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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered.
Regarding the rejections of the claims, Applicant argues that Park does not “…disclose or suggest that after a MAC CE activates multiple TCI states, the first DCI is used to indicate the effective TCI states from the activated TCI states, and then a target TCI state used for transmission on a target resource is determined from the effective TCI states based on first indication field of the second DCI or the format of the second DCI…” Examiner disagrees. During prosecution, claims must be given their broadest reasonable interpretation while reading claim language in light of the specification as it would be interpreted by one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Am. Acad. of Sci. Tech. Ctr., 367 F.3d 1359, 1364 (Fed. Cir. 2004). In construing the meaning of claims terms, caution must be taken not to import limitations from the specification as “[i]t is the claims that measure the invention.” See SRI Int’l v. Matsushita Elec. Corp. of Am., 775 F.2d 1107, 1121 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (en banc) (citations omitted). Nowhere in the claims is this claimed. Examiner would have to import the ‘after a MAC CE activates multiple TCI states’ limitation into the claim which is impermissible. Further, Applicant amendments that are actually in the claim are all optional. That is, the claim uses the term ‘or’. As defined by Merriam-Webster ‘or’ is used as a function word to indicate an alternative. There are 5 alternatives and Examiner only needs to find 1 of the 5 to meet the claim language. Therefore, because Applicant’s arguments are not based upon the claim language or the record and Applicant relies of faulty claim construction by attempting to interpret an ‘or’ as meaning ‘and’, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-5, 8, 10, 11, 12-17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 1-5, 8, 10, and 11, claim 1 recites in line 16 ‘or’. As defined by Merriam-Webster ‘or’ is used as a function word to indicate an alternative. Therefore, because in line 4 there is an and the first receiving step is required, but the five other steps recited are alternatives. In other words, each is to be considered as options that are not connected with each other. In lines 10, 12, and 17, the claim recites ‘the second DCI’ There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In lines 8, 13, 18, the claim recites ‘the first DCI’. There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 2-5, 8, 10 and 11 do not cure the deficiencies of claim 1 and have similar issues caused by the ‘or’ of claim 1 and are rejected for similar reasons. The claims are being interpreted as best as possible. Please review all of your claims.
Regarding claims 12-17, claim 12 recites in line 17 ‘or’. As defined by Merriam-Webster ‘or’ is used as a function word to indicate an alternative. Therefore, because in line 5 there is an and the first sending step is required, but the five other steps recited are alternatives. In other words, each is to be considered as options that are not connected with each other. In lines 11, 13, and 19, the claim recites ‘the second DCI’ There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In lines 9-10, 14, 19-20, the claim recites ‘the first DCI’. There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 12-17 do not cure the deficiencies of claim 12 and have similar issues caused by the ‘or’ of claim 12 and are rejected for similar reasons. The claims are being interpreted as best as possible. Please review all of your claims.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 recites in line 17 ‘or’. As defined by Merriam-Webster ‘or’ is used as a function word to indicate an alternative. Therefore, because in line 6 there is an and the first receiving step is required, but the five other steps recited are alternatives. In other words, each is to be considered as options that are not connected with each other. In lines 12, 13, and 18, the claim recites ‘the second DCI’ There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In lines 10, 14, 19, the claim recites ‘the first DCI’. There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claims are being interpreted as best as possible. Please review all of your claims.
Regarding claim 20, claim 12 (claim 20 refers to claim 12) recites in line 17 ‘or’. As defined by Merriam-Webster ‘or’ is used as a function word to indicate an alternative. Therefore, because in line 5 there is an and the first sending step is required, but the five other steps recited are alternatives. In other words, each is to be considered as options that are not connected with each other. In lines 11, 13, and 19, the claim recites ‘the second DCI’ There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. In lines 9-10, 14, 19-20, the claim recites ‘the first DCI’. There is lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claims are being interpreted as best as possible. Please review all of your claims.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021).
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state indication method, comprising: (See Park Abstract; TCI)
receiving, by a terminal, Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling, wherein the RRC signaling is used to indicate at least one of a resource pool of a TCI state and a mode of the TCI state; and (See Park fig. 25, para. 467; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives configuration parameters for a plurality of TCIs using RRC message (e.g. signaling) which indicates first mode or second mode; para. 463; TCI pool being unified/joint)
receiving, by the terminal, a first Media Access Control control element (MAC CE), wherein the first MAC CE is configured to activate at least one TCI state corresponding to the resource pool of the TCI state or the mode of the TCI state. (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL)
receiving, by the terminal. first downlink control information (DCI). wherein the first DCI is used to indicate a plurality of effective TCI states activated by the first MAC CE;
receiving, by the terminal. second DCI, wherein the second DCI is used to schedule a target resource;
wherein the second DCI comprises a first indication field, and the first indication field is used to determine, from the plurality of effective TCI states indicated by the first DCI, at least one of the following: a quantity of TCI states associated with the target resource, an identifier of a TCI state associated with the target resource, and a sequence of a plurality of TCI states associated with the target resource; or (or limitation means that to meet claim language only 1 of the 5 options needs to be met; see also 112 issues above)
determining, by the terminal based on a format of the second DCI, from the plurality of effective TCI states indicated by the first DCI, a target TCI state used for transmission on the target resource, wherein the format of the second DCI comprises one of the following:
DCI format 1 0 and DCI format 0 0.
Regarding claim 8, Park discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
using, by the terminal, a preset TCI state in TCI states activated by the first MAC CE as the target TCI state; or
using, by the terminal, a TCI state associated with a preset code point in the first MAC CE as the target TCI state. (See Park. fig. 25; TCIs of codepoints (preset in that they are set before use); DCI then indicates which TCI to use of already preset states in MACCE; see also para. 469-470)
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 2, 4, 5, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein after the receiving, by the terminal, a first Media Access Control control element MAC CE, the method further comprises:
receiving, by the terminal, a first downlink control information (DCI), wherein the first DCI is used to indicate a target TCI state used for transmission on a target resource, and the target TCI state is at least one of TCI states activated by the first MAC CE. (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE))
Park in fig. 25 does not explicitly discloses that the DCI could be a MAC-CE. However, Park discloses in another embodiment that the control commands can be DCI or MAC-CE commands. (See Park para. 431; control commands can be DCI or MAC-CE commands; see also fig. 24; MAC CE or DCI) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the method fig. 25 of Park to include the teaching of that the control commands can be DCI or MAC-CE commands of another embodiment of Park with the motivation being lower control channel overhead and further allowing for carrying richer or variable sized control information and further more efficient when control can be multiplexed with data.
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the mode of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: (See Park fig. 25, para. 467; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives configuration parameters for a plurality of TCIs using RRC message (e.g. signaling) which indicates first mode or second mode; para. 463; TCI pool being unified/joint)
the mode of the TCI state is associated with a CORESETPoolIndex;
the mode of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL) (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE) (e.g. it is associated with))
the mode of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI;
the mode of the TCI state is associated with the resource pool of the TCI state; and
the mode of the TCI state is associated with the target resource. (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL) (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE) (e.g. it is associated with))
Regarding claim 5, Park discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the first MAC CE comprises code point information, the code point information is used to indicate a to-be-activated TCI state, and the code point information comprises at least one of the following: (See Park para. 498, fig. 27; codepoint is determined based upon information in MAC-CE)
an identifier of the activated TCI state selected from the resource pool of the TCI state;
an identifier used to distinguish between uplink and downlink; (See Park para. 498, fig. 27; codepoint is determined based upon information in MAC-CE with values to determine UL or DL or joint UL/DL etc.; see also para. 499, fig. 26A, B)
an identifier used to distinguish a TCI state group to which the activated TCI state belongs; and
a mode of the activated TCI state, wherein the mode of the activated TCI state comprises joint indication or separate indication.
Regarding claim 10, Park discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the second MAC CE or the first DCI is associated with a CORESETPoolIndex, and the method further comprises: (See Park para. 480; CORESETPoolIndex is in TCI-indication message (e.g. MAC CE) which is associated with DCI (e.g. first DCI); fig. 25 TCI indication message is associated with DCI)
determining, based on at least one of the following, the target TCI state used by the target resource: the second MAC CE or the first DCI, or the CORESETPoolIndex. (See Park fig. 25; Wireless device determines indicated TCI state) (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE)
Regarding claim 11, Park discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the target resource is associated with a CORESETPoolIndex, and the method further comprises: (See Park para. 480; CORESETPoolIndex is in TCI-indication message (e.g. MAC CE) which is associated with DCI (e.g. first DCI); fig. 25 TCI indication message is associated with DCI)
determining, based on at least one of the following, the target TCI state used by the target resource: the second MAC CE or the first DCI, or the CORESETPoolIndex. (See Park fig. 25; Wireless device determines indicated TCI state) (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE)
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021), and further in view of Khoshnevisan (2021/0289525).
Regarding claim 3, Park discloses the method according to claim 2,
Park does not explicitly disclose wherein the resource pool of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a control resource set resource pool index CORESETPoolIndex; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the mode of the TCI state; and the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target resource. However, Khoshnevisan does disclose wherein the resource pool of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a control resource set resource pool index CORESETPoolIndex; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the mode of the TCI state; and the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target resource. (See Khoshnevisan para. 151; UE receives CORESET pool index associated with TCI states) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the method of Park to include the teaching of wherein the resource pool of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a control resource set resource pool index CORESETPoolIndex; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the mode of the TCI state; and the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target resource of Khoshnevisan with the motivation being to allow the UE to know which resources to use with which TCI states and further to reduce control signaling and further to reduce delay in communication and increase throughput by utilizing multiple CORESETs from possibility multiple TRPs and further to increase connectivity to allow for connectivity to multiple TRPs at the same time.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 12, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021).
Regarding claim 12, Park discloses a TCI state indication method, comprising: (See Park Abstract; TCI)
sending, by a network side device, RRC signaling, wherein the RRC signaling is used to indicate at least one of a resource pool of a TCI state and a mode of the TCI state; and (See Park fig. 25, para. 467; wireless device receives configuration parameters for a plurality of TCIs using RRC message (e.g. signaling) which indicates first mode or second mode; para. 463; TCI pool being unified/joint; basestation/network sends (e.g. network side device))
sending, by the network side device, a first MAC CE, wherein the first MAC CE is used to activate at least one TCI state corresponding to the resource pool of the TCI state or the mode of the TCI state. (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL; basestation/network sends (e.g. network side device)))
sending, by the network side device, first downlink control information (DCI), wherein the first DCI is used to indicate a plurality of effective TCI states activated by the first MAC CE;
sending, by the network side device, second DCI. wherein the second DCI is used to schedule a target resource;
wherein the second DCI comprises a first indication field, and the first indication field is used to determine, from the plurality of effective TCI states indicated by the first DCI. at least one of the following: a quantity of TCI states associated with the target resource. an identifier of a TCI state associated with the target resource. and a sequence of a plurality of TCI states associated with the target resource; or (or limitation means that to meet claim language only 1 of the 5 options needs to be met; see also 112 issues above)
a target TCI state used for transmission on the target resource is determined by a terminal based on a format of the second DCI. from the plurality of effective TCI states indicated by the first DCI, and the format of the second DCI comprises one of the following: DCI format 1 0 and DCI format 0 0.
Regarding claim 17, Park discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the first DCI comprises a first indication field, the first indication field is used to indicate an association relationship between a plurality of currently effective TCI states and the target resource, and the association relationship comprises at least one of the following:
a quantity of TCI states associated with the target resource;
an identifier of a TCI state associated with the target resource; and
a sequence of a plurality of TCI states associated with the target resource. (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE)
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 13, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021).
Regarding claim 13, Park discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein after the sending, by the network side device, a first MAC CE, the method further comprises:
sending, by the network side device, a first DCI, wherein the first DCI is used to indicate a target TCI state used for transmission on a target resource, and the target TCI state is at least one of TCI states activated by the first MAC CE. (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE; basestation/network sends (e.g. network side device)))
Park in fig. 25 does not explicitly discloses that the DCI could be a MAC-CE. However, Park discloses in another embodiment that the control commands can be DCI or MAC-CE commands. (See Park para. 431; control commands can be DCI or MAC-CE commands; see also fig. 24; MAC CE or DCI) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the method fig. 25 of Park to include the teaching of that the control commands can be DCI or MAC-CE commands of another embodiment of Park with the motivation being lower control channel overhead and further allowing for carrying richer or variable sized control information and further more efficient when control can be multiplexed with data.
Regarding claim 15, Park discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the mode of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: (See Park fig. 25, para. 467; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives configuration parameters for a plurality of TCIs using RRC message (e.g. signaling) which indicates first mode or second mode; para. 463; TCI pool being unified/joint)
the mode of the TCI state is associated with a CORESETPoolIndex;
the mode of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL) (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE) (e.g. it is associated with))
the mode of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI;
the mode of the TCI state is associated with the resource pool of the TCI state; and
the mode of the TCI state is associated with the target resource. (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL) (See Park fig. 25, para. 471; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives a DCI (e.g. first DCI) which comprises a TCI field used to transmit uplink signal/channel (e.g. target TCI state); states second TCI in message is of the one or more TCIs (e.g. activated in first MAC CE) (e.g. it is associated with))
Regarding claim 16, Park discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the first MAC CE comprises code point information, the code point information is used to indicate a to-be-activated TCI state, and the code point information comprises at least one of the following: (See Park para. 498, fig. 27; codepoint is determined based upon information in MAC-CE)
an identifier of the activated TCI state selected from the resource pool of the TCI state;
an identifier used to distinguish between uplink and downlink; (See Park para. 498, fig. 27; codepoint is determined based upon information in MAC-CE with values to determine UL or DL or joint UL/DL etc.; see also para. 499, fig. 26A, B)
an identifier used to distinguish a TCI state group to which the activated TCI state belongs; and
a mode of the activated TCI state, wherein the mode of the activated TCI state comprises joint indication or separate indication.
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021), and further in view of Khoshnevisan (2021/0289525).
Regarding claim 14, Park discloses the method according to claim 13.
Park does not explicitly disclose wherein the resource pool of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a control resource set resource pool index CORESETPoolIndex; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the mode of the TCI state; and the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target resource. However, Khoshnevisan does disclose wherein the resource pool of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a control resource set resource pool index CORESETPoolIndex; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI,; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the mode of the TCI state; and the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target resource. (See Khoshnevisan para. 151; UE receives CORESET pool index associated with TCI states) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the method of Park to include the teaching of wherein the resource pool of the TCI state meets at least one of the following: the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a control resource set resource pool index CORESETPoolIndex; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target TCI state; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with a format of second DCI; the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the mode of the TCI state; and the resource pool of the TCI state is associated with the target resource of Khoshnevisan with the motivation being to allow the UE to know which resources to use with which TCI states and further to reduce control signaling and further to reduce delay in communication and increase throughput by utilizing multiple CORESETs from possibility multiple TRPs and further to increase connectivity to allow for connectivity to multiple TRPs at the same time.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021).
Regarding claim 19, Park discloses a terminal, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or an instruction that is stored in the memory and that can run on the processor, wherein when the program or the instruction is executed by the processor, the following steps are implemented: (See Park para. 43; processors executing an algorithm stored in memory)
receiving RRC signaling, wherein the RRC signaling is used to indicate at least one of a resource pool of a TCI state and a mode of the TCI state; and (See Park fig. 25, para. 467; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives configuration parameters for a plurality of TCIs using RRC message (e.g. signaling) which indicates first mode or second mode; para. 463; TCI pool being unified/joint)
receiving a first MAC CE, wherein the first MAC CE is configured to activate at least one TCI state corresponding to the resource pool of the TCI state or the mode of the TCI state. (See Park fig. 25, para. 469; wireless device (e.g. terminal) receives MAC-CE including TCI-indication which activates one or more TCIs of the plurality of TCI states (e.g. pool) along with indicators of TCI state joint DL/UL, DL, or UL)
receiving, by the terminal. first downlink control information (DCI). wherein the first DCI is used to indicate a plurality of effective TCI states activated by the first MAC CE;
receiving, by the terminal. second DCI, wherein the second DCI is used to schedule a target resource;
wherein the second DCI comprises a first indication field, and the first indication field is used to determine, from the plurality of effective TCI states indicated by the first DCI, at least one of the following: a quantity of TCI states associated with the target resource, an identifier of a TCI state associated with the target resource, and a sequence of a plurality of TCI states associated with the target resource; or (or limitation means that to meet claim language only 1 of the 5 options needs to be met; see also 112 issues above)
determining, by the terminal based on a format of the second DCI, from the plurality of effective TCI states indicated by the first DCI, a target TCI state used for transmission on the target resource, wherein the format of the second DCI comprises one of the following:
DCI format 1 0 and DCI format 0 0.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park (2024/0430891; Provisional 63/137689; 14 Jan 2021).
Regarding claim 20, Park discloses a network side device, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or an instruction that is stored in the memory and that can run on the processor, wherein when the program or the instruction is executed by the processor, the TCI state indication method according to claim 12 is implemented. (See Park para. 43; processors executing an algorithm stored in memory; see claim 12)
Conclusion
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 STEPHEN J CLAWSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7498. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:00 pm est.
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/Stephen J Clawson/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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