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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/30/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments regarding the 102/103 rejections in the previous office action have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Detailed responses can be found in the new ground of rejections.
Yuan clearly teaches each and every limitation in the amended claims 21, 25, 31 and 35, especially Yuan teaches selecting one or more of the plurality of beam states for a communication operation ([0122], the UE 120 may select a corresponding UE receive beam 410 from a set of BPLs based at least in part on the base station 110 indicating a BS transmit beam 405 via a TCI indication).
The combination Bai and Gao teaches each and every limitation in all the amended claims, especially the combination Bai and Gao teaches selecting one or more of the plurality of beam states for a communication operation (Bai, ([0070][0075], each TCI state may include information about a downlink reference signal, the DCI 510 may indicate the beams (e.g., the TCI states) for transmitting the PDSCH or DL signal, so that the UE knows which beams to use to receive the DL signals; [0091][0095][0098], the UE may also determine or select a set of beams for receiving the PDSCH accordingly. Guo, [0285], the gNB is going to use the selected “best” Tx beams to transmit signal, for example, control channel PDCCH and data transmission PDSCH, some reference signals CSI-RS and the UE is going to use the selected “best” Rx beam to receive those signals ).
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.
Claim(s) 21, 23-25, 27-29, 31-33, 35-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai (US 20220132543) in view of Guo (US 20190297603).
Regarding claim 21, Bai discloses a method of wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, at a wireless device from a network device, an indication of a plurality of beam states ([0070], the base station may inform the UE about the Tx beam(s) it is using by indicating transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state(s) that are associated with the Tx beam(s) to the UE);
receiving, at the wireless device from the network device, an association parameter for a downlink (DL) signal or an uplink (UL) signal (fig. 5, [0070], the base station may inform the UE indicating transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state(s) that are associated with the Tx beam(s) to the UE. Each TCI state may include information about a downlink reference signal, [0075], the DCI 510 may indicate the beams (e.g., the TCI states) for transmitting the PDSCH or DL signal; fig. 14, step 1408), wherein candidate values of the association parameter include a first beam state and a second beam state (fig. 5, [0070][0075], each TCI state may indicate to the UE a Tx beam, the TX beam is active or operative, that the base station is going to use; the DCI 510 may indicate the beams (e.g., the TCI states) for transmitting the PDSCH, here, the beams include at least the first beam and second beam); and
selecting one or more of the plurality of beam states for a communication operation ([0070][0075], each TCI state may include information about a downlink reference signal, the DCI 510 may indicate the beams (e.g., the TCI states) for transmitting the PDSCH or DL signal, so that the UE knows which beams to use to receive the DL signals; [0091][0095][0098], the UE may also determine or select a set of beams for receiving the PDSCH accordingly);
performing a communication operation by the wireless device ([0070], the UE may determine that the base station is transmitting physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) using the same Tx beam as the corresponding downlink reference signal),
wherein the communication operation comprises:
receiving the DL signal from the network device [0075], the DL signal (DCI 510 ) may indicate the beams (e.g., the TCI states) for transmitting the PDSCH),
Bai does not explicitly disclose wherein one or more of the plurality of beam states is used for determining a quasi-colocation (QCL) assumption for the DL signal or
the communication operation comprises determining a spatial filter or a power control parameter for the UL signal from the wireless device to the network device according to one or more of the plurality of beam states.
Guo discuses receiving the DL signal from the network device, and wherein one or more of the plurality of beam states is used for determining a quasi-colocation (QCL) assumption for the DL signal (Guo, [0206], the UE receives downlink control information (DCI) that includes a beam indication configuration comprising a one bit-field that indicates multiple transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states, the multiple TCI states indicate a quasi-colocation (QCL) configuration for downlink data channels received from the TRPs), or
the communication operation comprises determining a spatial filter or a power control parameter for the UL signal from the wireless device to the network device according to one or more of the plurality of beam states (Guo, [0144], resource configured here can provide spatial transmit filter information uplink transmission of PUSCH codeword indicated by DCI.sub.1 and additional one or more DCI(s)).
Guo also discloses selecting one or more of the plurality of beam states for a communication operation (Guo, [0285], the gNB is going to use the selected “best” Tx beams to transmit signal, for example, control channel PDCCH and data transmission PDSCH, some reference signals CSI-RS and the UE is going to use the selected “best” Rx beam to receive those signals).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to combine the teachings of exchanging beam state information as given by Bai with the teachings of exchanging TCI information given by Guo. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide an efficient beam management in wireless networks. It is noted that the applicant uses selective language in this claim and the examiner is only showing one of the claimed options.
Claims 25, 29, 33, 37, 39, 41, 43 are rejected similarly with claim 21 noting that Bai discloses processor and memory (fig.3).
Regarding claims 23, 27, 31, 35, Bai and Guo disclose the method of wireless communication of claim 21, wherein the DL signal comprises a physical downlink control channel PDCCH (Guo, [0098], an eNodeB transmits DCI through a physical DL control channel (PDCCH) or an Enhanced PDCCH (EPDCCH)), and wherein the association parameter is configured per control resource set CORESET (Guo, [0170], a number of consecutive symbols is configured by higher layer parameter CORESET) or
wherein the DL signal comprises a CSI-RS and the association parameter is configured in a resource set (Guo, [0258]), or
wherein the DL signal comprises a shared channel, and wherein the association parameter is indicated by a field in a downlink control information (DCI) that scheduled the shared channel.
It is noted that the applicant uses selective language in this claim and the examiner is only showing one of the claimed options.
Regarding claims 24, 28, 32, 36, Bai and Guo disclose the method of wireless communication of claim 21,
wherein the UL signal comprises a first-type configured-grant PUSCH, and wherein the association parameter is configured in a radio resource control (RRC) parameter, or
wherein the UL signal comprises a sounding reference signal (SRS) and wherein the association parameter is configured in a resource set (Guo, [0211]); or
wherein the UL signal comprises a physical uplink control channel PUCCH, and wherein the association parameter is configured in a PUCCH resource (Guo, [0193][0371], .report the following information through uplink channel (for example in PUCCH or PUSCH) to the gNB. A UE can be configured with more than one Tx beams for the transmission of PUCCH).
It is noted that the applicant uses selective language in this claim and the examiner is only showing one of the claimed options.
Regarding claims 38, 40, 42, 44, Bai and Guo disclose the method of claim 37, wherein the candidate values of the association parameter further includes a no beam state (Bai, fig. 11, DCI without TCI state or beam state).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 21, 25, 29, 33 are (alternatively) rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yuan (US 2025007944).
Regarding claim 21, Yuan discloses a method of wireless communication, comprising:
receiving, at a wireless device from a network device, an indication of a plurality of beam states ([0122][0216], fig. 19, step 1910, receive a TCI message, a beam can be associated with a TCI state);
receiving, at the wireless device from a network device, an association parameter for a downlink (DL) signal or an uplink (UL) signal ([0127][0122][0216], fig. 19, step 1910-30, receive a TCI indication, a unified TCI state framework in which a TCI state may be used to indicate more than one beam. The TCI state may be used to indicate beams for a downlink channel or reference signal (RS) and/or an uplink channel or RS; 3GPP standards Release 17 established a unified TCI state framework in which a TCI state may be used to indicate more than one beam. The TCI state may be used to indicate beams for a downlink channel or reference signal (RS) and/or an uplink channel or RS. There may be multiple types of unified TCI states), wherein candidate values of the association parameter include the first beam state and the second beam state ([0127], 3GPP standards Release 17 established a unified TCI state framework in which a TCI state may be used to indicate more than one beam (that includes the first and second beams, at least). The TCI state may be used to indicate beams for a downlink channel or reference signal (RS) and/or an uplink channel or RS. There may be multiple types of unified TCI states); and
selecting one or more of the plurality of beam states for a communication operation ([0122], the UE 120 may select a corresponding UE receive beam 410 from a set of BPLs based at least in part on the base station 110 indicating a BS transmit beam 405 via a TCI indication),
performing the communication operation by the wireless device (fig. 19, 1950, transmit or receive according to the TCI state),
wherein the communication operation comprises:
receiving the DL signal from the network device, and wherein one or more of the plurality of beam states is used for determining a quasi-colocation (QCL) assumption for the DL signal ([0122], a TCI state may indicate a directionality or a characteristic of the downlink beam, such as one or more quasi-co-location (QCL) properties of the downlink beam) or
determining a spatial filter or a power control parameter for the UL signal from the wireless device to the network device according to one or more of the plurality of beam states ([0122], an uplink beam, such as a UE transmit beam 415 or a BS receive beam 420, may be associated with a spatial relation. A spatial relation may indicate a directionality or a characteristic of the uplink beam).
It is noted that the applicant uses selective language in this claim and the examiner is only showing one of the claimed options.
Claims 25, 29, 33 are rejected similarly with claim 21 noting that Yuan discloses processors and memory (fig.2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHENSHENG ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1985. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00am-6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at 571-272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZHENSHENG ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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