CTNF 18/727,053 CTNF 85636 DETAILED ACTION 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. Claims 1-15 are pending for examination. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/5/24 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. 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 non-obviousness. 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 Claim s 1-2, 6-7, 11-12, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Li (US 2024/0340989 A1), hereinafter Li, in view of Nilsson et al. (US 2024/0080161 A1), hereinafter Nilsson , which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/138,703 filed Jan.18, 2021 . Regarding claim 1: Li discloses a method of a terminal in a wireless communication system, (terminal device, element 102 in Fig. 1), the method comprising: receiving, based on a unified transmission configuration indication (TCI), TCI state identification information from a base station (receiving configuration information, e.g. unified transmission configuration indicator state (unified TCI state from network device [0085 and 0089]) ; receiving, from the base station, unified TCI state type information indicating that a type related to the unified TCI is either a joint TCI type (joint TCI state, [0085]) or a separate TCI type (separate TCI [0085]) ; and receiving, from the base station, a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) that activates a TCI state associated with a codepoint of a TCI state field included in downlink control information (DCI), (receiving MAC CE that activates TCIs [0091, lines 9-21] wherein MAC CE is configured with multiple transmission configuration indicator states corresponding to multiple codepoints [0091], in downlink control information (DCI) signaling [0157]), wherein the MAC CE includes an information field that indicates TCI states associated with the codepoint of the TCI state field included in the DCI (first information indication field corresponds to TCI codepoints associated with TCI states [0088]). However, Li does not further disclose the MAC CE has field for a number of TCI states. Nilsson , from the field of endeavor, discloses MAC CE has a field for a number of ports, e.g., transmission parameter (MAC-CE contains field indicating number of SRS Ports [0155]). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to replace the number of ports with the number of TCI states in a field of the MAC CE, wherein ports and TCI states are parameters configured for determining resources for transmissions --;thus enhancing user data or throughput carried in transmissions configured via a number of TCI states - Nilsson [0232]. Regarding claim 2: Li in view of Nilsson discloses all limitations of claim 1. Li further discloses the information field is for both a case where the type related to the unified TCI is a joint TCI type (first indication information is displayed as "1" - means TCIs corresponding to all TCI codepoints activated in MAC CE are joint TCIs [0161, lines 15-21]); and a case where the type related to the unified TCI is a separate TCI type (first indication information is displayed as "0" - means TCIs corresponding to all TCI codepoints activated in MAC CE are separate TCIs [0161, lines 15-15-21]). Furthermore, Nilsson teaches the information is 2 bits (“number of SRS ports [2 bits]” in Fig.17); in case that the information field corresponds to '00', the number of TCI states associated with the codepoint is one (‘00’ indicates 1 SRS port, e.g., or one TCI state [0155]); in case that the information field corresponds to '01', the number of TCI states associated with the codepoint is two (“ 01’ indicates 2 SRS ports, e.g., or 2 TCI states [0155]); in case that the information field corresponds to '10', the number of TCI states associated with the codepoint is three (or so on, e.g., ‘10’ indicates 3 SRS port, e.g., or 3 TCI state [0155]); in case that the information field corresponds to '11', the number of TCI states associated with the codepoint is four (or so on, e.g., ‘11’ indicates 4 SRS port, e.g., or 4 TCI state [0155]). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the 2-bit combination deriving to four possible indications, each of four indications, e.g., “00”, “01”, “10”, “11”, corresponds to -- one to four TCI states; thus making sure the UE knows which TCI state is to be used for transmission in a quick manner - - Nilsson [0154]. Regarding claims 6-7: Claims 6-7 are rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claims 1-2, except that claim 6-7 are from the base station perspective. Regarding claim 11: Claim 11 is rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claim 1, except that claim 11 is in a device claim format, wherein Li [in claim 11 ] also discloses a terminal ( terminal device, element 102 in Fig.1) in a wireless communication system, comprising: a transceiver ( transceiving module, element 310 in Fig.3) in ; and a controller ( processing module, element 302 in Fig.3) in implemented to perform claimed functionalities. Regarding claim 12: Claim 12 is rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claim 2 , except that claim 12 is in a device claim format. Regarding claim 15: Claim 15 is rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claim 6, except that claim 15 is in a device claim format, , wherein Li [in claim 15 ] also discloses a base station ( network device, element 101 in Fig.1) in a wireless communication system, comprising: a transceiver ( transceiving module, element 310 in Fig.3) in ; and a controller ( processing module, element 302 in Fig.3) in implemented to perform claimed functionalities . 07-21 AIA Claim s 3-5, 8-10, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Li in view of Nilsson , and further in view of Bhamri et al. (US 2022/0132506 A1), hereinafter Bhamri , Regarding claim 3: Li in view of Nilsson discloses all limitations of claim 1. Li further discloses in case that the type related to the unified TCI is a joint TCI type, the information field is 1 bit (first indication information is displayed as "1" - means TCIs corresponding to all TCI codepoints activated in MAC CE are joint TCIs [0161, lines 15-21]); and determining the type related to the unified TCI is a separate TCI type (in case of separate TCIs [0161]) Also, Li states that using a plurality of indication fields contained in one indication information to respectively indicate the transmission configuration indicator corresponding to each element in the TCI codepoints – Li [0097]. However, Li in view of Nilsson does not further disclose in case of separate TCI type, the information also includes a second field of 1 bit. Bhamri, from the same field of endeavor, teaches in case of separate TCI type, the information also includes a second field of 1 bit (DCI include one or more bit-fields, each bit-field including one bit, e.g., including first and second one-bit fields [0138]). Thus, itwould be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to configure two one-bit fields; thus allowing the determination of whether one or two TCI states are to be applied, wherein each TCI state corresponds to each transmission/ reception point {TRP} – Bhamri [0139]. Regarding claim 4: Li in view of Nilsson and Bhamri discloses all limitations of claim 3. Li further discloses the type related to the unified TCI is a joint TCI (joint TCI having one bit [0091], e.g., having value “0” and “1”) in case that the information field corresponds to '0' ( bit of first indication information is displayed as “0”, it means that TCIs are joint [0091]) : if the bit of the first indication information is displayed as “1” ( bit of first indication information is displayed as “1”, it means that TCIs are joint [0091]). In addition, Nillson further teaches the information field is 2 bits (“number of SRS ports [2 bits]” in Fig.17) and the values of those two bits correspond to the number of TCI states associated with the codepoint [0156]. It is obvious to one of ordinary art to support a different implementation including the information field having one bit, which indicates 2 possible values, e.g. “0” and “1”; wherein “0” is associated with one TCI state associated with the codepoint; and “1” is associated with two TCI states associated with the codepoint; thus providing benefits such as improving data rate, latency, and/or power consumption – Nilsson [0227] or by only sending TCIs states that remain configured for the terminal for transmissions Nilsson [0130]. Regarding claim 5: Li in view of Nilsson and Bhamri discloses all limitations of claim 3. Li further discloses the type related to the unified TCI is a separate TCI type (separate TCI [0085]) . In addition, Nillson further discloses one information field has bits (“number of SRS ports [2 bits]” in Fig.17) and the values of those bits correspond to the number of TCI states associated with the codepoint [0155]. Bhamri, discloses the information field can include first field of 1 bit and a second field of 1 bit (DCI include one or more bit-fields, each bit-field including one bit, e.g., including first and second one-bit fields [0138]). It is obvious to one of ordinary art to support a different implementation including the first one-bit information field has values of “0” and “1”, and the second one-bit information field has values of “0” and “1” – wherein the combined first and second 1-bit information fields has four values, e.g., “0 0”, “0 1”, “1 0” and “1 1”, and wherein each of four values corresponds to one, two, three, and four TCI states, respectively; thus allowing the determination of applying four TCI states from two TRPs at same time – Brahmi [0139]. Regarding claims 8-10: Claims 8-10 are rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claims 3-5 above, respectively, except that claims 8-10 are from the base station perspective. Regarding claims 13-14: Claims 13-14 are rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claims 3-4 above, respectively, except that claims 13-14 are in the device claim format. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAMQUYEN THAI whose telephone number is (571)270-7245. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and videoconferencing 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 , Ayman A. Abaza , can be reached at 571-270-0422 . The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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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. /C.Q.T/ /AYMAN A ABAZA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 2 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 3 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 4 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 5 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 6 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 7 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 8 Art Unit: 2465 Application/Control Number: 18/727,053 Page 9 Art Unit: 2465
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