CTNF 18/726,836 CTNF 86031 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-01-aia AIA 07-03-01-r-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claims 1-16 are pending. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-3, 5-11, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (US# 2024/0138014 hereinafter referred to as Jung) in view of Berliner et al. (US# 2022/0141875 hereinafter referred to as Berliner) . RE Claim 1 , Jung discloses an electronic device for beam failure recovery ( See Jung [0011]-[0016] – device for beam failure recovery ), comprising a processing circuitry configured to: determine a reference signal group for beam failure detection ( See Jung [0011]-[0016], [0210] – BFD RS Group ), and perform beam failure detection by using the reference signal group ( See Jung [0011]-[0016], [0210] – BFD RS Group performing BFD ), wherein the reference signal group corresponds to a network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A ), and wherein the electronic device communicates with the network device group in a single carrier frequency network mode ( See Jung [0058], [0066] – SC-FDMA ); and in a case that a beam failure is detected, transmit a beam failure recovery request to the network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A; [0013]-[0014] – transmitting beam failure recovery request ), receive a beam failure recovery response from a network device in the network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A; [0013]-[0014], [0304] – receiving beam failure recovery response ), and communicate with at least one network device in the network device group by using the at least one new beam ( See Jung [0202] – communicating using at least one new beam ). Jung does not specifically disclose the beam failure recovery response indicating at least one new beam. However, Berliner teaches of the beam failure recovery response indicating at least one new beam ( See Berliner [0133] – BFR response indicates new beam ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the beam failure recovery system, as disclosed in Jung, wherein the beam failure recovery response indicates at least one new beam, as taught in Berliner. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce latency and overhead ( See Berliner Background; Summary ). RE Claim 2 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein determining a reference signal group for beam failure detection includes: receiving radio resource control signaling indicating the reference signal group from the network device group ( See Jung [0013]-[0014] – receiving RRC including BFD set information ). RE Claim 3 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein determining a reference signal group for beam failure detection includes: using two or more downlink reference signals ( See Jung [0162], [0185] – two or more DL RSs per TCI state ) in two or more TCI states corresponding to the network device group as the reference signal group ( See Jung [0341] – activating at least two TCI states ). RE Claim 5 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein performing beam failure detection by using the reference signal group includes: evaluating a downlink channel by calculating individual received signal quality of each reference signal in the reference signal group ( See Jung [0189] – RSRP measurement of RSs ). RE Claim 6 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: transmit capability information to the network device group, the capability information indicating a maximum number of reference signal groups that the electronic device can detect for one or more of each bandwidth portion, each component carrier, or each user equipment ( See Jung [0260]-[0261] – reporting capability information including maximum RSs for each UE ). RE Claim 7 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein transmitting a beam failure recovery request to the network device group includes: transmitting a physical uplink control channel scheduling request to the network device group ( See Jung [0288] – sending cell-specific BFR including PUCCH-SR ) in a single carrier frequency network mode ( See Jung [0058], [0066] – SC-FDMA ), and indicating one or more new beams to the network device group in a Medium Access Control control element ( See Jung [0230], [0238] - the UE may include a new beam candidate and BFD RS set and group information in PUSCH transmission to transmit a MAC-CE activation signal ). RE Claim 8 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein transmitting a beam failure recovery request to the network device group includes: transmitting a physical uplink control channel scheduling request to one network device in the network device group ( See Jung [0266], [0290] – BS receives TRP specific BFR including PUCCH-SR ), and indicating one or more new beams to the one network device in a Medium Access Control control element ( See Jung [0230], [0238] - the UE may include a new beam candidate and BFD RS set and group information in PUSCH transmission to transmit a MAC-CE activation signal ). RE Claim 9 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein transmitting a beam failure recovery request includes: transmitting a preamble corresponding to one or more new beams ( See Jung [0251] - For example, when an uplink physical channel connected to the determined new beam candidate is a PRACH and a new beam candidate includes an SSB index, the UE performs PRACH transmission in the RACH occasion connected to the corresponding SSB using a preamble index configured for PRACH transmission ). RE Claim 10 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the at least one network device includes a plurality of network devices ( See Jung FIG 17A ), the at least one new beam includes a plurality of new beams ( See Jung [0189] – candidate beam set ), and the electronic device communicates with the plurality of network devices ( See Jung FIG 17A – 3-1, 3-2, 3-3 – communicating with both TRPs A&B ) in a single carrier frequency network mode ( See Jung [0058], [0066] – SC-FDMA ). RE Claim 11 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the at least one network device includes only one network device ( See Jung FIG 17A – 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 – communicating with only one TRP (i.e. A) ), and the at least one new beam includes only one new beam ( See Jung [0189] – candidate beam set can be less than maximum (i.e. just one beam) ). RE Claim 16 , Jung discloses a method for beam failure recovery performed by a user equipment ( See Jung [0011]-[0016] – UE for beam failure recovery ), comprising: determining a reference signal group for beam failure detection ( See Jung [0011]-[0016], [0210] – BFD RS Group ), and perform beam failure detection by using the reference signal group ( See Jung [0011]-[0016], [0210] – BFD RS Group performing BFD ), wherein the reference signal group corresponds to a network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A ), and wherein the electronic device communicates with the network device group in a single carrier frequency network mode ( See Jung [0058], [0066] – SC-FDMA ); and in a case that a beam failure is detected, transmitting a beam failure recovery request to the network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A; [0013]-[0014] – transmitting beam failure recovery request ), receiving a beam failure recovery response from a network device in the network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A; [0013]-[0014], [0304] – receiving beam failure recovery response ), and communicating with at least one network device in the network device group by using the at least one new beam ( See Jung [0202] – communicating using at least one new beam ). Jung does not specifically disclose the beam failure recovery response indicating at least one new beam. However, Berliner teaches of the beam failure recovery response indicating at least one new beam ( See Berliner [0133] – BFR response indicates new beam ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the beam failure recovery system, as disclosed in Jung, wherein the beam failure recovery response indicates at least one new beam, as taught in Berliner. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce latency and overhead ( See Berliner Background; Summary ) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (US# 2024/0138014 hereinafter referred to as Jung) in view of Berliner et al. (US# 2022/0141875 hereinafter referred to as Berliner) and Li (US# 2024/0147273) . RE Claim 4 , Jung, modified by Berliner, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above. Jung, modified by Berliner, does not specifically disclose wherein performing beam failure detection by using the reference signal group includes: evaluating a downlink channel by calculating joint received signal quality of the reference signal group. However, Li teaches of evaluating a downlink channel by calculating joint received signal quality of the reference signal group ( See Li [0008], [0077] - At step S42, a beam failure detection is performed based on a joint radio link quality of the reference signal resource group in the reference signal resource set ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the beam failure recovery system, as disclosed in Jung, modified by Berliner, comprising evaluating a downlink channel by calculating joint received signal quality of the reference signal group, as taught in Li. One is motivated as such in order to improve beam failure detection involving multiple beams ( See Li Background; Summary ) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (US# 2024/0138014 hereinafter referred to as Jung) in view of Sun et al. (US# 2024/0073707 hereinafter referred to as Sun) and Gao et al. (US# 2025/0062818 hereinafter referred to as Gao) . RE Claim 12 , Jung discloses an electronic device for beam failure recovery ( See Jung [0011]-[0016] – device for beam failure recovery ), comprising a processing circuitry configured to: perform beam failure detection by using a configured reference signal ( See Jung [0185] – beam failure detection using configured RS ), and in a case that a beam failure is detected, transmit a beam failure recovery request to a network device ( See Jung FIG 17A; [0013]-[0014] – transmitting beam failure recovery request ), the beam failure recovery request indicating a new beam that the electronic device wishes to use ( See Jung [0227] - the UE may notify the base station of a beam failure situation and transmit the determined new beam candidate to the base station to perform a beam failure recovery request (BFRQ) process of requesting beam failure recovery ), receive a beam failure recovery response from a network device in the network device group ( See Jung FIG 17A; [0013]-[0014], [0304] – receiving beam failure recovery response ), and communicate with at least one network device in the network device group by using the new beam ( See Jung [0202] – communicating using at least one new beam ). Jung does not specifically disclose The configured reference signal is updated according to a unified TCI state; or the beam failure recovery response indicating the new beam confirmed by the network device. However, Sun teaches of the beam failure recovery response indicating the new beam confirmed by the network device ( See Sun [0023] – The BFRR of the TRP 104 confirms the one or more new candidate beams ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the beam failure recovery system, as disclosed in Jung, wherein the beam failure recovery response indicating the new beam confirmed by the network device, as taught in Sun. One is motivated as such in order to help in the beam recovery process ( See Sun [0023]-[0024] ). Jung, modified by Sun, does not specifically disclose the configured reference signal is updated according to a unified TCI state. However, Gao teaches of the configured reference signal is updated according to a unified TCI state ( See Gao [0167], [0178] - the unified TCI state may provide a reference signal for quasi co-location for DMRS of PDSCH and/or DMRS for PDCCH and/or CSI-RS in at least one cell/CC of the list of cells/CCs, for example, when the unified TCI state is a joint TCI state or a downlink TCI state ). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the beam failure recovery system, as disclosed in Jung, modified by Sun, wherein the configured reference signal is updated according to a unified TCI state, as taught in Gao. One is motivated as such in order to enhance multi-beam operations ( See Gao Background; Summary ). RE Claim 13 ¸ Jung, modified by Sun and Gao, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein the beam failure recovery request indicates one of: an uplink TCI state ( See Gao [0209]- BFR transmitted based on UL TCI state ); a downlink TCI state; an uplink TCI state and a downlink TCI state; or a joint TCI state. RE Claim 14 ¸ Jung, modified by Sun and Gao, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein the beam failure recovery request includes an activated codepoint of a TCI field ( See Gao [0087] - When the UE would transmit a PUCCH with HARQ-ACK information in slot n corresponding to the PDSCH carrying the activation command, the indicated mapping between TCI states and codepoints of the DCI field ‘Transmission Configuration Indication’ should be applied ). RE Claim 15 ¸ Jung, modified by Sun and Gao, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 12 above, wherein, for one or more of channels, signals, or component carriers configured to share a unified TCI state ( See Gao [0167], [0173] – unified TCI state shared by cell/CC ), communicate with the network device by using the new beam confirmed by the network device ( See Sun [0023] – The BFRR of the TRP 104 confirms the one or more new candidate beams ). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steve R Young whose telephone number is (571)270-7518. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chirag G Shah can be reached at (571) 272-3144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /STEVE R YOUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 2 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 3 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 4 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 5 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 6 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 7 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 8 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 10 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 11 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/726,836 Page 12 Art Unit: 2477
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