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 filed 7/16/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues “…In contrast, Park merely discloses that the wireless
device may determine a third Tx beam based on the DL-TCI state 21. As can be seen, a beam (rather than the transmission timing) is determined in Park; what's more, the determination in Park is made based on the DL-TCI state, rather than a reference signal indicated in the TCI state. In addition, paragraph [0168] of Park recites "one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states comprising a number of reference signals", but fails to disclose that the transmission timing of a target uplink signal is determined according to a reference signal indicated in the TCI state. Thus, Park fails to disclose "determining, by a terminal device, a transmission timing of a target uplink signal according to a reference signal indicated in first information configured for the target uplink signal, the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or spatial relation information" recited in claim 1.” See page 3 of applicant’s remarks. The examiner respectfully disagrees.
According to paragraph [0168] of Park, the base station may determine, based on the reported measurement results, one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states comprising a number of reference signals (i.e., reference signal indicated in first information with the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state). In an example, the base station may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE (e.g., via RRC signaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI). The UE may receive a downlink transmission with a receive (Rx) beam determined based on the one or more TCI states…If the UE has the capability of beam correspondence, the UE may determine a spatial domain filter of a transmit (Tx) beam based on a spatial domain filter of the corresponding Rx beam (in other words, a transmit (Tx) beam is determined by the UE based on the downlink transmission (e.g., via RRC signaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI) indicating TCI states comprising reference signals). According to paragraphs [0283], [0287] and figure 27 of Park, the uplink beam indication may be based on a linked downlink beam such as downlink TCI states comprising reference signals, reference beams, etc. In response to the 1st codepoint, the wireless device may determine a first Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) based on the DL-TCI state 7 (in other words, the transmission of a target uplink signal is determined based on the TCI state where the downlink TCI state comprises a reference signal) and transmit the uplink signal using the first Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) (as shown in the figure and described throughout Park, the determined Tx beam/target uplink signal is linked to a transmission timing for each UL transmission for preventing interference, improving beam control efficiency and reducing latency). In this case, the UE determines the Tx beam/target uplink signal including the transmission timing of the Tx beam/target uplink signal based on the TCI comprising a reference signal. Therefore, Park discloses "determining, by a terminal device, a transmission timing of a target uplink signal according to a reference signal indicated in first information configured for the target uplink signal, the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or spatial relation information" recited in claim 1.
Also, considered in paragraph [0316] of Park: “based on the indicated periodicity (e.g., T.sub.2-T.sub.1) (in other words, the transmission timing for the PUCCH/Tx beam/target uplink signal), the wireless device may determine a fourth Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) (i.e., the PUCCH/Tx beam/target uplink signal having a transmission timing of T.sub.2 therefore, the UE is also able to determine the transmission timing) based on the DL-TCI state 21 (with the most recent Tx beam determination based on the DL TCI state 21, e.g., based on a RS in the DL TCI state 21) (i.e., the PUCCH/Tx beam/target uplink signal and transmission timing is determined based on the TCI comprising a RS/reference signal) and transmit a fourth uplink signal of the uplink signals for the PUCCH at time T.sub.2 using the fourth Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) (in other words, the UE transmits the PUCCH/Tx beam/target uplink signal according to the determined time T.sub.2 and based on the TCI comprising a RS/reference signal).” As such, Park discloses "determining, by a terminal device, a transmission timing of a target uplink signal according to a reference signal indicated in first information configured for the target uplink signal, the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or spatial relation information" recited in claim 1.
The applicant argues “As can be seen, although Park discloses that an uplink
signal is transmitted, it fails to disclose that the transmission is performed according to the transmission timing of the target uplink signal. Park merely discloses that the transmission is performed at time T1, but fails to disclose how the time T1 is determined. In contrast, as discussed above, the transmission timing of the target uplink signal is determined according to a reference signal indicated in the TCI state.
As such, the "time T1" in Park cannot be equivalent to "transmission time of the target uplink signal", and thus Park fails to disclose "transmitting, by the terminal device, the target uplink signal according to the transmission timing of the target uplink signal" in claim 1.” See pages 3-4 of applicant’s remarks. The examiner respectfully disagrees.
According to paragraph [0316] of Park, based on the indicated periodicity (e.g., T.sub.2-T.sub.1) (in other words, the timing transmission is determined), the wireless device may determine a fourth Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) based on the DL-TCI state 21 (with the most recent Tx beam determination based on the DL TCI state 21, e.g., based on a RS in the DL TCI state 21) and transmit a fourth uplink signal of the uplink signals for the PUCCH (i.e., the target uplink signal) at time T.sub.2 using the fourth Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) (in other words, the transmission is performed according to the transmission timing of the target uplink signal). As discussed above, Park teaches the transmitting of PUCCH/Tx beam/target uplink signal according to determined transmission timing based on the RS in the DL TCI state. Park shows a direct correlation between determining the time T.sub.2 as the transmission timing of a fourth uplink signal for the PUCCH.
As such, Park discloses "transmitting, by the terminal device, the target uplink signal according to the transmission timing of the target uplink signal" recited in claim 1.
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(s) 1-3, 7-9 and 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. (Park), U.S. Publication No. 2021/0360594.
Regarding Claim 1, Park discloses a method for wireless communication,
comprising:
determining, by a terminal device (i.e., wireless device; see figure 32), a
transmission timing of a target uplink signal according to a reference signal indicated in first information configured for the target uplink signal (i.e., the wireless device may receive an indication, e.g., a scheduling information message, (from the base station, or from a second wireless device, etc.), e.g., by RRC and/or MAC CE, comprising periodic or semi-persistent transmissions of uplink signals (via an uplink channel, e.g., a PUCCH); see paragraph [0316]), the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state (i.e., based on the DL-TCI state as described in paragraph [0316]) or spatial relation information (i.e., based on spatial domain filter as described in paragraph [0316]); and
transmitting, by the terminal device, the target uplink signal according to the
transmission timing of the target uplink signal (for example, the indication may indicate periodic PUCCH transmissions based on the 3rd codepoint. In response to the 3rd codepoint, the wireless device may determine a third Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) based on the DL-TCI state 21 and transmit a third uplink signal of the uplink signals for the PUCCH at time T1 using the third Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter); see paragraph [0316]).
Regarding Claim 2, Park discloses wherein the reference signal is an uplink
reference signal (see paragraph [0316]), wherein determining, by the terminal device, the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the reference signal indicated in the first information configured for the target uplink signal comprises: taking, by the terminal device, a transmission timing of the uplink reference signal as the transmission timing of the target uplink signal (see paragraph [0288]).
Regarding Claim 3, Park discloses wherein the reference signal is a downlink
reference signal (see paragraph [0316]), wherein determining, by the terminal device, the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the reference signal indicated in the first information configured for the target uplink signal comprises: determining, by the terminal device, a first downlink timing according to the downlink reference signal; and determining, by the terminal device, the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the first downlink timing and a timing advance (TA) determined through higher layer signaling (see paragraph [0081]).
Regarding Claim 7, Park discloses a terminal device (i.e., wireless device
1502; see figure 15), comprising:
a processor (i.e., processing system 1518; see figure 15), a memory (i.e.,
memory 1524; see figure 15) and a transceiver (i.e., TX processing system 1520 & RX processing system 1522; see figure 15), wherein the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions; and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory (see paragraph [0213]) to perform operations of:
determining a transmission timing of a target uplink signal according to a
reference signal indicated in first information configured for the target uplink signal (i.e., the wireless device may receive an indication, e.g., a scheduling information message, (from the base station, or from a second wireless device, etc.), e.g., by RRC and/or MAC CE, comprising periodic or semi-persistent transmissions of uplink signals (via an uplink channel, e.g., a PUCCH); see paragraph [0316]), the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state (i.e., based on the DL-TCI state as described in paragraph [0316]) or spatial relation information (i.e., based on spatial domain filter as described in paragraph [0316]); and
transmitting, through the transceiver, the target uplink signal according to the
transmission timing of the target uplink signal (for example, the indication may indicate periodic PUCCH transmissions based on the 3rd codepoint. In response to the 3rd codepoint, the wireless device may determine a third Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) based on the DL-TCI state 21 and transmit a third uplink signal of the uplink signals for the PUCCH at time T1 using the third Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter); see paragraph [0316]).
Regarding Claim 8, Park discloses wherein the reference signal is an uplink
reference signal, wherein determining the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the reference signal indicated in the first information configured for the target uplink signal comprises: taking a transmission timing of the uplink reference signal as the transmission timing of the target uplink signal (see rejection for claim 2 above).
Regarding Claim 9, Park discloses wherein the reference signal is a downlink
reference signal, wherein determining the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the reference signal indicated in the first information configured for the target uplink signal comprises: determining a first downlink timing according to the downlink reference signal; and determining the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the first downlink timing and a timing advance (TA) determined through higher layer signaling (see rejection for claim 3 above).
Regarding Claim 11, Park discloses wherein the target uplink signal comprises
a first uplink signal and a second uplink signal, wherein a first reference signal is indicated in the first information configured for the first uplink signal, and a second reference signal is indicated in the first information configured for the second uplink signal, wherein determining the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the reference signal indicated in the first information configured for the target uplink signal comprises: determining a first transmission timing of the first uplink signal (i.e., the indication may comprise a parameter of periodicity for the periodic or semi-persistent transmissions of the uplink signals; see paragraph [0316]) according to the first reference signal, and determining a second transmission timing of the second uplink signal according to the second reference signal, and wherein transmitting, through the transceiver, the target uplink signal according to the transmission timing of the target uplink signal comprises respectively transmitting, through the transceiver, the first uplink signal and the second uplink signal according to the first transmission timing and the second transmission timing.
Regarding Claim 12, Park discloses wherein the first information further
comprises timing state indication information, wherein the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer-executable instructions to further perform an operation of
determining a timing state associated with the transmission timing of the target uplink signal according to the timing state indication information (see paragraph [0316] and figure 32).
Regarding Claim 13, Park discloses wherein a same transmission timing is used
for uplink signals configured with a same timing state (see paragraph [0316] and figure 32).
Regarding Claim 14, Park discloses a network device (i.e., base station
1504; see figure 15), comprising:
a processor (i.e., processing system 1508; see figure 15), a memory (i.e.,
memory 1514; see figure 15) and a transceiver (i.e., TX processing system 1510 & RX processing system 1512; see figure 15), wherein the memory is configured to store computer-executable instructions; and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory (see paragraph [0213]) to perform operations of:
transmitting, through the transceiver, first information to a terminal device,
wherein a reference signal indicated in the first information is configured to be used by the terminal device in determining a transmission timing of a target uplink signal (i.e., the wireless device may receive an indication, e.g., a scheduling information message, (from the base station, or from a second wireless device, etc.), e.g., by RRC and/or MAC CE, comprising periodic or semi-persistent transmissions of uplink signals (via an uplink channel, e.g., a PUCCH); see paragraph [0316]), the first information being a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state (i.e., based on the DL-TCI state as described in paragraph [0316]) or spatial relation information (i.e., based on spatial domain filter as described in paragraph [0316]); and
receiving, through the transceiver, the target uplink signal transmitted by the
terminal device according to the transmission timing of the target uplink signal (for example, the indication may indicate periodic PUCCH transmissions based on the 3rd codepoint. In response to the 3rd codepoint, the wireless device may determine a third Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter) based on the DL-TCI state 21 and transmit a third uplink signal of the uplink signals for the PUCCH at time T1 using the third Tx beam (e.g., spatial domain filter); see paragraph [0316]).
Regarding Claim 15, Park discloses wherein the processor is configured to
invoke and run the computer-executable instructions to further perform an operation of:
in a case where the reference signal is an uplink reference signal, taking a reception timing of an uplink reference signal as a reception timing of the target uplink signal (see paragraph [0288]).
Regarding Claim 16, Park discloses wherein the first information further
comprises timing state indication information, wherein the timing state indication information is configured to be used by the terminal device in determining a timing state associated with the transmission timing of the target uplink signal (see paragraph [0316] and figure 32).
Regarding Claim 17, Park discloses wherein the processor is configured to
invoke and run the computer-executable instructions to further perform an operation of: in a case where the reference signal indicated in the first information is an uplink reference signal, taking a reception timing of an uplink reference signal as a reception timing of an uplink signal adopting a first timing state, wherein the first timing state is a timing state indicated by the timing state indication information in the first information, and the uplink signal comprises the target uplink signal (see paragraph [0316]).
Regarding Claim 18, Park discloses wherein the processor is configured to
invoke and run the computer-executable instructions to further perform an operation of: in a case where the reference signal indicated in the first information is a downlink reference signal, determining a reception timing of the target uplink signal according to a transmission timing of a downlink reference signal and a timing advance (TA) corresponding to a second timing state, wherein the second timing state is a timing state indicated by the timing state indication information in the first information (see paragraphs [0081] and [0316]).
Regarding Claim 19, Park discloses wherein the processor is configured to
invoke and run the computer-executable instructions to further perform an operation of:
indicating, to the terminal device, at least one TA corresponding respectively to at least one timing state through higher layer signaling, wherein the at least one timing state comprises the second timing state (see paragraph [0081] and figure 4B).
Regarding Claim 20, Park discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage
medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor (see paragraph [0213]), causes the processor to perform the method of claim 1 (see rejection for claim 1 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 and 10 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.
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 SHANTELL LAKETA HEIBER whose telephone number is (571)272-0886. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9am to 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Addy, can be reached at telephone number (571)272-0886. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center for authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
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) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/SHANTELL L HEIBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
September 9, 2026
Prosecution Insights