Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/24/2026 has been entered.
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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHOU et al. (For. Pub. No: 2022/051927 A1) in view of Park et al. (US Pub. No: 2024/0397523 A1) and further in view of Vivo (3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #106-e, R1-2106571, “Further discussion on multi beam enhancement”, dated Aug, 2021).
Regarding claim 1, ZHOU et al. teach a method of wireless communication (see page 1, Abstract), comprising:
receiving, by a wireless device (see Fig.5, UE 102 for wireless communication device), from a network device (see Fig.5, BS/TRP 504 for a network device), a first parameter indicated by a first signaling message, wherein the first signaling message configuring a plurality of transmission configuration states (see Fig.5 & para [0076] wherein at step 512, UE 502 receiving, from a TRP, e.g, TRP 504, a MAC-CE activating a subset of configured joint DL and UL TCI states, e.g, MAC-CE 514, each activated joint DL and UL TCI state indicating a common beam for communication in DL and UL, the MAC-CE indicating a CORESET pool ID/first parameter associated with a set of CORESETs, is mentioned and also see para [0064]);
determining, by the wireless device, a mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and a plurality of group information sets according to the first parameter (see para [0066] wherein each TRP may individually schedule DL reception or UL transmission utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP communication, and wherein a CORESET pool ID, being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI state(s), the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being applied for the DL reception or UL transmission scheduled by a DCI in CORESET(s) with a CORESET pool ID equal to the CORESET pool ID indicated in the MAC-CE, is mentioned and also see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoint(s) associated with the same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “determining, by the wireless device, a mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and a plurality of group information sets according to the first parameter”), each group information set corresponding to a different transmission and reception point (TRP) (see para [0066] wherein a TRP ID, e.g., a CORESET pool ID, being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI state (s), is mentioned, see Fig.4, wherein two different CORESET pool IDs/TRP IDs 410 representing two group information sets, is shown and also see [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoint(s) associated with the same CORESET pool ID/TRP_ID, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and equivalent to “each group information set corresponding to a different transmission and reception point (TRP)” and also see para [0064]);
receiving, by the wireless device, from the network device, the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message (see Fig. 5 and para [0079] wherein UE 502 receiving DCI, e.g., DCI 534, in a CORESET
associated with the CORESET pool ID, the DCI indicating an index of a TCI
codepoint, is mentioned and also see para [0064] wherein mDCI based mTRP communication is mentioned and also see para [0065] wherein activating joint DL/UL TCI states in mDCI based mTRP communication, is mentioned); and
applying, by the wireless device, the plurality of transmission configuration states to a transmission, wherein the plurality of transmission configuration states include transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states (see Fig.5, step 560 and para [0083] wherein UE 502 communicating with the TRP, e.g., TRP 504, through DL and UL
scheduled through one or more CORESETs of the set of CORESETs associated with
the CORESET pool ID based on the activated joint DL and UL TCI states, is mentioned and also see para [0086]).
ZHOU et al. is silent in teaching the above method of wireless communication comprising wherein the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings.
However, Park et al. teach a method of wireless communication (see Abstract) comprising wherein the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings (see para [0077] wherein two MAC CEs being inserted into the MAC PDU and the two MAC CEs being used for in-band control signaling, is mentioned and also see para [0455] wherein in response to receiving the one or more/plurality MAC-CE indications, the wireless device determining a first mapping between the first number of the first activated TCIs of the first plurality of TCIs and the first number of codepoints of the TCI field, and determining a second mapping between the second number of the second activated TCIs of the second plurality of TCIs and the second number of codepoints of the TCI field, is mentioned, all of which is clearly equivalent to having “the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above method of wireless communication of ZHOU et al. to have the first signaling message comprising a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings, disclosed by Park et al. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for improving an efficiency in terms of a downlink scheduling assignment and a common beam indication, based on the DCI further comprising second fields indicating a downlink data scheduling assignment in wireless communication system.
ZHOU et al. teach the above method of wireless communication comprising receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message, as mentioned above, but ZHOU et al. and Park et al. together are silent in teaching the above method of wireless communication comprising receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message.
However, Vivo teaches a method of wireless communication (see page 1, Introduction) comprising receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message (see page 4, under section 2.1.4, 4th para wherein in order to increase the flexibility of beam indication, MAC CE being used to activate the mapping between TCI codepoint and TCI states for joint/separate TCI state information for plurality of TCI states cases, is mentioned and also the existing TCI field in DCI for beam indication being reused (which clearly includes and is equivalent to receiving an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message), is mentioned and also see proposal 4 under section 2.1.4 wherein existing TCI field in DCI/second signaling message being used for the plurality of transmission configuration states, is mentioned and also see page 5, section 2.2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above method of wireless communication of ZHOU et al. and Park et al. to have receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message, disclosed by Vivo in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently increasing the flexibility of beam indication and effectively reducing the signaling overhead of TCI field in DCI in wireless communication system.
Regarding claim 8, ZHOU et al. teach a method of wireless communication (see page 1, Abstract), comprising:
transmitting, by a network device, to a wireless device, a first parameter indicated by a first signaling message, wherein the first signaling message configuring a plurality of transmission configuration states (see Fig.5 & para [0076] wherein at step 510, TRP 504/network device transmitting, to a UE, e.g., UE 502, a MAC-CE activating a subset of configured joint DL and UL TCI states, e.g., MAC-CE 514, each activated joint DL and UL TCI state indicating a common beam for communication in DL and UL, the MAC-CE indicating a CORESET pool ID/first parameter associated with a set of CORESETs, is mentioned and also see para [0064]);
determining, by the wireless device, a mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and a plurality of group information sets according to the first parameter (see para [0066] wherein each TRP may individually schedule DL reception or UL transmission utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP communication, and wherein a CORESET pool ID, being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI state(s), the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being applied for the DL reception or UL transmission scheduled by a DCI in CORESET(s) with a CORESET pool ID equal to the CORESET pool ID indicated in the MAC-CE, is mentioned and also see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoint(s) associated with the same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “determining, by the wireless device, a mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and a plurality of group information sets according to the first parameter”), each group information set corresponding to a different transmission and reception point (TRP) (see para [0066] wherein a TRP ID, e.g., a CORESET pool ID, being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI state (s), is mentioned, see Fig.4, wherein two different CORESET pool IDs/TRP IDs 410 representing two group information sets, is shown and also see [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoint(s) associated with the same CORESET pool ID/TRP_ID, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and equivalent to “each group information set corresponding to a different transmission and reception point (TRP)” and also see para [0064]);
transmitting, by the network device, to the wireless device, the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message (see Fig. 5 and para [0079] wherein TRP 504/network device transmitting DCI, e.g., DCI 534, in a CORESET associated with the CORESET pool ID, the DCI indicating an index of a TCI codepoint, is mentioned and also see para [0064] wherein mDCI based mTRP communication is mentioned and also see para [0065] wherein activating joint DL/UL TCI states in mDCI based mTRP communication, is mentioned); and
applying, by the wireless device, the plurality of transmission configuration states to a transmission; wherein the plurality of transmission configuration states include transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states (see Fig.5, step 560 and para [0083] wherein UE 502 communicating with the TRP, e.g., TRP 504, through DL and UL
scheduled through one or more CORESETs of the set of CORESETs associated with
the CORESET pool ID based on the activated joint DL and UL TCI states, is mentioned and also see para [0086]).
ZHOU et al. is silent in teaching the above method of wireless communication comprising wherein the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings.
However, Park et al. teach a method of wireless communication (see Abstract) comprising wherein the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings (see para [0077] wherein two MAC CEs being inserted into the MAC PDU and the two MAC CEs being used for in-band control signaling, is mentioned and also see para [0455] wherein in response to receiving the one or more/plurality MAC-CE indications transmitted from the base station, the wireless device determining a first mapping between the first number of the first activated TCIs of the first plurality of TCIs and the first number of codepoints of the TCI field, and determining a second mapping between the second number of the second activated TCIs of the second plurality of TCIs and the second number of codepoints of the TCI field, is mentioned, all of which is clearly equivalent to having “the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above method of wireless communication of ZHOU et al. to have the first signaling message comprising a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings, disclosed by Park et al. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for improving an efficiency in terms of a downlink scheduling assignment and a common beam indication, based on the DCI further comprising second fields indicating a downlink data scheduling assignment in wireless communication system.
ZHOU et al. teach the above method of wireless communication comprising transmitting, by the network device, to the wireless device, the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message, as mentioned above, but ZHOU et al. and Park et al. together are silent in teaching the above method of wireless communication comprising transmitting, by the network device, to the wireless device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message.
However, Vivo teaches a method of wireless communication (see page 1, Introduction) comprising transmitting, by the network device, to the wireless device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message (see page 4, under section 2.1.4, 4th para wherein in order to increase the flexibility of beam indication, MAC CE being used to activate the mapping between TCI codepoint and TCI states for joint/separate TCI state information for plurality of TCI states cases, is mentioned and also the existing TCI field in DCI for beam indication being reused (which clearly includes and is equivalent to transmitting an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message), is mentioned and also see proposal 4 under section 2.1.4 wherein existing TCI field in DCI/second signaling message being used for the plurality of transmission configuration states, is mentioned and also see page 5, section 2.2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above method of wireless communication of ZHOU et al. and Park et al. to have transmitting, by the network device, to the wireless device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message, disclosed by Vivo in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently increasing the flexibility of beam indication and effectively reducing the signaling overhead of TCI field in DCI in wireless communication system.
Regarding claim 15, ZHOU et al. teach an apparatus for wireless communication (see page 1, Abstract & Fig.8/apparatus) comprising a processor electronics and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to implement a method (see Fig. 8 and processor 804 and see para [0102] wherein the cellular baseband processor 804 including a computer-readable medium /memory, is mentioned) comprising: receiving, by a wireless device (see Fig.5, UE 102 for wireless communication device), from a network device (see Fig.5, BS/TRP 504 for a network device), a first parameter indicated by a first signaling message, wherein the first signaling message configuring a plurality of transmission configuration states (see Fig.5 & para [0076] wherein at step 512, UE 502 receiving, from a TRP, e.g, TRP 504, a MAC-CE activating a subset of configured joint DL and UL TCI states, e.g, MAC-CE 514, each activated joint DL and UL TCI state indicating a common beam for communication in DL and UL, the MAC-CE indicating a CORESET pool ID/first parameter associated with a set of CORESETs, is mentioned and also see para [0064]);
determining, by the wireless device, a mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and a plurality of group information sets according to the first parameter (see para [0066] wherein each TRP may individually schedule DL reception or UL transmission utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP communication, and wherein a CORESET pool ID, being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI state(s), the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being applied for the DL reception or UL transmission scheduled by a DCI in CORESET(s) with a CORESET pool ID equal to the CORESET pool ID indicated in the MAC-CE, is mentioned and also see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoint(s) associated with the same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and is equivalent to “determining, by the wireless device, a mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and a plurality of group information sets according to the first parameter”), each group information set corresponding to a different transmission and reception point (TRP) (see para [0066] wherein a TRP ID, e.g., a CORESET pool ID, being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI state (s), is mentioned, see Fig.4, wherein two different CORESET pool IDs/TRP IDs 410 representing two group information sets, is shown and also see [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state(s) activated by the MAC-CE being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoint(s) associated with the same CORESET pool ID/TRP_ID, is mentioned, all of which clearly includes and equivalent to “each group information set corresponding to a different transmission and reception point (TRP)” and also see para [0064]);
receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message (see Fig. 5 and para [0079] wherein UE 502 receiving DCI, e.g., DCI 534, in a CORESET
associated with the CORESET pool ID, the DCI indicating an index of a TCI
codepoint, is mentioned and also see para [0064] wherein mDCI based mTRP communication is mentioned and also see para [0065] wherein activating joint DL/UL TCI states in mDCI based mTRP communication, is mentioned); and
applying, by the wireless device, the plurality of transmission configuration states to a transmission, wherein the plurality of transmission configuration states include transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states (see Fig.5, step 560 and para [0083] wherein UE 502 communicating with the TRP, e.g., TRP 504, through DL and UL
scheduled through one or more CORESETs of the set of CORESETs associated with
the CORESET pool ID based on the activated joint DL and UL TCI states, is mentioned and also see para [0086]).
ZHOU et al. is silent in teaching the above apparatus for wireless communication comprising wherein the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings.
However, Park et al. teach an apparatus for wireless communication (see Abstract) comprising wherein the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings (see para [0077] wherein two MAC CEs being inserted into the MAC PDU and the two MAC CEs being used for in-band control signaling, is mentioned and also see para [0455] wherein in response to receiving the one or more/plurality MAC-CE indications, the wireless device determining a first mapping between the first number of the first activated TCIs of the first plurality of TCIs and the first number of codepoints of the TCI field, and determining a second mapping between the second number of the second activated TCIs of the second plurality of TCIs and the second number of codepoints of the TCI field, is mentioned, all of which is clearly equivalent to having “the first signaling message comprises a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above apparatus for wireless communication of ZHOU et al. to have the first signaling message comprising a plurality of Medium Access Control-Control Element (MAC-CE) signalings, disclosed by Park et al. in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for improving an efficiency in terms of a downlink scheduling assignment and a common beam indication, based on the DCI further comprising second fields indicating a downlink data scheduling assignment in wireless communication system.
ZHOU et al. teach the above apparatus for wireless communication comprising receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message, as mentioned above, but ZHOU et al. and Park et al. are silent in teaching the above apparatus for wireless communication comprising receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message.
However, Vivo teaches an apparatus of wireless communication (see page 1, Introduction) comprising receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message (see page 4, under section 2.1.4, 4th para wherein in order to increase the flexibility of beam indication, MAC CE being used to activate the mapping between TCI codepoint and TCI states for joint/separate TCI state information for plurality of TCI states cases, is mentioned and also the existing TCI field in DCI for beam indication being reused (which clearly includes and is equivalent to receiving an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message), is mentioned and also see proposal 4 under section 2.1.4 wherein existing TCI field in DCI/second signaling message being used for the plurality of transmission configuration states, is mentioned and also see page 5, section 2.2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the above apparatus of wireless communication of ZHOU et al. and Park et al. to have receiving, by the wireless device, from a network device, an indication of the plurality of transmission configuration states according to a second signaling message, disclosed by Vivo in order to provide an effective mechanism of a wireless device for efficiently increasing the flexibility of beam indication and effectively reducing the signaling overhead of TCI field in DCI in wireless communication system.
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method/apparatus of claims 1/8/15, respectively.
ZHOU et al. further teach the method/apparatus of claims 1/8/15, wherein the first parameter further comprising a first index that indicates the mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and the plurality of group information sets (see para [0066] wherein utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP communication (that includes the plurality of group information sets) & each TRP may individually schedule DL reception or UL transmission by sending its own DCI, is mentioned and also a TRP ID, e.g., a CORESET pool ID being introduced in the MAC-CE activating the joint DL/UL TCI states, is mentioned, all of which includes “the first parameter further comprising a first index that indicates the mapping relationship between the plurality of transmission configuration states and the plurality of group information sets” and also see para [0079]).
Regarding claims 3, 4, 17 and 18, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method/apparatus of claims 1/15, respectively.
ZHOU et al. further teach the method/apparatus of claims 1/15, wherein the second signaling message comprises a downlink control information (DCI) signaling (see para [0066] wherein utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP, is mentioned, and also see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state IDs being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoints with certain values, e.g., values of 0, 1, and 2, for the DCI/ second signaling message in CORESET(s) with a same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned and also see para [0079] wherein UE 502 receiving DCI, e.g., DCI 534, in a CORESET associated with the CORESET pool ID, the DCI indicating an index of a TCI codepoint, is mentioned and also see para [0065]), and wherein a codepoint corresponding to the first signaling message is indicated by the second signaling message (see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state IDs being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoints with certain values, e.g., values of 0, 1, and 2, for the DCI in CORESET(s) with a same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned and also see para [0079]).
Regarding claim 10, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method of claim 8.
ZHOU et al. further teach the method of claim 8, wherein the second signaling message comprises downlink control information (DCI) signaling (see para [0066] wherein utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP, is mentioned, and also see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state IDs being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoints with certain values, e.g., values of 0, 1, and 2, for the DCI/ second signaling message in CORESET(s) with a same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned and also see para [0079] wherein UE 502 receiving DCI, e.g., DCI 534, in a CORESET associated with the CORESET pool ID, the DCI indicating an index of a TCI codepoint, is mentioned and also see para [0065]) and wherein a codepoint corresponding to the first signaling message is indicated by the second signaling message (see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state IDs being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoints with certain values, e.g., values of 0, 1, and 2, for the DCI in CORESET(s) with a same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned and also see para [0079]).
Regarding claims 5, 11 and 19, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method/apparatus of claims 4/10/18, respectively.
Vivo further teaches the method/apparatus of claims 4/10/8, wherein the codepoint comprises a first group of transmission configuration states and a second group of transmission configuration states (see page 4, under section 2.1.4, proposal 4 wherein using a MAC CE to activate the mapping between TCI codepoint and M separate DL TCI states (that includes first group of transmission configuration states) & N separate UL TCI states (that includes second group of transmission configuration states) for beam indication, is mentioned), wherein the first group of transmission configuration and the second group of transmission configuration are activated by the first signaling message (see page 4, under section 2.1.4, proposal 4 wherein using a MAC CE/first signaling message to activate the mapping between TCI codepoint and M separate DL TCI states (that includes first group of transmission configuration states) & N separate UL TCI states (that includes second group of transmission configuration states) for beam indication, is mentioned) (and the same motivation is maintained as in claims 1/8/15).
Regarding claims 6 and 20, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method/apparatus of claims 3/17, respectively.
ZHOU et al. further teach the method/apparatus of claims 3/17, wherein the TCI states comprise one or more of the following: a joint TCI state and a separate TCI state pair (see para [0064] wherein TRP or base station providing a MAC-CE to a UE to activate one or more configured joint DL/UL TCI states, is mentioned and also see para [0066]).
Regarding claim 7, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method of claim 3.
ZHOU et al. further teach the method of claim 3, wherein DCI signaling provides one or more of the following TCI information: TCI state selection information and TCI state transmission order information (see para [0069] wherein the CORESET pool ID, e.g., CORESET pool ID 410, indicating whether a mapping between the activated TCI states and a codepoint of the DCI being preconfigured, is mentioned and also the length of the CORESET pool ID 410 being a number of bits, e.g, one (1) bit, which can be used to indicate the TCI states for one of two TRPs (that includes TCI state selection information), is mentioned and also see para [0064]).
Regarding claim 12, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method of claim 10.
ZHOU et al. further teach the method of claim 10, wherein the second signaling message further comprises one or more of the following information: information for different transmission channels and information for different group information sets (see para [0069] wherein the CORESET pool ID, e.g., CORESET pool ID 410, indicating whether a mapping between the activated TCI states and a codepoint of the DCI being preconfigured, is mentioned and also the length of the CORESET pool ID 410 being a number of bits, e.g, one (1) bit, which can be used to indicate the TCI states for one of two TRPs (that includes different group information/TRPs), is mentioned and also see para [0064]).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, ZHOU et al., Park et al. and Vivo all together teach the method of claim 11.
Vivo further teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the second signaling message further establishes an association between the first signaling message and a field in the second signaling message, and the association between the first signaling message and the field in the second signaling message further indicated by default rules (see page 4, under section 2.1.4, 4th para wherein one codepoint in MAC CE (that includes first signaling message) mapping to M/N joint TCI states and the corresponding group index being initiated in the MAC CE, is mentioned and also see under proposal 4, reusing existing TCI field in DCI/second_signaling for M/N >1 state indication, is mentioned and also see page 5, section 2.2) (and the same motivation is maintained as in claim 8).
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant' s arguments with respect to amended independent claims 1, 8 and 15 have been considered but are moot under the new ground(s) of rejection made in view of Park et al. (US Pub. No: 2024/0397523 A1) as presented in the current office action.
7. In page 8 of Applicant’s Remarks, regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, Applicant further mentions that Zhou, at best, discloses a DCI indicating a single activated TCI state, while claim 3 recites a plurality of transmission configuration states & the Office has offered no rationale and indeed it is not obvious why Zhou can be considered to indicate a plurality of TCI states when it expressly discloses that a single TCI state is activated.
However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees to the above statements of the Applicant as follows. The cited reference ZHOU et al. also teach wherein the second signaling message comprises a downlink control information (DCI) signaling that includes a plurality of TCI states (see para [0065] wherein activating joint DL/UL TCI states in mDCI (that also includes the second signaling) based mTRP communication, is mentioned, also see para [0066] wherein utilizing multi-DCI based multi-TRP, is mentioned and also see para [0073] wherein the joint DL/UL TCI state IDs being sequentially mapped to candidate TCI codepoints with certain values, e.g., values of 0, 1, and 2, for the DCI/second signaling message in CORESET(s) with a same CORESET pool ID, is mentioned).
8. The rejection of all other claims is already mentioned above under Claim Rejections.
Conclusion
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CHEN et al. (US Pub. No: 2023/0262703 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to transmission configuration indicators (TCIs) for flexible multiple transmission and reception point (mTRP) beam indication and multiplexing configurations.
YANG (US Pub. No: 2023/0379897 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to a beam indication method includes receiving, by a terminal, a first signaling, the first signaling being used for indicating a TCI state, the TCI state being used for indicating a common beam of at least two channels in wireless communication system.
YANG et al. (US Pub. No: 2024/0406969 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to an information activation method, a terminal, and a network side device in wireless communication system.
Khoshnevisan et al. (US Pub. No: 2025/0038934 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to wireless communications, including reference signal communication in the presence of unified transmission configuration indicator states.
LI et al. (US Pub. No: 2024/0407038 A1) disclose mechanisms relating to method that includes receiving multiple transmission configuration indicators (TCIs) from a network device in in wireless communication system.
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/SRINIVASA R REDDIVALAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
05/02/2026
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