Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/507,121

METHOD AND DEVICE IN NODES USED FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Nov 13, 2023
Priority
May 14, 2021 — CN 202110525860.7 +1 more
Examiner
CERLANEK, RACHEL ELIZABETH
Art Unit
2412
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Shanghai Tuiluo Communication Technology Partnership (Limited Partnership)
OA Round
2 (Final)
97%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2m
Est. Remaining
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 97% — above average
97%
Career Allowance Rate
62 granted / 64 resolved
+38.9% vs TC avg
Minimal -2% lift
Without
With
+-1.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
83
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.8%
-38.2% vs TC avg
§103
80.7%
+40.7% vs TC avg
§102
14.6%
-25.4% vs TC avg
§112
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 64 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . DETAILED ACTION This action is in response to communications filed 03/29/2026. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in the application. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments, see remarks, filed 03/29/2026, with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 112 rejections have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112 regarding claims 5, 10, 15, and 20 has been withdrawn. Applicant's arguments filed 03/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Amendments to the claims change the scope of the claims. Amendments to the claims in part recite: “a first signaling, the first signaling being a Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling; and receiving a first signal, the first signal being a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)… one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate”. These limitations are taught by cited prior art. Please see the claim rejections section below for more details. Claim Objections Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 16 line 1 recites: “The A method”. Examiner believes this is a typographical error and should be replaced with either ‘The method’ or ‘A method’. Appropriate correction is required. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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 factual inquiries 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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khoshnevisan (Pub. No.: US 2022/0361219 A1) in view of Wu (Pub. No.: US 2023/0308246 A1). Regarding claim 1, Khoshnevisan teaches A first node for wireless communications (Khoshnevisan [0003]: wireless system comprising one or more network access nodes), comprising: a first receiver (Khoshnevisan [0186] and fig. 5: receiver), …receiving a first signaling, the first signaling being a Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling (Khoshnevisan [0061]: DCI signaling); and receiving a first signal, the first signal being a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (Khoshnevisan [0061]: PDSCH; Khoshnevisan [0006] and [0086]: receiving signaling with CORESET); wherein the first information block is used for indicating S search space sets, S being a positive integer greater than 1 (Khoshnevisan [0082]: CORESET with multiple search space sets); the first signaling comprises a first field, the first field in the first signaling indicating a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state of the first signal in a target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0005-0010]: identifying (indicating) TCI state; Khoshnevisan [0061]: TCI state determined to be used for PDSCH based on DCI); the first signaling occupies a first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0006-0007]: “first control channel candidate”), the first control channel candidate belonging to a first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set including control channel candidate), the first search space set being one of the S search space sets (Khoshnevisan [0082]: plurality of search space sets (one of S search space sets)); a first condition set comprises that there exists a search space set other than the first search space set among the S search space sets, one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set amongst a plurality of search space sets, this shows there existing a search space set other than the first search spaces set; Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”); whether the first condition set is satisfied is used to determine the target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0006]: TCI state identified from the set of TCI states); the target TCI state set comprises at least one TCI state (Khoshnevisan [0006]: first set of TCI states containing the identified TCI state); the first field comprises at least one bit (Khoshnevisan [0077] and [0332]: comprising bits, this is explicitly taught in the cited art but is also well known in the field of wireless communication that a field would comprise bits of information). Khoshnevisan does disclose receiving signaling information including CORESET. Khoshnevisan does not explicitly disclose “first information block”. However, Wu, in the analogous art of wireless communication signaling, discloses receiving a first information block (Wu [0011]: receiving a first information block). It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Khoshnevisan to incorporate the teachings of Wu and have a first information block. Doing so would allow for indication of the first resource set (Wu [0011]). Regarding claim 2, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The first node according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), characterized in that when the first condition set is not satisfied, the target TCI state set is a first TCI state set or a second TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: TCI state 1 or TCI state 2; [0100] and [0106]: search space set associated with one CORESET which comprises the 2 TCI states (TCI state 1 or TCI state 2)); when the first condition set is satisfied, the target TCI state set is a third TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: when there is another search space set there exists another CORESET which contains TCI state 3); the first TCI state set is specific to a first control resource set pool, while the second TCI state set is specific to a second control resource set pool (Khoshnevisan [0132] and [0150]: TCI state sets tied to the first CORESET and second TCI state sets tied to a second CORESET). Regarding claim 3, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The first node according to claim 2 (the limitations of parent claim 2 as indicated above), characterized in that the first condition set is not satisfied (Khoshnevisan [0106]: not a plurality of search space sets, just the one search space set as defined in claim 1 as being the condition); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the first control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the first TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0131-0132], [0146], and [0150]: TCI state set selected tied to the first search space of a first CORESET; only one of the listed limitations needs to be met per the claim language reciting “or”); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the second control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the second TCI state set; or, the first receiver receives a second information block, receives a third information block and receives a fourth information block; the second information block indicates the first TCI state set, the third information block indicates the second TCI state set, while the fourth information block indicates the third TCI state set; each of the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block comprises a second field, the second field indicating a bandwidth part, where the second field in the second information block, the second field in the third information block and the second field in the fourth information block all indicate a first bandwidth part; the S search space sets belong to the first bandwidth part; among the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block only each of the second information block and the third information block comprises a third field, the third field indicating a control resource set pool; the third field in the second information block indicates the first control resource set pool, while the third field in the third information block indicates the second control resource set pool. Regarding claim 4, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The first node according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), characterized in that the first control channel candidate is associated with a second control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0131]: first control channel candidate associated with second control channel candidate), the second control channel candidate belonging to a second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second control channel candidate within a second search space), the second search space set being a search space set among the S search space sets other than the first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second search space set and first search space set); for each aggregation level (AL), a number of control channel candidates comprised by the first search space set is identical to a number of control channel candidates comprised by the second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0109]: “related/linked PDCCH candidates may have the same aggregation level (e.g., same number of CCEs)”); a first TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the first search space set ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: first TCI state is used for QCL assumption), while a second TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the second search space set ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: second TCI state is used for QCL assumption). Regarding claim 5, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The first node according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), characterized in that the phrase that “one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate” includes that the first node assumes that a DCI in the control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set is identical to a DCI in the first control channel candidate. (Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”, with same downlink control message (DCI); Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0125]: identical downlink messaging (DCI), repetitions of DCI of same control channel transmission; further, the term “associated” can be to any degree, so if they are part of the same process, they are by definition associated) Regarding claim 6, Khoshnevisan teaches A second node for wireless communications (Khoshnevisan [0003]: wireless system comprising one or more network access nodes), comprising: a second transmitter (Khoshnevisan [0222] and fig. 9: transmitter), …transmitting a first signaling, the first signaling being a Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling (Khoshnevisan [0061]: DCI signaling); and transmitting a first signal, the first signal being a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (Khoshnevisan [0061]: PDSCH; Khoshnevisan [0006] and [0086]: receiving signaling with CORESET); wherein the first information block is used for indicating S search space sets, S being a positive integer greater than 1 (Khoshnevisan [0082]: CORESET with multiple search space sets); the first signaling comprises a first field, the first field in the first signaling indicating a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state of the first signal in a target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0005-0010]: identifying (indicating) TCI state; Khoshnevisan [0061]: TCI state determined to be used for PDSCH based on DCI); the first signaling occupies a first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0006-0007]: “first control channel candidate”), the first control channel candidate belonging to a first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set including control channel candidate), the first search space set being one of the S search space sets (Khoshnevisan [0082]: plurality of search space sets (one of S search space sets)); a first condition set comprises that there exists a search space set other than the first search space set among the S search space sets, one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set amongst a plurality of search space sets, this shows there existing a search space set other than the first search spaces set; Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”); whether the first condition set is satisfied is used to determine the target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0006]: TCI state identified from the set of TCI states); the target TCI state set comprises at least one TCI state (Khoshnevisan [0006]: first set of TCI states containing the identified TCI state); the first field comprises at least one bit (Khoshnevisan [0077] and [0332]: comprising bits, this is explicitly taught in the cited art but is also well known in the field of wireless communication that a field would comprise bits of information). While Khoshnevisan does disclose transmitting signals and information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof, Khoshnevisan appears to be silent on explicitly transmitting a first information block. However, Wu, in the analogous art of wireless communication signaling, discloses transmitting a first information block (Wu [0029]: “transmitting a first information block”). It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Khoshnevisan to incorporate the teachings of Wu and have a first information block. Doing so would allow for indication of the first resource set (Wu [0011]). Regarding claim 7, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The second node according to claim 6 (the limitations of parent claim 6 as indicated above), characterized in that when the first condition set is not satisfied, the target TCI state set is a first TCI state set or a second TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: TCI state 1 or TCI state 2; [0100] and [0106]: search space set associated with one CORESET which comprises the 2 TCI states (TCI state 1 or TCI state 2)); when the first condition set is satisfied, the target TCI state set is a third TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: when there is another search space set there exists another CORESET which contains TCI state 3); the first TCI state set is specific to a first control resource set, while the second TCI state set is specific to a second control resource set (Khoshnevisan [0132] and [0150]: TCI state sets tied to the first CORESET and second TCI state sets tied to a second CORESET). Regarding claim 8, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The second node according to claim 7 (the limitations of parent claim 7 as indicated above), characterized in that the first condition set is not satisfied (Khoshnevisan [0106]: not a plurality of search space sets, just the one search space set as defined in claim 1 as being the condition); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the first control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the first TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0131-0132], [0146], and [0150]: TCI state set selected tied to the first search space of a first CORESET; only one of the listed limitations needs to be met per the claim language reciting “or”); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the second control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the second TCI state set; or, the second transmitter transmits a second information block, receives a third information block and receives a fourth information block; the second information block indicates the first TCI state set, the third information block indicates the second TCI state set, while the fourth information block indicates the third TCI state set; each of the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block comprises a second field, the second field indicating a bandwidth part, where the second field in the second information block, the second field in the third information block and the second field in the fourth information block all indicate a first bandwidth part; the S search space sets belong to the first bandwidth part; among the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block only each of the second information block and the third information block comprises a third field, the third field indicating a control resource set pool; the third field in the second information block indicates the first control resource set pool, while the third field in the third information block indicates the second control resource set pool. Regarding claim 9, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The second node according to claim 6 (the limitations of parent claim 6 as indicated above), characterized in that the first control channel candidate is associated with a second control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0131]: first control channel candidate associated with second control channel candidate), the second control channel candidate belonging to a second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second control channel candidate within a second search space), the second search space set being a search space set among the S search space sets other than the first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second search space set and first search space set); for each aggregation level (AL), a number of control channel candidates comprised by the first search space set is identical to a number of control channel candidates comprised by the second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0109]: “related/linked PDCCH candidates may have the same aggregation level (e.g., same number of CCEs)”); a first TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0004], [0028], and [0063]: first TCI state is used for QCL assumption), while a second TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the second search space set (Khoshnevisan ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: second TCI state is used for QCL assumption). Regarding claim 10, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The second node according to claim 6 (the limitations of parent claim 6 as indicated above), characterized in that the phrase that “one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate” includes that a receiver of the first signaling assumes that a DCI in the control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set is identical to a DCI in the first control channel candidate. (Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”, with same downlink control message (DCI); Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0125]: identical downlink messaging (DCI), repetitions of DCI of same control channel transmission; further, the term “associated” can be to any degree, so if they are part of the same process, they are by definition associated) Regarding claim 11, Khoshnevisan teaches A method in a first node for wireless communications (Khoshnevisan [0005-0006]: method for wireless communication comprising one or more network access nodes), comprising: …receiving a first signaling, the first signaling being a Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling (Khoshnevisan [0061]: DCI signaling); and receiving a first signal, the first signal being a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (Khoshnevisan [0061]: PDSCH; Khoshnevisan [0006] and [0086]: receiving signaling with CORESET); wherein the first information block is used for indicating S search space sets, S being a positive integer greater than 1 (Khoshnevisan [0082]: CORESET with multiple search space sets); the first signaling comprises a first field, the first field in the first signaling indicating a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state of the first signal in a target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0005-0010]: identifying (indicating) TCI state; Khoshnevisan [0061]: TCI state determined to be used for PDSCH based on DCI); the first signaling occupies a first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0006-0007]: “first control channel candidate”), the first control channel candidate belonging to a first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set including control channel candidate), the first search space set being one of the S search space sets (Khoshnevisan [0082]: plurality of search space sets (one of S search space sets)); a first condition set comprises that there exists a search space set other than the first search space set among the S search space sets, one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set amongst a plurality of search space sets, this shows there existing a search space set other than the first search spaces set; Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”); whether the first condition set is satisfied is used to determine the target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0006]: TCI state identified from the set of TCI states); the target TCI state set comprises at least one TCI state (Khoshnevisan [0006]: first set of TCI states containing the identified TCI state); the first field comprises at least one bit (Khoshnevisan [0077] and [0332]: comprising bits, this is explicitly taught in the cited art but is also well known in the field of wireless communication that a field would comprise bits of information). Khoshnevisan does disclose receiving signaling information including CORESET. Khoshnevisan does not explicitly disclose “first information block”. However, Wu, in the analogous art of wireless communication signaling, discloses receiving a first information block (Wu [0011]: receiving a first information block). It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Khoshnevisan to incorporate the teachings of Wu and have a first information block. Doing so would allow for indication of the first resource set (Wu [0011]). Regarding claim 12, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 11 (the limitations of parent claim 11 as indicated above), characterized in that when the first condition set is not satisfied, the target TCI state set is a first TCI state set or a second TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: TCI state 1 or TCI state 2; [0100] and [0106]: search space set associated with one CORESET which comprises the 2 TCI states (TCI state 1 or TCI state 2)); when the first condition set is satisfied, the target TCI state set is a third TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: when there is another search space set there exists another CORESET which contains TCI state 3); the first TCI state set is specific to a first control resource set, while the second TCI state set is specific to a second control resource set (Khoshnevisan [0132] and [0150]: TCI state sets tied to the first CORESET and second TCI state sets tied to a second CORESET). Regarding claim 13, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 12 (the limitations of parent claim 12 as indicated above), characterized in that the first condition set is not satisfied (Khoshnevisan [0106]: not a plurality of search space sets, just the one search space set as defined in claim 1 as being the condition); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the first control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the first TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0131-0132], [0146], and [0150]: TCI state set selected tied to the first search space of a first CORESET; only one of the listed limitations needs to be met per the claim language reciting “or”); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the second control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the second TCI state set; or, comprising: receiving a second information block, receiving a third information block and receiving a fourth information block; the second information block indicates the first TCI state set, the third information block indicates the second TCI state set, while the fourth information block indicates the third TCI state set; each of the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block comprises a second field, the second field indicating a bandwidth part, where the second field in the second information block, the second field in the third information block and the second field in the fourth information block all indicate a first bandwidth part; the S search space sets belong to the first bandwidth part; among the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block only each of the second information block and the third information block comprises a third field, the third field indicating a control resource set pool; the third field in the second information block indicates the first control resource set pool, while the third field in the third information block indicates the second control resource set pool. Regarding claim 14, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 11 (the limitations of parent claim 11 as indicated above), characterized in that the first control channel candidate is associated with a second control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0131]: first control channel candidate associated with second control channel candidate), the second control channel candidate belonging to a second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second control channel candidate within a second search space), the second search space set being a search space set among the S search space sets other than the first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second search space set and first search space set); for each aggregation level (AL), a number of control channel candidates comprised by the first search space set is identical to a number of control channel candidates comprised by the second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0109]: “related/linked PDCCH candidates may have the same aggregation level (e.g., same number of CCEs)”); a first TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the first search space set ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: first TCI state is used for QCL assumption), while a second TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the second search space set ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: second TCI state is used for QCL assumption). Regarding claim 15, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 11 (the limitations of parent claim 11 as indicated above), characterized in that the phrase that “one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate” includes that the first node assumes that a DCI in the control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set is identical to a DCI in the first control channel candidate. (Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”, with same downlink control message (DCI); Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0125]: identical downlink messaging (DCI), repetitions of DCI of same control channel transmission; further, the term “associated” can be to any degree, so if they are part of the same process they are by definition associated) Regarding claim 16, Khoshnevisan teaches A method in a second node for wireless communications (Khoshnevisan [0003], [0006], and [0029]: method for wireless communication comprising one or more network access nodes), comprising: …; transmitting a first signaling, the first signaling being a Downlink Control Information (DCI) signaling (Khoshnevisan [0061]: DCI signaling); and transmitting a first signal, the first signal being a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (Khoshnevisan [0061]: PDSCH; Khoshnevisan [0006] and [0086]: receiving signaling with CORESET); wherein the first information block is used for indicating S search space sets, S being a positive integer greater than 1 (Khoshnevisan [0082]: CORESET with multiple search space sets); the first signaling comprises a first field, the first field in the first signaling indicating a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state of the first signal in a target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0005-0010]: identifying (indicating) TCI state; Khoshnevisan [0061]: TCI state determined to be used for PDSCH based on DCI); the first signaling occupies a first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0006-0007]: “first control channel candidate”), the first control channel candidate belonging to a first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set including control channel candidate), the first search space set being one of the S search space sets (Khoshnevisan [0082]: plurality of search space sets (one of S search space sets)); a first condition set comprises that there exists a search space set other than the first search space set among the S search space sets, one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0082]: search space set amongst a plurality of search space sets, this shows there existing a search space set other than the first search spaces set; Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”); whether the first condition set is satisfied is used to determine the target TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0006]: TCI state identified from the set of TCI states); the target TCI state set comprises at least one TCI state (Khoshnevisan [0006]: first set of TCI states containing the identified TCI state); the first field comprises at least one bit (Khoshnevisan [0077] and [0332]: comprising bits, this is explicitly taught in the cited art but is also well known in the field of wireless communication that a field would comprise bits of information). While Khoshnevisan does disclose transmitting signals and information such as packets, user data, control information, or any combination thereof, Khoshnevisan appears to be silent on explicitly transmitting a first information block. However, Wu, in the analogous art of wireless communication signaling, discloses transmitting a first information block (Wu [0029]: “transmitting a first information block”). It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Khoshnevisan to incorporate the teachings of Wu and have a first information block. Doing so would allow for indication of the first resource set (Wu [0011]). Regarding claim 17, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 16 (the limitations of parent claim 16 as indicated above), characterized in that when the first condition set is not satisfied, the target TCI state set is a first TCI state set or a second TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: TCI state 1 or TCI state 2; [0100] and [0106]: search space set associated with one CORESET which comprises the 2 TCI states (TCI state 1 or TCI state 2)); when the first condition set is satisfied, the target TCI state set is a third TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0132]: when there is another search space set there exists another CORESET which contains TCI state 3); the first TCI state set is specific to a first control resource set, while the second TCI state set is specific to a second control resource set (Khoshnevisan [0132] and [0150]: TCI state sets tied to the first CORESET and second TCI state sets tied to a second CORESET). Regarding claim 18, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 17 (the limitations of parent claim 17 as indicated above), characterized in that the first condition set is not satisfied (Khoshnevisan [0106]: not a plurality of search space sets, just the one search space set as defined in claim 1 as being the condition); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the first control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the first TCI state set (Khoshnevisan [0131-0132], [0146], and [0150]: TCI state set selected tied to the first search space of a first CORESET; only one of the listed limitations needs to be met per the claim language reciting “or”); when a control resource set associated with the first search space set belongs to the second control resource set pool, the target TCI state set is the second TCI state set; or, comprising: transmitting a second information block, transmitting a third information block and transmitting a fourth information block; the second information block indicates the first TCI state set, the third information block indicates the second TCI state set, while the fourth information block indicates the third TCI state set; each of the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block comprises a second field, the second field indicating a bandwidth part, where the second field in the second information block, the second field in the third information block and the second field in the fourth information block all indicate a first bandwidth part; the S search space sets belong to the first bandwidth part; among the second information block, the third information block and the fourth information block only each of the second information block and the third information block comprises a third field, the third field indicating a control resource set pool; the third field in the second information block indicates the first control resource set pool, while the third field in the third information block indicates the second control resource set pool. Regarding claim 19, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 16 (the limitations of parent claim 16 as indicated above), characterized in that the first control channel candidate is associated with a second control channel candidate (Khoshnevisan [0131]: first control channel candidate associated with second control channel candidate), the second control channel candidate belonging to a second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second control channel candidate within a second search space), the second search space set being a search space set among the S search space sets other than the first search space set (Khoshnevisan [0131]: second search space set and first search space set); for each aggregation level (AL), a number of control channel candidates comprised by the first search space set is identical to a number of control channel candidates comprised by the second search space set (Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0109]: “related/linked PDCCH candidates may have the same aggregation level (e.g., same number of CCEs)”); a first TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the first search space set ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: first TCI state is used for QCL assumption), while a second TCI state is used to determine antenna port QCL parameter(s) of a control channel in a control resource set associated with the second search space set ([0004], [0028], and [0063]: second TCI state is used for QCL assumption). Regarding claim 20, Khoshnevisan modified by Wu teaches The method according to claim 16 (the limitations of parent claim 16 as indicated above), characterized in that the phrase that “one control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set being associated with the first control channel candidate” includes that a receiver of the first signaling assumes that a DCI in the control channel candidate in the search space set other than the first search space set is identical to a DCI in the first control channel candidate. (Khoshnevisan [0131]: “a first control channel candidate…within a first search space set may be linked [being associated with]… to a second control channel candidate…within a second search space set”, with same downlink control message (DCI); Khoshnevisan [0105] and [0125]: identical downlink messaging (DCI), repetitions of DCI of same control channel transmission; further, the term “associated” can be to any degree, so if they are part of the same process, they are by definition associated) 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 RACHEL E MARKS whose telephone number is (703)756-1309. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-6pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C Jiang can be reached at (571)270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /R.E.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2412 /CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 13, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 31, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Mar 29, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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3-4
Expected OA Rounds
97%
Grant Probability
95%
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2y 10m (~2m remaining)
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