DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 30 June 2026 has been entered.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 5 June 2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 30 June 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1-7 and 9-19, the applicant argued, “…Nowhere does MediaTek ever contemplate a DCI indicating any TCI state or TCI pool, never mind determining QCL information to be applied to an SRS resource (the purported ‘transmission resource’), from its common TCI state indicated by such a DCI…nor does MediaTek ever hint that its common TCI state is associated with transmission information that corresponds to transmission information associated with the SRS resource for its common QCL information (the alleged ‘second beam state’)…” on pages 9-11.
In response to applicant’s argument, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the above argument.
In §2.1 MediaTek clearly teaches receiving, by a wireless communication device from a wireless communication node, downlink control information (DCI) indicating at least one fist beam state (§2.1: receive DCI indicating common TCI state); determining, by the wireless communication device, a transmission resource according to the DCI (§2.1: UE determines Tx beam for CB-based PUSCH transmission according to SRS resource indicated by SRI field in the DCI); determining, by the wireless communication device, at least one second beam state applied to the transmission resource, from the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI (§2.1: UE determines QCL information for the SRS resource provided by the common TCI state indicated by the DCI), which is associated with first transmission information that corresponds to second transmission information associated with the transmission resource for the at least one second beam state (§2.1: common TCI state is associated with UL TCI state that corresponds to DL TCI state associated with the SRS resource for the QCL information).
MediaTek §2.1 recites “one common TCI state in the active common TCI list can be indicated for DL and/or UL on the cell or the cell group, either by a DCI or a MAC-CE” as well as other explicit recitations of DCI indicating or updating TCI states. MediaTek §2.1 also recites “a common TCI state can be indicated/selected to provide common QCL information for the following DL/UL channels and signals: ● UE-dedicated reception on PDSCH ● All or subset of CORESETs ● Dynamic-grant/configured-grant based PUSCH ● All or subset of dedicated PUCCH resources ● SRS configured for antenna switching/CB/NCB” as well as “UE determines a Tx beam according to the SRS resource indicated by SRI field in the scheduling DCI…If common TCI is used, common QCL information for all PUSCH and SRS-CSI transmission is provided by a common TCI state, the Tx beams for CB-based PUSCH transmissions are determined based on the spatial QCL source RS included in the common TCI state” among others. As such, MediaTek teaches TCI state indicated QCL information to be applied to the indicated SRS resource. The quoted portions of MediaTek also clearly teach the common TCI being associated with UL TCI state that corresponds to DL TCI state associated with the SRS resource for the QCL information. The quoted portions of MediaTek also teach the association between both the TCI state and the QCL information with PDSCH, CORESETs, CG-PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS resources.
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) 1-7 and 9-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MediaTek 3GPP R1-2008956 “Enhancement on multi-beam operation” (hereinafter referred to as “MediaTek”).
As to claim 1, MediaTek teaches a method comprising:
receiving, by a wireless communication device from a wireless communication node, downlink control information (DCI) indicating at least one fist beam state (§2.1: receive DCI indicating common TCI state);
determining, by the wireless communication device, a transmission resource according to the DCI (§2.1: UE determines Tx beam for CB-based PUSCH transmission according to SRS resource indicated by SRI field in the DCI);
determining, by the wireless communication device, at least one second beam state applied to the transmission resource, from the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI (§2.1: UE determines QCL information for the SRS resource provided by the common TCI state indicated by the DCI), which is associated with first transmission information that corresponds to second transmission information associated with the transmission resource for the at least one second beam state (§2.1: common TCI state is associated with UL TCI state that corresponds to DL TCI state associated with the SRS resource for the QCL information); and
performing, by the wireless communication device, a transmission using the transmission resource to which the at least one second beam state is applied (§2.1: perform CB-based PUSCH transmission on the determined Tx beam to which the QCL information is applied).
As to claim 2, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the transmission resource comprises a control resource set (CORESET), a CORESET group, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource, a PUCCH resource group, a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource, an SRS resource set, or an SRS resource group (§2.1).
As to claim 3, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the wireless communication device, the transmission resource, according to the DCI, comprises determining at least one of:
a transmission resource which is associated with the DCI,
a transmission resource group which includes the transmission resource which is associated with the DCI,
a transmission resource identified by a predefined or pre-configured target transmission resource identifier (ID) or a target transmission resource group ID,
a transmission resource identified by a target transmission resource ID or a target transmission resource group ID indicated by the DCI or a medium access control control element (MAC CE) signaling, or
at least one transmission resource which is not identified by a pre-configured target transmission resource ID or a target transmission resource group ID, or by a target transmission resource ID or a target transmission resource group ID indicated by the DCI or a MAC CE signaling (§2.1).
As to claim 4, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, comprising:
determining, by the wireless communication device, the transmission resource, according to the DCI and transmission information (§2.1).
As to claim 5, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, comprising determining, by the wireless communication device, the transmission resource, according to the DCI and at least one of:
the second transmission information associated with the transmission resource that is same as or corresponds to the first transmission information which is associated with the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI, or
the second transmission information associated with the transmission resource and the first transmission information associated with the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI that share at least one transmission information (§2.1).
As to claim 6, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, comprising:
determining, by the wireless communication device, the transmission resource, which comprises a control resource set (CORESET), according to:
a CORESET which is associated with at least one transmission information that is same as or corresponds to that associated with the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI; or
determining, by the wireless communication device, the transmission resource, which comprises a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource, according to:
a PUCCH resource which is associated with at least one transmission information that is same as or corresponds that associated with the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI; or
determining, by the wireless communication device, the transmission resource, which comprises a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource, according to:
an SRS resource which is associated with at least one transmission information that is same as or corresponds to that associated with the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI (§2.1).
As to claim 7, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the transmission information comprises or corresponds to a transmission-reception point (TRP), a TRP identifier (ID), a panel, a control resource set (CORESET) pool identifier (ID), a physical cell ID (PCI), a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, a TCI state group, antenna group, a beam state or a beam state group (§2.1).
As to claim 9, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, wherein:
an old beam state associated with the transmission resource shares transmission information that is same as or corresponds to the second transmission information associated with the transmission resource (§2.1).
As to claim 10, MediaTek teaches the method of claim 1, wherein:
the transmission resource comprises a control resource set (CORESET) or CORESET group, and the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI is associated with the CORESET or CORESET group;
the transmission resource comprises a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource or PUCCH resource group, and the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI is associated with the PUCCH resource or PUCCH resource group, or associated with a PUCCH spatial relation associated with the PUCCH resource or PUCCH resource group; or
the transmission resource comprises a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource or SRS resource group, and the at least one first beam state indicated by the DCI is associated with the SRS resource or SRS resource group (§2.1).
As to claim 11, claim 11 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As to claim 12, claim 12 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As to claim 13, claim 13 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As to claim 14, claim 14 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
As to claim 15, claim 15 is rejected the same way as claim 3.
As to claim 16, claim 16 is rejected the same way as claim 4.
As to claim 17, claim 17 is rejected the same way as claim 5.
As to claim 18, claim 18 is rejected the same way as claim 6.
As to claim 19, claim 19 is rejected the same way as claim 7.
Conclusion
All claims are identical to or patentably indistinct from, or have unity of invention with claims in the application prior to the entry of the submission under 37 CFR 1.114 (that is, restriction (including a lack of unity of invention) would not be proper) and all claims could have been finally rejected on the grounds and art of record in the next Office action if they had been entered in the application prior to entry under 37 CFR 1.114. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL even though it is a first action after the filing of a request for continued examination and the submission under 37 CFR 1.114. See MPEP § 706.07(b). 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 JUSTIN T VAN ROIE whose telephone number is (571)270-0308. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm.
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, Ian N Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUSTIN T VAN ROIE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2419
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