DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . The instant Office Action is in response to communication filed on 2/11/2026.
Claims 37-56 are pending. Claims 37, 42, 47 and 52 are the base independent claims. No new claims added.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/11/2026 was filed before the mailing date of the instant Office Action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claim 37, Applicant files the Remark: see page 9.
Applicant explains the claim construction based on the cited references (or citations from the references) that were mapped to the claim limitations under the Rejection. Such that, the claim 37 requires “a first signaling message configuring multiple TCI states, a second signaling message activating a subset tied to codepoints, and first and second DCI messages selecting a TCI state corresponding to a specific TCI codepoint for transmission.” Applicant further explains Khoshnevisan discloses none of these elements. Applicant then argues Khoshnevisan merely reflects selecting TCI behavior directly from a DCI-indicated trigger state.
--In response, the arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner respectfully clarifies that Applicant’s claim interpretation is narrow. In the combination of Khoshnevisan and HE references, Khoshevisan’s trigger state configuration indicates one or more TCI states for transmission/reception of the CSI-RS. In particular, each CSI-RS resource may be associated with a trigger state, and may be configured (e.g., via RRC) with an associated TCI state. Thus, Khoshevisan discloses the claimed features of “a first signaling message configuring multiple TCI states” and “a second DCI message selecting a TCI state.”
Applicant further explains “the Examiner acknowledged, Khoshnevisan does not teach the claimed first DCI message that selects TCI states via a specific codepoint” and “Khoshnevisan also does not disclose two distinct DCI messages with different roles.”
--In response, respectfully clarifies that the combination of Khoshnevisan and HE references discloses the subject matter in view of HE, since the limitation of claim 37 is “wherein the first DCI message comprises a first field indicating a TCI codepoint of the one or more TCI codepoints corresponding to the one or more TCI states activated by the second signaling message (emphasis added).” Thus it is understood, the TCI codepoint and TCI state may be a one-to-one mapping. As Applicant acknowledged, HE uses a codepoint to directly indicate a single TCI state within an activated TCI state, hence reads on the feature under BRI. In one example, HE (par [0093]) discloses where the CORESET 1 corresponds to the TCI state set 1 activated by the MAC-CE signaling, and the CORESET 2 corresponds to the TCI state set 2 activated by the MAC-CE signaling. Therefore, HE serves “a second signaling message activating a subset tied to codepoints.” Applicant further argues HE does not teach a first DCI message that identifies a codepoint corresponding to multiple activated TCI states. Examiner disagrees, in fact, HE’s Table 3 is a mapping table between TCI codepoints and TCI states in the TCI state set (e.g. 001 is TCI state3, TCI state4).
Applicant also argues that Khoshnevisan “does not teach the rule for transmission using a specific TCI state” and “Khoshnevisan's timing rule is limited to CSI-RS QCL behavior and does not govern the transmission TCI state.”
--In response, the arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner clarifies that Khoshnevisan’s CSI-RS QCL behavior is based on one or more TCI states indicated in the downlink transmission (see [0226]). Based on the scheduling offset being less than the beam switching threshold of the UE, the QCL configuration associated with a lowest activated TCI state (see [0047], [0228]), and QCL configuration associated with the CSI-RS may be based on the one or more TCI states associated with the trigger state configurations indicated via the repetitions of DCI (see [0225]). Although Khoshnevisan alone does not disclose TCI states are determined according to the TCI codepoint, the combination obviously discloses the subject matter regarding the broad limitation of “the specific TCI state is a first TCI state in the selected TCI states” when it is governed by the rule or scheduling offset (SO) of Khoshnevisan and TCI state activation taught by HE.
Regarding claim 39, Applicant files the Remark: see page 10, and argues “only a general statement that the UE can support joint transmission. It does not describe applying two specific TCI states to the DMRS ports of a transmission, nor does it associate such behavior with a third DCI value.”
--In response, Examiner clarifies that the limitation is broad. Jung certainly discloses applying TCI states to DMRS port as in par [0227]: if operating as C-JT/NC-JT, two TRPs operate, up to 256 TCI states may be set. Also in par [0368], UE applies the QCL assumption indicated by the TCI field in the PDCCH (or DCI) to the PDSCH DMRS port.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
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.
Claims 37-38, 40-43, 45-48, 50-53 and 55-56 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khoshnevisan et al (WO 2022/155645) in view of HE et al (WO 2021/068807, herein citation is based on its US PGpub 2024/0106606).
Regarding claim 37, Khoshnevisan discloses a method for wireless communication, comprising: transmitting, by a base station to a terminal device, a first signaling message configuring a plurality of transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states (¶¶ [0150],[0213]; in an aspect, the UE 115 and/or base station 105 may be configured to determine one or more TCI states based on the trigger state configuration indicated in the DCI);
transmitting, by the base station, a second DCI message to the terminal device scheduling a transmission (¶ [0194]; the DCI may schedule a PDSCH transmission 615-a); and performing the transmission using a specific TCI state according to a rule, wherein the rule specifies that, upon an offset between a reception of the second DCI message and the scheduled transmission being less than a threshold, the specific TCI state is a first TCI state in the selected TCI states (fig. 7 & ¶ [0226], [0228]; e.g. in cases where the scheduling offset (SO) is less than the beam switching threshold…the QCL configuration associated with the CSI-RS may be based on the one or more TCI states indicated in the downlink transmission received at 720), and upon the offset between the reception of the second DCI message and the scheduled transmission being equal to or greater than the threshold, the specific TCI state is indicated by a second field of the second DCI message (¶ [0226]; e.g. in cases where the scheduling offset (SO) is greater than or equal to the beam switching threshold…the QCL configuration may be indicated in the TCI states for the aperiodic CSI-RS in the CSI trigger state configuration indicated in the CSI field of the repetitions of DCI).
The reference does not specifically disclose TCI codepoints including:
transmitting, by the base station, a second signaling message to the terminal device activating one or more TCI states that correspond to one or more TCI codepoints;
transmitting, by the base station, a first Downlink Control Information (DCI) message to the terminal device, wherein the first DCI message comprises a first field indicating a TCI codepoint of the one or more TCI codepoints corresponding to the one or more TCI states activated by the second signaling message, wherein selected TCI states are determined according to the TCI codepoint.
However, HE discloses:
transmitting, by the base station, a second signaling message to the terminal device activating one or more TCI states that correspond to one or more TCI codepoints (par 95; in one embodiment, a specific serving cell schedules two PDSCHs: PDSCH 1 and PDSCH 2 through DCI (or PDCCH), the serving cell activates, by means of activation commands (i.e. an MAC-CE signaling), 1 TCI state set, and Table 3 is a mapping table between TCI codepoints and TCI states in the TCI state set; also par 93);
transmitting, by the base station, a first Downlink Control Information (DCI) message to the terminal device, wherein the first DCI message comprises a first field indicating a TCI codepoint of the one or more TCI codepoints corresponding to the one or more TCI states activated by the second signaling message (par 192; e.g. assuming that the DCI includes 1 TCI domain occupying 2 bits, which may specifically be 00, 01, 10 and 11. 00 indicates a first TCI state in the TCI state set; also see par 199), wherein selected TCI states are determined according to the TCI codepoint (par 36; e.g. a mapping table between a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) codepoint and a TCI state; a TCI state set activated for a data channel in a frequency domain bandwidth where the downlink signal or downlink channel is located).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of HE with the electronic system of Khoshnevisan. One is motivated as such to reduce signaling overhead (HE, par 96).
Regarding claim 38, HE discloses:
wherein candidate values of the second field comprise at least one of a first value corresponding to having a first TCI state for the transmission, a second value corresponding to having a second TCI state for the transmission, or a third value corresponding to having both the first TCI state and the second TCI state for the transmission (par 45; one port group corresponds to one TCI state).
Regarding claim 40, Khoshnevisan discloses:
wherein whether the second field is present in the second DCI message is configured by a high layer signaling message (¶ [0212]; indicated via the RRC message).
Regarding claim 41, Khoshnevisan discloses:
wherein the second DCI message comprises a format that is at least one of a DCI format 1_1 or a DCI format 1_2 (¶ [0163]; format 1_1).
Regarding claims 42-43, 45-48, 50-53 and 55-56, Khoshnevisan in view of HE also discloses the subject matter similar to the mappings above on claims 37-38 and 40-41.
Claims 39, 44, 49 and 54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khoshnevisan et al (WO 2022/155645) in view of HE et al (WO 2021/068807, herein citation is based on its US PGpub 2024/0106606), further in view of Jung et al (US 2021/0321442).
Regarding claims 39, 44, 49 and 54, the combination discloses the subject matter of claims 37, 42, 47 and 52, without:
wherein the third value is associated with a coherent joint transmission mode in which the first and second TCI states are applied to a Demodulation Reference Signal (DMRS) port of the transmission.
However, Jung discloses:
In par 212-215, e.g. UE may support the data from a plurality of base stations or multi-TRP in the form of C-JT/NC-JT. Also par 227, par 368.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Jung with the electronic system of Khoshnevisan and HE. One is motivated as such to allow efficient use of DCI resource (Jung, par 207).
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 YAOTANG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4023. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-18:00 ET (M, W, TH & alternate F).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HADI ARMOUCHE can be reached at 571-270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YAOTANG WANG/SCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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