DETAILED ACTION
This Final Office Action is in response to application number 18/302,072 filed on April 18th 2023. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Applicant’s amendment filed on 11/25/2025 is acknowledged
Claims 1-6, 8-13,15-17 and 21 have been amended
Claims 22-23 have been cancelled
Claims 24-27 have been added
Information Disclosure Statements
The Information Disclosure Statements (IDS), submitted on March 5th 2026 and September 19th 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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 may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1,2,8,9,15,16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZTE (R1-2005454) in view of Zhou et al. (US 20230300851 A1).
Regarding claims 1,8,15 and 21, ZTE discloses a wireless communication method, comprising: receiving first information, wherein the first information is for configuring a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state set, the TCI state set comprises at least one TCI state, and the at least one TCI state is shared by a plurality of channels and/or a plurality of reference signals (Page 3 FIG. 2 Stage-1 and Page 2 Paragraph 6 respectively disclose “RRC Signaling – Configure or reconfigure multiple unified TCI states” and “…in order to achieve the unified framework for beam indication of data and control transmission/reception for DL and UL, there should be a common pool for unified TCI state(s) for both DL and UL as a baseline.”);
ZTE fails to explicitly disclose receiving second information, and determining information about one or more TCI states of the TCI state set based on the second information, wherein the second information is carried in a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, the MAC CE signaling comprises a first field, and the first field is used to determine: the MAC CE signaling comprises a uplink TCI state or a downlink TCI state; or the MAC CE signaling comprises an uplink TCI sate and a downlink TCI state.
However in an analogous art Zhou et al. teaches receiving second information, and determining information about one or more TCI states of the TCI state set based on the second information, wherein the second information is carried in a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, the MAC CE signaling comprises a first field, and the first field is used to determine: the MAC CE signaling comprises a uplink TCI state or a downlink TCI state; or the MAC CE signaling comprises an uplink TCI sate and a downlink TCI state (US 20230300851 A1 Paragraphs 0037 discloses “In some implementations, the MAC-CE message activates one or more joint downlink and uplink TCI states, including the joint downlink and uplink TCI state, and the MAC-CE message includes a field for each joint downlink and uplink TCI state to indicate a communication direction.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE to incorporate the teachings of Zhou et al. to receive determining information about one or more TCI states of the TCI state set based on the second information, wherein the second information is carried in a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, the MAC CE signaling comprises a first field, and the first field is used to determine, the MAC CE signaling comprises an uplink TCI sate and a downlink TCI state in order to implement MAC-CE signaling in an efficient and flexible manner.
Regarding claims 2,9 and 16, ZTE discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein a mode of the at least one TCI state comprises at least one of :a same TCI state is used for uplink and downlink transmission, and independent TCI states are used for uplink and downlink transmission (Page 3 FIG.2 Stage 2 discloses “Option-2 – Joint indication…” and “Option -1 – Separately indicating independent states…”).
Claims 3,4,5,10,11,12,17,24 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZTE (R1-2005454) in view of Zhou et al. (US 20230300851 A1) further in view of Yuan et al. (WO 2021155571 A1).
Regarding claims 3,10 and 17, ZTE and Zhou et al. discloses the method according to claim 1.
ZTE and Zhou et al. fail to explicitly disclose wherein the MAC CE signaling comprises a first part of bits, the first field used to determine whether the MAC CE comprise a second part of bits.
However, in an analogous art Yuan et al. teaches wherein the MAC CE signaling comprises a first part of bits, the first field is used to determine whether the MAC CE comprise a second part of bits (WO 2021155571 A1 Paragraph 0066 discloses “the MAC-CE includes one or more bits to indicate that the MAC-CE will select a subset of the multiple candidate uplink TCI states to be used to transmit the uplink communications.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE and Zhou et al.to incorporate the teachings of Yuan et al. to utilize the first field to indicate whether the MAC-CE comprise a second part of bits, in order to implement MAC-CE signaling in an efficient and flexible manner.
Regarding clams 4, 11 and 24, ZTE and Zhou et al. discloses the method according to claim 3.
ZTE and Zhou et al. fail to explicitly disclose wherein if the MAC CE does not comprise the second part of bits, the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state or the downlink TCI state.
However, in an analogous art Yuan et al. teaches wherein if the MAC CE does not comprise the second part of bits, the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state or the downlink TCI state (WO 2021155571 A1 Paragraph 0052 discloses “MAC-CE may have a structure including a first field for a service cell ID…” and “…the uplink TCI state to be activated may be one of the candidate uplink TCI states in one of a set of RRC-configured uplink TCI states that correspond to the service cell ID and bandwidth section ID indicated in the MAC-CE.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE and Zhou et al.to incorporate the teachings of Yuan et al. to utilize the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling to indicate the uplink TCI state, or the downlink TCI state, in order to implement MAC-CE signaling in an efficient and flexible manner.
Regarding claims 5,12 and 25, ZTE and Zhou et al. disclose the method according to claim 3.
ZTE and Zhou et al. fail to explicitly disclose wherein if the MAC CE comprise the second part of bits: the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state, and the second part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the downlink TCI state; or the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the downlink TCI state, and the second part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state.
However, in an analogous art Yuan et al. teaches wherein if the MAC CE comprise the second part of bits: the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state, and the second part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the downlink TCI state; or the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the downlink TCI state, and the second part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state. (WO 2021155571 A1 Paragraph 0053 discloses “ In some aspects, one or more stored fields may include bits that have a first value (e.g., zero or one) to indicate that MAC-CE will select a subset of downlink TCI states, or a second value (e.g., one or zero) to indicate that MAC-CE will select a subset of uplink TCI states.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE and Zhou et al.to incorporate the teachings of Yuan et al. to utilize the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling to indicate that the beam is used for downlink transmission, and to utilize the second part of bits in the MAC CE signaling to indicate that the beam is used for uplink transmission, in order to implement MAC-CE signaling in an efficient and flexible manner.
Claims 6,7 13,14, 26 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZTE (R1-2005454) in view of Zhou et al. (US 20230300851 A1) further in view of Yuan et al. (WO 2021155571 A1) further in view of Zhou et al. (US 20230300851 A1).
Regarding claims 6,13 and 26, ZTE, Zhou et al. and Yuan et al. discloses the method according to claim 5.
ZTE, Zhou et al. and Yuan et al. fails to explicitly disclose wherein the MAC CE signaling further comprises a second field the second field in the MAC CE signaling, is used to determine whether the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state or the downlink TCI state.
However, in an analogous art Zhou et al. teaches wherein the MAC CE signaling further comprises a second field the second field in the MAC CE signaling, is used to determine whether the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state or the downlink TCI state. (US 20230300851 Paragraph 0015 discloses that the “…the MAC-CE message includes a field for each joint downlink and uplink TCI state to indicate the communication direction.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE, Zhou et al. and Yuan et al.to incorporate the teachings of Zhou et al. to utilize the second field in the MAC CE signaling to determine whether the first part of bits in the MAC CE signaling indicates the uplink TCI state or the downlink TCI state, in order to efficiently manage beam configuration.
Regarding claims 7,14 and 27, ZTE, Zhou et al. and Yuan et al. disclose, the method according to claim 6.
ZTE, Zhou et al. and Yuan et al. fail to explicitly disclose wherein the second field is the first bit in the first part of bits.
However, in an analogous art Zhou et al. teaches wherein the second field is the first bit in the first part of bits (US 20230300851 Paragraph 0015 discloses second field through “…the MAC-CE message includes a field for each joint downlink and uplink TCI state to indicate the communication direction.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE, Zhou et al. and Yuan et al.to incorporate the teachings of Zhou et al. to ensure that the second field is the first bit in the first part of bits, in order to efficiently manage beam configuration.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 11/25/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the remarks, applicant contends that ZTE fails to disclose "the MAC CE signaling comprises a first field, and the first field indicates one of: the MAC CE signaling comprises an uplink TCI state or a downlink TCI state; or the MAC CE signaling comprises an uplink TCI state and a downlink TCI state." as recited in amended claim 1.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees as Zhou et al. paragraph 37 discloses “In some implementations, the MAC -CE message activates one or more joint downlink and uplink TCI states, including the joint downlink and uplink TCI state, and the MAC-CE message includes a field for each joint downlink and uplink TCI state to indicate a communication direction.”
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 Samuel Dilan Rutnam whose telephone number is 703-756-1374. The examiner can normally be reached between 8:30am-5:00pm Mon-Fri.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy Kundu can be reached on 571-272-8586.
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/Samuel Dilan Rutnam/
Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471
/SUJOY K KUNDU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471