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 .
Preliminary Amendments
The present Office Action is based upon the original patent application filed on 05/28/2024 as modified by the preliminary amendment filed on 11/27/2024.
Claim(s) 1-18 are now pending in the present application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/18/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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) 1-3, 6, 10-12, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura et al. ( US 2023/0072323 A1), hereinafter referred to as Matsumura.
Regarding claim 1, Matsumura teaches: A method of beam management between a base station and a wireless user equipment (UE) of a communication network ( see ¶[0008], the present disclosure has one object to provide a terminal, a radio communication method, and a base station that appropriately transmits a UL signal ), the method comprising:
transmitting, by the base station to the UE, a reference signal of a radio channel, the reference signal being quasi co-located (QCL) with a target reference signal of the radio channel ( see ¶[0117], The UE measures a value of layer 1 (L1)-RSRP for each RS (each base station transmit beam) configured by RRC; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0040], The TCI state may be, for example, information related to QCL between a channel as a target (in other words, a reference signal (RS) for the channel) and another signal (for example, another RS). The TCI state may be configured (indicated) by higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling, or a combination of these; see pathloss reference signal (PL-RS) discloses in ¶[0214]- ¶[0220]; Examiner noted that RS for L1-RSRP represents the reference signal of a radio channel between the user equipment (UE) and base station (BS) and it is RS QCLed to the target TCI state, linked to pathloss reference signal (PL-RS), which represents the target reference signal of the radio channel);
receiving, by the base station from the UE, a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement of the reference signal ( see ¶[0117], The UE measures a value of layer 1 (L1)-RSRP for each RS (each base station transmit beam) configured by RRC; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command); and
transmitting, by the base station based on the RSRP measurement (¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command ), a command to the UE to activate the target reference signal (¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE), wherein the command enables the UE to determine whether the target reference signal is known for beam management of the radio channel to be used for communicating with the base station (¶[0215], TCI state of the activated PL-RS is known; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command; Examiner noted that the UE determines whether the target reference signal is known (TCI state of activated/updated pathloss reference signal PL-RS is known) based on a timing of receiving the reference signal (last transmission of the RS) and transmitting the L1-RSRP measurement (within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam) before receiving the TCI state switching command from the base station).
Regarding claim 2, Matsumura teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the command enables the UE to determine that the target reference signal is known for beam management of the radio channel based on the UE receiving the reference signal and transmitting the RSRP measurement within a maximum threshold interval prior to receiving the command (see ¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE; ¶[0215], TCI state of the activated PL-RS is known; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command; Examiner noted that the UE determines whether the target reference signal is known (TCI state of activated/updated pathloss reference signal PL-RS is known) based on a timing of receiving the reference signal (last transmission of the RS) and transmitting the L1-RSRP measurement (within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam) before receiving the TCI state switching command from the base station).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumura teaches: The method of claim 2, wherein the reference signal comprises a plurality of reference signals in time ( see ¶[0045], The RS to have a QCL relationship with the channel may be, for example, at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a reference signal for measurement (Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)), a CSI-RS for tracking (also referred to as a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS)), and a reference signal for QCL detection (also referred to as QRS) ) , and wherein the command enables the UE to determine that the target reference signal is known based on the UE receiving a last one of the plurality of reference signals within the maximum threshold interval prior to receiving the command (¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE; ¶[0215], TCI state of the activated PL-RS is known; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command).
Regarding claim 6, Matsumura teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the command is transmitted through a medium access control control element (MAC-CE) (¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE; ¶[0177], MAC CE (an activation command)) .
Regarding claim 10, Matsumura teaches: A baseband processor of a base station of a communication network configured to perform operations comprising (see Fig. 17; ¶[0297], a base station, a user terminal, and so on according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that executes the processes of the radio communication method of the present disclosure. FIG. 17 is a diagram to show an example of a hardware structure of the base station and the user terminal; ¶[0299] ):
transmit to a wireless user equipment (UE) a reference signal of a radio channel, wherein the reference signal is quasi co-located (QCL) with a target reference signal of the radio channel ( see ¶[0117], The UE measures a value of layer 1 (L1)-RSRP for each RS (each base station transmit beam) configured by RRC; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0040], The TCI state may be, for example, information related to QCL between a channel as a target (in other words, a reference signal (RS) for the channel) and another signal (for example, another RS). The TCI state may be configured (indicated) by higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling, or a combination of these; see pathloss reference signal (PL-RS) discloses in ¶[0214]- ¶[0220]; Examiner noted that RS for L1-RSRP represents the reference signal of a radio channel between the user equipment (UE) and base station (BS) and it is RS QCLed to the target TCI state, linked to pathloss reference signal (PL-RS), which represents the target reference signal of the radio channel);
receive from the UE a reference signal received power (RSRP) measurement of the reference signal ( see ¶[0117], The UE measures a value of layer 1 (L1)-RSRP for each RS (each base station transmit beam) configured by RRC; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command); and
transmit based on the RSRP measurement a command to the UE to activate the target reference signal (¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command ), wherein the command enables the UE to determine whether the target reference signal is known for beam management of the radio channel to be used to communicate with the base station (¶[0215], TCI state of the activated PL-RS is known; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command; Examiner noted that the UE determines whether the target reference signal is known (TCI state of activated/updated pathloss reference signal PL-RS is known) based on a timing of receiving the reference signal (last transmission of the RS) and transmitting the L1-RSRP measurement (within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam) before receiving the TCI state switching command from the base station).
Regarding claim 11, Matsumura teaches: The baseband processor of claim 10, wherein the command enables the UE to determine that the target reference signal is known for beam management of the radio channel based on a timing of when the UE receives the reference signal, transmits the RSRP measurement, and receives the command (¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE; ¶[0215], TCI state of the activated PL-RS is known; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command; Examiner noted that the UE determines whether the target reference signal is known (TCI state of activated/updated pathloss reference signal PL-RS is known) based on a timing of receiving the reference signal (last transmission of the RS) and transmitting the L1-RSRP measurement (within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam) before receiving the TCI state switching command from the base station).
Regarding claim 12, Matsumura teaches: The baseband processor of claim 11, wherein the reference signal comprises a plurality of reference signals in time ( see ¶[0045], The RS to have a QCL relationship with the channel may be, for example, at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a reference signal for measurement (Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)), a CSI-RS for tracking (also referred to as a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS)), and a reference signal for QCL detection (also referred to as QRS) ), and wherein the command enables the UE to determine that the target reference signal is known based on a timing of when the UE receives a last one of the plurality of reference signals within the maximum threshold interval prior when the UE receives the command (¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE; ¶[0215], TCI state of the activated PL-RS is known; ¶[0135], When the following plurality of known conditions for the TCI state (known conditions for TCI state, conditions for the TCI state to be considered as known) are satisfied, the target TCI state is known; ¶[0136], In a period (TCI switching period) from the last transmission of the RS resource used for an L1-RSRP measurement report for the target TCI state to completion of the active TCI state switching, the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state; ¶[0137], In the TCI switching period, a TCI state switching command is received within 1280 ms from the last transmission of the RS resource for report or measurement of a beam; ¶[0138], In the TCI switching period, the UE transmitted at least one L1-RSRP report for the target TCI state before the TCI state switching command).
Regarding claim 15, Matsumura teaches: The baseband processor of claim 10, wherein the command is transmitted through a medium access control control element (MAC-CE) (¶[0159], a TCI state of a PL-RS activated by the MAC CE; ¶[0209], the TCI state used for the default spatial relation/the default PL-RS is activated/updated by the MAC CE; ¶[0177], MAC CE (an activation command)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 4 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura and further in view of He et al. ( US 2022/0330045 A1), hereinafter referred to as He.
Regarding claim 4, Matsumura teaches the method of claim 1. Although Matsumura teaches ¶[0136], … the RS resource for L1-RSRP measurement is an RS in the target TCI state or an RS QCLed with the target TCI state, and information related to plurality of QCL types and QCL type D (¶[0033]- ¶[0038], ¶[0052], ¶[0152]), Matsumura, however, fails to explicitly teach the reference signal is QCL with the target reference signal in a Type-D relationship, wherein the reference signal and the target reference signal share spatial parameters of the radio channel.
However, He, in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the reference signal is QCL with the target reference signal in a Type-D relationship, wherein the reference signal and the target reference signal share spatial parameters of the radio channel ( see He, ¶[0027], …With reference to the examples discussed herein, a “beam state” can be equivalent to a QCL state, a QCL assumption, a reference signal, TCI state, or a spatial relation information. In particular, a “QCL state” or a “TCI state” can include one or more of reference signals (RSs) (also referred to as QCL RSs) and their corresponding QCL type parameters. The QCL type parameters can in turn include at least one of the following aspects alone or in combination: Doppler spread, Doppler shift, delay spread, average delay, average gain, and spatial relation parameters. For example, a QCL type can include a “QCL-Type D”, which is used to represent the same or quasi co-located spatial parameter between targeted RS or channel and the one or more references QCL-Type D RSs. The spatial relation information can include one or more reference RSs (also called spatial RSs) which is used to represent the same or quasi co-located spatial relation between targeted RS or channel and the one or more RSs. The QCL-Type D can be equivalent to a spatial parameter or a receiver parameter ).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura's teachings with He's above teaching in order to reduce signaling overhead by utilizing the beam determination during DL to determine the UL beam configuration (see ¶[0027]-¶[0028]). Known work in one field of endeavor (He prior art) may prompt variations of it for use in either the same field or different one (Matsumura prior art) based on design incentives (reduce signaling overhead) or other market forces if the variations are predictable to one or ordinary skill in the art.
Claim 13 recites similar limitations of claims 4 and thus rejected under similar rationale.
Claim(s) 5, 8, 14, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura and further in view of Guo ( US 2021/0410160 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Matsumura teaches the method of claim 1. Although Matsumura teaches in ¶[0045], The RS to have a QCL relationship with the channel may be, for example, at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a reference signal for measurement (Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)), a CSI-RS for tracking (also referred to as a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS)), and a reference signal for QCL detection (also referred to as QRS); ¶[0052], the RS for the QCL type D is configured for the UE, the UE can use the RS for the QCL type D to determine the UE receive beam (spatial domain reception filter, and UE spatial domain reception filter), Matsumura, however, fails to explicitly teach information related to the reference signal comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) used by the UE for characterizing beams of the radio channel from the base station to the UE.
However, Guo, in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the reference signal comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) used by the UE for characterizing beams of the radio channel from the base station to the UE ( see Guo ¶[0031], …The BS can transmit one or more types of reference signals for different purposes, including DM-RS that is transmitted along with a PDSCH and can be used by the UE to demodulate the PDSCH, CSI-RS that can be used by the UE to measure BS's Tx beam).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura's teachings with Guo's above teaching, base station (BS) and user equipment (UE) can select appropriate beams for communication based on beam reporting (see ¶[0003]- ¶[0004]).
Regarding claim 8, Matsumura teaches the method of claim 1. Matsumura, however, fails to explicitly teach information related to transmitting, by the base station to the UE, configuration information to indicate that the reference signal is QCL with the target reference signal.
However, Guo, in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches: The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the base station to the UE, configuration information to indicate that the reference signal is QCL with the target reference signal ( see Guo, ¶[0053], when QCL(Quasi Co-Located)-Type D configuration is used during receiving the reference signal resources in the first set for the channel measurement, receiving the reference signal resources in the second set for the interference measurement by applying the QCL-Type D configuration of the reference signal resources in the first set. That is, the same QCL-Type D configuration is used for the receiving the reference signal resources in the first set for the channel measurement and the reference signal resources in the second set for the interference measurement; ¶[0055]- ¶[0056] ) and to configure the UE to report the RSRP measurement (see ¶[0067]; For example, the terminal device can be configured to report one or more of the following measurements on CSI-RS resources and/or SS/PBCH blocks with respect to the reference signal resource configuration; ¶[0068], Alt 1: the terminal device can be requested to report one or more set of the following information: an indicator that indicates one CSI-RS resource or SS/PBCH configured in the first set for channel measurement, information of the value of L1-SINR calculated over the indicated RS resource; ¶[0069], Alt 2: the terminal device can be requested to report one or more set of the following information…information of value of L1-RSRP calculated over the indicated CSI-RS resource or SS/PBCH block configured in the first set; ¶[0071], Alt 4: the terminal device can be requested to report one or more sets of the following information… information of value of L1-RSRP calculated over the CSI-RS resource or SS/PBCH block configured in the first set, which is associated with the CSI-RS resource or CSI-IM resource that is indicated by the reported indicator).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura's teachings with Guo's above teaching, base station (BS) and user equipment (UE) can select appropriate beams for communication based on beam reporting (see ¶[0003]- ¶[0004]).
Claim 14 recites similar limitations of claims 5 and thus rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 17 recites similar limitations of claim 8 and thus rejected under similar rationale.
Claim(s) 7, 9, 16, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura and further in view of Wu et al. ( US 2021/0329563 A1), hereinafter referred to as Wu.
Regarding claim 7, Matsumura teaches the method of claim 1. Although Matsumura teaches in ¶[0111] When the path loss RS is updated by the MAC CE, path loss measurement based on L1-RSRP may be applied. At available timing after the MAC CE for update of the path loss RS, the higher layer filtered RSRP may be used for path loss measurement, and L1-RSRP may be used for path loss measurement before the higher layer filtered RSRP is applied. At available timing after the MAC CE for update of the path loss RS, the higher layer filtered RSRP may be used for path loss measurement, Matsumura, however, fails to explicitly teach information related to transmitting, by the base station to the UE, the target reference signal to enable the UE to determine a pathloss of a beam of the radio channel.
However, Wu, in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches: The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the base station to the UE, the target reference signal to enable the UE to determine a pathloss of a beam of the radio channel (see Wu, ¶[0275] In one embodiment, a measurement performed on a target reference signal is used for determining a first pathloss, and the target reference signal is transmitted in a target reference-signal resource ¶[0276], … the target reference-signal resource comprises a CSI-RS resource; ¶[0277], … the target reference-signal resource comprises an SSB resource).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura's teachings with Wu's above teaching, Uplink beam management mechanism and Downlink beam management mechanism are unified, which improves performance of Uplink transmission, thus reducing corresponding signaling overhead and delay ( see Wu, ¶[0051] ).
Regarding claim 9, Matsumura teaches the method of claim 1. Although Matsumura teaches in ¶[0045] The RS to have a QCL relationship with the channel may be, for example, at least one of a synchronization signal block (SSB), a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a reference signal for measurement (Sounding Reference Signal (SRS)), a CSI-RS for tracking (also referred to as a Tracking Reference Signal (TRS)), and a reference signal for QCL detection (also referred to as QRS); ¶[0052], the RS for the QCL type D is configured for the UE, the UE can use the RS for the QCL type D to determine the UE receive beam (spatial domain reception filter, and UE spatial domain reception filter) ), Matsumura, however, fails to explicitly teach information related to the target reference signal comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) used by the UE to characterize a beam of the radio channel.
However, Wu, in the same or similar field of endeavor teaches: 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the target reference signal comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) or a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) used by the UE to characterize a beam of the radio channel (see Wu, ¶[0275] In one embodiment, a measurement performed on a target reference signal is used for determining a first pathloss, and the target reference signal is transmitted in a target reference-signal resource ¶[0276], … the target reference-signal resource comprises a CSI-RS resource; ¶[0277], … the target reference-signal resource comprises an SSB resource).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura's teachings with Wu's above teaching, Uplink beam management mechanism and Downlink beam management mechanism are unified, which improves performance of Uplink transmission, thus reducing corresponding signaling overhead and delay ( see Wu, ¶[0051] ).
Claim 16 recites similar limitations of claim 7 and thus rejected under similar rationale.
Claim 18 recites similar limitations of claim 9 and thus rejected under similar rationale.
Examiner’s Note
Examiner has cited particular paragraphs or columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yuan et al. ( US 2023/0422180 A1), Default path loss reference signal in unified transmission configuration indication framework
Guan et al. ( US 2022/0225242 A1), Power adjustment method and apparatus
Zhou et al. ( US 2021/0266844 A1), Applicable time for mac-ce based path loss reference signal (pl rs) update
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/MANG BOI THAWNG/Examiner, Art Unit 2476 /AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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