CTNF 18/717,081 CTNF 82529 DETAILED ACTION This action is in response to the application filed on 6 June 2024. Claims 1-30 are under examination. 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. 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 § 103 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 1-8 and 16-23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2020/0374826 A1), as recited in the IDS, in view of Liu et al. (US 2024/0039587 A1) . Regarding claim 1, Zhang discloses: "A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:a memory; andone or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to:receive information scheduling an uplink resource on a carrier" (Zhang, Abstract; ¶¶[0005], [0007], [0016] disclose receiving uplink scheduling information and performing uplink transmissions on a carrier using timing advance information). Zhang further discloses: "and is associated with one or more timing advance offsets for the plurality of timing advance groups; and" because Zhang teaches determining a timing advance (TA) offset corresponding to a carrier and adjusting uplink transmission timing based on the TA reference value and the TA offset of the carrier (Abstract; ¶¶[0005], [0007], [0016]). Zhang further discloses: "transmit, using the uplink resource, on the carrier in accordance with the one or more timing advance offsets." because Zhang teaches adjusting uplink transmission timing using the timing advance offset and transmitting uplink signals using the adjusted timing (Abstract; ¶¶[0005], [0007], [0016]). Zhang does not expressly disclose: " wherein the carrier is associated with a plurality of timing advance groups " as recited. Liu discloses: "wherein the carrier is associated with a plurality of timing advance groups" because Liu teaches that "the UE may need to maintain multiple FFT windows and multiple TAGs on the same carrier" (¶[0090]) and further teaches that "in one carrier ... there are multiple TAGs ... configured for a UE" (¶[0115]). Liu further teaches that multiple timing advance offsets may be associated with multiple TRPs/TAGs, including "Option 3: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs)" and "Option 4: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs)" (¶[0274]), and that "multiple TA offsets (i.e., TRP-specific TA offsets) are needed" (¶[0280]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the uplink timing advance mechanism of Zhang to employ the multi-TAG-per-carrier architecture taught by Liu. Both references are directed to uplink timing alignment in wireless communication systems. Zhang teaches determining and applying timing advance offsets for uplink transmissions, while Liu teaches that a single carrier may be associated with multiple timing advance groups in M-TRP communications and that multiple timing advance offsets may be required. Incorporating Liu's multi-TAG-per-carrier arrangement into Zhang would have predictably enabled proper uplink timing alignment for transmissions associated with different timing advance groups on the same carrier, thereby improving synchronization and transmission reliability in M-TRP deployments. Regarding claim 2, Zhang does not disclose: "wherein the one or more timing advance offsets are configured on a per carrier basis, and wherein the carrier is associated with a single timing advance offset applicable to each of the plurality of timing advance groups." Liu discloses: "As an example, the UE may use only one TA offset, e.g., a TA offset that is based on TRP1 and will be applied to transmissions to both TRP1 and TRP2." (¶274) Liu further discloses: "Option 1: Only one TA offset (based on TRP1)" and "Option 2: Only 1 TA offset (based on TRP1)." (¶274) Thus, Liu teaches a single timing advance offset applied across multiple timing advance groups. It would have been obvious to configure the timing advance offsets of Zhang according to the single-offset arrangement taught by Liu in order to support uplink timing alignment for multiple timing advance groups while reducing timing advance signaling complexity. Regarding claim 3, Zhang does not disclose: "wherein one or more other carriers, which are associated with at least one of the plurality of timing advance groups, are associated with a respective one or more other timing advance offsets, and wherein the one or more timing advance offsets and the one or more other timing advance offsets have a common value." Liu discloses: "Option 1: Only one TA offset (based on TRP1)" and "Option 2: Only 1 TA offset (based on TRP1)." (¶274) Thus, Liu teaches embodiments in which a common timing advance offset is applied across multiple transmissions associated with different timing advance groups. It would have been obvious to apply a common timing advance offset value to carriers associated with a common timing advance group in order to maintain timing consistency among transmissions associated with that timing advance group. Regarding claim 4, Zhang does not disclose: "wherein the one or more timing advance offsets are configured on a per carrier basis, and wherein the one or more timing advance offsets include a first timing advance offset associated with a first timing advance group, of the plurality of timing advance groups, and a second timing advance offset associated with a second timing advance group of the plurality of timing advance groups." Liu discloses: "Option 3: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs), and one UL TA reference timing (based on TRP1)." (¶274) and "Option 4: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs), and multiple UL TA reference timings (based on each TRP)." (¶274) Liu further discloses: "UL TA needs to adopt Option 4, in which multiple TA offsets (i.e., TRP-specific TA offsets) are needed and multiple UL TA reference timings (i.e., TRP-specific reference timings to be used for the respective UL transmissions) are needed." (¶280) It would have been obvious to configure the timing advance offsets of Zhang according to the multiple-offset arrangement taught by Liu in order to support uplink timing alignment for multiple timing advance groups associated with a carrier. Regarding claim 5, Liu discloses: "The first configuration information may include/indicate an association between a first group of uplink signals and channels to be transmitted on the carrier by the UE in the serving cell 210 and the RG1, and the RG1 is associated with a first TA value." (¶122) Liu further discloses: "The second configuration information of the carrier indicates that transmission of the second group of uplink signals and channels by the UE is according to the second TA value of the RG2." (¶122) and "The third configuration information of the carrier indicates that transmission of the third group of uplink signals and channels by the UE is according to the third TA value of the RG3." (¶122) Liu additionally teaches: "A TA may be seen as a (an optional) parameter associated with a RG, and RGs are described as an example, which also apply to TAG." (¶115) Thus, Liu teaches associating a common timing advance value with a particular RG/TAG and associating different timing advance values with different RGs/TAGs. It would have been obvious to associate carriers belonging to a common timing advance group with the timing advance value corresponding to that timing advance group in order to maintain timing alignment for transmissions associated with that group. Regarding claim 6, Liu discloses: "The first configuration information ... RG1 is associated with a first TA value." (¶122) and "The second configuration information ... RG2 is associated with a second TA value." (¶122) and "The third configuration information ... RG3 is associated with a third TA value." (¶122) Liu further discloses: "Option 3: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs)" and "Option 4: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs)." (¶274) and "multiple TA offsets (i.e., TRP-specific TA offsets) are needed." (¶280) Thus, Liu teaches different timing advance values and offsets associated with different RGs/TAGs. It would have been obvious for different timing advance groups to utilize different timing advance values and offsets in order to achieve proper timing alignment for the respective groups. Regarding claim 7, Liu discloses: "Option 3: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs)" and "Option 4: multiple TA offsets (based on multiple TRPs)." (¶274) Liu further discloses: "UL TA needs to adopt Option 4, in which multiple TA offsets (i.e., TRP-specific TA offsets) are needed." (¶280) Additionally, Liu discloses: "A serving TRP of the UE ... may be associated with a TAG" (¶115) and "A TA may be seen as a (an optional) parameter associated with a RG, and RGs are described as an example, which also apply to TAG." (¶115) Thus, Liu teaches associating corresponding timing advance offsets with respective timing advance groups. It would have been obvious to configure the timing advance offsets of Zhang on a per timing advance group basis as taught by Liu in order to support timing alignment in multi-TRP communications. Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses: "The first configuration information may include/indicate an association between a first group of uplink signals and channels ... and the RG1, and the RG1 is associated with a first TA value." (¶122) and "The second configuration information may include/indicate an association between a second group of uplink signals and channels ... and the RG2, and the RG2 is associated with a second TA value." (¶122) and "The third configuration information may include/indicate an association of a third group of uplink signals and channels ... with the uplink RG3, and the RG3 is associated with a third TA value." (¶122) Liu further teaches: "A TA may be seen as a (an optional) parameter associated with a RG, and RGs are described as an example, which also apply to TAG." (¶115) Thus, Liu teaches associating respective timing advance values with respective RGs/TAGs. It would have been obvious to associate carriers corresponding to a first timing advance group with a first timing advance offset and carriers corresponding to a second timing advance group with a second timing advance offset in order to maintain timing synchronization for transmissions associated with the respective timing advance groups. Claims 16-23 recite substantially identical subject matter as recited in claims 1-8, respectively, and are thus similarly rejected . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 9-10, 12-13, 24-25, and 27-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2020/0374826 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2024/0039587 A1), further in view of Chin et al. (US 2011/0249577 A1) . Regarding claim 9, Zhang discloses a user equipment configured to receive timing advance information and perform uplink transmissions on multiple carriers associated with timing advance groups. Zhang does not disclose: "receive information identifying a single timing advance offset common to a plurality of carriers" or "transmit, based at least in part on the single timing advance offset, a first one or more uplink transmissions associated with a first control resource set pool index and a second one or more uplink transmissions associated with a second control resource set pool index on the plurality of carriers that are associated with a plurality of timing advance groups." Liu discloses: "A more explicit grouping configuration is also possible, based on CORESET pool index and/or equivalently TAG-id." (¶168) Liu further discloses: "Support multiple TRPs on one carrier." (¶168) and "All UL signals/channels shall QCL to TRS0/SSB0/PL RS0 and apply TAG0 TA" and "All UL signals/channels shall QCL to TRS1/SSB1/PL RS1 and apply TAG1 TA." (¶168) Thus, Liu teaches associating uplink transmissions with respective CORESET pool indices and corresponding timing advance groups. Chin discloses: "the zero advancement reference is now at time 706 and is shared by both carrier frequencies, F(j) and F(k)." (¶47) Thus, Chin teaches a common timing reference used across multiple carriers. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to employ the common timing-reference technique of Chin within the timing-advance framework of Zhang and the CORESET-pool-based grouping mechanism of Liu in order to provide coordinated timing alignment across multiple carriers while supporting transmissions associated with different timing advance groups and CORESET pool indices. Regarding claim 10, Zhang, Liu, and Chin collectively disclose: "wherein a first timing advance value for the first one or more uplink transmissions associated with the first control resource set pool index is based at least in part on a timing advance command for a corresponding timing advance group of the plurality of timing advance groups" because Zhang teaches timing advance commands associated with timing advance groups and Liu teaches TAG-specific timing advance operation. Zhang and Liu do not disclose: "wherein a second timing advance value for the second one or more uplink transmissions associated with the second control resource set pool index is based at least in part on the single timing advance offset common to the plurality of carriers and the first timing advance value of the corresponding timing advance group." Chin discloses: T_adv(k)=T_adv(j)+D(j,k) (¶47) Thus, Chin teaches determining a second timing advance value based on a first timing advance value and an offset. Regarding claim 12, Liu discloses timing advance group identifiers and distinct timing advance values associated with different timing advance groups (¶122, ¶168). Chin discloses determining timing relationships for different carriers using carrier-specific timing relationships (¶47). Therefore, it would have been obvious to apply a first timing advance offset to transmissions associated with a first timing advance group identifier and another timing advance offset to transmissions associated with a second timing advance group identifier as recited. Regarding claim 13, Chin discloses: T_adv(k)=T_adv(j)+D(j,k) (¶47) which teaches determining a second timing advance value based on a first timing advance value and an offset, as recited. Claims 24-25 and 27-28 recite substantially identical subject matter as recited in claims 9-10 and 12-13, respectively, and are thus similarly rejected . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 11, 14-15, 26, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2020/0374826 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2024/0039587 A1), further in view of Chin et al. (US 2011/0249577 A1), and further in view of Määttänen et al. (US 2022/0408384 A1) . Regarding claim 11, Zhang, Liu, and Chin do not disclose: "receive a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) conveying the single timing advance offset common to the plurality of timing advance groups." Määttänen discloses: "jointly receiving, from a network node, timing control information for adjusting a timing advance ... together in a MAC CE." (¶10) It would have been obvious to convey the timing advance information discussed above in a MAC control element as taught by Määttänen. Regarding claim 14, Zhang, Liu, and Chin do not disclose: "receive a first medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) conveying the single timing advance offset associated with a timing advance group identifier; and receive a second MAC CE conveying a timing advance command associated with the timing advance group identifier." Määttänen teaches conveying timing-control information in a MAC CE (¶10). It would have been obvious to convey timing advance offset information and timing advance command information in separate MAC control elements because partitioning related control information into separate signaling units permits independent updating and transmission of the respective parameters and represents a well-known design alternative in wireless communication systems. Regarding claim 15, Määttänen discloses: "jointly receiving, from a network node, timing control information for adjusting a timing advance ... together in a MAC CE." (¶10) Thus, Määttänen teaches conveying timing-related information together in a single MAC CE. It would have been obvious to convey the timing advance offset and timing advance command information together in a single MAC CE for signaling efficiency. Claims 26 and 29-30 are rejected on the same basis as corresponding claims 11 and 14-15, respectively, because the cited references teach the corresponding network-entity functionality for transmitting scheduling information and receiving uplink transmissions using the same timing-advance relationships discussed above . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure (see form 892) . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUAT PHUNG whose telephone number is (571)270-3126. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 7:30 AM - 6:30 PM. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Luat Phung/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 2 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 3 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 4 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 5 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 6 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 7 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 8 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 9 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 10 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 11 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 12 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 14 Art Unit: 2468 Application/Control Number: 18/717,081 Page 15 Art Unit: 2468
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