Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 25, 2026
Application No. 18/705,929

TRANSMISSION CONFIGURATION INDICATOR FOR DOWNLINK CONTROL INFORMATION

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Apr 29, 2024
Priority
Jan 27, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2274176
Examiner
PHILLIPS, MICHAEL K
Art Unit
2464
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
10m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance 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
57.1%
+17.1% 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

§102
CTNF 18/705,929 CTNF 89842 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 4/29/2024. No claims have been cancelled. No claims have been added. Claims(s) 1-35 is/are currently pending. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS(s)) submitted on 4/29/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner. Drawings 06-37 AIA The drawings were received on 4/29/2024 . These drawings are accepted . Specification 06-31 AIA 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. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 16, 17, 18, 29, 30, 31, 33, 34 and 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jang et al. US 20250193883 . As to claim 1: Jang et al. discloses: An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, operatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to: receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field that indicates a pair of TCI states to be used after a first time; and (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) (where “first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”/“In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible.”/”previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI”/”a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, … PDCCH transmitting DCI” maps to “receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field that indicates a pair of TCI states to be used after a first time” , where “first downlink control information (DCI)”/”DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal”/”previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI” maps to “receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field” , where “indicated” maps to “receive” , “first…DCI”/”through a PDCCH”/”PDCCH transmitting DCI” maps to “first…DCI” , “TCI state field in the DCI” maps to “having a first…TCI field” , “two TCI states” maps to “that indicates a pair of TCI states” , “after…beam application time” maps to “to be used after a first time” receive second DCI having a second TCI field that indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states, to be used for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). (“where “second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state”/”TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states”/”transmitting DCI”/” unified TCI state identified” maps to “receive second DCI having a second TCI field that indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states, to be used for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)” , where “second DCI”/”transmitting DCI” maps to “receiving second DCI” , “TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI” maps to “having a second TCI field” , “TCI state is indicated”/”previously indicated two TCI states”/”unified TCI state identified” maps to “indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states” , where “identified” maps to “selected” , “PDSCH scheduling” maps to “ to be used for physical shared (PDSCH)” Jang et al. teaches a terminal receiving a first DCI which indicates two TCI states using a TCI field included in the first DCI and teaches a terminal receiving a second DCI where the second DCI includes a second TCI field which indicates a TCI state of the two TCI states to be used for PDSCH. As to claim 2: Jang et al. discloses: The apparatus, wherein the first DCI is beam indication DCI that does not schedule the PDSCH, and the second DCI is scheduling DCI that schedules the PDSCH. (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) As to claim 3: Jang et al. discloses: The apparatus, wherein the second TCI field indicates to use a first TCI state, a second TCI state, or… (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) As to claim 16: Jang et al. discloses: An apparatus for wireless communication at a network node, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, operatively coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to: transmit first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field that indicates a pair of TCI states to be used after a first time; and (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) (where “first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”/“In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible.”/”previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI”/”a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, … PDCCH transmitting DCI” maps to “receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field that indicates a pair of TCI states to be used after a first time” , where “first downlink control information (DCI)”/”DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal”/”previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI” maps to “receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field” , where “indicated” maps to “receive” , “first…DCI”/”through a PDCCH”/”PDCCH transmitting DCI” maps to “first…DCI” , “TCI state field in the DCI” maps to “having a first…TCI field” , “two TCI states” maps to “that indicates a pair of TCI states” , “after…beam application time” maps to “to be used after a first time” transmit second DCI having a second TCI field that indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states, to be used for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). (“where “second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state”/”TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states”/”transmitting DCI”/” unified TCI state identified” maps to “receive second DCI having a second TCI field that indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states, to be used for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)” , where “second DCI”/”transmitting DCI” maps to “receiving second DCI” , “TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI” maps to “having a second TCI field” , “TCI state is indicated”/”previously indicated two TCI states”/”unified TCI state identified” maps to “indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states” , where “identified” maps to “selected” , “PDSCH scheduling” maps to “ to be used for physical shared (PDSCH)” Jang et al. teaches a terminal receiving a first DCI which indicates two TCI states using a TCI field included in the first DCI and teaches a terminal receiving a second DCI where the second DCI includes a second TCI field which indicates a TCI state of the two TCI states to be used for PDSCH. As to claim 17: Jang et al. discloses: The apparatus, wherein the first DCI is beam indication DCI that does not schedule the PDSCH, and the second DCI is scheduling DCI that schedules the PDSCH. (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) As to claim 18: Jang et al. discloses: The apparatus, wherein the second TCI field indicates to use a first TCI state, a second TCI state, or… (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) As to claim 29: Jang et al. discloses: A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising: receiving first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field that indicates a pair of TCI states to be used after a first time; and (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi- TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and receiving the PDSCH from the base station by applying the unified TCI state identified based on the second information.”; Jang et al.; 0009) (where “first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state”/“In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible.”/”previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI”/”a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, … PDCCH transmitting DCI” maps to “receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field that indicates a pair of TCI states to be used after a first time” , where “first downlink control information (DCI)”/”DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal”/”previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI” maps to “receive first downlink control information (DCI) having a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) field” , where “indicated” maps to “receive” , “first…DCI”/”through a PDCCH”/”PDCCH transmitting DCI” maps to “first…DCI” , “TCI state field in the DCI” maps to “having a first…TCI field” , “two TCI states” maps to “that indicates a pair of TCI states” , “after…beam application time” maps to “to be used after a first time” receiving second DCI having a second TCI field that indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states, to be used for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH). (“where “second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state”/”TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states”/”transmitting DCI”/” unified TCI state identified” maps to “receive second DCI having a second TCI field that indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states, to be used for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH)” , where “second DCI”/”transmitting DCI” maps to “receiving second DCI” , “TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI” maps to “having a second TCI field” , “TCI state is indicated”/”previously indicated two TCI states”/”unified TCI state identified” maps to “indicates a selected one or more TCI states, of the pair of TCI states” , where “identified” maps to “selected” , “PDSCH scheduling” maps to “ to be used for physical shared (PDSCH)” Jang et al. teaches a terminal receiving a first DCI which indicates two TCI states using a TCI field included in the first DCI and teaches a terminal receiving a second DCI where the second DCI includes a second TCI field which indicates a TCI state of the two TCI states to be used for PDSCH. As to claim 30: Jang et al. discloses: The apparatus, wherein the first DCI is beam indication DCI that does not schedule the PDSCH, and the second DCI is scheduling DCI that schedules the PDSCH. (“According to an embodiment of the disclosure, a terminal may use some codepoints of a TCI state field in existing DCI to indicate a dynamic switching operation to support a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling based on scheduling DCI in a unified TCI scheme. In this case, two joint TCI states or a separate TCI state set including two DL TCI states may be indicated to the terminal through a PDCCH or MAC-CE, based on the unified TCI scheme, and the terminal may consider a situation after passage of a beam application time corresponding to the indicated TCI states. That is, the two TCI states have already been indicated to the terminal and the beam application time has passed, and thus the terminal may assume a situation where application of the indicated TCI states is also possible. In addition, a function of using some codepoints of an existing TCI state field for dynamic switching may exist in a TCI state field according to whether higher layer signaling is configured, the higher layer signaling corresponding to a terminal capability report which may include information relating to whether dynamic switching between single DCI-based single and multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling is possible in the unified TCI scheme. The terminal may consider a maximum of 4 bits as the length of a TCI state field according to higher layer signaling in a case of a joint or separate TCI state indication (a maximum of 16 codepoints may be considered). [0568] All the maximum of 8 codepoints in a TCI state field are currently used to indicate TCI states, but two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be used for a function of dynamic switching for single or multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling. Each definition of two codepoints corresponding to 1-bit information or four codepoints corresponding to 2-bit information may be the same as that of each codepoint described above in [Method 3-2]. [0569] If four codepoints corresponds to two types of single-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling schemes and two types of multi-TRP-based PDSCH scheduling through a TCI state field according to the description of [Method 3-2] described above, each of the remaining four codepoints among the eight codepoints may indicate one or two joint TCI states or indicate a separate TCI state set including a maximum of two DL TCI states and a maximum of two UL TCI states. [0570] If one of four codepoints related to dynamic switching is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may use a TCI state, among the previously indicated two TCI states as described above, according to a transmission method indicated through the one of the four codepoints related to dynamic switching. [0571] If a codepoint indicating a TCI state is indicated through a TCI state field in DCI, the terminal may consider or determine reception of a PDSCH scheduled through the DCI to be multi-TRP PDSCH scheduling based on the previously indicated two TCI states, and the TCI state indicated through the TCI state field in the DCI may be newly applied after a beam application time corresponding thereto.”; Jang et al.; 0567-0571) (“…At the time of PDSCH transmission, transmission information, such as precoding, an MCS, resource allocation, and a TCI, is indicated through DL DCI, and the transmission information is required to be independently indicated for each cell, TRP, and/or beam for NC-JT. This is a main reason for increasing a payload required for DL DCI transmission and may adversely affect the reception performance of a PDCCH transmitting DCI…”; Jang et al.; 0377) (“A method performed by a terminal according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes receiving, from a base station, first downlink control information (DCI) for indicating a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, the first DCI including first information indicating at least one unified TCI state, receiving, from the base station, second DCI for scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), the second DCI including second information on a unified TCI state applied for reception of the PDSCH among the at least one unified TCI state, and
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 29, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 21, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12604271
METHOD FOR PHYSICAL LAYER MONITORING AND RELATED APPARATUSES
2y 12m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12604360
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANAGING LONG-TIME SWITCHING TIMER IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
2y 7m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12593322
BANDWIDTH PART CONFIGURATION TECHNIQUES FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS
3y 5m to grant Granted Mar 31, 2026
Patent 12581442
Synchronization And Feeder Link Delay Drift In Non-Terrestrial Network Communications
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Patent 12574844
METHOD FOR DATA OBTAINING AND COMMUNICATION DEVICE
3y 0m to grant Granted Mar 10, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+26.3%)
2y 10m (~10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 492 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month