Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/693,639

METHODS AND APPARATUS OF INDICATING STATES OF AVAILABILITY OF TRS RESOURCES

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Mar 20, 2024
Examiner
PHILLIPS, MICHAEL K
Art Unit
2464
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allow Rate
416 granted / 492 resolved
+26.6% vs TC avg
Strong +26% interview lift
Without
With
+26.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
519
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.4%
-35.6% vs TC avg
§103
57.0%
+17.0% vs TC avg
§102
17.0%
-23.0% vs TC avg
§112
12.3%
-27.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 492 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Response to Amendment This is in response to an amendment/response/communication filed 6/20/2024. Claim(s) 5-14 has/have been cancelled. Claims(s) 16-30 has/have been added. Claims(s) 1-4 and 15-30 is/are currently pending. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS(s)) submitted on 6/20/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner. Drawings The drawings were received on 3/20/2024. These drawings are accepted. Specification The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Examiner’s Comments Regarding Subject Matter Eligibility The potential abstract idea of “determining, by a processor, an availability of TRS resources..” as noted in claim 1 and similarly as noted claim 15, claim 16 and claim 30 are considered as not capable of being performed in the human mind and the claims are therefore considered as eligible subject matter under 35 U.S.C. 101. 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 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. Claim(s) 1, 4, 15, 16, 19, 27, 28 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheng et al. US 20240163846 in view of Lin US 20220271878. As to claim 1: Sheng et al. discloses: A method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving, by a receiver, a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …; (“FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a multiple sequence based PEI for prior indication of UE groups/sub-groups for paging and TRS/CSI-RS availability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similarly, multiple PEI resources can be associated to different UE groups/sub-groups as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability. An illustrative example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 PEI (PEI0 and PEI1) are associated to a UE group/sub-group indication while two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability. Using multiple PEIs has advantages of availability of more bits for UE group/sub-group indication as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability indication. However, using more PEIs will increase network L1 signaling overheads. It is worthy to note that the PEI used for the UE group/sub-group indication can be reused for TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Sheng et al.; 0078) (“…Secondly, it indicates the availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS which results in reduction of the network L1 signaling overhead.”; Sheng et al.; 0074) (where “UE”/“User Equipment 10”/FIG. 3 maps to “UE” “Transceiver 13”/FIG. 3 maps to “receiver” “PEI 2”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 2” maps to “first signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 2” maps to “TRS resource” receiving, by the receiver, a second signaling indicating states of availability of TRS resource … in a second set of TRS resource …; and “PEI 3”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a second signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a second set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 3” maps to “second signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 3” maps to “TRS resource” determining, by a processor, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling. (where “Processor 11”/FIG. 3 maps to “processor” “two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability”/FIG. 9 maps to “determining, …, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling”, where “PEIs”/”PEI2”/”PEI3” maps to “PEI” Sheng et al. teaches receiving a plurality of PEIs associated with a plurality of TRS resources for availability/unavailability indication. Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: [ [ However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: [ [ (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) (where “number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets” maps to [ Lin teaches a plurality of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resource sets. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. As to claim 4: Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: wherein the first and second sets of TRS resource groups are configured by a higher layer. However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets/configured capability which includes: wherein the first and second sets of TRS resource groups are configured by a higher layer. (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets/configured capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets/configured capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. As to claim 15: Sheng et al. discloses: A network equipment (NE) for at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the NE to: transmit a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …; (“FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a multiple sequence based PEI for prior indication of UE groups/sub-groups for paging and TRS/CSI-RS availability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similarly, multiple PEI resources can be associated to different UE groups/sub-groups as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability. An illustrative example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 PEI (PEI0 and PEI1) are associated to a UE group/sub-group indication while two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability. Using multiple PEIs has advantages of availability of more bits for UE group/sub-group indication as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability indication. However, using more PEIs will increase network L1 signaling overheads. It is worthy to note that the PEI used for the UE group/sub-group indication can be reused for TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Sheng et al.; 0078) (“…Secondly, it indicates the availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS which results in reduction of the network L1 signaling overhead.”; Sheng et al.; 0074) (where “UE”/“User Equipment 10”/FIG. 3 maps to “UE” “Transceiver 13”/FIG. 3 maps to “receiver” “PEI 2”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 2” maps to “first signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 2” maps to “TRS resource” transmit a second signaling indicating states of availability of TRS resource … in a second set of TRS resource …; and “PEI 3”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a second signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a second set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 3” maps to “second signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 3” maps to “TRS resource” determine an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of… or a Paging Early Indication paging early indication (PEI) based signaling. (where “Processor 11”/FIG. 3 maps to “processor” “two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability”/FIG. 9 maps to “determining, …, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling”, where “PEIs”/”PEI2”/”PEI3” maps to “PEI” Sheng et al. teaches receiving a plurality of PEIs associated with a plurality of TRS resources for availability/unavailability indication. Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: [ [ However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: [ [ (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) (where “number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets” maps to [ Lin teaches a plurality of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resource sets. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. As to claim 16: Sheng et al. discloses: A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to: receiving, a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …; (“FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a multiple sequence based PEI for prior indication of UE groups/sub-groups for paging and TRS/CSI-RS availability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similarly, multiple PEI resources can be associated to different UE groups/sub-groups as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability. An illustrative example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 PEI (PEI0 and PEI1) are associated to a UE group/sub-group indication while two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability. Using multiple PEIs has advantages of availability of more bits for UE group/sub-group indication as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability indication. However, using more PEIs will increase network L1 signaling overheads. It is worthy to note that the PEI used for the UE group/sub-group indication can be reused for TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Sheng et al.; 0078) (“…Secondly, it indicates the availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS which results in reduction of the network L1 signaling overhead.”; Sheng et al.; 0074) (where “UE”/“User Equipment 10”/FIG. 3 maps to “UE” “Transceiver 13”/FIG. 3 maps to “receiver” “PEI 2”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 2” maps to “first signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 2” maps to “TRS resource” receiving, a second signaling indicating states of availability of TRS resource … in a second set of TRS resource …; and “PEI 3”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a second signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a second set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 3” maps to “second signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 3” maps to “TRS resource” determining, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling. (where “Processor 11”/FIG. 3 maps to “processor” “two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability”/FIG. 9 maps to “determining, …, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling”, where “PEIs”/”PEI2”/”PEI3” maps to “PEI” Sheng et al. teaches receiving a plurality of PEIs associated with a plurality of TRS resources for availability/unavailability indication. Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: [ [ However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: [ [ (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) (where “number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets” maps to [ Lin teaches a plurality of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resource sets. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. As to claim 19: Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: wherein the first and second sets of TRS resource groups are configured by a higher layer. However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets/configured capability which includes: wherein the first and second sets of TRS resource groups are configured by a higher layer. (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets/configured capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets/configured capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. As to claim 27: Sheng et al. discloses: wherein a TRS resource with a state of availability indicated as available by a latest one of the first signaling or the second signaling is determined as available. (“FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a multiple sequence based PEI for prior indication of UE groups/sub-groups for paging and TRS/CSI-RS availability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similarly, multiple PEI resources can be associated to different UE groups/sub-groups as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability. An illustrative example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 PEI (PEI0 and PEI1) are associated to a UE group/sub-group indication while two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability. Using multiple PEIs has advantages of availability of more bits for UE group/sub-group indication as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability indication. However, using more PEIs will increase network L1 signaling overheads. It is worthy to note that the PEI used for the UE group/sub-group indication can be reused for TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Sheng et al.; 0078) As to claim 28: Sheng et al. discloses: wherein a TRS resource with a state of availability indicated as available by either one of the first signaling or the second signaling is determined as available. (“FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a multiple sequence based PEI for prior indication of UE groups/sub-groups for paging and TRS/CSI-RS availability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similarly, multiple PEI resources can be associated to different UE groups/sub-groups as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability. An illustrative example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 PEI (PEI0 and PEI1) are associated to a UE group/sub-group indication while two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability. Using multiple PEIs has advantages of availability of more bits for UE group/sub-group indication as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability indication. However, using more PEIs will increase network L1 signaling overheads. It is worthy to note that the PEI used for the UE group/sub-group indication can be reused for TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Sheng et al.; 0078) As to claim 30: Sheng et al. discloses: A processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to: receive a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …; (“FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a multiple sequence based PEI for prior indication of UE groups/sub-groups for paging and TRS/CSI-RS availability according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Similarly, multiple PEI resources can be associated to different UE groups/sub-groups as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability. An illustrative example of this method is illustrated in FIG. 9, where 2 PEI (PEI0 and PEI1) are associated to a UE group/sub-group indication while two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability. Using multiple PEIs has advantages of availability of more bits for UE group/sub-group indication as well as TRS/CSI-RS availability indication. However, using more PEIs will increase network L1 signaling overheads. It is worthy to note that the PEI used for the UE group/sub-group indication can be reused for TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Sheng et al.; 0078) (“…Secondly, it indicates the availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS which results in reduction of the network L1 signaling overhead.”; Sheng et al.; 0074) (where “UE”/“User Equipment 10”/FIG. 3 maps to “UE” “Transceiver 13”/FIG. 3 maps to “receiver” “PEI 2”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a first signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a first set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 2” maps to “first signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 2” maps to “TRS resource” receiving, by the receiver, a second signaling indicating states of availability of TRS resource … in a second set of TRS resource …; and “PEI 3”/”TRS Availability indication”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/”availability/unavailability of TRS/CSI-RS” maps to “receiving, …, a second signaling indicating states of availability of tracking reference signal (TRS) resource … in a second set of TRS resource …”, where FIG. 9 illustrates “receiving”, “PEI 3” maps to “second signaling”, “availability/unavailability” maps to “states of availability”, “TRS”/”TRS/CSI-RS”/FIG. 9 associated with “PEI 3” maps to “TRS resource” determining, by a processor, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling. (where “Processor 11”/FIG. 3 maps to “processor” “two PEIs (PEI2 and PEI3) are associated for indication of TRS/CSI-RS availability”/FIG. 9 maps to “determining, …, an availability of TRS resources based on the first signaling and the second signaling, wherein each of the first signaling and the second signaling is one of … or a paging early indication (PEI) based signaling”, where “PEIs”/”PEI2”/”PEI3” maps to “PEI” Sheng et al. teaches receiving a plurality of PEIs associated with a plurality of TRS resources for availability/unavailability indication. Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: [ [ However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: [ [ (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) (where “number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets” maps to [ Lin teaches a plurality of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resource sets. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. Claim(s) 2, 17, 20 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheng et al. US 20240163846 in view of Lin US 20220271878 and in further view of Tsai et al. US 20230051117. As to claim 2: Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: wherein the second set of TRS resource groups is a proper subset of the first set of TRS resource groups. However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: groups (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. However, Tsai et al. further teaches a subset/all capability which includes: wherein the second set of TRS resource … is a proper subset of the first set of TRS resource …. (“In some examples, the L1-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication may indicate a state of TRS/CSI-RS availability/unavailability for one, more, a subset, or all (set/group/index of) TRS/CSI-RS resource(s) configured by the SI-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Tsai et al.; 0202) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the subset/all capability of Tsai et al. into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the subset/all capability as taught by the processing/communications of Tsai et al., the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved communication (Tsai et al.; 0005) are achieved. As to claim 17: Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: wherein the second set of TRS resource groups is a proper subset of the first set of TRS resource groups. However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: groups (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. However, Tsai et al. further teaches a subset/all capability which includes: wherein the second set of TRS resource … is a proper subset of the first set of TRS resource …. (“In some examples, the L1-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication may indicate a state of TRS/CSI-RS availability/unavailability for one, more, a subset, or all (set/group/index of) TRS/CSI-RS resource(s) configured by the SI-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication.”; Tsai et al.; 0202) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the subset/all capability of Tsai et al. into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the subset/all capability as taught by the processing/communications of Tsai et al., the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved communication (Tsai et al.; 0005) are achieved. As to claim 20: Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: wherein the first set of TRS resource groups and the second set of TRS resource groups are configured based on a first group index and a second group index. However, Lin further teaches a number of groups of TRS resources sets capability which includes: groups (“In a third method, a codepoint is associated with an applicable value to a valid time duration, T.sub.valid, applicable to a group of one or more TRS/CSI-RS resources set(s), where a TRS/CSI-RS resources set is a set of TRS/CSI-RS resources, and multiple TRS/CSI-RS resources sets can be configured for idle/inactive UEs. Multiple applicable values for the valid time duration can be either defined in the specification of the system operation or configured by higher layer per TRS/CSI-RS resource set, and the codepoint indicates one of the multiple applicable values. The number of code points, N=N.sub.RS sets group*N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group, where N.sub.RS sets group is the number of groups of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets and N.sub.timers.sup.RS sets group is the number of applicable values for each valid time duration, T.sub.valid, associated with a group of TRS/CSI-RS resources sets.”; Lin; 0200) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability of Lin into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the number of groups of TRS resources sets capability as taught by the processing/communications of Lin, the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved TRS availability processing (Lin; Abstract) are achieved. However, Tsai et al. further teaches a subset/all capability which includes: wherein the first set of TRS resource … and the second set of TRS resource … are configured based on a first group index and a second group index. (“In some examples, the SI-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication may configure a first (set/group/index of) TRS/CSI-RS resource(s) and a second (set/group/index of) TRS/CSI-RS resource(s). The L1-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication may indicate a state of TRS/CSI-RS availability/unavailability for the first (set/group/index of) TRS/CSI-RS resource(s) and the second (set/group/index of) TRS/CSI-RS resource(s).”; Tsai et al.; 0201) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the subset/all capability of Tsai et al. into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the subset/all capability as taught by the processing/communications of Tsai et al., the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved communication (Tsai et al.; 0005) are achieved. As to claim 29: Sheng et al. as described above does not explicitly teach: the first signaling is paging PDCCH based signaling with a first validity time; the second signaling is a PEI based signaling with a second validity time; and within the first validity time, the PEI based signaling contains no field of TRS availability indication. However, Tsai et al. further teaches a paging DCI/PEI/valid times capability which includes: wherein the second set of TRS resource groups is a proper subset of the first set of TRS resource groups. (“Therefore, the UE may determine whether a TRS/CSI-RS is available/valid based on both the L1-based signaling (e.g., paging DCI, PEI) and SI-based signaling. In some examples, the SI-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication and the L1-based TRS/CSI-RS availability indication may indicate different information (e.g., different sets of TRS/CSI-RS resources, different states of availability/unavailability for a TRS/CSI-RS, different valid times, etc.).”; Tsai et al.; 0186) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the paging DCI/PEI/valid times capability of Tsai et al. into Sheng et al. By modifying the processing/communications of Sheng et al. to include the paging DCI/PEI/valid times capability as taught by the processing/communications of Tsai et al., the benefits of improved PEI (Sheng et al.; Abstract) with improved communication (Tsai et al.; 0005) are achieved. Allowable Subject Matter Claim(s) 3, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 20240098697 – teaches availability of a first/second group TRS resource set (see para. 0080). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL K PHILLIPS whose telephone number is (571)272-1037. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-10am, 1pm-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Ngo can be reached on 571-272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. MICHAEL K. PHILLIPS Examiner Art Unit 2464 /MICHAEL K PHILLIPS/Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 20, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 12, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103
Mar 18, 2026
Interview Requested
Mar 25, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Mar 26, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

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1-2
Expected OA Rounds
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Grant Probability
99%
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2y 10m
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