure of the at least one beam of the beam group. In addition, the method includes generating a BFR medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) that includes BFR information associated with the beam group. Further, the method comprises transmitting the BFR MAC-CE that includes the BFR information associated with the beam group using a transmission resource.
US-20250151149-A1 Tsai; Allan et al.
“BEAM FAILURE DETECTION AND RECOVERY WITH MULTI-TRP AND MULTI-PANEL TRANSMISSION”
Methods, systems, and devices may support BFD with multi-TRP transmission or support BFR with multi-TRP transmission, among other things. For BFD with multi-TRP transmission, there may be the explicit configuration or implicit configuration. With regard to BFR with multi-TRP transmission there may: BFR using contention-free PRACH, BFR using PUCCH, BFR using contention-free 2-step RACH, or BFR using PUSCH.
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/PAUL A. LANGER/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/PAO SINKANTARAKORN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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