DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Amendment filed 4/22/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1, 2, 13, 14, 27, and 30 have been amended.
Claims 3-12 and 15-26 have been cancelled.
Claims 31-40 have been newly added.
Claims 1, 2, 13, 14, and 27-40 remain pending.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 13, 14, and 27-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US20210250206A1), hereafter Liu, in view of Ji et al. (US20230023719A1), hereafter Ji.
Regarding claims 1, 27, and 28,
Liu discloses an apparatus/network device (i.e. Fig. 1-5, 11-12, “network device”) for performing a method (i.e. Fig. 6) of determining an uplink coordinated TRP (paragraphs 90-91, 101-102; “coordinated network device/TRP”) comprising a processor (Fig. 11-12, processor 31, 41) and a memory/non-transitory storage medium having/configured to store instructions executable by the processor (Fig. 11-12, memory 32, 42; paragraph 64-70, 228).
Liu shows configuring and determining, based on one or more SRS resource sets, one or more TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B, 4B, 5A-B, 6; paragraphs 96, 97, 103), wherein the one or more TRP transmission directions are configured to determine a coordinated TRP (paragraphs 90, 101, 102; “coordinated network device”), and the coordinated TRP is a TRP used by a terminal to coordinately transmit a PUSCH towards a plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions).
Liu discloses configuring a plurality of SRS resource sets through a higher layer signaling (i.e. RRC; paragraph 114, 120), wherein respective SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets are correspondingly associated with different terminal panels or different TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B, 4B, 5A-B, 6; paragraphs 96, 97, 103) comprising spatial beam indication in the TRP direction (paragraph 96-103, 118-127, 175; spatial filtering information for each beam direction).
Liu discloses transmitting first indication information, wherein the first indication information is configured to indicate part or all of the plurality of SRS resource sets (Fig. 6, step 601; paragraph 105, 112-113).
Liu discloses the first indication information comprises a plurality pieces of indication information carried in a MAC-CE signaling (paragraph 114, 120; MAC-CE signaling), and each of the plurality pieces of indication information corresponds to one SRS resource set (Fig. 5A-B; paragraphs 105-120; one-to-one correspondence of SRS/CSI-RS resources configured via MAC-CE).
Liu discloses configuring an SRS resource set for coordinately transmitting the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions), wherein each SRS resource in the SRS resource set is configured to be associated with the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 7A-B; paragraph 125-127; SRS resource set jointly configured by plurality of TRPs/directions).
Liu discloses transmitting second indication information (i.e. RRC/MAC-CE/DCI), wherein the second indication information is configured to indicate part or all of the plurality of TRP transmission directions associated with the SRS resource, as a coordinated TRP transmission direction for the terminal to coordinately transmit the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B; paragraph 96-97, 103, 118, 175; beam directions indicated by DCI).
Liu discloses the plurality of SRS resource sets comprise a non-codebook transmission-based SRS resource set (Fig. 2A-C, 4A-B; paragraph 4, 99; non-codebook-based transmissions) and each SRS resource in the non-codebook transmission-based SRS resource set is configured with the corresponding TRP transmission direction indication information or a CSI-RS associated with a corresponding TRP (paragraph 86-89; target SRS resource associated with plurality of CSI-RS resources corresponding to different network devices/TRPs) but does not expressly disclose a codebook transmission-based SRS resource set.
Analogous art to Ji (Title: Configuring Default Beam for Network Cooperative Communication) discloses a codebook-based SRS resource set in which the UE determines a precoder for PUSCH transmission on the basis of an SRS resource indicator (paragraphs 313-314, 419, 468470).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Liu by providing a codebook transmission-based SRS resource set, as shown by Ji, thereby enabling both non-codebook and codebook-based SRS resource set correspondence and association.
Regarding claims 13, 29, and 30,
Liu discloses an apparatus/terminal/network device (i.e. Fig. 1-5, 11-12, “terminal” and “network device”) for performing a method (i.e. Fig. 6) of determining an uplink coordinated TRP (paragraphs 90-91, 101-102; “coordinated network device/TRP”) comprising a processor (Fig. 11-12, processor 31, 41) and a memory/non-transitory storage medium having/configured to store instructions executable by the processor (Fig. 11-12, memory 32, 42; paragraph 64-70, 228).
Liu further shows determining, based on one or more SRS resource sets (Fig. 2B, 4B, 5A-B, 6; paragraphs 96, 97, 103), a coordinated TRP transmission direction for coordinately transmitting a PUSCH towards a plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions), and a coordinated TRP (paragraphs 90-91, 101-102; “coordinated network device/TRP”), wherein the coordinated TRP is a TRP used by the terminal to coordinately transmit the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions).
Liu discloses configuring a plurality of SRS resource sets through a higher layer signaling (i.e. RRC; paragraph 114, 120), wherein respective SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets are correspondingly associated with different terminal panels or different TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B, 4B, 5A-B, 6; paragraphs 96, 97, 103) comprising spatial beam indication in the TRP direction (paragraph 96-103, 118-127, 175; spatial filtering information for each beam direction).
Liu discloses transmitting first indication information, wherein the first indication information is configured to indicate part or all of the plurality of SRS resource sets (Fig. 6, step 601; paragraph 105, 112-113).
Liu discloses the first indication information comprises a plurality pieces of indication information carried in a MAC-CE signaling (paragraph 114, 120; MAC-CE signaling), and each of the plurality pieces of indication information corresponds to one SRS resource set (Fig. 5A-B; paragraphs 105-120; one-to-one correspondence of SRS/CSI-RS resources configured via MAC-CE).
Liu discloses configuring an SRS resource set for coordinately transmitting the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions), wherein each SRS resource in the SRS resource set is configured to be associated with the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 7A-B; paragraph 125-127; SRS resource set jointly configured by plurality of TRPs/directions).
Liu discloses transmitting second indication information (i.e. RRC/MAC-CE/DCI), wherein the second indication information is configured to indicate part or all of the plurality of TRP transmission directions associated with the SRS resource, as a coordinated TRP transmission direction for the terminal to coordinately transmit the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B; paragraph 96-97, 103, 118, 175; beam directions indicated by DCI).
Liu discloses the plurality of SRS resource sets comprise a non-codebook transmission-based SRS resource set (Fig. 2A-C, 4A-B; paragraph 4, 99; non-codebook-based transmissions) and each SRS resource in the non-codebook transmission-based SRS resource set is configured with the corresponding TRP transmission direction indication information or a CSI-RS associated with a corresponding TRP (paragraph 86-89; target SRS resource associated with plurality of CSI-RS resources corresponding to different network devices/TRPs) but does not expressly disclose a codebook transmission-based SRS resource set.
Analogous art to Ji (Title: Configuring Default Beam for Network Cooperative Communication) discloses a codebook-based SRS resource set in which the UE determines a precoder for PUSCH transmission on the basis of an SRS resource indicator (paragraphs 313-314, 419, 468470).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Liu by providing a codebook transmission-based SRS resource set, as shown by Ji, thereby enabling both non-codebook and codebook-based SRS resource set correspondence and association.
Regarding claim 2,
The combination of Liu and Ji discloses respective SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets are correspondingly associated with different terminal panels or different TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B, 4B, 5A-B, 6; paragraphs 96, 97, 103).
Regarding claim 14,
The combination of Liu and Ji discloses determining a plurality of SRS resource sets through a higher layer signaling (i.e. RRC/MAC-CE; paragraph 114, 120), wherein respective SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets are correspondingly associated with different terminal panels or different TRP transmission directions (Fig. 2B, 4B, 5A-B, 6; paragraphs 96, 97, 103), obtaining first indication information, and using, based on the first indication information, a terminal panel or a TRP transmission direction associated with part or all of the plurality of SRS resource sets as the coordinated TRP transmission direction for the terminal to coordinately transmitting the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (paragraph 4, 97, 120; precoding scheme selected based on DCI/SRI; configuration indicated through RRC/selected through MAC-CE; Fig. 2B; paragraph 96-97, 103, 118, 175; beam directions indicated by DCI; Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions).
Regarding claims 31, 32, 34, 36, 38, and 40,
The combination of Liu and Ji discloses obtaining all or part of coordinated TRP transmission directions reported by the terminal (Fig. 2B; paragraph 96-97, 103, 118, 175; beam directions indicated by DCI; Fig. 6, step 601; paragraph 105, 112-113).
Regarding claims 33 and 35,
The combination of Liu and Ji discloses respective SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets are correspondingly associated with different terminal panels or different TRP transmission directions (paragraph 86-89; target SRS resource associated with plurality of CSI-RS resources corresponding to different network devices/TRPs).
Regarding claims 37 and 39,
The combination of Liu and Ji discloses respective SRS resource sets of the plurality of SRS resource sets are correspondingly associated with different terminal panels or different TRP transmission directions (paragraph 86-89; target SRS resource associated with plurality of CSI-RS resources corresponding to different network devices/TRPs) and to use, based on the first indication information, a terminal panel or a TRP transmission direction associated with part or all of the plurality of SRS resource sets as the coordinated TRP transmission direction for coordinately transmitting the PUSCH towards the plurality of TRP transmission directions (Fig. 3A-B; paragraph 97-98, 101-102; terminal sends PUSCH in plurality of TRP directions; Fig. 7A-B; paragraph 125-127; SRS resource set jointly configured by plurality of TRPs/directions).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection relies on newly-cited Ji reference for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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.
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/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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