DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/24/2026 has been entered.
Claims 2-3, 7-13, 15-19, 21-23, 25-31, 33-36, 38-44, 46, 48, and 50 have been cancelled.
Status of Claims
3. This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 04/24/2026. Claims 1, 5-6, 14, 20, 24, 32, 37, 45, 47, 49, and 51-56 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
4. 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 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
Claims 1, 5-6, 14, 20, 24, 32, 37, 45, 47, 49, and 51-56 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2023/0370238 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2024/0040583 A1-Hereafter Liu-583) and further in view of Ryu et al (US 2021/0084510 A1).
For claim 1 Liu teaches a method performed by a wireless communication device (see paragraph 52 “User equipment (UE) estimates downlink (DL) pathloss”), the method comprising:
determining a subset from a set of M activated, transmission configuration indicator, TCI, states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals (paragraph 5 “a set (128 (M) UL TCI states) of UL TCI states may be newly introduced for dynamic UL TX beam indication for PUSCH…according to UE capability…A UL TCI state activation/deactivation MAC CE can be used to activate up to 8 subset of UL TCI states”, pargraph 10 “activated UL TCI states are indicated by a DCI field”, and paragraph 63 “when the TCI state activation/deactivation MAC CE as shown in FIG. l(b) is transmitted by the gNB (base station) and received by the UE, the DL TCI states and UL TCI states are activated (updated) for the serving cell identified by the serving cell ID and for the BWP identified by the BWP ID”), wherein:
the set of M activated TCI states comprises either M activated uplink, UL, TCI states or M activated joint or downlink, DL, TCI states (paragraph 5 “a set (128 (M) UL TCI states) of UL TCI states may be newly introduced for dynamic UL TX beam indication for PUSCH…according to UE capability…A UL TCI state activation/deactivation MAC CE can be used to activate up to 8 subset of UL TCI states”, pargraph 10 “activated UL TCI states are indicated by a DCI field”, and paragraph 63 “when the TCI state activation/deactivation MAC CE as shown in FIG. l(b) is transmitted by the gNB (base station) and received by the UE, the DL TCI states and UL TCI states are activated (updated) for the serving cell identified by the serving cell ID and for the BWP identified by the BWP ID”);
the determined subset consists of less than M activated UL TCI states or less than M activated joint or DL TCI states, respectively (paragraph 5 “a set (128 (M) UL TCI states) of UL TCI states may be newly introduced for dynamic UL TX beam indication for PUSCH…according to UE capability…A UL TCI state activation/deactivation MAC CE can be used to activate up to 8 subset of UL TCI states---8 UL TCI states is less than 128”, pargraph 10 “activated UL TCI states are indicated by a DCI field”, and paragraph 63 “when the TCI state activation/deactivation MAC CE as shown in FIG. l(b) is transmitted by the gNB (base station) and received by the UE, the DL TCI states and UL TCI states are activated (updated) for the serving cell identified by the serving cell ID and for the BWP identified by the BWP ID”); and
monitoring pathloss reference signals for the determined subset of the set of M activated TCI states, the set of activated or DL TCI states (paragraph 52 and Table 2“PL-RS are required to be associated with each activated UL TCI state…UE uses PL-RS for pathloss estimation-UE must monitor or decode a PL-RS of UL TCI state in order to estimate the pathloss”).
Liu does not explicitly teach a subset from a set of M activated, transmission configuration indicator, TCI, states.
However, Liu-583 teaches suppose M (up to 128) DL TCI states are configured for a UE in a carrier by RRC signaling, and N (up to 8) out of them are activated by a dedicated MAC CE (Liu-583: paragraph 65).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to use the teachings of Liu-583 in the pathloss estimation of Liu to configure joint DL/UL TCI states based on UE capability (Liu-583: paragraph 65).
Liu in view of Liu-583 does not explicitly teach monitoring pathloss reference signals for the determined subset of the set of M activated TCI states, the set of activated or DL TCI states.
However, Ryu teaches UE 115-a may not track (monitor) and/or filter deactivated path-loss reference signals 220. For example, base station 105-a may refrain from transmitting deactivated path-loss reference signals, and UE 115-a may additionally or alternatively refrain from monitoring for the deactivated path-loss reference signals. Not transmitting and tracking deactivated path-loss references signals may reduce signaling overhead on the downlink channel 205 and may reduce processing overhead for the wireless devices ( e.g., especially UE 115-a ) (see Ryu: paragraph 104). In addition, Ryu teaches UE may be capable of (or may implement) tracking (monitoring) path-loss estimates for a subset of all of the possible beam pairs (TCI states) (see Ryu: paragraph 57). In addition, Ryu teaches the base station 105 may update (activate) transmission configuration indication (TCI) states for periodic CSI-RSs using the MAC-CE, where the periodic CSI-RSs may be used for path-loss reference (see Ryu: paragraph 89). In addition, Ryu teaches the base station 105 may configure a set of path-loss reference signals, where a first subset of the configured path-loss reference signals are "active" and a second subset of the configured path-loss reference signals are "inactive.") The UE 115 may measure path-loss using activated path-loss (see Ryu: paragraph 90).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to use the teachings of Ryu in the combined pathloss estimation of Liu-583 and Liu to not monitor deactivated path-loss references signals to reduce signaling overhead (see Ryu: paragraph 104).
For claim 5 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method of claim 1 wherein determining the subset of the set of M activated TCI states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals comprises selecting the subset from the set of M activated TCI states based on associations between the M activated TCI states and their TCI field codepoints (see Liu: paragraph 51 “TCI codepoint of a TCI field (DL TCI field or UL TCI field) included in the scheduling DCI points to one TCI state. In scenario of multi-TRP (e.g. two TRPs), one TCI codepoint of the TCI field may point to one or two TCI states” and Liu-583: paragraph 65 “suppose M (up to 128) DL TCI states are configured for a UE in a carrier by RRC signaling, and N (up to 8) out of them are activated by a dedicated MAC CE”).
For claim 6 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method of claim 5 wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states having the highest or lowest TCI field codepoints, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (see Liu: paragraph 100 “The maximum number of activated DL TCI codepoints is 8 (when N is 7)” and paragraph 103 “The maximum number of activated UL TCI codepoints is 8 (when N is 7)” and paragraph 74 “PL-RS is used to indicate a DL RS, which can be an NZP CSI-RS resource or a SSB resource, for the UE for DL pathloss estimation. A power control parameter set is associated with an activated UL TCI state for dynamic TX beam indication for PUSCH” and Ryu: pargraph 58 “base station may configure the UE with a number of configured path-loss reference signals greater than a number of activated path-loss reference signals (e.g., based on a maximum number of activated path-loss reference signals supported by the UE)”).
For claim 14 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method of claim 4 wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states that were last activated, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (see Ryu: pargraph 58 “base station may configure the UE with a number of configured path-loss reference signals greater than a number of activated path-loss reference signals (e.g., based on a maximum number of activated path-loss reference signals supported by the UE)”).
For claim 20 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method of claim 1 wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states that have been activated for a shortest amount of time, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (see Ryu: pargraph 58 “base station may configure the UE with a number of configured path-loss reference signals greater than a number of activated path-loss reference signals (e.g., based on a maximum number of activated path-loss reference signals supported by the UE)”).
For claim 24 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method claim 1 wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states having the highest or lowest TCI state IDs, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (see Ryu: pargraph 58 “base station may configure the UE with a number of configured path-loss reference signals greater than a number of activated path-loss reference signals (e.g., based on a maximum number of activated path-loss reference signals supported by the UE)”).
For claim 32 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method claim 1 further comprising:
receiving from a network node, an indication of the subset of the set of M activated TCI states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals (as discussed in claim 1);
wherein determining the subset of the set of M activated TCI states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals comprises determining the subset from the set of M activated TCI states based on the received indication (as discussed in claim 1).
For claim 37 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the method further comprising:
receiving downlink control information, DCI, from a network node, the DCI comprising a TCI field codepoint that maps to an activated UL TCI state or an activated joint or DL TCI state from among the set of M TCI states for which the wireless communication device is not currently monitoring an associated pathloss reference signal (as discussed in claim 1); and
responsive thereto, obtaining a pathloss estimate for the activated UL TCI state or the activated joint or DL TCI state indicated by the TCI field codepoint comprised in the DCI (as discussed in claim 1).
For claim 45 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches a wireless communication device comprising:
one or more transmitters (see Liu: paragraph 2 “transmitter (TX); receiver (RX), central processing unit (CPU)”);
one or more receivers (see Liu: paragraph 2 “transmitter (TX); receiver (RX), central processing unit (CPU)”); and
processing circuitry associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers (see Liu: paragraph 2 “transmitter (TX); receiver (RX), central processing unit (CPU)”); the processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
determine a subset from a set of M activated transmission configuration indicator, TCI, states, for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals (as discussed in claim 1), wherein:
the set of M activated TCI states comprises either M activated uplink, UL, TCI states or M activated joint or downlink, DL, TCI states (as discussed in claim 1);
the determined subset consists of less than M activated UL TCI states or less than M activated joint or DL TCI states, respectively (as discussed in claim 1); and
monitor the pathloss reference signals for the determined subset of the set of M activated TCI states (as discussed in claim 1).
For claim 47 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches a method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a wireless communication device, an indication that identifies a subset of a set of M activated transmission configuration indicator, TCI, states, for the wireless communication device, wherein the set of M activated TCI states comprises either M activated uplink, UL, TCI states or M activated joint or downlink, DL, TCI states (as discussed in claim 1);
the identified subset consists of less than M activated UL TCI states or less than M activated joint or DL TCI states, respectively (as discussed in claim 1); and
the indication serves as a basis for the wireless communication device to monitor associated pathloss reference signals for the identified subset. (as discussed in claim 1).
For claim 49 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches a network node an access network of a cellular communications system, the network node at least comprising processing circuitry and a memory storing instructions executed in the processing circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry is configured to cause the network node to:
transmit, to a wireless communication device, an indication that identifies a subset of a set of M activated transmission configuration indicator, TCI, states, for the wireless communication device, wherein the set of M activated TCI states comprises either M activated uplink, UL, TCI states or M activated joint or downlink, DL, TCI states (as discussed in claim 1);
the identified subset consists of less than M activated UL TCI states or less than M activated joint or DL TCI states, respectively (as discussed in claim 1); and
the indication serves as a basis for the wireless communication device to monitor associated pathloss reference signals for the identified subset (as discussed in claim 1).
For claim 51 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the wireless communication device of claim 45, wherein in order to determine the subset of the set of M activated TCI states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to select the subset from the set of M activated TCI states based on associations between the M activated TCI states and their TCI field codepoints (as discussed in claim 5).
For claim 52 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the wireless communication device of claim 51, wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states having the highest or lowest TCI field codepoints, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (Liu-583: paragraph 65 “suppose M (up to 128) DL TCI states are configured for a UE in a carrier by RRC signaling, and N (up to 8) out of them are activated by a dedicated MAC CE” and as discussed in claim 6).
For claim 53 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the wireless communication device of claim 50, wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states that were last activated, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (Liu-583: paragraph 65 “suppose M (up to 128) DL TCI states are configured for a UE in a carrier by RRC signaling, and N (up to 8) out of them are activated by a dedicated MAC CE” and as discussed in claim 14).
For claim 54 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the wireless communication device of claim 50, wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states that have been activated for a shortest amount of time, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (Liu-583: paragraph 65 “suppose M (up to 128) DL TCI states are configured for a UE in a carrier by RRC signaling, and N (up to 8) out of them are activated by a dedicated MAC CE” and as discussed in claim 20).
For claim 55 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the wireless communication device of claim 50, wherein the subset is either N or N-1 of the M activated TCI states having the highest or lowest TCI state IDs, where a value of N corresponds to a maximum number of pathloss reference signals that the wireless communication device is configured or otherwise able to monitor (Liu-583: paragraph 65 “suppose M (up to 128) DL TCI states are configured for a UE in a carrier by RRC signaling, and N (up to 8) out of them are activated by a dedicated MAC CE” and as discussed in claim 24).
For claim 56 Liu in view of Liu-583 and further in view of Ryu teaches the wireless communication device of claim 50, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
receive, from a network node, an indication of the subset of the set of M activated TCI states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals (as discussed in claim 32);
wherein, in order to determine the subset of the set of M TCI states for which the wireless communication device is to monitor associated pathloss reference signals, the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to determine the subset from the set of M activated TCI states based on the received indication (as discussed in claim 32).
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Zhou et al. (US 2023/0300851 A1) teaches In some implementations, the method can include receiving, from the BS, a MAC-CE message activating a subset of candidate joint downlink and uplink TCI state from a set of candidate joint downlink and uplink TCI states (see Zhou: paragraph 11).
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to David M OVEISSI whose telephone number is (571)270-3127. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8Am-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached at (571) 270 - 1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MANSOUR OVEISSI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415
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