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
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 26, 28-30, 32-34, 36-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seo et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20200336928A1) .
Regarding claim 26, Seo teaches A method, performed by a terminal device, comprising: receiving, from a network device, a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state and a second TCI state ([0202]: The gNB may directly inform of one from among a plurality of predetermined TCI states through an RRC message. [0102]: UE may receive the following information for each CORESET: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’).), monitoring a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first monitoring occasion, based on the second TCI state, in a second control resource set (CORESET) ([0170]: monitoring of a plurality of CORESETs may be performed in the same slot. In such implementations, scenarios may occur where the CORESETs may be overlapped with each other in the time/frequency domain. Also, for each CORESET, a different Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption may be applied (namely, TCI state for a PDCCH may be set differently for each CORESET).), and monitoring a second PDCCH in a second monitoring occasion, based on the first TCI state, in a first CORESET, in a case where the second monitoring occasion is overlapping with the first monitoring occasion ([0175]: when PDCCH monitoring occasions overlap with each other in a plurality of CORESETs, a UE selects a specific CORESET by increasing the priority of a CORESET including a common search space (CSS) to be of higher priority than the priority of a CORESET including a UE-specific search space (USS) S121.), wherein, the second CORESET is associated only with user equipment (UE) specific search space, and the first CORESET is associated with at least one common search space ([0239]: a CSS may be associated with a first CORESET, and an USS may be associated with a second CORESET; and when the first and the second CORESETs are overlapped in the time domain, a UE may monitor only the first CORESET.).
Regarding claim 28, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 26. Seo further teaches both the first CORESET and the second CORESET are configured with a same quasi co-location (QCL) type, the same QCL type comprises a spatial receiver (Rx) parameter ([0008]: The UE where the first CORESET and the second CORESET are assumed by the UE to have same quasi co location (QCL) properties. The UE where the QCL properties are related to a spatial receive (RX) parameter.).
Regarding claim 29, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 26. Seo further teaches a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) antenna port for the first PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the second TCI state; and a DMRS antenna port for the second PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the first TCI state ([0108]: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’). [0115]: the UE assumes that the DM-RS antenna port associated with PDCCH receptions in the CORESET is quasi co-located with the one or more DL RS configured by the TCI state.).
Regarding claim 30, Seo teaches A method, performed by a network device, comprising: transmitting, to a terminal device, a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state and a second TCI state ([0202]: The gNB may directly inform of one from among a plurality of predetermined TCI states through an RRC message. [0102]: UE may receive the following information for each CORESET: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’).), wherein: the second TCI state is used for monitoring a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first monitoring occasion, in a second control resource set (CORESET) ([0170]: monitoring of a plurality of CORESETs may be performed in the same slot. In such implementations, scenarios may occur where the CORESETs may be overlapped with each other in the time/frequency domain. Also, for each CORESET, a different Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption may be applied (namely, TCI state for a PDCCH may be set differently for each CORESET).), and the first TCI state is used for monitoring a second PDCCH in a second monitoring occasion, in a first CORESET, in a case where the second monitoring occasion is overlapping with the first monitoring occasion ([0175]: when PDCCH monitoring occasions overlap with each other in a plurality of CORESETs, a UE selects a specific CORESET by increasing the priority of a CORESET including a common search space (CSS) to be of higher priority than the priority of a CORESET including a UE-specific search space (USS) S121.), wherein, the second CORESET is associated only with user equipment (UE) specific search space, and the first CORESET is associated with at least one common search space ([0239]: a CSS may be associated with a first CORESET, and an USS may be associated with a second CORESET; and when the first and the second CORESETs are overlapped in the time domain, a UE may monitor only the first CORESET.).
Regarding claim 32, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 30. Seo further teaches both the first CORESET and the second CORESET are configured with a same quasi co-location (QCL) type, the same QCL type comprises a spatial receiver (Rx) parameter ([0008]: The UE where the first CORESET and the second CORESET are assumed by the UE to have same quasi co location (QCL) properties. The UE where the QCL properties are related to a spatial receive (RX) parameter.).
Regarding claim 33, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 30. Seo further teaches a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) antenna port for the first PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the second TCI state; and a DMRS antenna port for the second PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the first TCI state ([0108]: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’). [0115]: the UE assumes that the DM-RS antenna port associated with PDCCH receptions in the CORESET is quasi co-located with the one or more DL RS configured by the TCI state.).
Regarding claim 34, Seo teaches A terminal device, comprising a processor ([0007]: The user equipment also includes at least one processor.) configured to cause the terminal device to: receive, from a network device, a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state and a second TCI state ([0202]: The gNB may directly inform of one from among a plurality of predetermined TCI states through an RRC message. [0102]: UE may receive the following information for each CORESET: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’).), monitor a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first monitoring occasion, based on the second TCI state, in a second control resource set (CORESET) ([0170]: monitoring of a plurality of CORESETs may be performed in the same slot. In such implementations, scenarios may occur where the CORESETs may be overlapped with each other in the time/frequency domain. Also, for each CORESET, a different Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption may be applied (namely, TCI state for a PDCCH may be set differently for each CORESET).), and monitor a second PDCCH in a second monitoring occasion, based on the first TCI state, in a first CORESET, in a case where the second monitoring occasion is overlapping with the first monitoring occasion ([0175]: when PDCCH monitoring occasions overlap with each other in a plurality of CORESETs, a UE selects a specific CORESET by increasing the priority of a CORESET including a common search space (CSS) to be of higher priority than the priority of a CORESET including a UE-specific search space (USS) S121.), wherein, the second CORESET is associated only with user equipment (UE) specific search space, and the first CORESET is associated with at least one common search space ([0239]: a CSS may be associated with a first CORESET, and an USS may be associated with a second CORESET; and when the first and the second CORESETs are overlapped in the time domain, a UE may monitor only the first CORESET.).
Regarding claim 36, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 34. Seo further teaches both the first CORESET and the second CORESET are configured with a same quasi co-location (QCL) type, the same QCL type comprises a spatial receiver (Rx) parameter ([0008]: The UE where the first CORESET and the second CORESET are assumed by the UE to have same quasi co location (QCL) properties. The UE where the QCL properties are related to a spatial receive (RX) parameter.).
Regarding claim 37, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 34. Seo further teaches a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) antenna port for the first PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the second TCI state; and a DMRS antenna port for the second PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the first TCI state ([0115]: the UE assumes that the DM-RS antenna port associated with PDCCH receptions in the CORESET is quasi co-located with the one or more DL RS configured by the TCI state.).
Regarding claim 38, Seo teaches A network device, comprising a processor ([0296], [0297]: The transmitting device and the receiving device may be a base station and a terminal. The transmitting device 1810 and the receiving device 1820 may also each implement at least one processor, such as processors 1811 and 1821, that are connected to components such as the transceivers.) configured to cause the network device to: transmit, to a terminal device, a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state and a second TCI state ([0202]: The gNB may directly inform of one from among a plurality of predetermined TCI states through an RRC message. [0102]: UE may receive the following information for each CORESET: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’).), wherein: the second TCI state is used for monitoring a first physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in a first monitoring occasion, in a second control resource set (CORESET) ([0170]: monitoring of a plurality of CORESETs may be performed in the same slot. In such implementations, scenarios may occur where the CORESETs may be overlapped with each other in the time/frequency domain. Also, for each CORESET, a different Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption may be applied (namely, TCI state for a PDCCH may be set differently for each CORESET).), and the first TCI state is used for monitoring a second PDCCH in a second monitoring occasion, in a first CORESET, in a case where the second monitoring occasion is overlapping with the first monitoring occasion ([0175]: when PDCCH monitoring occasions overlap with each other in a plurality of CORESETs, a UE selects a specific CORESET by increasing the priority of a CORESET including a common search space (CSS) to be of higher priority than the priority of a CORESET including a UE-specific search space (USS) S121.), wherein, the second CORESET is associated only with user equipment (UE) specific search space, and the first CORESET is associated with at least one common search space ([0239]: a CSS may be associated with a first CORESET, and an USS may be associated with a second CORESET; and when the first and the second CORESETs are overlapped in the time domain, a UE may monitor only the first CORESET.).
Regarding claim 40, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 38. Seo further teaches both the first CORESET and the second CORESET are configured with a same quasi co-location (QCL) type, the same QCL type comprises a spatial receiver (Rx) parameter ([0008]: The UE where the first CORESET and the second CORESET are assumed by the UE to have same quasi co location (QCL) properties. The UE where the QCL properties are related to a spatial receive (RX) parameter.).
Regarding claim 41, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 38. Seo further teaches a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) antenna port for the first PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the second TCI state; and a DMRS antenna port for the second PDCCH is quasi co-located with at least one RS configured in the first TCI state ([0108]: Antenna port quasi co-location representing quasi co-location (QCL) information of a DM-RS antenna port for receiving a PDCCH in each CORESET (from a set of antenna port quasi co-locations provided by a higher layer parameter called ‘TCI-State’). [0115]: the UE assumes that the DM-RS antenna port associated with PDCCH receptions in the CORESET is quasi co-located with the one or more DL RS configured by the TCI state.).
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 27, 31, 35, 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Seo et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20200336928A1) in view of Laddu et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 20220322310A1) .
Regarding claim 27, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 26, but Seo fails to teach the subject matter disclosed in claim 27.
However, Laddu does teach the second CORESET is associated with a physical cell ID of a serving cell, and the first CORESET is associated with another physical cell ID different from the physical cell ID of the serving cell ([0043]: (multi-TRP) operation for the user device based on the following: Operation 420 includes receiving, by the user device from a network node, transmission configuration index (TCI) states for a plurality of control resource sets (CORESETS), wherein the TCI states for the plurality of CORESETs are associated with a plurality of cells having different physical cell identities (PCIs), wherein the plurality of cells or the plurality of cell groups include at least a serving cell and at least one non-serving cell for the user device.). Seo teaches PDCCH monitoring across overlapping CORESETs from different cells with different TCI states, but does not provide a mechanism for the UE to identify and differentiate the CORESETs based on their physical cell identity. Laddu provides a PCI-based identification mechanism that allows the UE to associate each CORESET with either a serving cell PCI or a non-serving cell PCI, enabling the UE to differentiate and properly handle inter-cell PDCCH monitoring across CORESETs from cells with different physical cell identities. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seo’s teaches with Laddu’s method in order to more effectively manage PDCCH reception across different cells with different physical cell identities (Laddu: [0040]).
Regarding claim 31, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 30, but Seo fails to teach the subject matter disclosed in claim 31.
However, Laddu does teach the second CORESET is associated with a physical cell ID of a serving cell, and the first CORESET is associated with another physical cell ID different from the physical cell ID of the serving cell ([0043]: (multi-TRP) operation for the user device based on the following: Operation 420 includes receiving, by the user device from a network node, transmission configuration index (TCI) states for a plurality of control resource sets (CORESETS), wherein the TCI states for the plurality of CORESETs are associated with a plurality of cells having different physical cell identities (PCIs), wherein the plurality of cells or the plurality of cell groups include at least a serving cell and at least one non-serving cell for the user device.). Seo teaches PDCCH monitoring across overlapping CORESETs from different cells with different TCI states, but does not provide a mechanism for the UE to identify and differentiate the CORESETs based on their physical cell identity. Laddu provides a PCI-based identification mechanism that allows the UE to associate each CORESET with either a serving cell PCI or a non-serving cell PCI, enabling the UE to differentiate and properly handle inter-cell PDCCH monitoring across CORESETs from cells with different physical cell identities. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seo’s teaches with Laddu’s method in order to more effectively manage PDCCH reception across different cells with different physical cell identities (Laddu: [0040]).
Regarding claim 35, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 34, but Seo fails to teach the subject matter disclosed in claim 35.
However, Laddu does teach the second CORESET is associated with a physical cell ID of a serving cell, and the first CORESET is associated with another physical cell ID different from the physical cell ID of the serving cell ([0043]: (multi-TRP) operation for the user device based on the following: Operation 420 includes receiving, by the user device from a network node, transmission configuration index (TCI) states for a plurality of control resource sets (CORESETS), wherein the TCI states for the plurality of CORESETs are associated with a plurality of cells having different physical cell identities (PCIs), wherein the plurality of cells or the plurality of cell groups include at least a serving cell and at least one non-serving cell for the user device.). Seo teaches PDCCH monitoring across overlapping CORESETs from different cells with different TCI states, but does not provide a mechanism for the UE to identify and differentiate the CORESETs based on their physical cell identity. Laddu provides a PCI-based identification mechanism that allows the UE to associate each CORESET with either a serving cell PCI or a non-serving cell PCI, enabling the UE to differentiate and properly handle inter-cell PDCCH monitoring across CORESETs from cells with different physical cell identities. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seo’s teaches with Laddu’s method in order to more effectively manage PDCCH reception across different cells with different physical cell identities (Laddu: [0040]).
Regarding claim 39, Seo teaches the subject matter disclosed in claim 38, but Seo fails to teach the subject matter disclosed in claim 39.
However, Laddu does teach the second CORESET is associated with a physical cell ID of a serving cell, and the first CORESET is associated with another physical cell ID different from the physical cell ID of the serving cell ([0043]: (multi-TRP) operation for the user device based on the following: Operation 420 includes receiving, by the user device from a network node, transmission configuration index (TCI) states for a plurality of control resource sets (CORESETS), wherein the TCI states for the plurality of CORESETs are associated with a plurality of cells having different physical cell identities (PCIs), wherein the plurality of cells or the plurality of cell groups include at least a serving cell and at least one non-serving cell for the user device.). Seo teaches PDCCH monitoring across overlapping CORESETs from different cells with different TCI states, but does not provide a mechanism for the UE to identify and differentiate the CORESETs based on their physical cell identity. Laddu provides a PCI-based identification mechanism that allows the UE to associate each CORESET with either a serving cell PCI or a non-serving cell PCI, enabling the UE to differentiate and properly handle inter-cell PDCCH monitoring across CORESETs from cells with different physical cell identities. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Seo’s teaches with Laddu’s method in order to more effectively manage PDCCH reception across different cells with different physical cell identities (Laddu: [0040]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VIJAY K MANNAVA whose telephone number is (571)272-9505. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-5 M-F.
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/VIJAY K MANNAVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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