DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 06/30/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s Amendments and Arguments filed 06/30/2026 have been considered for examination.
With regard to the objections to Specification and Claims, Applicant’s arguments filed 06/30/2026 in view of the amendments have been fully considered and are persuasive. Thus, the objections to Specification and Claims have been withdrawn.
With regard to the 103 rejections, Applicant’s arguments filed 06/30/2026 in view of the amendments have been fully considered but are not persuasive at least in view of reasons set forth below.
On pages 9-10 of Remarks, Applicant argued:
Bai discloses "[f]or an action associated with measuring a CSI-RS or transmitting a CSI report, a CSI-RS resource set using the indicated TCI state may be activated by the TCI state activation MAC-CE." (Bai, paragraph [0111]). Bai further discloses that "[f]or an action associated with measuring a CSI-RS or transmitting a CSI report, a CSI-RS resource set using the indicated TCI state may be activated by the TCI state activation MAC-CE." However, Bai does not teach or suggest "determining, based on the activation of the subset of the set of TCI states, to update the CSI reporting according to the RRC configuration, wherein updating the CSI reporting comprises applying the one or more configuration parameters for the CSI reporting” as recited in amended claim 21. (Emphasis added). Kho discloses "UE 115 stores all aperiodic triggering state configuration information configuring the set of trigger states, including the association of two TCI states with at least one CSI-RS resource of a configured CSI-RS resource set, in memory 282 at CSI-RS resource configuration 802." (Kho, paragraph [0113]). However, Kho does not teach or suggest "determining, based on the activation of the subset of the set of TCI states, to update the CSI reporting according to the RRC configuration, wherein updating the CSI reporting comprises applying the one or more configuration parameters for the CSI reporting," as recited in amended claim 21. (Emphasis added). As such, Zhang, Bai, and Kho, alone or in any possible combination, do not teach or suggest at least "determining, based on the activation of the subset of the set of TCI states, to update the CSI reporting according to the RRC configuration, wherein updating the CSI reporting comprises applying the one or more configuration parameters for the CSI reporting," as recited in amended claim 21. (Emphasis added).
In response to the above Applicant’s argument, Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Applicant’s argument is not persuasive because it mischaracterizes Bai’s disclosure as being limited to mere “activation” of a CSI-RS resource set, without recognizing that Bai’s activated CSI-RS resource set is itself the claimed “one or more configuration parameters for the CSI reporting”, and that the RRC-configured association between TCI states and CSI-RS resource sets provides the claimed “according to the RRC configuration.”
Bai discloses, at ¶0111, that “[f]or an action associated with measuring an AP-TRS, a TRS resource using the identified TCI state may be activated by the TCI state activation MAC-CE. For an action associated with measuring a CSI-RS or transmitting a CSI report, a CSI-RS resource set using the indicated TCI state may be activated by the TCI state activation MAC-CE. [ ] For example, the TCI state activation MAC-CE may trigger a measurement report associated with a measurement report configuration having a reference signal resource set to which the source reference signal belongs.”
Bai further discloses, at ¶0116, that “each CSI-RS resource set of the pre-defined CSI-RS resource set list may be associated with a reporting configuration, and each CSI-RS resource set may be associated with an action (for example, one CSI-RS resource set for P2 CSI-RS beam management, one CSI-RS resource set for P3 CSI-RS beam management, and so on). In such examples, the CSI-RS resource sets of the CSI-RS resource set list may have a floating TCI state, as described above. This may reduce the quantity of configured CSI-RS resource sets from the quantity of configured TCI states to the quantity of action types. In such examples, the UE 120 may receive signaling (such as dynamic signaling or RRC down-selection) indicating which CSI-RS resource set and reporting configuration is to be used. In some other aspects, the TCI state activation MAC-CE may indicate which CSI-RS resource set and reporting configuration is to be used.”
Bai further discloses, at ¶0079, that “the association between TCI states and reference signal resource sets or measurement report configurations may be based at least in part on signaling (for example, the MAC-CE message or another message, such as an RRC message) that configures the association.”
The association between TCI states and their corresponding CSI-RS resource sets is RRC-configured, such that the MAC-CE activation selects which RRC-configured set/configuration applies. Thus, the “determining … to update” is performed based on TCI state activation, and “updating … comprising applying” is satisfied because activating the CSI-RS resource set necessarily applies its associated configuration parameters to the CSI reporting.
Bai further discloses, “MAC-CE may trigger a measurement report associated with a measurement report configuration having a reference signal resource set to which the source reference signal belongs," confirming the MAC-CE-driven activation governs (i.e., updates) the applicable reporting configuration.
Accordingly, Bai discloses “determining, based on the activation of the subset of the set of TCI states, to update the CSI reporting according to the RRC configuration, wherein updating the CSI reporting comprises applying the one or more configuration parameters for the CSI reporting”, as currently amended in claim 21.
On page 10 of Remarks, Applicant argued:
To the extent amended claim 31 includes the same or similar recitations as clam 21, amended claim 31 likewise is submitted to allowable over the cited references of record. Claims 23-24 and 26-29 are dependent upon claim 21 and claims 32-34 and 36-39 are dependent upon claim 31, and Applicant believes these claims are allowable over the cited the cited references of record for at least the reasons provided above
In response to the above Applicant’s argument, Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Since claim 31 recites similar features to claim 21 without further patentable features, claim 31 is unpatentable in view of the same reasons set forth above regarding claim 21.
Further, since claims 21 and 31 are unpatentable over the cited references of record as set forth above, patentability of other dependent claims should be determined based on the claimed limitations recited thereon, rather than their respective independent claims. The dependent claims are also unpatentable in view of the corresponding cited references of records as set forth below.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 21-22, 27-29, 31-32 and 37-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al (US Publication No. 2024/0048340 A1) in view of Bai et al (US Publication No. 2024/0340990 A1)1.
Regarding claim 21, Zhang discloses, a method implemented by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) [FIG. 4; its related descriptions; ¶0060-0061, a method by UE (or see UE 204 in FIG. 2)], the method comprising:
receiving a radio resource control (RRC) configuration comprising a set of transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states [FIG. 4; its related descriptions; ¶0061, receiving RRC configured TCI state; “the RRC parameters tci-StatesToAddModList and tci-StatesToReleaseList in PDSCH-Config can be jointly used to configure up to 128 TCI states”] and an indication of . . . a subset of the set of TCI states for physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) reception [FIG. 4; its related descriptions; ¶0061, the RRC configured TCI states for PDSCH];
receiving a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) indicating activation of the subset of the set of TCI states for PDSCH reception [FIG. 4; its related descriptions; ¶0061, receiving UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE selecting up to 8 TCI states for activation (i.e., subset) or deactivation from the RRC-configured TCI states];
activating, based on the MAC CE and for PDSCH reception, the subset of the set of TCI states [FIG. 4; its related descriptions; ¶0061, receiving UE-specific PDSCH MAC CE selecting up to 8 TCI states for activation or deactivation from the RRC-configured TCI states].
Zhang does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Bai discloses,
receiving a RRC configuration comprising . . . an association between a subset of the set of TCI states and one or more configuration parameters [see ¶0079 “the association between TCI states and reference signal resource sets or measurement report configurations may be based at least in part on signaling (for example, the MAC-CE message or another message, such as an RRC message) that configures the association” and 0116, “the UE 120 may receive signaling (such as dynamic signaling or RRC down-selection) indicating which CSI-RS resource set and reporting configuration is to be used] to be be applied for a channel state information (CSI) reporting upon activation of the subset of the set TCI states for PDSCH reception [¶0111, the TCI state activation MAC-CE may trigger a measurement report associated with a measurement report configuration having a reference signal resource set],
determining, based on the activation of the subset of the set of TCI states, to update the CSI reporting according to the RRC configuration, wherein updating the CSI reporting comprising applying the one or more configuration parameters for the CSI reporting [¶0111, [f]or an action associated with measuring a CSI-RS or transmitting a CSI report, a CSI-RS resource set (i.e., one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting) using the indicated TCI state may be activated by the TCI state activation MAC-CE; further see “the TCI state activation MAC-CE may trigger a measurement report associated with a measurement report configuration having a reference signal resource set to which the source reference signal belongs”; regarding according to the RRC configuration, further see ¶0079 “the association between TCI states and reference signal resource sets or measurement report configurations may be based at least in part on signaling (for example, the MAC-CE message or another message, such as an RRC message) that configures the association” and 0116, “the UE 120 may receive signaling (such as dynamic signaling or RRC down-selection) indicating which CSI-RS resource set and reporting configuration is to be used”; note that the association between TCI states and their corresponding CSI-RS resource sets is RRC-configured, such that the MAC-CE activation selects which RRC-configured set/configuration applies. Thus, the “determining … to update” is performed based on TCI state activation, and “updating … comprising applying” is satisfied because activating the CSI-RS resource set necessarily applies its associated configuration parameters to the CSI reporting]; and
performing, based on the one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting, CSI measurement and CSI reporting [¶0111, measuring a CSI-RS or transmitting a CSI report based on the CSI-RS resource set for CSI report (i.e., one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting)].
It is noted that the above-mentioned feature is a known technique in the field Applicant's endeavor, e.g., telecommunication art.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the system of Zhang with "the above-mentioned known feature(s)" taught by Bai to reach the claimed invention as set forth above. Since one having ordinary skill in the art could have recognized that applying the known technique taught by Bai into the system of Zhang would have yield predictable results and/or resulted in the improved system, such as e.g., enabling efficient and adaptive CSI reporting aligned with TCI states, reducing overhead while improving beam-specific link performance, such a modification (or application) would have involved the mere application of a known technique to a piece of prior art ready for improvement," the claim is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. 103(a). Ex Parte Smith, 83 USPQ.2d 1509, 1518-19 (BPAI, 2007) (citing KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S.Ct. 1727, 1740, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007)).
Regarding claim 22, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above.
Zhang does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Bai discloses, wherein the one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting comprise a configuration for a CSI resource set to be applied for CSI reporting [¶0111, CSI-RS resource set to be applied for CSI reporting].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the above-mentioned feature(s) as taught by Bai in the system of Zhang for similar rationales set forth above in claim 21.
Regarding claim 27, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above. Zhang further discloses, configuring an aperiodic CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resource to use a TCI state of the subset of the set of TCI states [¶0066, for aperiodic CSI-RS, the TCI state indication of the indicated aperiodic CSI Trigger State can be jointly determined by RRC, MAC CE and DCI by the following three-step manner. Step 1 can include TCI state configuration or reconfiguration. Here, the RRC parameter CSI-AperiodicTriggerStateList can be used to configure up to 128 Trigger States as candidate].
Regarding claim 28, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above.
Although Zhang further discloses, wherein a TCI state of the subset of the set of TCI states is mapped to a lowest codepoint of a TCI field in a downlink control information [¶0072, The codepoint of the DCI Transmission Configuration Indication field to which the TCI State can be mapped can be determined by its ordinal position among all the TCI States activated by the TCI State ID field, i.e. the first TCI State with the lowest TCI State ID shall be mapped to the codepoint value 0, second TCI State with the second lowest TCI State ID shall be mapped to the codepoint value 1 and so on. and so on], Zhang does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Bai discloses, the TCI state is mapped to a CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resource of the one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting [see ¶0079 “the association between TCI states and reference signal resource sets or measurement report configurations may be based at least in part on signaling (for example, the MAC-CE message or another message, such as an RRC message) that configures the association” and 0116, “the UE 120 may receive signaling (such as dynamic signaling or RRC down-selection) indicating which CSI-RS resource set and reporting configuration is to be used].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the above-mentioned feature(s) as taught by Bai in the system of Zhang for similar rationales set forth above in claim 21.
Regarding claim 29, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above.
Zhang does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Bai discloses, using a TCI state of the subset of the set of TCI states [¶0111, using a TCI state activated by the MAC CE] per an association with a CSI reference signal (CSI-RS) resource of the one or more configuration parameters [¶0112, CSI-RS resources using an indicated TCI state; which is considered as the association of TCI states with CRI-RS resources].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the above-mentioned feature(s) as taught by Bai in the system of Zhang for similar rationales set forth above in claim 21.
Regarding claim 31, Zhang discloses, a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) [FIG. 4; its related descriptions; ¶0060-0061, UE (or see UE 204 in FIG. 2)] comprising at least one processor [FIG. 2; ¶0052, UE processor module 236].
Since claim 31 recites similar features to claim 21 without additional features, claim 31 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 21.
Regarding claim 32, claim 32 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 22.
Regarding claim 37, claim 37 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 27.
Regarding claim 38, claim 38 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 28.
Regarding claim 39, claim 39 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 9.
Claims 23-24, 26, 33-34 and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al (US Publication No. 2024/0048340 A1) in view of Bai et al (US Publication No. 2024/0340990 A1) and further in view of Kho et al (US Publication No. 2023/0171062 A1)2.
Regarding claim 23, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above.
Zhang in view of Bai does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Kho discloses, wherein the one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting comprise an indication of a quasi co-location (QCL) relation with at least one reference signal for at least one CSI resource for CSI reporting [¶0111, QCL assumptions of the aperiodic CSI-RS resources may be associated with multiple TCI states].
It is noted that the above-mentioned feature is a known technique in the field Applicant's endeavor, e.g., telecommunication art.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the system of Zhang in view of Bai with "the above-mentioned known feature(s)" taught by Kho to reach the claimed invention as set forth above. Since one having ordinary skill in the art could have recognized that applying the known technique taught by Kho into the system of Zhang in view of Bai would have yield predictable results and/or resulted in the improved system, such as e.g., enabling efficient and adaptive CSI reporting aligned with TCI states, reducing overhead while improving beam-specific link performance, such a modification (or application) would have involved the mere application of a known technique to a piece of prior art ready for improvement," the claim is unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. 103(a). Ex Parte Smith, 83 USPQ.2d 1509, 1518-19 (BPAI, 2007) (citing KSR v. Teleflex, 127 S.Ct. 1727, 1740, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1396 (2007)).
Regarding claim 24, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above.
Although Zhang in view of Bai discloses, updating the CSI reporting [¶0111 of Bai, [f]or an action associated with measuring a CSI-RS or transmitting a CSI report, a CSI-RS resource set (i.e., one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting) using the indicated TCI state may be activated by the TCI state activation MAC-CE; further see “the TCI state activation MAC-CE may trigger a measurement report associated with a measurement report configuration having a reference signal resource set to which the source reference signal belongs”], Zhang in view of Bai does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Kho discloses, wherein the RRC configuration comprises a set of links between one or more TCI states of the subset of the set of TCI states and one or more linked CSI resources [¶0113, UE 115 stores all aperiodic triggering state configuration information configuring the set of trigger states, including the association of two TCI states with at least one CSI-RS resource of a configured CSI-RS resource set, in memory 282 at CSI-RS resource configuration 802], and wherein . . . adding the one or more linked CSI resources to the one or more configuration parameters for CSI reporting [¶0113, the associated CSI-RS resources are configuration parameters for CSI reporting].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the above-mentioned feature(s) as taught by Kho in the system of Zhang in view of Bai for similar rationales set forth above in claim 23.
Regarding claim 26, Zhang in view of Bai discloses, the method of claim 21 as set forth above.
Zhang in view of Bai does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Kho discloses, determining a reference signal based on a TCI state identifier associated with the subset of TCI states [¶0117, identifies aperiodic CSI-RS resource 701 associated with two or more TCI state IDs].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the above-mentioned feature(s) as taught by Kho in the system of Zhang in view of Bai for similar rationales set forth above in claim 23.
Regarding claim 33, claim 33 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 23.
Regarding claim 34, claim 34 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 24.
Regarding claim 36, claim 36 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 26.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25, 30, 35 and 40 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the claim objections and set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUN JONG KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-3216. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30am-5:30pm (M-T).
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/SUN JONG KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
1 Since Bai is relying on PCT publication (WO 2023019544) (see attached) to claim a priority date 08/20/2021, Bai is qualified as a prior art under 102(a)(2) for the instant application with the effective filing date 11/08/2021.
2 Since Kho is relying on PCT publication (WO 2021174409) (see attached) to claim a priority date 08/20/2021, Kho is qualified as a prior art under 102(a)(2) for the instant application with the effective filing date 11/08/2021.
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