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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-4, 6, 13-15, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bai et al. (US 2026/0012970), hereinafter referred to as Bai.
Regarding claim 18, a method performed by a network device, comprising: receiving, from a terminal device, information related to a target transmission configuration indicator, TCI, state ([0316] second transmission configuration indicator mode) belonging to a first set of TCI states ([0113], UE 115-a may use an uplink beam to transmit a signal to base station 105-a via uplink communication link 210. Such wireless communication systems may utilize TCI states to indicate a beam for transmission or reception by a UE 115, a base station 105, or both. A TCI state may indicate a quasi-colocation (QCL) relationship between a downlink reference signal (e.g., a channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), aperiodic CSI-RS (AP-CSI-RS), tracking reference signal (TRS), positioning reference signals (PRS), or the like) and an antenna port) for transmission between the terminal device and the network device ([0316], A method for wireless communications at a base station…receiving, from a UE, uplink signaling based at least in part on a trigger event for switching between a first transmission configuration indicator mode and a second transmission configuration indicator mode); the first set of TCI states ([0316] second transmission configuration indicator mode) being at least partially non-overlapping ([0316] separate) with a second set of TCI states ([0316] first transmission configuration indicator mode) which have been activated, the target TCI state being outside the second set of TCI states; and ([0316] the first transmission configuration indicator mode supports a joint transmission configuration indicator state for an uplink transmission and a downlink reception, and wherein the second transmission configuration indicator mode supports separate transmission configuration indicator states for the uplink transmission and the downlink reception); performing communication with the terminal device based on at least the first set of TCI states ([0316] switching between the first transmission configuration indicator mode and the second transmission configuration indicator mode for communicating based at least in part on receiving the uplink signaling).
Regarding claim 13, the first set of TCI states belonging to a second transmission configuration indicator mode, see 0316, and being at least partially non-overlapping (separate, see 0316) with a second set of TCI states that belongs to a first transmission configuration indicator mode. In some cases, at 520-fig.5, UE 115-d may receive a feedback message in response to the uplink signaling from base station 105-d, see 0140. In some cases, UE 115-d may switch TCI modes based on receiving the feedback message, see 0141 (equivalent to receiving, from the network device, a TCI state set configuration indicating at least the first set of TCI states and the second set of TCI states).
Regarding claim 14, the first set of TCI states belonging to a second transmission configuration indicator mode, see 0316, and being at least partially non-overlapping (separate, see 0316) with a second set of TCI states that belongs to a first transmission configuration indicator mode. As a result, a first TCI state is associated with the first set of TCI states or the first transmission configuration indicator mode, and a second TCI state is associated with the second set of TCI states or the second transmission configuration indicator mode.
Regarding claim 15, to support identifying the TCI state, the TCI rule manager 1340-fig. 13 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for identifying a rule corresponding to the TCI state, where the rule defines the TCI state based on an initial TCI state from before switching between the first TCI mode and the second TCI mode.
Regarding claim 19, UE 115-a may use an uplink beam to transmit a signal to base station 105-a via uplink communication link 210. Such wireless communication systems may utilize TCI states to indicate a beam for transmission or reception by a UE 115, a base station 105, or both. Thus, the base station 105-a can receive information relating to the target TCI such as a quasi-colocation (QCL) relationship between a downlink reference signal (e.g., a channel state information-reference signal (CSI-RS), aperiodic CSI-RS (AP-CSI-RS), tracking reference signal (TRS), positioning reference signals (PRS), or the like) and an antenna port) for transmission between the terminal device and the network device, on a PUCCH, see 0117.
Regarding claim 20, a UE may detect a trigger event, such as an MPE being surpassed or a beam failure, and may transmit an uplink transmission including a report. The report may trigger a TCI mode switch at the UE (e.g., from a joint TCI state to separate TCI states to reduce signaling overhead and latency). The UE may apply the new TCI state a time after sending the report or after receiving a feedback message (confirmation concerning reception) for the report, see 0067.
Regarding claim 1, please see the rejection of claim 18. The rejection of claim 1 is for a method performed by a network device in communication with a terminal device
has been described above, and it should be noted that a method performed by a terminal device in communication with a network device can be performed in a similar manner.
Regarding claim 2, a UE 115 may receive one or more of the signals transmitted by the base station 105 in different directions and may report to the base station 105 an indication of the signal that the UE 115 received with a highest signal quality (equivalent to higher than a threshold quality) or an otherwise acceptable signal quality, see 0105.
Regarding claim 3, UE 115-a may use an uplink beam to transmit a signal to base station 105-a via uplink communication link 210. Such wireless communication systems may utilize TCI states to indicate a beam for transmission or reception by a UE 115, a base station 105, or both. Thus, the UE can utilize TCI states for transmission on a reporting resource via a PUCCH, see 0117.
Regarding claim 4, a UE may detect a trigger event, such as an MPE being surpassed or a beam failure, and may transmit an uplink transmission including a report. The report may trigger a TCI mode switch at the UE (e.g., from a joint TCI state to separate TCI states to reduce signaling overhead and latency). The UE may apply the new TCI state a time after sending the report or after receiving a feedback message (confirmation concerning reception) for the report, see 0067.
Regarding claim 6, second transmission configuration indicator mode belonging to a first set of TCI states, see 0316.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 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.
6. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
7. The factual inquiries 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.
8. 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.
9. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bai, in view of Ryu et al. (US 2021/0084625), hereinafter referred to as Ryu.
Regarding claim 12, Bai discloses all claimed limitations, except setting at least one TCI state in the second set of TCI states as inactive.
Ryu teaches: (1) a first set of activated TCI states may be selected to be associated with a first group of one or more CCs, and a second set of activated TCI states may be selected to be associated with a second group of one or more CCs, see 0054, 0103; (2) In some cases, multiple BWPs may be defined for one or more of the CCs 225-fig.2, and may be used for transmitting/receiving control/data for a UE 115-a. In some cases, one BWP can be active per CC 225, and up to 4 BWP can be defined per CC 225. Each active BWP may have multiple TCI states to be managed (e.g., activated/deactivated). TCI states may be used to inform the UE 115-a about how downlink signals are transmitted, and information may be provided in terms of association, as in physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) was transmitted using the same beam parameters (e.g., QCL type D) as some other downlink reference signal. Such association information may allow the UE 115-a to use the correct receive beam to receive PDSCH/PDCCH. In some cases, up to 128 TCI states can be configured for a UE 115-a, but only a subset of them are active (e.g., activated by MAC-CE), with the remaining being inactive. TCI state activation/deactivation may be configured per BWP. As a result, at least one TCI state in the remaining being inactive can be configured for the UE 115-a in the second set of TCI states as inactive.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching of Ryu
into the system of Bai. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to allow for a reduced number of MAC-CEs used for conveying the set of active TCI states for the CCs or BWPs.
Allowable subject matter
10. Claims 5, 7-11, and 16-17 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Khoshnevisan et al. (US 20200267748); Takeda et al. (US 2022/0225384); Wang et al. (US 2014/0324047); Farag et al. (US 11,658,727)
are cited, and considered pertinent to the instant specification.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUC C HO whose telephone number is (571)272-3147. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8am-4pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gary Mui can be reached on 571-270-1420 (Gary.mui@uspto.gov). The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DUC C HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465