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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/13/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Amendments filed on 07/13/2026 change the scopes of the previously presented claims. New grounds of rejections are applied to the currently amended claims.
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.
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) 19-23, 25, 29-33, 35 and 39-42 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farmanbar (US 2020/0100201) in views of Go (US 2023/0189254) and Zhou (US 2023/0291533).
Farmanbar discloses the following features.
Regarding claim 19, a method implemented in a WTRU (see UE 120 in Fig. 1) the method comprising:
receiving, from a network node (see base station 110 in Fig. 1), a first message comprising configuration information for a serving cell (see “a macro-cell, a femtocell” serving the UE in Fig. 1 and recited in paragraph [0045]), wherein the configuration information indicates a plurality of TAGs (see “UE receives a TAG configuration from a network. The TAG configuration…may comprise multiple TAG identities (IDs)” recited in paragraph [0044]) and a plurality of TCI states, and wherein each TCI state is associated with a TAG of the plurality of TAGs (see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0058], which recites “each TAG ID in a TAG configuration is mapped to a corresponding transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”), and wherein each TAG of the plurality of TAGs is associate with a TA value (see “A different timing advance may be configured for each TAG” recited in paragraph [0044]);
Regarding claim 20, wherein the serving cell is associate with a first TRP (see base station 110 serving the cell 101 in Fig. 1 and see “serving cell…base stations (sometimes known as Transmit and Receive Points (TRPs)” recited in paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 21, wherein the first TAG is associated with the first TRP (see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the TAG configuration is transmitted to the UE by a base station).
Regarding claim 22, wherein the first TCI state is associated with the first TRP (see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the TAG configuration is transmitted to the UE by a base station; and see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0058], which recites “each TAG ID in a TAG configuration is mapped to a corresponding transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”).
Regarding claim 23, wherein the serving cell is associated with the first TRP and a second TRP (see “ multiple network devices in the same serving cell jointly receive and combine signals transmitted from a UE. The signals transmitted from the UE to the multiple network devices may experience different propagation delays. In one embodiment, the multiple network devices are base stations (sometimes known as Transmit and Receive Points (TRPs)) located in different positions” recited in paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 25, wherein the first TRP and the second TRP are associated with a same physical cell identity (see “The first base station and the second base station may have the same NR cell ID” recited in paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 29, a WTRU (see UE 120 in Fig. 1) comprising a processor, a transceiver unit and a storage unit, and configured to:
receive, from a network node (see base station 110 in Fig. 1), a first message comprising configuration information for a serving cell (see “a macro-cell, a femtocell” serving the UE in Fig. 1 and recited in paragraph [0045]), wherein the configuration information indicates a plurality of TAGs (see “UE receives a TAG configuration from a network. The TAG configuration…may comprise multiple TAG identities (IDs)” recited in paragraph [0044]) and a plurality of TCI states, and wherein each TCI state is associated with a TAG of the plurality of TAGs (see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0058], which recites “each TAG ID in a TAG configuration is mapped to a corresponding transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”), and wherein each TAG of the plurality of TAGs is associate with a TA value (see “A different timing advance may be configured for each TAG” recited in paragraph [0044]);
Regarding claim 30, wherein the serving cell is associate with a first TRP (see base station 110 serving the cell 101 in Fig. 1 and see “serving cell…base stations (sometimes known as Transmit and Receive Points (TRPs)” recited in paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 31, wherein the first TAG is associated with the first TRP (see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the TAG configuration is transmitted to the UE by a base station).
Regarding claim 32, wherein the first TCI state is associated with the first TRP (see step 810 in Fig. 8, wherein the TAG configuration is transmitted to the UE by a base station; and see Fig. 5 and paragraph [0058], which recites “each TAG ID in a TAG configuration is mapped to a corresponding transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”).
Regarding claim 33, wherein the serving cell is associated with the first TRP and a second TRP (see “ multiple network devices in the same serving cell jointly receive and combine signals transmitted from a UE. The signals transmitted from the UE to the multiple network devices may experience different propagation delays. In one embodiment, the multiple network devices are base stations (sometimes known as Transmit and Receive Points (TRPs)) located in different positions” recited in paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 35, wherein the first TRP and the second TRP are associated with a same physical cell identity (see “The first base station and the second base station may have the same NR cell ID” recited in paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claims 39 and 40, wherein the configuration information further indicates each TAG of the plurality of TAGs associated with a TAG ID (see “When a UE receives a TAG configuration including TAG IDs mapped to TCI states” recited in paragraph [0060]), and wherein the association of the first TAG to the first TCI state is based on a first TAG ID configured for the first TCI state (see “When the UE has an uplink transmission to be communicated in this time slot, the UE may select a TAG ID mapped to the TCI state, and apply a timing advance associated with the TAG ID to the uplink transmission” recited in paragraph [0061], which clearly shows the TAG ID being mapped to the TCI state).
Farmanbar does not disclose the following features: regarding claims 19 and 29, receiving, from the network node, DCI that indicates a first TCI state of the plurality of TCI states and a second TCI state of the plurality of TCI states wherein the first TCI state is associated with a first TAG of the plurality of TAGs and the second TCI state is associated with a second TAG of the plurality of TAGs; transmitting a first UL transmission based on the first TCI state of the plurality of TCI states, wherein the timing of the first UL transmission is adjusted based on a first TA value that is associated with the first TAG; transmitting a second UL transmission based on the second TCI state of the plurality of TCI states, wherein the timing of the second UL transmission is adjusted based on a second TA value that is associated with the second TAG; regarding claims 41-42, wherein the first and second uplink transmissions are transmitted after at least one of: (i) the WTRU sends an acknowledgement associated with the DCI; or (ii) a beam application time.
Go discloses the following features.
Regarding claims 19 and 29, receiving, from the network node, DCI that indicates a first TCI state of the plurality of TCI states and a second TCI state of the plurality of TCI states (see “Specifically, for a beam indication of each PUSCH (i.e., for independently indicating a beam per each TRP), a plurality of beams may be configured/indicated through a plurality of SRI (or UL-TCI state) fields by the DCI” recited in paragraph [0215]) wherein the first TCI state is associated with a first TAG of the plurality of TAGs and the second TCI state is associated with a second TAG of the plurality of TAGs (see “In addition, a plurality of timing advance (TA) values for each PUSCH may be configured/indicated/applied by the DCI” recited in paragraph [0215]; it is noted that Go only recites having plurality of TA values, but does not specify a plurality of TAGs); transmitting a first UL transmission based on the first TCI state of the plurality of TCI states, wherein the timing of the first UL transmission is adjusted based on a first TA value; transmitting a second UL transmission based on the second TCI state of the plurality of TCI states, wherein the timing of the second UL transmission is adjusted based on a second TA value (see “a plurality of timing advance (TA) values for each PUSCH may be configured/indicated/applied by the DCI” recited in paragraph [0215]).
Zhou discloses the following features.
Regarding claims 19 and 29, wherein the first TCI state is associated with a first TAG of the plurality of TAGs and the second TCI state is associated with a second TAG of the plurality of TAGs (see “In another aspect, each of the joint DL/UL TCI states may include UL timing advance (TA) parameters indicating the UE to configure the TA for the UL transmission. The one or more TA parameters may include a TA value, an identifier of a TA group (such as a TA group ID), or a combination thereof” recited in paragraph [0076]; such that the TCI states in Go may be modified, based on Zhou, to include TA parameters such as TA group ID); wherein the first TA value is associated with the first TAG and the second TA value is associated with the second TAG (see “In another aspect, each of the joint DL/UL TCI states may include UL timing advance (TA) parameters indicating the UE to configure the TA for the UL transmission. The one or more TA parameters may include a TA value, an identifier of a TA group (such as a TA group ID), or a combination thereof” recited in paragraph [0076]; such that the TA parameter includes a combination of the TA group ID and its associated TA value).
Regarding claims 41-42, wherein the first and second uplink transmissions are transmitted after at least one of: (i) the WTRU sends an acknowledgement associated with the DCI (see Fig. 5, wherein the communication based on the activated UL TCI states occurs in step 518, which occurs after the ACK confirming the reception of the DCI in step 512); or (ii) a beam application time.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current application to modify the system of Farmanbar using features, as taught by Go and Zhou, in order to schedule multiple PUSCHs towards multiple TRPs (see paragraph [0215] of Go) and in order to reduce overhead by grouping devices in close proximity using the same timing advance values.
Claim(s) 26, 28 36 and 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farmanbar, Go and Zhou as applied to claims 19, 23, 29 and 33 above, and further in view of Yuan (US 2023/0164719).
Farmanbar, Go and Zhou disclose the features as shown above.
Farmanbar does not disclose the following features: regarding claims 26 and 36, wherein a second TAG different from the first TAG is associated with the second TRP; regarding claims 28 and 38, wherein the plurality of TAGs is associated with the serving cell.
Yuan discloses the following features.
Regarding claims 26 and 36, wherein a second TAG different from the first TAG is associated with the second TRP (see “For example, communication between the TRP 205 and the panel 235 may be associated with a first timing advance group (TAG) (e.g., a first TAG-ID) and the base station 105-a may signal a first timing advance value for the UE 115-a to apply to communication between the TRP 205 and the panel 235. Similarly, communication between the TRP 210 and the panel 240 may be associated with a second TAG (e.g., a second TAG-ID) and the base station 105-a may signal a second timing advance value for the UE 115-a to apply to communication between the TRP 210 and the panel 240” recited in paragraph [0091]).
Regarding claims 28 and 38, wherein the plurality of TAGs is associated with the serving cell (see “The base station 105-a may host a serving cell for the UE 115-a… For example, communication between the TRP 205 and the panel 235 may be associated with a first timing advance group (TAG) (e.g., a first TAG-ID) and the base station 105-a may signal a first timing advance value for the UE 115-a to apply to communication between the TRP 205 and the panel 235. Similarly, communication between the TRP 210 and the panel 240 may be associated with a second TAG (e.g., a second TAG-ID) and the base station 105-a may signal a second timing advance value for the UE 115-a to apply to communication between the TRP 210 and the panel 240” recited in paragraph [0091]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the current application to modify the system of Farmanbar, Go and Zhou using features, as taught by Yuan, in order to separately apply timing advance values for communications between the UE and different TRPs (see paragraph [0091] of Yuan).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUTAI KAO whose telephone number is (571)272-9719. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00-17:00 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang Yao can be reached at (571)272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JUTAI KAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
Prosecution Insights