DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s amendment and arguments filed June 5, 2026 is acknowledged.
Applicant’s amendment have overcome the previous rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Claims 1-3, 6-9, 11, and 14-19 have been amended.
Claims 4, 10, 12, and 20 are cancelled.
Claims 21-24 have been newly added.
Claims 1-3, 5-9, 11, 13-19, and 21-24 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 of this title, 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 13, 14, 17, 18, 21, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI et al. (hereinafter Dai) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0253992 A1) in view of Matsumura et al. (hereinafter Matsumura) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0219696 A1), and further in view of DAI et al. (hereinafter Dai2) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0253992 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 17, Dai teaches and discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (UE, figures 10 and 21) and the user equipment (UE) comprising: a transceiver (transceiver, figure 21) configured to receive, from a base station (network entity, BS, figures 10 and 21), configuration information for a channel state information (CSI) report, the configuration information including information about N CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources, where N > 1, and codebookMode information set to mode 1 ([0111]; “…the FD component is separate or independent for the two TRPs, the respective codebook may be referred to as a “Mode 1 codebook,”…”; [0112]; [0113]; [0143]; “…the network entity 1002 may transmit a CJT CSI configuration 1010 that is received by the UE 1004. The CJT CSI configuration 1010 may configure the UE 1004 to use one or more parameters when transmitting a CSI report. In some examples, the CJT CSI configuration 1010 may include a parameter configuration indication that configures one or more parameters. In some examples, the CJT CSI configuration 1010 may indicate a number of TRPs and/or indicate certain TRPs…”; teaches the UE receives CJT CSI configuration information regarding the determination of a CSI and further transmitting a CSI report);
a processor (processor, figure 21) operably coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to generate the CSI report including a CSI Part 1 and a CSI Part 2 based on the CSI-RS resources, the CSI part 2 including a group G1, and wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to the base station, the CSI report ([0130]; “…a CSI report may be divided into two parts (e.g., a CSI part 1 and a CSI part 2)…”; [0144]; “…the UE 1004 may perform measurements on the CSI-RS…the UE 1004 may determine a set of parameters for a CSI report 1050. The set of parameters for the CSI report 1050 may be based on the CJT CSI configuration 1010 and the values of the set of parameters may be based on the measurements on the CSI-RS…”; [0145]; “…the UE 1004 may transmit the CSI report…CSI report 1050 may be populated with values determined by the UE…the CSI report 1050 includes a first CSI part 1052 (“CSI part 1”) and a second CSI part 1054 (“CSI part 2”)…”; teaches the UE measures the CSI and determines a CSI report parameter and then transmitting a CSI report to the NW entity, where the transmitted CSI report comprises a CSI part 1 and CSI part 2).
However, Dai may not explicitly disclose the configuration including codebookType information set to type-II-CJT-r18 or type-II-PortSelection-CJT-r18, and the CSI part 2 including a group G1.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Matsumura teaches and suggests the configuration including a parameter codebookType set to type-II-CJT-r18 or type-II-PortSelection-CJT-r18 ([0236]; “…a new parameter indicating a codebook type is configured (for example, codebookType=TypeII-CJT-r18 or TypeII-PortSelection-CJT-r18), new CJT CSI feedback based on existing type 2/type 2 port selection may be configured. A new UE capability for each new codebook type for CJT may be defined…”); and the CSI part 2 including a group G1 ([0119]; “…As grouping of CSI parts 2, for a given CSI report, PMI information is grouped into three groups (groups 0 to 2)…”; [0346]; “…the above “one CSI part 2 for CJT CSI for one TRP,” grouping of CSI parts 2 (based on group 0/1/2 above) may follow one of Options 6-1 and 6-2…”; teaches the CSI part 2 is partitioned into three groups, including group G1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the configuration including a codebookType and partitioning the CSI part 2 into three groups as taught by Matsumura with the method and UE for reporting a CSI report as disclosed by Dai for the purpose of improving CSI reporting for CJT using multi-TRP, as suggested by Matsumura.
However, Dai, as modified by Matsumura, may not explicitly disclose wherein the group G1 includes an indicator indicating, for each of N−1 CSI-RS resources of the N CSI-RS resources, a frequency-domain (FD) offset relative to a reference CSI-RS resource.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Dai2 teaches and suggests wherein the group G1 (group 1 of CSI part 2) includes an indicator indicating, for each of N−1 CSI-RS resources of the N CSI-RS resources, a frequency-domain (FD) offset (FD compensation) relative to a reference CSI-RS resource ([0115]; [0127]; [0151]; teaches CSI reporting in a Group 1 of CSI part 2 indicating FD compensation relative to CSI-resources).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate CSI reporting in a Group 1 of CSI part 2 indicating FD compensation relative to CSI-resources as taught by Dai2 with the method and UE for reporting a CSI report as disclosed by Dai, as modified by Matsumura, for the purpose of achieving a lower CSI reporting overhead, as suggested by Dai2.
Regarding claims 2 and 18, Dai, as modified by Matsumura and Dai2, further teaches and suggests wherein the processor is further configured to determine a value of N, and the group G1 includes the indicator when the value of N≥2 ([0196]; [0204]; teaches the n of resources comprise 1 to NTRP and indicated in the CSI part 2).
Regarding claims 5, 13, and 21, Dai, as modified by Matsumura and Dai2, further teaches and suggests wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit UE capability information indicating that the UE is capable of supporting codebookMode = mode 1 ([0111]; “…the FD component is separate or independent for the two TRPs, the respective codebook may be referred to as a “Mode 1 codebook,”…”; teaches the UE capability information indicating the UE is capable of supporting codebookMode 1).
Regarding claims 6, 14, and 22, Dai discloses receiving CJT CSI configuration information regarding the determination of a CSI and further transmitting a CSI report, but may not explicitly disclose wherein an index of the reference CSI-RS resource r* is fixed to be a smallest index among indices of the N CSI-RS resources.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Matsumura teaches and suggests wherein an index of the reference CSI-RS resource r* is fixed to be a smallest index among indices of the N CSI-RS resources ([0119]; “…As grouping of CSI parts 2, for a given CSI report, PMI information is grouped into three groups (groups 0 to 2)…”; [0122]; “…Group 2: lowest (lower) floor…priority elements in i1,7,l, lowest (lower) floor…priority elements in i2,4,l, and lowest (lower) floor…priority elements in i2,5,l (l=1, . . . , v)…”; teaches the index of CSI-RS resources is fixed to the lowest index).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the index of CSI-RS resources is fixed to the lowest index as taught by Matsumura with the method and UE for reporting a CSI report as disclosed by Dai, as modified by Matsumura and Dai2, for the purpose of improving CSI reporting for CJT using multi-TRP, as suggested by Matsumura.
Regarding claim 9, Dai teaches and discloses a base station (BS) (network entity, BS, figures 10 and 21) comprising: a processor (processor, figure 21); and a transceiver (transceiver, figure 21) operably coupled to the processor, the transceiver configured to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE) (UE, figures 10 and 21), configuration information for a channel state information (CSI) report, wherein the configuration information includes information about N CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resources, where N > 1, codebookMode information set to mode 1 ([0111]; “…the FD component is separate or independent for the two TRPs, the respective codebook may be referred to as a “Mode 1 codebook,”…”; [0112]; [0113]; [0143]; “…the network entity 1002 may transmit a CJT CSI configuration 1010 that is received by the UE 1004. The CJT CSI configuration 1010 may configure the UE 1004 to use one or more parameters when transmitting a CSI report. In some examples, the CJT CSI configuration 1010 may include a parameter configuration indication that configures one or more parameters. In some examples, the CJT CSI configuration 1010 may indicate a number of TRPs and/or indicate certain TRPs…”; teaches the BS transmits CJT CSI configuration information regarding the determination of a CSI and further transmitting a CSI report);
the CSI including a CSI Part 1 and a CSI part 2 is based on the N CSI-RS resources; and receive, from the UE, the CSI report ([0130]; “…a CSI report may be divided into two parts (e.g., a CSI part 1 and a CSI part 2)…”; [0144]; “…the UE 1004 may perform measurements on the CSI-RS…the UE 1004 may determine a set of parameters for a CSI report 1050. The set of parameters for the CSI report 1050 may be based on the CJT CSI configuration 1010 and the values of the set of parameters may be based on the measurements on the CSI-RS…”; [0145]; “…the UE 1004 may transmit the CSI report…CSI report 1050 may be populated with values determined by the UE…the CSI report 1050 includes a first CSI part 1052 (“CSI part 1”) and a second CSI part 1054 (“CSI part 2”)…”; teaches the BS receiving a CSI report, where the transmitted CSI report comprises a CSI part 1 and CSI part 2).
However, Dai may not explicitly disclose where codebookType information set to type-II-CJT-r18 or type-II-PortSelection-CJT-r18.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Matsumura teaches and suggests where codebookType information set to type-II-CJT-r18 or type-II-PortSelection-CJT-r18 ([0236]; “…a new parameter indicating a codebook type is configured (for example, codebookType=TypeII-CJT-r18 or TypeII-PortSelection-CJT-r18), new CJT CSI feedback based on existing type 2/type 2 port selection may be configured. A new UE capability for each new codebook type for CJT may be defined…”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the configuration including a codebookType and partitioning the CSI part 2 into three groups as taught by Matsumura with the method and UE for reporting a CSI report as disclosed by Dai for the purpose of improving CSI reporting for CJT using multi-TRP, as suggested by Matsumura.
However, Dai, as modified by Matsumura, may not explicitly disclose wherein the group G1 includes an indicator indicating, for each of N−1 CSI-RS resources of the N CSI-RS resources, a frequency-domain (FD) offset relative to a reference CSI-RS resource.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Dai2 teaches and suggests wherein the group G1 (group 1 of CSI part 2) includes an indicator indicating, for each of N−1 CSI-RS resources of the N CSI-RS resources, a frequency-domain (FD) offset (FD compensation) relative to a reference CSI-RS resource ([0115]; [0127]; [0151]; teaches CSI reporting in a Group 1 of CSI part 2 indicating FD compensation relative to CSI-resources).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate CSI reporting in a Group 1 of CSI part 2 indicating FD compensation relative to CSI-resources as taught by Dai2 with the method and UE for reporting a CSI report as disclosed by Dai, as modified by Matsumura, for the purpose of achieving a lower CSI reporting overhead, as suggested by Dai2.
Claims 3, 11, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DAI et al. (hereinafter Dai) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0253992 A1) in view of Matsumura et al. (hereinafter Matsumura) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0219696 A1) and DAI et al. (hereinafter Dai2) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0253992 A1), and further in view of AHMED et al. (hereinafter Ahmed) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0226865 A1).
Regarding claims 3, 11, and 19, Dai, as modified by Matsumura and Dai2, discloses receiving CJT CSI configuration information regarding the determination of a CSI and further transmitting a CSI report, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the FD offset dr ∈ {0, 1, . . . , N3O3−1}, wherein N3 is a length of each of FD basis vectors, and O3 is an oversampling value, and wherein a value of O3 is configured by a radio resource control (RRC) parameter, where O3 ∈{1, 4}.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Ahmed teaches and suggests wherein the FD offset dr ∈ {0, 1, . . . , N3O3−1}, wherein N3 is a length of each of FD basis vectors, and O3 is an oversampling value, and wherein a value of O3 is configured by a radio resource control (RRC) parameter, where O3 ∈{1, 4} ([0098]; “…where the FD components are assumed common for all layers r=1, . . . , v…”; [0123]; “…an oversampled DFT codebook, a UE may select the offsets q1∈{0, 1, . . . , O1−1} and q2∈{0, 1, . . . , O2−1}…L components in the basis with indices n1(i), n2(i) for i=0, . . . , L−1. In case of vertical aggregation, n.sub.1.sup.(i)∈{0, 1, . . . , N1−1}, n2(i)∈{0, 1, . . . , NTRPN2−1}, whereas, for horizontal aggregation, n1(i)∈{0, 1, . . . , NTRPN1−1}, n2(i)∈{0, 1, . . . , N.sub.2−1}…”; [0130]; [0149]; teaches the FD offset common for all v layers and the oversampling value con figured by RRC signaling).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the FD offset common for all v layers and the oversampling value con figured by RRC signaling as taught by Ahmed with the method and UE for reporting a CSI report as disclosed by Dai, as modified by Matsumura and Dai2, for the purpose of achieving a lower CSI reporting overhead, as suggested by Ahmed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 24 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed June 5, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3, 5-9, 11, 13-19, and 21-24 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of DAI et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0253992 A1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
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/Suk Jin Kang/
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
August 6, 2026
Prosecution Insights