CTNF 18/525,680 CTNF 83030 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The references listed in the Information Disclosure Statement, filed on 20 August 2024, 05 February 2026, have been considered by the examiner (see attached PTO-1449 form or PTO/SB/08A and 08B forms). Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 18, it is suggested to delete the second period at the end of the claim . Appropriate correction is required. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation 07-30-03 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. 07-30-05 The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked. As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: (A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function; (B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and (C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function. Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. 07-30-06 This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “configuration module”, “transmission configuration indication (TCI) module”, “mapping module” in claim 11. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (PG Pub US 2025/0233717 A1) in view of Liu et al. (PG Pub US 2025/0203629 A1 hereafter Liu2) . Regarding claims 1, 11, Liu discloses a method and a user equipment (UE). a transceiver (transceiver fig. 4) that transmits and receives radio frequency (RF) signals in a wireless network (“The transceivers are connected with the processors to transmit and/or receive a radio signal” [0147]); a configuration module (processor fig. 4) that receives a configuration including at least a first sounding reference signal (SRS) resource set and a second SRS resource set from the wireless network (“Multiple SRS resource sets, each of which contains one or more SRS resources, can be configured for a UE” [0070]); a transmission configuration indication (TCI) module (processor fig. 4) that receives a TCI command from the wireless network indicating a first TCI state and a second TCI state (“The UE receives an activation command used to map up to 8 TCI states” [0053], “a first TCI state and a second TCI state” [0074]); a mapping module (processor fig. 4) that receives a downlink control information (DCI) format 0_1 or DCI format 0_2 from the wireless network and maps the first TCI state, the second TCI state, or both the first TCI state and the second TCI state with at least one physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission occasion or at least one PUSCH antenna port based on a codepoint for an SRS resource set indicator indicated by the DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 0_2 (“Depending on the value (or SRSI codepoint) of the SRSI field contained in the DCI activating or scheduling the PUSCH transmission with repetition Type A, the first TCI state or the second TCI state is applied to each repetition of the activated or scheduled PUSCH transmission with repetition Type A” [0083], “DCI format 0_1 or 0_2” [0082], “SRS resource set for codebook (CB) is used for codebook based PUSCH transmission, where a set of UL precoders corresponding to different number of antenna ports are specified” [0070], “TCI states are mapped (activated by MAC CE) to each TCI codepoint by MAC CE(s)” [0055]). However, Liu does not explicitly disclose receive a configuration including at least a SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set. Nevertheless, Liu2 discloses “receiving a higher layer parameter to indicate the multi-panel/TRP PUSCH scheme, a configuration of one or two SRS resource sets” [0105]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to receive a configuration including at least a SRS resource set and a second SRS resource set because “if the configuration is two SRS resource sets for CB or nCB, and the two SRS resource sets include a first SRS resource set associated with a first UL TCI state and a second SRS resource set associated with a second UL TCI state, then, an SRS resource set indicator (SRSI) field contained in the DCI determines the scheduled PUSCH transmission is a single-panel/TRP PUSCH transmission or a multi-panel/TRP PUSCH transmission” [0106]. Regarding claims 2, 12, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Liu discloses the first SRS resource set and the second SRS resource set are configured with usage for codebook or noncodebook (“codebook (CB) … non-codebook (nCB)” [0070]). Regarding claims 3, 13, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Liu discloses the UE applies the first TCI state to all PUSCH transmission occasions when the DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 0_2 indicates codepoint “00” for the SRS resource set indicator (“When the SRSI field of the DCI (e.g. DCI format 0_1 or 0_2) indicates a value (or SRSI codepoint) of “00”, the first TCI state, the PL-RS associated with the first TCI state, and the UL power control parameter set for PUSCH associated with the first TCI state are applied to all repetitions of the activated or scheduled PUSCH transmission with repetition Type A” [0085]). Regarding claims 4, 14, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Liu discloses the UE applies the second TCI state to all PUSCH transmission occasions when the DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 0_2 indicates codepoint “01” for the SRS resource set indicator (“When the SRSI field of the DCI (e.g. DCI format 0_1 or 0_2) indicates a value (or SRSI codepoint) of “01”, the second TCI state, the PL-RS associated with the second TCI state, and the UL power control parameter set for PUSCH associated with the second TCI state are applied to all repetitions of the activated or scheduled PUSCH transmission with repetition Type A” [0086]). Regarding claims 5, 15, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Liu discloses the DCI format 0_1 or DCI format 0_2 indicates codepoint “10” or “11” for the SRS resource set indicator, and wherein the mapping is further based on a multi-panel scheme configured to the UE by the wireless network (“When the SRSI field of the DCI (e.g. DCI format 0_1 or 0_2) indicates a value (or SRSI codepoint) of “10”, the TCI state to be applied to each repetition of the activated or scheduled PUSCH transmission with repetition Type A depends on the value of K (the number of repetitions) and the repetition pattern (i.e. cyclicMapping or sequentialMapping)” [0087], “multiple panels (e.g. two panels) of a UE to multiple TRPs (e.g. two TRPs). In case of two TRPs, the UL transmission is transmitted from two panels of the UE” [0054], [0091]). Regarding claims 6, 16, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. Further, Liu2 discloses the UE applies the first TCI state to one or more PUSCH transmission occasions associated with the first SRS resource set and the second TCI state to one or more PUSCH transmission occasions associated with the second SRS resource set when the multi-panel scheme is not configured to the UE by the wireless network (“A DCI (e.g. DCI with format 0_1 or 0_2) can schedule a single-TRP PUSCH transmission (which means that the scheduled PUSCH transmission is to be transmitted from only one panel to one TRP) or a multi-TRP PUSCH transmission (which means that the scheduled PUSCH transmission is to be transmitted from two panels to two TRPs, where the transmission from each panel is transmitted to a different TRP, e.g. from panel #0 to TRP #0 and from panel #1 and TRP #1)” [0053], “the PUSCH transmission is scheduled to be transmitted by using the first UL TCI state” [0059], “The second UL TCI state is applied to the scheduled PUSCH transmission” [0060]). Regarding claims 7, 17, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. Further, Liu2 discloses the UE applies the first TCI state to one or more PUSCH antenna ports associated with the first SRS resource set and the second TCI state to one or more PUSCH antenna ports associated with the second SRS resource set when the multi-panel scheme is configured to the UE by the wireless network (“For SDM scheme 1, different PUSCH layers of the scheduled PUSCH transmission are transmitted by different panels. It means that some PUSCH layer(s) are transmitted by the first panel and the other PUSCH layer(s) are transmitted by the second panel. The PUSCH layer(s) to be transmitted by the first panel are the PUSCH layer(s) each of which is associated with an indicated DMRS port within the first CDM group (which contains the first DMRS port indicated by the ‘antenna port(s)’ field), and the PUSCH layer(s) to be transmitted by the second panel are the PUSCH layer(s) each of which is associated an indicated DMRS port within the second CDM group (i.e. the other CDM group than the first CDM group)” [0068]). Regarding claims 8, 18, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. Further, Liu2 discloses the multi-panel scheme configured to the UE by the wireless network is set to space division multiplexing (SDM) scheme (“SDM scheme (e.g. SDM scheme 1 or SDM scheme 2)” [0053]). Regarding claims 9, 19, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Liu discloses the first TCI state and the second TCI are joint or uplink (UL) TCI states (“two UL or joint TCI states” [0074]). Regarding claims 10, 20, Liu, Liu2 discloses everything claimed as applied above. In addition, Liu discloses the TCI command is carried by a DCI or a medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) from the wireless network (“When two UL TCI states are indicated by the DCI or activated by the MAC CE” [0067]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINE D FUQUA whose telephone number is (571)270-1664. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 AM - 6 PM EST with every other Friday off. 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, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at (571)272-3927. 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. CHRISTINE DUONG FUQUA Primary Examiner Art Unit 2462 /CHRISTINE T DUONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462 03/25/2026 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 2 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 3 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 4 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 5 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 6 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 7 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 8 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 9 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 10 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/525,680 Page 11 Art Unit: 2462