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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 08/21/2024 has been placed in record and considered by the examiner.
Claim Objection
Claim(s) is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 line 7, “TCI states” should read as “transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states”.
Claim 9 line 9, “TCI states” should read as “transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states”.
Claim 13 line 7, “TCI states” should read as “transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states”.
Appropriate corrections are required.
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.
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 1-5, 8-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20260040241 A1 with priority of us-provisional-applications US 63393818 & US 63393591, hereinafter ‘WU’) in view of Nilsson et al. (US 20240357529 A1 with priority of PCT/IB2022/058232, hereinafter ‘NILSSON).
Regarding claim 1, WU teaches a user equipment (UE) (Fig.1A UE 102) comprising:
a transceiver (
Fig. 1 A UE 102 with TRP/PHY controller 152,
[0045] The PHY controller 152 is also configured to receive data and control signal on physical DL channels and/or DL reference signals with the base station 104 or 106 ….. The PHY controller 152 is also configured to transmit data and control signal on physical UL channels and/or UL reference signals with the base station 104 or 106 ) configured to:
transmit a UE capability information message including an indication that the UE supports multiple timing advancements (TAs) per serving cell for multi- transmit-receive point (TRP) operation (
[0072] the base station 104 determines to communicate with the UE 102 via the TRP 107-2 based on the CSI report(s) while maintaining the link with the UE 102 via the TRP 107-1. In some implementations, the base station 104 makes the determination based on one or more capabilities of the UE 102.
[0077] the one or more capabilities include at least one first capability indicating that the UE 102 supports mTRP operation (e.g., release 16 capability field(s)/IE(s) and/or release 17 capability field(s)/IE(s) in 3GPP specification 38.306 or 38.331 v17.1.0 or later versions for mTRP operation)
[0078] the one or more capabilities include at least one second capability. In some such implementations, the at least one second capability indicates that the UE 102 supports multiple UL transmission timings (i.e., operation of two or more TAs) for mTRP operation with a serving cell.
[0079] the base station 104 receives the one or more capabilities from the UE 102.
(Construed that UE transmits to base station capability information message indicating support for multiple TAs per serving cell for multi-TRP/mTRP operation)), and
receive a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a plurality of timing advance group (TAG) identifications (IDs) for a serving cell and a mapping for the plurality of TAG IDs for the serving cell (
[0153] the base station configures, for the UE, a first TAG and a second TAG for UL transmissions to the first TRP and second TRP, respectively. In some implementations, the base station transmits, to the UE, a first RRC message and a second RRC message including a first TAG configuration and a second TAG configuration to configure the first TAG and second TAG, respectively. In some implementations, the first TAG configuration and second TAG configuration include a first TAG ID and a second TAG ID to identify the first TAG and second TAG, respectively. In some implementations, the first TAG configuration and second TAG configuration include a timer value of/for the first TAT and a timer value of/for the second TAT for the first TAG and second TAG, respectively. ….. In some implementations, the first RRC message and second RRC message are the same RRC message (e.g., the same instance) ….. RRC reconfiguration.);
wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit, to the serving cell, a random access (RA) preamble to obtain a TA for a TAG of the serving cell (
[0138] if the RAN node determines both the first and second UL synchronizations are invalid, the RAN node transmits a random access triggering command to the UE to trigger the UE to transmit a random access preamble to the first TRP.
[0160] In some implementations, the UE performs one of the following actions: …. (ii) triggering or performing a contention-based or contention-free RA procedure intended for the first TRP, the first TAG, the first TAT or the first TA value.).
WU does not explicitly disclose receive a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a plurality of timing advance group (TAG) identifications (IDs) for a serving cell and a mapping between a plurality of TCI states and the plurality of TAG IDs for the serving cell;
a processor operably coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to determine, based on the mapping, a TAG ID from the plurality of TAG IDs that corresponds with at least one TCI state from the plurality of TCI states,
wherein the mapping is signaled per bandwidth part (BWP) of the serving cell.
In an analogous art, NILSSON teaches receive a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a plurality of timing advance group (TAG) identifications (IDs) for a serving cell and a mapping between a plurality of TCI states and the plurality of TAG IDs for the serving cell (
Fig. 1, [0025] An example is shown in FIG. 1, where data are sent to a WD over two TRPs…
Fig. 9, [0203] FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a host computer communicating via a network node with a wireless device over an at least partially wireless connection according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;..
Detailed Embodiments Related to RRC Configuration of TA
[0372] In one embodiment, the two TAs are associated to one serving cell by configuring an addition TAG ID in the ServingCellConfig IE, as described below. When the parameter (i.e., “tag-Id-New”) is configured, the WD 22 may implicitly assume that a first TA defined by the legacy TAG (“tag-Id”) is to be associated with a first TRP (for example a first CORESET Pool Index) and that a second TA defined by the TAG ID (tag-Id-New) is to be associated with a second TRP (for example a first CORESET Pool Index).
[0385] Embodiment A1. A network node configured to communicate with a wireless device (WD), the network node configured to, and/or comprising a radio interface and/or comprising processing circuitry configured to:
[0386] obtain at least one of a first timing advance (TA) information and a second TA information for the WD, the first and second TA information being for a same serving cell; and
[0387] determine at least one of that the first TA information is associated with a first value of a first parameter and that the second TA information is associated with a second value of the first parameter.
[0388] Embodiment A2. The network node of Embodiment A1, wherein the network node and/or the radio interface and/or the processing circuitry being further configured to:
[0389] communicate and/or receive and/or adjust uplink (UL) timing in the same serving cell for the WD using at least one of the first TA information and the second TA information.
[0390] Embodiment A3. The network node of any one of Embodiments A1 and A2, wherein one or more of:
[0391] the first and second TA information comprises a first and second TA command;
[0392] the first value is different from the second value;
[0393] the first value is a same as the second value;
[0394] the first value is based on at least one of a propagation delay, a reference signal, and a timing measurement associated with a first network node/TRP and the second value is based on at least one of the propagation delay, the reference signal, and the timing measurement associated with a second network node/TRP;
[0394] the first value is based on at least one of a propagation delay, a reference signal, and a timing measurement associated with a first network node/TRP and the second value is based on at least one of the propagation delay, the reference signal, and the timing measurement associated with a second network node/TRP;
[0395] the first and second values of the first parameter comprises at least one of: a first and second CORESET pool indices, a first and second bandwidth parts (BWPs), a first and second cyclic prefixes (CPs), a first and second TA reference timings, a first and second TA offset indications, a first and second TA timers, a first and second TCI states and a first and second timing advance group (TAG) identifiers (IDs); and
[0396] the association of the first and second values of the first parameter with the corresponding first and second TA information is at least one of: (i) configured via at least one a radio resource control (RRC) signaling);
a processor operably coupled to the transceiver (Fig. 1 WD 22, Fig. 9, WD 22 with Radio Interface 82), the processor configured to determine, based on the mapping, a TAG ID from the plurality of TAG IDs that corresponds with at least one TCI state from the plurality of TCI states (
See [0388-0396] the first and second values of the first parameter comprises at least one of:
a first and second bandwidth parts (BWPs), ….., a first and second TCI states and a first and second timing advance group (TAG) identifiers (IDs), …configured via RRC signalling by network node);
wherein the mapping is signaled per bandwidth part (BWP) of the serving cell (
[0380] In one embodiment, when the WD 22 is no longer synchronized with one of the two TRPs, the network node 16 can trigger the WD 22 to transmit a PRACH towards the TRP that is not synchronized, in order to re-establish the synchronization to that TRP.
See [0388-0396] the first and second values of the first parameter comprises at least one of:
a first and second bandwidth parts (BWPs), ….., a first and second TCI states and a first and second timing advance group (TAG) identifiers (IDs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the technique of network or serving cell using RRC signalling to Wireless device or UE association or mapping between respective TAG IDs with TCI states for corresponding BWPs of NILSSON to the system of configuration using RRC reconfiguration message for managing Multiple Timing Advance Values For Multiple Transmit And/or Receive Points of WU in order to take the advantage of a method providing a framework and signaling for multi-time advance for multiple transmission/reception points for improving the data rate, latency, and/or power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, relaxed restriction on file size, better responsiveness, extended battery lifetime, etc. (NILSSON: [0001, 0295]).
Regarding claim 2, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein:
a ServingCellConfig information element (IE) in the RRC reconfiguration message includes a first tag-ID and a second tag-ID (
See [0153] … the first TAG configuration and second TAG configuration include a first TAG ID and a second TAG ID to identify the first TAG and second TAG, respectively…. ….. the first RRC message and second RRC message are the same RRC message (e.g., the same instance) ….. RRC reconfiguration).
WU does not explicitly disclose identify whether a TCI state from the plurality of TCI states is associated with the first tag-ID or the second tag-ID, and
determine, based on the identification, that the TCI state corresponds with a TAG ID associated with the first tag-ID or the second tag-ID.
NILSSON teaches identify whether a TCI state from the plurality of TCI states is associated with the first tag-ID or the second tag-ID, and determine, based on the identification, that the TCI state corresponds with a TAG ID associated with the first tag-ID or the second tag-ID (
See [0395] cited above for Claim 1, disclosing –
the first and second values of the first parameter comprises at least one of:
a first and second TCI states and a first and second timing advance group (TAG) identifiers (IDs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the technique of network or serving cell using RRC signalling to Wireless device or UE association or mapping between respective TAG IDs with TCI states for corresponding BWPs of NILSSON to the system of configuration using RRC reconfiguration message for managing Multiple Timing Advance Values For Multiple Transmit And/or Receive Points of WU in order to take the advantage of a method providing a framework and signaling for multi-time advance for multiple transmission/reception points for improving the data rate, latency, and/or power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, relaxed restriction on file size, better responsiveness, extended battery lifetime, etc. (NILSSON: [0001, 0295]).
Regarding claim 3, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive, in response to transmission of the RA preamble, a random access response (RAR) including a timing advance (TA) and an indication indicating a first tag-ID or a second tag-ID for which the TA is applied (
[0162] In some implementations, the UE receives, from the base station, a configuration for configuring or indicating a first set of RA resources. In some implementations, the first set of RA resources includes a first set of RA preambles and/or a first set of SSB indices.
[0165] In some cases, when or if an RA procedure is associated with or intended for one of: (a) the first index, (b) the first TRP, (c) the first TAG, (d) the first TA value, and/or (e) the first TAT, then at least one of the following is true: (i) the MSG 0 or the PDCCH order (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP, where, in some implementations, the RA procedure is a contention-free RA procedure; (ii) the MSG 1 or the MSG A (transmitted by the UE to the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP, where, in some implementations, the UE uses the first group of RA resources for transmitting the MSG 1 or MSG A; (iii) the MSG 2 or the MSG B (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP;
See also [0166] RA procedure associated with … second TAG ID …. MSG 2 or MSG B).
Regarding claim 4, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
transmit a message A (MsgA) (
[0165] RA procedure is associated with …..(ii) the MSG 1 or the MSG A (transmitted by the UE to the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP); and
receive in, response to transmission of the MsgA, one of:
an absolute timing advance command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) including a timing advance (TA) and an indication indicating a first tag-ID or a second tag-ID for which the TA is applied (
), and
a fallback RAR including a TA and an indication indicating the first tag-ID or the second tag-ID for which the TA is applied (
[0165] when or if an RA procedure is associated with or intended for one of: (a) the first index, (b) the first TRP, (c) the first TAG, (d) the first TA value, and/or (e) the first TAT, then at least one of the following is true: …..(vii) the MSG 2 or the MSG B (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first index;
(MSG 2 being a fallback RAR when 4-step RA process is used as fallback as well known in the art)).
Regarding claim 5, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, UE of claim 1, wherein:
the transceiver is further configured to receive, in response to transmission of the RA preamble, a random access response (RAR) including a medium access control (MAC) sub-protocol data unit (subPDU) with a random access preamble identifier corresponding to the RA preamble (
[0064] the UE 102 transmits 512 a first random access preamble on a time/frequency resource and/or a random access channel (RACH) occasion to the TRP 107-1. The TRP 107-1 then forwards 514 the first random access preamble to the base station 104.
[0065] In response to the first random access preamble, the base station 104 transmits 516 a first random access response to the TRP 107-1. The TRP 107-1 then forwards 518 the first random access response to the UE 102. ….. The base station 104 includes a first preamble ID and a first TA command in the first random access response. The first preamble ID identifies the first random access preamble, and the first TA command includes a first TA value.
[0116] In some implementations, the base station transmits the first TA value in a first random access response, a first MAC CE, or a first MAC PDU to UE. ); and
the processor is further configured to:
process a timing advance command based on the RAR including the MAC subPDU, and start a timing alignment timer for a first tag-ID or a second tag-ID indicated in the RAR (
[0065] The first preamble ID identifies the first random access preamble, and the first TA command includes a first TA value. The UE applies the first TA value and determines or maintains 520 an uplink that is synchronized (e.g., time aligned) with the TRP 107-1 after (e.g., in response to) applying the first TA value. The UE 102 applies the first TA value for transmitting UL transmissions …. until a new or different TA value is received from base station 104 that updates the first TA value. In some implementations, the UE 102 starts a first time alignment timer (TAT) to maintain a UL synchronization status with the TRP 107-1 or base station 104 after or upon receiving the first TA command.
[0116] In some implementations, the base station transmits the first TA value in a first random access response, a first MAC CE, or a first MAC PDU to UE.).
Regarding claim 8, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
determine that a timeAlignmentTimer has expired (
Fig. 13 Block 1314 -> Firs6t TAT or Second TAT expires,
[0140] …. At block 1312, the RAN node starts or restarts a first TAT to maintain the second UL synchronization with the UE when transmitting the second TA value to the UE. At block 1314, the RAN node detects or determines whether the first TAT or second TAT expires. If the RAN node detects or determines that the first TAT expires, the flow proceeds to block 1316…….
WU does not explicitly disclose if the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with a special cell (SpCell), and no other timeAlignmentTimer associated with the SpCell is running, the processor is further configured to at least one of:
flush hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) buffers for serving cells of a cell group of the SpCell;
notify RRC to release a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for the serving cells;
clear configured downlink assignments and configured uplink grants;
clear a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource for semi-persistent channel state information (CSI) reporting;
consider running timeAlignmentTimers as expired; and
maintain a timing adjustment value of the TAGs.
NILSSON teaches disclose if the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with a special cell (SpCell), and no other timeAlignmentTimer associated with the SpCell is running, the processor is further configured to at least one of:
flush hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) buffers for serving cells of a cell group of the SpCell,
notify RRC to release a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) for the serving cells,
clear configured downlink assignments and configured uplink grants,
clear a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource for semi-persistent channel state information (CSI) reporting,
consider running timeAlignmentTimers as expired, and
maintain a timing adjustment value of the TAGs (
[0109] A Timing Advance Group containing the SpCell of a MAC entity is referred to as Primary Timing Advance Group (PTAG)
Maintenance of Uplink Time Alignment
[0110] The MAC entity may:
[0111] 1> when a Timing Advance Command MAC CE is received, and if an N.sub.TA (as defined in TS 38.21) has been maintained with the indicated TAG:
[0112] 2> apply the Timing Advance Command for the indicated TAG;
[0113] 2> start or restart the timeAlignmentTimer associated with the indicated TAG.
[0114] [ . . . ] 1> when a timeAlignmentTimer expires:
[0115] 2> if the timeAlignmentTimer is associated with the PTAG:
[0116] 3> flush all HARQ buffers for all Serving Cells );
[0117] 3> notify RRC to release PUCCH for all Serving Cells, if configured;
[0118] 3> notify RRC to release SRS for all Serving Cells, if configured;
[0119] 3> clear any configured downlink assignments and configured uplink grants;
[0120] 3> clear any PUSCH resource for semi-persistent CSI reporting;
[0121] 3> consider all running timeAlignmentTimers as expired;
[0122] 3> maintain N.sub.TA (defined in TS 38.211 [8]) of all TAGs.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the technique of network or serving cell using RRC signalling to Wireless device or UE association or mapping between respective TAG IDs with TCI states for corresponding BWPs of NILSSON to the system of configuration using RRC reconfiguration message for managing Multiple Timing Advance Values For Multiple Transmit And/or Receive Points of WU in order to take the advantage of a method providing a framework and signaling for multi-time advance for multiple transmission/reception points for improving the data rate, latency, and/or power consumption and thereby provide benefits such as reduced user waiting time, relaxed restriction on file size, better responsiveness, extended battery lifetime, etc. (NILSSON: [0001, 0295]).
Regarding claim 9, WU teaches a base station (BS) (
Fig. 1A, Base Station 104,
[0039] FIG. 1A, an example wireless communication system 100 includes a UE 102, a base station (BS) 104, ….. can operate in a RAN 105 ….
[0040] the base station 104 operates cell 124 with TRPs 107-1 and 107-2 and operates cell 125 with TRP 107-3,…)
comprising:
a processor, and a transceiver operably coupled to the processor (
Fig. 1A Base Station 104
[0009] a radio access network (RAN) comprising a transceiver; and processing hardware configured to implement a method according to any of the preceding claims.
See also [0039] cited above).
Further claim 9 is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 10, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 3.
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 5.
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 4.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 2.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 3.
Regarding claim 16, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 4.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 5.
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 8.
Claims 6 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20260040241 A1 with priority of us-provisional-applications US 63393818 & US 63393591, hereinafter ‘WU’) in view of Nilsson et al. (US 20240357529 A1 with priority of PCT/IB2022/058232, hereinafter ‘NILSSON) and with further in view of Xiaomi (R1-2300546 “Discussion on two TAs for multi-TRP operation”, of IDS, hereinafter ‘XIAOMI’).
Regarding claim 6, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein:
the transceiver is further configured to:
transmit a message A (MsgA) (
[0165] In some cases, when or if an RA procedure is associated with or intended for one of: (a) the first index, (b) the first TRP, (c) the first TAG, (d) the first TA value, and/or (e) the first TAT, then at least one of the following is true:
(i) the MSG 0 or the PDCCH order (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP, where, in some implementations, the RA procedure is a contention-free RA procedure;
(ii) the MSG 1 or the MSG A (transmitted by the UE to the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP;); and
receive, in response to transmission of the MsgA, a transport block (TB) including an timing advance command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (
[0165] …. (ii) the MSG 1 or the MSG A (transmitted by the UE to the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP;
(iii) the MSG 2 or the MSG B (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP
[0116] In some implementations, the base station transmits the first TA value in a first random access response, a first MAC CE, or a first MAC PDU to UE.); and
the processor is further configured to:
process a timing advance command based on the TB including the timing advance command MAC CE, and
start a timing alignment timer for a first tag-ID or a second tag-ID indicated in the MAC CE (
[0065] The first preamble ID identifies the first random access preamble, and the first TA command includes a first TA value. The UE applies the first TA value and determines or maintains 520 an uplink that is synchronized (e.g., time aligned) with the TRP 107-1 after (e.g., in response to) applying the first TA value. The UE 102 applies the first TA value for transmitting UL transmissions …. until a new or different TA value is received from base station 104 that updates the first TA value. In some implementations, the UE 102 starts a first time alignment timer (TAT) to maintain a UL synchronization status with the TRP 107-1 or base station 104 after or upon receiving the first TA command.
[0116] In some implementations, the base station transmits the first TA value in a first random access response, a first MAC CE, or a first MAC PDU to UE.
[0165] In some cases, when or if an RA procedure is associated with or intended for one of: (a) the first index, (b) the first TRP, (c) the first TAG, (d) the first TA value, and/or (e) the first TAT, then at least one of the following is true:
….. (iii) the MSG 2 or the MSG B (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP; …..).
WU and NILSSON do not explicitly disclose receive, in response to transmission of the MsgA, a transport block (TB) including an timing advance command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE);
process a timing advance command based on the TB including the absolute timing advance command MAC CE.
In an analogous art, XIAOMI teaches receive, in response to transmission of the MsgA, a transport block (TB) including an timing advance command medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (
Pages 4-5:
2.6 TA/TAG identification for intra-cell multi-DCI
In intra-cell multi-TRP, the association between TA command in RAR PDSCH and the TAG should be discussed. A simple way is to explicitly indicate TAG ID as part of TA command in RAR….
2.7 Potential enhancements to absolute TA command
The absolute timing advance command MAC CE is identified by MAC subheader with eLCID as defined in TS 38.321. );
process a timing advance command based on the TB including the absolute timing advance command MAC CE (
Page 7:
Case 1: Random access is triggered to obtain the TA and reset TAT for TRP#1, and TRP#2 maintains its own TA.
Case 2: UE transmits PUCCH/PUSCH/SRS towards TRP#1 based on the TA of TRP#2 and TRP#2 maintains its own TA until the TAT of TRP#2 expires, then the random access is triggered to obtain the TAs and reset TATs for TRP#1 and TRP#2.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the technique of using absolute MAC CE for timing advance command in RAR of XIAOMI to the system of configuration using RRC reconfiguration message for managing Multiple Timing Advance Values For Multiple Transmit And/or Receive Points of WU and NILSSON in order to take the advantage of a method for providing enhancement to absolute TA command for UE synchronization with network (XIAOMI: Pages 5-6 ).
Regarding claim 18, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 6.
Claims 7 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20260040241 A1 with priority of us-provisional-applications US 63393818 & US 63393591, hereinafter ‘WU’) in view of Nilsson et al. (US 20240357529 A1 with priority of PCT/IB2022/058232, hereinafter ‘NILSSON) and with further in view of Go et al. (EP 4654730 A1, hereinafter ‘GO’).
Regarding claim 7, WU, in view of NILSSON, teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
receive, in response to transmission of the RA preamble, a random access response (RAR) including a timing advance command (
[0065] The first preamble ID identifies the first random access preamble, and the first TA command includes a first TA value. The UE applies the first TA value and determines or maintains 520 an uplink that is synchronized (e.g., time aligned) with the TRP 107-1 after (e.g., in response to) applying the first TA value. The UE 102 applies the first TA value for transmitting UL transmissions …..
[0116] In some implementations, the base station transmits the first TA value in a first random access response, a first MAC CE, or a first MAC PDU to UE.
[0162] ….the first set of RA resources includes a first set of RA preambles and/or a first set of SSB indices.
[0165] In some cases, when or if an RA procedure is associated with or intended for one of: (a) the first index, (b) the first TRP, (c) the first TAG, (d) the first TA value, and/or (e) the first TAT, then at least one of the following is true: …. (ii) the MSG 1 or the MSG A (transmitted by the UE to the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP, where, in some implementations, the UE uses the first group of RA resources for transmitting the MSG 1 or MSG A; (iii) the MSG 2 or the MSG B (received by the UE from the base station) for the RA procedure indicates or is associated with the first TRP;).
WU and NILSSON do not explicitly disclose ignore the timing advance command based on a timing alignment timer running for a first tag-ID or a second tag-ID indicated in the RAR.
In an analogous art, GO teaches ignore the timing advance command based on a timing alignment timer running for a first tag-ID or a second tag-ID indicated in the RAR (
[0080] Uplink time alignment may be performed based on Table 8 below.
[Table 8]
5.2 Maintenance of Uplink Time Alignment
RRC configures the following parameters for the maintenance of UL time alignment:
- timeA/ignmentTimer (per TAG) which controls how long the MAC entity considers the Serving Cells belonging to
the associated TAG to be uplink time aligned;
The MAC entity shall:
……
1 > when a Timing Advance Command is received in a Random Access Response message for a Serving Cell belonging to a TAG or in a MSGB for an SpCell:
2> if the Random Access Preamble was not selected by the MAC entity among the contention-based Random Access Preamble:
3> apply the Timing Advance Command for this TAG;
3> start or restart the timeAlignmentTimer associated with this TAG.
2> else if the timeAlignmentTimer associated with this TAG is not running:
3> apply the Timing Advance Command for this TAG;
3> start the timeAlignmentTimer associated with this TAG;
....
2> else:
3> ignore the received Timing Advance Command.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to take the technique of applying or ignoring TA command of GO to the system of configuration using RRC reconfiguration message for managing Multiple Timing Advance Values For Multiple Transmit And/or Receive Points of WU and NILSSON in order to take the advantage of a method for maintain a valid uplink time alignment indicated by a running timeAlignmentTimer while operating mTRP for increasing resource efficiency and increasing transmission capacity (GO: [0054, 0080] Table 8).
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Matsumura et al. (US 20250317983 A1), describing TERMINAL, RADIO COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND BASE STATION
Cirik et al. (US 20250039817 A1), describing Configuration Of Multiple Timing Advance Values
Comsa et al. (US 20240334358 A1), describing PDCCH ORDER PRACH TRANSMISSION IN A MULTI-TRP OPERATION
Cirik et al. (US 20240267866 A1), describing Maintenance Of Multiple Timing Advance Groups
Guo et al. (US 20240224210 A1), describing UPLINK TIMING ALIGNMENT FOR MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION POINTS
Kung et al. (US 20230362853 A1), describing TERMINAL, RADIO COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND BASE STATION
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/SHAH M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413