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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/17/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Rejections under 35 USC 102/103
Applicant’s Argument: Applicant argues the prior art fails to teach the update to the reference RS being provided without using MAC-Ce. Further, the pathloss reference signal is different from a reference RS of spatial relation information.
Examiner’s Response: Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Applicant’s amendment changes the scope of the invention.
Examiner notes that the same reference Canonne-Velasquez et al. (“Canonne-Velasquez”) (US 20230147122 A1) is still applied, however with different cited portions according to the amendments. Canonne-Velasquez appears to teach DCI configuring SRI patterns for PUCCH groups ¶0236, ¶0277, with updated parameters for these spatial relations received via RRC (these paragraphs not previously cited). Further, the updates in ¶0277 change the configuration of the table which indicates the SRI patterns applied to the PUCCH, thus PUCCH groups will be transmitted with different SRIs. A change in SRI may be considered a change from one reference RS (the SRS of a first SRI) to an RS indicated by the SRI (the SRS of a different SRI), as in Applicant’s specification ““In this instance, spatial relation info for PUCCH resource may use, as a reference RS, channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), synchronization signal block (SSB), and sounding reference signal (SRS).” Thus changes to SRS resource index used for PUCCH transmission considered a change to reference RS.
Applicant’s Argument: Applicant argues Canonne-Velasquez fails to teach the changing reference RS based on a correspondence relationship between the PUCCH resource group and the SRI field. Canonne-Velasquez teaches sequential SRI assignment not a correspondence relationship between PUCCH resource group and specific SRI field. The SRI is assigned per repetition in a predetermined sequence.
Examiner’s Response: Applicant's arguments filed 06/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner notes that the claim language is broad and the difference that Applicant is pointing out is not clear. The claim does not clearly recite a “specific” SRI field being tied to a specific PUCCH as argued, but rather recites, “a correspondence relationship between a PUCCH resource group and the SRI field [.]” This is very broad as any usage of SRI with PUCCH can be considered a correspondence relationship, thus any change to the SRI pattern being applied for the PUCCH as in Canonne-Velasquez would be considered based on the correspondence relationship. Since the SRI fields relate to reference RSs and are being used for transmitting PUCCH, there is a correspondence relationship. Applicant should clarify the specific relationship and how an SRI is bound to a PUCCH group, otherwise any broad connection between the parameters is a correspondence relationship.
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)(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) 1-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Canonne-Velasquez et al. (“Canonne-Velasquez”) (US 20230147122 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
A method of transmitting, by a user equipment (UE), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a wireless communication system [Figure 1B WTRU], the method comprising:
receiving downlink control information (DCI), the DCI including at least one sounding reference signal resource indicator (SRI) information or transmission configuration indication (TCI) state information [¶0236, “In examples, i1 may be an SRI indicated in a DCI” see also ¶0276, WTRU determines spatial filters for SRS based on SRI with repetition from DCI, Figure 5 shows PUCCH repetitions];
updating at least one spatial relation information of a PUCCH resource based on the at least one SRI information or the TCI state information [¶0277, SDRA table mapping spatial relations may be “updated” The TRP may change the spatial filter configurations in the table according to the WTRU feedback. MAC-CE or RRC reconfiguration may be used to update the table.” Wherein tables based on SRI in DCI “The WTRU may receive an explicit SDRA indication in the DCI, e.g., which may indicate a subset of SRI values/patterns],
wherein the at least one spatial relation information of the PUCCH resource is updated based on the DCI without using a medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) that indicates an update of a reference RS of the at least one spatial relation information [¶0277, update is via RRC reconfiguration in place of MAC-CE “MAC-CE or RRC reconfiguration may be used to update the table.”],
wherein the updating comprises changing a reference RS of the at least one spatial relation information to one of:(i) an RS indicated by an SRI field included in the DCI [¶0277, update spatial relation configurations in table via RRC, configurations including patterns of SRIs (SRIs pertaining to SRS resource index which are reference RSs), SRI applied to PUCCH transmissions, thus SRI changed from one reference RS (corresponding to SRS of first SRI e.g. SRI1) to another SRI (corresponding to an RS indicated by another SRI field e.g. SRI3), considered changing a reference RS as the specification indicates SRS may be a reference RS, wherein changing the SRI used for a transmission is changing the reference RS from SRS of first SRI to SRS of another SRI],(ii) a reference RS of spatial relation information of the RS indicated by the SRI field, or (iii) a quasi-co-location (QCL) type-D RS of a TCI state indicated by a TCI state field included in the DCI
wherein the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group [Figure 5, Figure 7, PUCCH resources are one of multiple repetitions i.e. resource group], and wherein the reference RS is changed based on a correspondence relationship between the PUCCH resource group and the SRI field or the TCI state field included in the DCI [¶0277, Figure 8, spatial relation configuration indicating SRI tied to PUCCH to be sent of the group]
and transmitting the PUCCH based on the at least one spatial relation information in the PUCCH resource [Figure 7 shows transmitting, ¶0238 “A WTRU may be configured to determine a number of repetitions and spatial filter patterns” (corresponding to spatial relations). “A WTRU may determine (e.g., may dynamically determine) the number of repetitions and the spatial filter pattern such as, for example, SRI, for the PUCCH based on a look up table.”].
Regarding claim 2, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including one SRI information and the PUCCH resource being configured with one spatial relation information, the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to a control resource set (CORESET) pool related to the DCI [¶0236, SRI indicated in DCI as i1, Figure 7 shows PUCCH resource group of resource 1 and 2, wherein PUCCH resource 1 configured with one spatial relation, and group of PUCCH resources related to CORESETpoolindex serving as index of transmission, related to DCI sent via CORESET ¶0085].
Regarding claim 3, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including one SRI information and the PUCCH resource being configured with two spatial relation informations, spatial relation information related to a PUCCH resource group including the PUCCH resource among the two spatial relation informations is updated [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0236, SRI included in DCI as i1, Figure 7, PUCCH resource 2 configured with two special relations based on offset and SRI configured in DCI, updating the PUCCH spatial relation information corresponding to PUCCH group shown in Figure 7].
Regarding claim 4, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including two SRI informations and the PUCCH resource being configured with one spatial relation information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0277, DCI indicates SRI values corresponding to two, WTRU derives spatial configuration for each PUCCH repetition, each repetition being a PUCCH resource with one spatial relation information, see example SRI1-SRI1-SRI3-SRI3 for four repetitions i.e. four PUCCH resources each with one SRI corresponding to a spatial relation information], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to one of the two SRI informations [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0255, ¶0277, PUCCH resource part of hopping pattern of repeated PUCCH resources (“PUCCH resource group”), the group related to the pattern of SRIs indicated ¶0277].
Regarding claim 5, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including two SRI informations and the PUCCH resource being configured with one spatial relation information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0277, DCI indicates SRI values corresponding to two, WTRU derives spatial configuration for each PUCCH repetition, each repetition being a PUCCH resource with one spatial relation information, see example SRI1-SRI1-SRI3-SRI3 for four repetitions i.e. four PUCCH resources], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to a control resource set (CORESET) pool related to one of the two SRI informations [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0255, ¶0277, PUCCH resource part of hopping pattern thus each hop is one PUCCH in PUCCH resource group, the group related to the pattern of SRIs indicated ¶0277, wherein DCI is received via PDCCH thus related to a CORESET see ¶0085].
Regarding claim 6, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0206, WTRU receives an indication by a DCI including two TCI states], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0233, repetitions of PUCCH may be sent corresponding to PUCCH group ] related to a control resource set (CORESET) pool related to the DCI [Canonne-Velasquez DCI is received via PDCCH thus related to a CORESET see ¶0085].
Regarding claim 7, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0206, WTRU receives an indication by a DCI including two TCI states], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0233, repetitions of PUCCH may be sent corresponding to PUCCH group, configured with frequency hopping ¶0255, ¶0277].
Regarding claim 8, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI being for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), the DCI includes the at least one SRI information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0260 determine spatial relations for PUSCH, ¶0261 “A WTRU may be triggered to use a spatial relation set (e.g., one spatial relation set), for example, based on a bit field K_SDRA of length log2(N_sets) in the DCI scheduling the PUSCH transmission (e.g., as shown in FIG. 9) and/or the RS index provided in the DCI.” See ¶0263 “the RSs in the spatial relation sets may be comprised of SRIs”], and wherein, based on the DCI being for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the DCI includes the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0150 TCI for PDSCH, ¶0206 DCI includes the TCI states].
Regarding claim 9, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
A user equipment (UE) configured to transmit a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor, wherein the at least one memory is configured to store instructions [¶0034-43, Figure 1B, performing steps of ¶0237] performing operations based on being executed by the at least one processor, wherein the operations comprise:
receiving downlink control information (DCI), the DCI including at least one sounding reference signal resource indicator (SRI) information or transmission configuration indication (TCI) state information [¶0236, “In examples, i1 may be an SRI indicated in a DCI”];
updating at least one spatial relation information of a PUCCH resource based on the at least one SRI information or the TCI state information [¶0277, SDRA table mapping spatial relations may be updated” The TRP may change the spatial filter configurations in the table according to the WTRU feedback. MAC-CE or RRC reconfiguration may be used to update the table.” Wherein tables based on SRI in DCI “The WTRU may receive an explicit SDRA indication in the DCI, e.g., which may indicate a subset of SRI values/patterns],
wherein the at least one spatial relation information of the PUCCH resource is updated based on the DCI without using a medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) that indicates an update of a reference RS of the at least one spatial relation information [¶0277, update is via RRC reconfiguration in place of MAC-CE “MAC-CE or RRC reconfiguration may be used to update the table.”],
wherein the updating comprises changing a reference RS of the at least one spatial relation information to one of:(i) an RS indicated by an SRI field included in the DCI [¶0277, update spatial relation configurations in table via RRC, configurations including patterns of SRIs (SRIs pertaining to SRS resource index which are reference RSs), SRI applied to PUCCH transmissions, thus SRI changed from one reference RS (corresponding to SRS of first SRI e.g. SRI1) to another SRI (corresponding to an RS indicated by another SRI field e.g. SRI3), considered changing a reference RS as the specification indicates SRS may be a reference RS, wherein changing the SRI used for a transmission is changing the reference RS from SRS of first SRI to SRS of another SRI],(ii) a reference RS of spatial relation information of the RS indicated by the SRI field, or (iii) a quasi-co-location (QCL) type-D RS of a TCI state indicated by a TCI state field included in the DCI
wherein the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group [Figure 5, Figure 7, PUCCH resources are one of multiple repetitions i.e. resource group], and wherein the reference RS is changed based on a correspondence relationship between the PUCCH resource group and the SRI field or the TCI state field included in the DCI [¶0277, Figure 8, spatial relation configuration indicating SRI tied to PUCCH to be sent of the group]
and transmitting the PUCCH based on the at least one spatial relation information in the PUCCH resource [Figure 7 shows transmitting, ¶0238 “A WTRU may be configured to determine a number of repetitions and spatial filter patterns” (corresponding to spatial relations). “A WTRU may determine (e.g., may dynamically determine) the number of repetitions and the spatial filter pattern such as, for example, SRI, for the PUCCH based on a look up table.”].
Regarding claim 10, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
A method of receiving, by a base station (BS), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a wireless communication system [¶0022-25, teaches base station, WTRU transmits PUCCH ¶0076 ], the method comprising:
transmitting downlink control information (DCI), the DCI including at least one sounding reference signal resource indicator (SRI) information or transmission configuration indication (TCI) state information [¶0236, “In examples, i1 may be an SRI indicated in a DCI” wherein DCI sent by base station];
wherein the at least one spatial relation information of a PUCCH resource is updated based on the at least one SRI information or the TCI state information [¶0277, SDRA table mapping spatial relations may be updated” The TRP may change the spatial filter configurations in the table according to the WTRU feedback. MAC-CE or RRC reconfiguration may be used to update the table.” Wherein tables based on SRI in DCI “The WTRU may receive an explicit SDRA indication in the DCI, e.g., which may indicate a subset of SRI values/patterns],
wherein the at least one spatial relation information of the PUCCH resource is updated based on the DCI without using a medium access control-control element (MAC-CE) that indicates an update of a reference RS of the at least one spatial relation information [¶0277, update is via RRC reconfiguration in place of MAC-CE “MAC-CE or RRC reconfiguration may be used to update the table.”],
wherein the updating comprises changing a reference RS of the at least one spatial relation information to one of:(i) an RS indicated by an SRI field included in the DCI [¶0277, update spatial relation configurations in table via RRC, configurations including patterns of SRIs (SRIs pertaining to SRS resource index which are reference RSs), SRI applied to PUCCH transmissions, thus SRI changed from one reference RS (corresponding to SRS of first SRI e.g. SRI1) to another SRI (corresponding to an RS indicated by another SRI field e.g. SRI3), considered changing a reference RS as the specification indicates SRS may be a reference RS, wherein changing the SRI used for a transmission is changing the reference RS from SRS of first SRI to SRS of another SRI],(ii) a reference RS of spatial relation information of the RS indicated by the SRI field, or (iii) a quasi-co-location (QCL) type-D RS of a TCI state indicated by a TCI state field included in the DCI
wherein the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group [Figure 5, Figure 7, PUCCH resources are one of multiple repetitions i.e. resource group], and wherein the reference RS is changed based on a correspondence relationship between the PUCCH resource group and the SRI field or the TCI state field included in the DCI [¶0277, Figure 8, spatial relation configuration indicating SRI tied to PUCCH to be sent of the group]
and transmitting the PUCCH based on the at least one spatial relation information in the PUCCH resource [Figure 7 shows transmitting, ¶0238 “A WTRU may be configured to determine a number of repetitions and spatial filter patterns” (corresponding to spatial relations). “A WTRU may determine (e.g., may dynamically determine) the number of repetitions and the spatial filter pattern such as, for example, SRI, for the PUCCH based on a look up table.”].
Regarding claim 11, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 10, wherein, based on the DCI including one SRI information and the PUCCH resource being configured with one spatial relation information, the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to a control resource set (CORESET) pool related to the DCI [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0236, Figure 7 shows PUCCH resource group of resource 1 and 2, related to CORESETpoolindex serving as index of transmission, related to DCI sent via CORESET ¶0085].
Regarding claim 12, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 10, wherein, based on the DCI including one SRI information and the PUCCH resource being configured with two spatial relation informations, spatial relation information related to a PUCCH resource group including the PUCCH resource among the two spatial relation informations is updated [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0236, SRI included in DCI as i1, Figure 7, PUCCH resource 2 configured with two special relations based on offset and SRI configured in DCI, updating the PUCCH spatial relation information corresponding to PUCCH group shown in Figure 7].
Regarding claim 13, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including two SRI informations and the PUCCH resource being configured with one spatial relation information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0277, DCI indicates SRI values corresponding to two, WTRU derives spatial configuration for each PUCCH repetition, each repetition being a PUCCH resource with one spatial relation information, see example SRI1-SRI1-SRI3-SRI3 for four repetitions i.e. four PUCCH resources], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to one of the two SRI informations [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0255, ¶0277, PUCCH resource part of hopping pattern of repeated PUCCH resources (“PUCCH resource group”), the group related to the pattern of SRIs indicated ¶0277].
Regarding claim 14, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including two SRI informations and the PUCCH resource being configured with one spatial relation information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0277, DCI indicates SRI values corresponding to two, WTRU derives spatial configuration for each PUCCH repetition, each repetition being a PUCCH resource with one spatial relation information, see example SRI1-SRI1-SRI3-SRI3 for four repetitions i.e. four PUCCH resources], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to a control resource set (CORESET) pool related to one of the two SRI informations [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0255, ¶0277, PUCCH resource part of hopping pattern thus each hop is one PUCCH in PUCCH resource group, the group related to the pattern of SRIs indicated ¶0277, wherein DCI is received via PDCCH thus related to a CORESET see ¶0085].
Regarding claim 15, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0206, WTRU receives an indication by a DCI including two TCI states], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0233, repetitions of PUCCH may be sent corresponding to PUCCH group, configured with frequency hopping ¶0255, ¶0277 ] related to a control resource set (CORESET) pool related to the DCI [Canonne-Velasquez DCI is received via PDCCH thus related to a CORESET see ¶0085].
Regarding claim 16, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI including the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0206, WTRU receives an indication by a DCI including two TCI states], the PUCCH resource is included in a PUCCH resource group related to the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0233, PUCCH repetitions corresponding to TCI, the repetitions being the “resource group”].
Regarding claim 17, Canonne-Velasquez teaches:
The method of claim 1, wherein, based on the DCI being for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), the DCI includes the at least one SRI information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0260 determine spatial relations for PUSCH, ¶0261 “A WTRU may be triggered to use a spatial relation set (e.g., one spatial relation set), for example, based on a bit field K_SDRA of length log2(N_sets) in the DCI scheduling the PUSCH transmission (e.g., as shown in FIG. 9) and/or the RS index provided in the DCI.” See ¶0263 “the RSs in the spatial relation sets may be comprised of SRIs”], and wherein, based on the DCI being for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the DCI includes the TCI state information [Canonne-Velasquez ¶0150 TCI for PDSCH, ¶0206 DCI includes the TCI states].
Conclusion
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/JAY L VOGEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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