DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Claims 19-36 are pending.
Claims 1-18 have been cancelled.
Response to Amendment
In response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 01/30/2026, the objections of claims 23, 24, 29, 30, 34, and 35 have been withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 01/30/2026 have been considered but they are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
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 19-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (Pub. No.: US 20200314664 A1), hereinafter Zhou, in view of GAO et al. (Pub. No.: US 20230093264 A1), hereinafter GAO, and further in view of ZHANG et al. (Pub. No.: US 20220303788 A1), hereinafter ZHANG.
With respect to claim 19, Zhou teaches An apparatus comprising:
memory to store configuration information for an uplink transmission by a user equipment (UE) ([0208], memory); and
processing circuitry, coupled with the memory ([0208], processor), to:
retrieve the configuration information from the memory, wherein the configuration information includes an indication that a default beam operation is enabled for the uplink transmission ([208, 0416-0417], base station retrieves the configuration information from the memory, wherein the configuration information includes an indication that a default beam operation is enabled for the uplink transmission); and
encode a message for transmission to the UE that includes the configuration information ([0416-0417], encode a message/DCI message for transmission to the UE that includes the configuration information).
Zhou does not explicitly teach physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation.
However, GAO teaches physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation ([0040, 0055], physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of GAO, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation, into the teachings of Zhou, in order to improve reliability and robustness for channels (such as, PDCCH, PUSCH and/or PUCCH) (GAO, [0043]).
The combination of Zhou and GAO does not explicitly teach wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET).
However, ZHANG teaches wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET) ([0049], the default spatial relation and pathloss RS for the PUSCH is determined based on the reference signal in a TCI state in a CORESET with lowest ID).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of ZHANG, wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET), into the teachings of Zhou and GAO, in order for a user equipment (UE) in a multiple transmission and reception point (multi-TRP) configuration having simultaneous connections with a first next generation node B (gNB) and at least one second gNB over a same carrier (ZHANG, [0002]).
With respect to claim 20, the combination of Zhou, GAO, and ZHANG teaches the apparatus of claim 19. Zhou teaches wherein the configuration information in the message is included in the downlink control information (DCI) ([0416-0417]).
With respect to claim 21, the combination of Zhou, GAO, and ZHANG teaches the apparatus of claim 19. Zhou teaches wherein the uplink transmission is a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission ([0416-0417]).
With respect to claim 22, the combination of Zhou, GAO, and ZHANG teaches the apparatus of claim 19. Zhou teaches wherein the uplink transmission is a PUSCH transmission or PUCCH transmission ([0416-0417]), and a default spatial relation or pathloss reference signal for the uplink transmission is associated with ([0416-0417]): a search space carrying the downlink control information (DCI) ([0437]).
Zhou does not explicitly teach a PUSCH transmission or PUCCH transmission with repetitions enabled or disabled.
However, GAO teaches a PUSCH transmission or PUCCH transmission with repetitions enabled ([0055]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of GAO, a PUSCH transmission or PUCCH transmission with repetitions enabled, into the teachings of Zhou, in order to improve reliability and robustness for channels (such as, PDCCH, PUSCH and/or PUCCH) (GAO, [0043]).
With respect to claim 23, the combination of Zhou, GAO, and ZHANG teaches the apparatus of claim 19. Zhou teaches a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission ([0416-0417]) is associated with search space having a lowest identifier among a plurality of CORESETs or search spaces ([0442]).
Zhou does not explicitly teach wherein the uplink transmission is a PUSCH transmission or PUCCH transmission with repetitions disabled.
However, GAO teaches wherein the uplink transmission is a PUSCH transmission with repetitions disabled ([0083]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of GAO, wherein the uplink transmission is a PUSCH transmission with repetitions disabled, into the teachings of Zhou, in order to improve reliability and robustness for channels (such as, PDCCH, PUSCH and/or PUCCH) (GAO, [0043]).
With respect to claim 24, the combination of Zhou, GAO, and ZHANG teaches the apparatus of claim 19. Zhou teaches wherein the uplink transmission is an SRS transmission ([0241]), one or more SRS resource sets to one TRP are triggered by a common DCI, and a default beam for SRS is enabled ([0241, 0253]), and wherein a default spatial relation or pathloss reference signal for the SRS transmission is associated with: search space having a lowest identifier among a plurality of CORESETs or search spaces ([0442]).
With respect to claim 25, the combination of Zhou, GAO, and ZHANG teaches the apparatus of claim 19. Zhou teaches wherein the apparatus comprises a next-generation NodeB (gNB) or portion thereof ([0199]).
With respect to claim 26, Zhou teaches One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a next-generation NodeB (gNB) to:
determine configuration information for an uplink transmission by a user equipment (UE), wherein the configuration information includes an indication that a default beam operation is enabled for the uplink transmission ([208, 0416-0417], base station determines configuration information for an uplink transmission by a user equipment (UE), wherein the configuration information includes an indication that a default beam operation is enabled for the uplink transmission)
and that physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation; and
encode a message for transmission to the UE that includes the configuration information ([0416-0417], encode a message/DCI message for transmission to the UE that includes the configuration information), wherein the configuration information in the message is included in downlink control information (DCI) ([0416-0417], the configuration information in the message is included in downlink control information (DCI)).
Zhou does not explicitly teach physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation.
However, GAO teaches physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation ([0040, 0055], physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of GAO, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation, into the teachings of Zhou, in order to improve reliability and robustness for channels (such as, PDCCH, PUSCH and/or PUCCH) (GAO, [0043]).
The combination of Zhou and GAO does not explicitly teach wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET).
However, ZHANG teaches wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET) ([0049], the default spatial relation and pathloss RS for the PUSCH is determined based on the reference signal in a TCI state in a CORESET with lowest ID).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of ZHANG, wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET), into the teachings of Zhou and GAO, in order for a user equipment (UE) in a multiple transmission and reception point (multi-TRP) configuration having simultaneous connections with a first next generation node B (gNB) and at least one second gNB over a same carrier (ZHANG, [0002]).
With respect to claim 27, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 21, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 28, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 22, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 29, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 23, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 30, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 24, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 31, Zhou teaches A user equipment (UE) comprising:
memory to store a configuration message received from a next-generation NodeB (gNB) ([0221], memory),
wherein the configuration message includes configuration information for an uplink transmission by the UE ([0416-0417], the configuration message/DCI message includes configuration information for an uplink transmission by the UE), wherein the configuration information includes an indication that a default beam operation is enabled for the uplink transmission ([0416-0417], wherein the configuration information includes an indication that a default beam operation is enabled for the uplink transmission) and
one or more processors to encode an uplink message for transmission based on the configuration information (fig. 28, [0221, 0416-0417], processor to encode an uplink message for transmission based on the configuration information).
Zhou does not explicitly teach physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation.
However, GAO teaches physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation ([0040, 0055], physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of GAO, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) repetitions are enabled for multi-transmission reception point (TRP) operation, into the teachings of Zhou, in order to improve reliability and robustness for channels (such as, PDCCH, PUSCH and/or PUCCH) (GAO, [0043]).
The combination of Zhou and GAO does not explicitly teach wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET).
However, ZHANG teaches wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET) ([0049], the default spatial relation and pathloss RS for the PUSCH is determined based on the reference signal in a TCI state in a CORESET with lowest ID).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of ZHANG, wherein a default spatial relation for the uplink transmission follows a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state of a control resource set (CORESET), into the teachings of Zhou and GAO, in order for a user equipment (UE) in a multiple transmission and reception point (multi-TRP) configuration having simultaneous connections with a first next generation node B (gNB) and at least one second gNB over a same carrier (ZHANG, [0002]).
With respect to claim 32, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 21, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 33, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 22, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 34, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 23, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 35, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 24, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
With respect to claim 36, this claim recites the apparatus of claim 20, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons.
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).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIET TANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7193. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, IAN MOORE can be reached on (571) 272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIET TANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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