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
Amendments filed on 12/11/2025 are entered. The amendments change the scopes of the previously presented claims. The current Office Action is made FINAL as necessitated by the claim amendments.
The previous Office Action raised objections to the specification and priority claims based on contents in previously presented claims 24 and 34. The corresponding objections are canceled as claims 24 and 34 have been cancelled in the currently presented amendments.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/11/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the previously presented 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections based on Farmanbar (US 2020/0100201), the Applicant first argues that Farmanbar never uses the TCI state to select a TA value for UL transmissions (page 8, bottom paragraph of the Applicant’s response dated 12/11/2025). However, the currently presented claim 19 does not include any steps to “select” a TA value for uplink transmission using the TCI state. In addition, Farmanbar does disclose an uplink transmission being based on a TCI state as shown in paragraph [0061], which recites “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”, wherein a TCI state is used to determine the TAG ID and corresponding timing advance being used for the uplink transmission, which meets all requirements on a TCI state that is being required by currently presented claim 19.
The Applicant then argues that Farmanbar fails to describe using TCI state to choose TA values and that Farmanbar’s TAG mapping is optional and UL and never used in UL (page 9 of the Applicant’s response). Again, the currently presented claim does not include a step of choosing TA values using TCI state. The closest claimed language appeared to be “transmitting the UL transmission using the associated TCI state, wherein the timing of the UL transmission is adjusted based on the determined first TA value”. There is no particular claimed language that actually recites choosing of TA value based using the TCI state. In addition, Farmanbar discloses in paragraph [0061], “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”, which shows that the TCI state being used to determine the timing advance used for the uplink transmission, thereby meeting the requirement of the claimed feature of “transmitting the UL transmission using the associated TCI state, wherein the timing of the UL transmission is adjusted based on the determined first TA value”. With regards to the allegation of Farmanbar’s TAG mapping being optional and not used in UL, this is clearly not true as the passage in paragraph [0061] as shown above clearly shows the TCI state being used to determine the timing advance for the uplink transmission. And the configuration being “optional” is irrelevant as paragraph [0060]-[0061] clearly shows how this “optional” configuration being actually utilized and implemented in an actual embodiment of the disclosed invention. Furthermore, paragraph [0060] also shows that the received TAG configuration supersedes the configuration included in the SCellConfiginformation element, such that the “optional configuration” being the actual configuration used when it is present.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 19-23, 25, 29-33, 35 and 39-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Farmanbar (US 2020/0100201).
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]);
determining a first TA value for an UL transmission, wherein the first TA value is associated with a first TAG of the plurality of TAGs, wherein the first TAG is associated with a first TCI state associated with the UL transmission (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], and wherein the first TCI state is one of the plurality of TCI states (see “TAG IDs mapped to TCI states” recited in paragraph [0058]); and
transmitting the UL transmission using the associated first TCI state, wherein the timing of the UL transmission is adjusted based on the determined first TA value (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], wherein the UL transmission uses the TCI state to select the TAG ID used in the uplink transmission).
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]);
determine a first TA value for an UL transmission, wherein the first TA value is associated with a first TAG of the plurality of TAGs, wherein the first TAG is associated with a first TCI state associated with the UL transmission (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], and wherein the first TCI state is one of the plurality of TCI states (see “TAG IDs mapped to TCI states” recited in paragraph [0058]); and
transmit the UL transmission using the associated first TCI state, wherein the timing of the UL transmission is adjusted based on the determined first TA value (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], wherein the UL transmission uses the TCI state to select the TAG ID used in the uplink transmission).
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).
Claim(s) 26, 28 36 and 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Farmanbar as applied to claims 19, 23, 29 and 33 above, and further in view of Yuan (US 2023/0164719).
Farmanbar 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 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bai (US 2022/0217725) discloses means for applying timing advance to an uplink transmission based on the TCI state (paragraph [0141]).
Venugopal (US 2021/0306994) discloses setting a timing parameter based on an uplink TCI (paragraphs [0078]-[0125], e.g. paragraph [0107]).
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.
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.
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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.
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/JUTAI KAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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