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 .
Priorities and Examiner Remarks
This application is a National Stage entry of PCT/EP2022/062823 (international filing date: 05/11/2022) that claims priority from provisional application 63187184 (filed
05/11/2021).
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.
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 non-obviousness.
Claims 1-11, and 21-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WANG et al. (US 20210329546 A1, hereinafter WANG_546), in view of Wang et al. (US 20220046735 A1, hereinafter Wang_735).
Regarding claim 1, WANG_546 teaches a network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD) the network node comprising processing circuitry and a radio interface in communication with the processing circuitry (WANG_546, see at least fig. 14, e.g. apparatus components):
the processing circuitry being configured to (WANG_546, in general, see fig. 8 and corresponding paragraphs at least 199-227 along with fig. 9, 10, or 11; see also fig. 4 along with fig. 5, 6, or 7 for additional embodiments that could also be applied for rejections):
determine a presence of a reference signal based at least in part on a bitmap message (WANG_546, see at least para. 205 and 209, in view of at least para. 170-173 and fig. 5, “...S830: The network device generates activation signaling of the secondary cell, ... The activation signaling may be sent to the terminal device by the network device by using a MAC CE. FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 are formats of activation signaling of a MAC CE secondary cell according to an embodiment of this application. A difference between FIG. 9 to FIG. 11 and FIG. 5 to FIG. 7 lies in that in this embodiment of this application, the first quasi co-location indication information carried in the activation signaling is an RS resource set ID...”, note that fig. 5 shows bitmap format)
including one or both
[(i)] a presence indicator of at least one reference signal for an activation of at least one secondary cell (WANG_546, see at least para. 210 in view of at least para. 170-173, “...There is also a correspondence between the at least one RS resource set ID and the plurality of CCs included in the activation signaling. The correspondence is consistent with the correspondence between the TCI state ID and the plurality of CCs...”, note that para. 170-173 show one or more non-limiting examples, “...In the activation signaling, if values of only indication information C1 and C3 are 1, which indicates that only CC 1 and CC 3 corresponding to C1 and C3 are activated, only TCI state ID 0 and TCI state ID 2 corresponding to CC 1 and CC 3 are configured...”)
and
[(ii)] at least one index identifying a specific trigger state from a list of trigger state;
and
the radio interface being configured to: transmit the reference signal including the bitmap message (WANG_546, see at least para. 208-210, “...S840: The network device sends the activation signaling of the secondary cell to the terminal device...”).
WANG_546 does not specifically teach receive a report from the WD indicating that the activation of at least one secondary cell using the at least one reference signal is complete.
Wang_735 teaches receive a report from the WD indicating that the activation of at least one secondary cell using the at least one reference signal is complete (Wang_735, in general, see fig. 10 and corresponding paragraphs at least 185-206, in particular, see at least para. 203 in view of at least para. 198, for one nonlimiting example, “...S1005: After receiving the reported CSI measurement result in the secondary cell activation phase, the network device determines that the terminal device completes secondary cell activation...”, note that “...the terminal device may determine, based on the second indication information, pilot resources on which CSI measurement is to be performed, and determine, based on the seventh indication information, measurement results to be obtained by performing CSI measurement on the pilot resource...”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Wang_735 into the method of WANG_546 to reduce a processing latency.
Regarding claim 2, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 1.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein at least one of:
the WD is configured with a first set of secondary cells (WANG_546, see at least fig. 9 or 10 in view of para. 157, e.g. C1-C7, note that “...where CC 0 corresponding to C0 is a primary cell, and CC 1 to CC 31 corresponding to C1 to C31 represent 31 secondary cells...”);
and
the radio interface is further configured to: transmit an activation message indicating at least a secondary cell activation of a second set of secondary cells, the at least one reference signal, the transmitted reference signal including the bitmap message, and the transmitted activation message being usable by the WD, in part, to activate the at least one secondary cell.
Regarding claim 3, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 2.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein each index of the at least one index corresponds to one secondary cell of the first set of secondary cells. (WANG_546, see at least fig. 9 or 10 in view of para. 157, e.g. C1-C7, note that “...where CC 0 corresponding to C0 is a primary cell, and CC 1 to CC 31 corresponding to C1 to C31 represent 31 secondary cells...”).
Regarding claim 4, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 1.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein each trigger state of the trigger state list is associated with at least one non-zero power channel state information reference signal (NZP CSI RS) resource set. (WANG_546, see at least para. 209-211 of fig. 9, “...It should be noted that a reference signal associated with the RS resource set ID may be an SSB or RS (NZP CSI-RS, ZP CSI-RS, TRS, DMRS, SRS) resource...”).
Regarding claim 5, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 4.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein each trigger state of the trigger state list is associated with at least one transmission configuration information (TCI) state providing a quasi-location source at least for one corresponding NZP resource set. (WANG_546, see at least para. 189-190 along with para. 234, “...For example, if currently the primary cell is a low-frequency cell and the secondary cell is a high-frequency cell, “TCI-state--->QCL-Info--->referenceSignal” that is in a TCI state list and that corresponds to the TCI state ID carried in the activation signaling of the secondary cell may be a low-frequency SSB or RS resource...”, note that for one nonlimiting example, “...the network device defines a QCL indication of the SSB by using TCI-StateId, where “TCI-state--->QCL-Info--->referenceSignal” indicated by using the TCI-StateId may be an SSB or RS (NZP CSI-RS, ZP CSI-RS, TRS, DMRS, SRS) signal of a low-frequency cell...”).
Regarding claim 6, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 5.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein the at least one TCI state is indicated by a TCI state identifier. (WANG_546, see at least para. 234, “...the network device defines a QCL indication of the SSB by using TCI-StateId, where “TCI-state--->QCL-Info--->referenceSignal” indicated by using the TCI-StateId may be an SSB or RS (NZP CSI-RS, ZP CSI-RS, TRS, DMRS, SRS) signal of a low-frequency cell...”).
Regarding claim 7, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 1.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein at least one trigger state of the trigger state list triggers one reference signal on at least one cell. (WANG_546, see at least fig. 9 or 10 in light of fig. 5 and 6 and at least para. 171, for one nonlimiting example, “...The TCI state IDs sequentially correspond one-to-one to the CCs. In the format of the activation signaling of the MAC CE secondary cell shown in FIG. 5, it is configured, based on a number sequence, that CC 1 corresponds to the TCI state ID 0, CC 2 corresponds to the TCI state ID 1, . . . , and CC 7 corresponds to TCI state ID 6...”, note that fig. 9 or 10 is using RS resource set IDs)
Regarding claim 8, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 1.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein the trigger state list includes a first trigger state list and a second trigger state list (WANG_546, see at least fig. 4 and fig. 8),
the first trigger state list corresponding to at least one trigger state associated with latency of the activation of the at least one secondary cell (WANG_546, see at least fig. 4 in view of para. 197, e.g. TCI state IDs, note that “...the terminal device completes activation of the secondary cell based on the first quasi co-location indication information, thereby reducing the activation delay of the secondary cell...”),
the second trigger state list corresponding to at least one type of channel state information reference signal (CSI RS) (WANG_546, see at least fig. 8 in view of para. 206, e.g. RS resource set IDs, note that “...the first quasi co-location indication information may be a pilot resource set identifier (RS resource set ID), and an RS may be a zero power (ZP) CSI-RS, an NZP CSI-RS, a tracking reference signal TRS,...”).
Regarding claim 9, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 1.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein the at least one reference signal is a tracking reference signal (TRS) (WANG_546, see at least para. 206 and 211, “...the first quasi co-location indication information may be a pilot resource set identifier (RS resource set ID), and an RS may be a zero power (ZP) CSI-RS, an NZP CSI-RS, a tracking reference signal TRS...”).
WANG_546 does not specifically teach the report is a completion channel state information reference signal (CSI) report.
Wang_735 teaches the report is a completion channel state information reference signal (CSI) report (Wang_735, see at least para. 203 in view of at least para. 198, for one nonlimiting example, “...S1005: After receiving the reported CSI measurement result in the secondary cell activation phase, the network device determines that the terminal device completes secondary cell activation...”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Wang_735 into the method of WANG_546 to reduce a processing latency.
Regarding claim 10, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 teaches claim 1.
WANG_546 further teaches wherein the network node is configured to communicate with the WD using at least a primary cell. (WANG_546, see at least para. 208 in view of para. 184-185, e.g. step 840 in view of step 420, note that “...The activation signaling may be implemented by the network device by sending the MAC CE to the terminal device by using a primary cell...”).
Regarding claim 11, this claim is rejected for the same reasoning as claim 1, except this claim is in method claim format.
Regarding claim 21, this claim is rejected for the same reasoning as claim 1. To be more specific, although reciting subject matters slightly different, one skilled in the art would have known claim 21 performs reverse (or corresponding) procedures of claim 1. For example, it would be a WD of claim 21 that performs the reverse (or corresponding) receiving from and transmitting to the network node of claim 1. Hence, the examiner applies the same rejection reasoning as set forth in claim 1.
In addition, WANG_546 in view of Wang_735 also teaches a same or similar apparatus comprising processor, transceiver, and memory (WANG_546, see at least fig. 16), which are well known in the art and commonly used for providing and enabling robust and reliable data communication hardware and software.
Regarding claims 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, in view of claim 21 above, these claims are rejected for the same reasoning as claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, respectively.
Regarding claim 31, this claim is rejected for the same reasoning as claim 21 except this claim is in method claim format.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/12/2026 have been fully considered. Regarding independent claims 1, 11, 21, and 31, since applicant's amendment necessitated new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action, previous Office action's rejections are moot. Accordingly, corresponding dependent claims have also been rejected in this Office action.
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).
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 YEE F LAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7577. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm. 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, Ayman Abaza can be reached on 571-270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YEE F LAM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465