DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an RCE field on 08/25/2025, in which claims 21-40 are pending and ready for examination.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-20 have been canceled.
Claims 21-22, 33-34 and 40 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
The applicant argues on page 9 in the remarks about allowing independent claims since the applicant has amended part of objected claims 22 and 34 to independent claims. In response, the examiner disagrees with the applicant. The applicant has only amended one of the many limitations of objected claims 22 and 34 to independent claims. examiner was able to find a secondary prior art CHENG et al. (20200229098) that teaches the amended limitation. The examiner’s interpretation of claims 21 and 40 are a user equipment (UE) with a processor and a memory receives from a base station a DCI with a TCI for multiple downlink channels, uplink channels or combination of uplink and downlink channels, the DCI also includes a PUCCH identifier, the UE communicates with the base station using one or more downlink or uplink channels based on the TCI states indicated on the DCI. LIU’s teaching in paragraph 172 is read as the UE uses a processor and a memory, his teaching in paragraph 50 about using a TCI is equated to a single TCI, using PDSCH and PUSCH for communication is read as using combination thereof, this paragraph is also read as using TCI for uplink PUSCH and downlink PDSCH, his teaching in paragraph 51 about using a TRP is equated to base station, paragraph 58 is interpreted as using a DCI for the TCI transmission, his teaching in paragraph 63 using a gNB is equated to a base station, transmitting by the gNB a DL TCI and an UL TCI is interpreted as receiving TCI for uplink an downlink channels, his teaching in paragraph 51 about activating/deactivating different TCI states for UL or DL communication explicitly teaches communicating with the base station on one or more of a downlink channel of the multiple downlink channels or an uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels, his teaching in paragraph 63 is interpreted as using the TCI based on the DCI. CHENG’s teaching in paragraph 83 about using a DCI is equated to DCI, determining a lowest ID of a PUCCH by using the DCI is read as using a PUCCH identifier with the DCI, using a DCI for indicating PUCCH resources (with a valid spatial domain) is interpreted as the DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier. The examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, Cheng in combination with LIU teaches this limitation.
As for claim 33, The examiner’s interpretation of claim 33 is a base station with a processor and a memory transmit to a user equipment a DCI with a TCI for multiple downlink or uplink channels or combination thereof, the DCI also includes a PUCCH identifier, the base station communicates with the base station using one or more downlink or uplink channels based on the TCI states indicated on the DCI. LIU’s teaching in paragraph 179 is read as suing a processor and a memory by a base station, his teaching in paragraph 50 about using a TCI is equated to a single TCI, using PDSCH and PUSCH for communication is read as using combination thereof, this paragraph is also read as using TCI for uplink PUSCH and downlink PDSCH, his teaching in paragraph 51 about using a TRP is equated to base station, his teaching in paragraph 58 is interpreted as using a DCI for the TCI transmission, his teaching in paragraph 63 about using a gNB is equated to a base station, transmitting by the gNB a DL TCI and an UL TCI teaches transmit, to a user equipment (UE), downlink control information (DCI) that indicates a single transmission configuration indication (TCI) state associated with multiple downlink channels, multiple uplink channels, or a combination thereof, his teaching in paragraph 51, activating/deactivating different TCI states for UL or DL communication explicitly teaches communicating with the UE on one or more of a downlink channel of the multiple downlink channels or an uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels based at least in part one the single TCI state indicated in the DCI. CHENG’s teaching in paragraph 83 about using a DCI is equated to DCI, determining a lowest ID of a PUCCH by using the DCI is read as using a PUCCH identifier with the DCI, using a DCI for indicating PUCCH resources (with a valid spatial domain) is interpreted as the DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier. The examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, Cheng in combination with LIU teaches this limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 21, 27-30, 33 and 39-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being unpatentable over LIU et al. (hereinafter, “LIU”; 20230370238) in view of CHENG et al. (hereinafter, “CHENG”; 20200229098).
In response to claims 21 and 40,
LIU teaches a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories (paragraph 172 teaches this limitation); and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors individually or collectively configured to (paragraph 172 teaches this limitation):
receive, from a base station, downlink control information (DCI) that indicates a single transmission configuration indication (TCI) state associated with multiple downlink channels, multiple uplink channels, or a combination thereof (paragraph 50,TCI is equated to a single TCI, using PDSCH and PUSCH for communication is read as using combination thereof, this paragraph is also read as using TCI for uplink PUSCH and downlink PDSCH, paragraph 51, TRP is equated to base station, paragraph 58 is interpreted as using a DCI for the TCI transmission, paragraph 63, gNB is equated to a base station, transmitting by the gNB a DL TCI and an UL TCI is interpreted as receiving TCI for uplink an downlink channels);
communicate with the base station on one or more of a downlink channel of the multiple downlink channels or an uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels based at least in part on the single TCI state indicated in the DCI (paragraph 51, activating/deactivating different TCI states for UL or DL communication explicitly teaches communicating with the base station on one or more of a downlink channel of the multiple downlink channels or an uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels, paragraph 63 is interpreted as using the TCI based on the DCI).
LIU does not teach explicitly about using a DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier.
CHENG in view of LIU teaches wherein the DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier (paragraph 83, DCI is equated to DCI, determining a lowest ID of a PUCCH by using the DCI is read as using a PUCCH identifier with the DCI, using a DCI for indicating PUCCH resources (with a valid spatial domain) is interpreted as the DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier): and
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU for using a s DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier as taught by CHENG because it would allow using a scheduling offset for saving power in a 5G communication system.
In response to claim 27,
LIU teaches wherein the DCI is associated with a DCI format that is associated with indicating the single TCI state and includes scheduling information for the multiple downlink channels (paragraph 58, PDSCH with different formats ( DCI format 1_1 or 1_2) is interpreted as using multiple downlink channels, using “n” in in a DCI field for indicating TCI codepoint and using different DCI format for scheduling purposes is interpreted as the DCI is associated with a DCI format that is associated with indicating the single TCI state and includes scheduling information for the multiple downlink channels).
In response to claims 28 and 39,
LIU teaches wherein the DCI is associated with a DCI format that is associated with indicating the single TCI state and does not include scheduling information for the one or more multiple downlink signals channels (paragraph 58, DCI format 0_1 or 0_2 is equated to DCI format, using these DCI formats for PUSCH scheduling explicitly teaches this limitation).
In response to claim 29,
LIU teaches wherein the single TCI state is indicated in one or more reserved bits or one or more fields of the DCI (paragraph 58, using “n” bits in a DCI for indication a TCI configuration explicitly teaches the single TCI state is indicated in one or more fields of the DCI).
In response to claim 30,
LIU teaches wherein the DCI includes an identifier associated with the single TCI state and one or more of a serving cell identifier or a bandwidth part identifier associated with the single TCI state (paragraph 58, using “n” bits in a DCI for indication a TCI configuration explicitly teaches the DCI includes an identifier associated with the single TCI state, paragraph 63,uisng serving cell ID with the activated TCI state explicitly teaches using one or more cell identifier with the TCI state ID).
In response to claim 33,
LIU teaches a base station for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories, the one or more processors individually or collectively configured to (paragraph 179 teaches this limitation):
transmit, to a user equipment (UE), downlink control information (DCI) that indicates a single transmission configuration indication (TCI) state associated with multiple downlink channels, multiple uplink channels, or a combination thereof (paragraph 50,TCI is equated to a single TCI, using PDSCH and PUSCH for communication is read as using combination thereof, this paragraph is also read as using TCI for uplink PUSCH and downlink PDSCH, paragraph 51, TRP is equated to base station, paragraph 58 is interpreted as using a DCI for the TCI transmission, paragraph 63, gNB is equated to a base station, transmitting by the gNB a DL TCI and an UL TCI teaches this limitation); and
communicate with the UE on one or more of a downlink channel of the multiple downlink channels or an uplink channel of the multiple uplink channels based at least in part one the single TCI state indicated in the DCI (paragraph 51, activating/deactivating different TCI states for UL or DL communication explicitly teaches this limitation).
LIU does not teach explicitly about using a DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier.
CHENG in view of LIU teaches wherein the DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier (paragraph 83, DCI is equated to DCI, determining a lowest ID of a PUCCH by using the DCI is read as using a PUCCH identifier with the DCI, using a DCI for indicating PUCCH resources (with a valid spatial domain) is interpreted as the DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier): and
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU for using a s DCI includes a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier as taught by CHENG because it would allow using a scheduling offset for saving power in a 5G communication system.
Claims 23-26 and 35-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being anticipated by LIU et al. (hereinafter, “LIU”; 20230370238) in view of CHENG et al. (hereinafter, “CHENG”; 20200229098) and in further view of AKKARAKARAN et al. (hereinafter, “AKKARAKARAN”; WO2019195814).
In response to claims 23 and 35,
LIU and CHENG not teach explicitly about claims 23 and 35.
AKKARAKARAN in view of LIU and CHENG teaches wherein the single TCI state applies to multiple signals that are communicated using a common beam (paragraph 102, default beam is equated to common beam, using the default beam for uplink and downlink transmission explicitly teaches using the default beam for uplink an downlink signal or multiple signals, using RRC configuration with TCI states (until a subsequent RRC configuration) is interpreted as applying multiple TCI states or a single TCI state with multiple signal that are communicated using a common beam).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU and CHENG for using a single TCI state applies to multiple signals that are communicated using a common beam as taught by AKKARAKARAN because it would allow using a RRC configuration message for determining a power configuration parameter in a 5G communication system.
In response to claims 24 and 36,
LIU and CHENG do not teach explicitly about claims 24 and 36.
AKKARAKARAN in view of LIU and CHENG teaches wherein the multiple signals include at least one downlink signal and at least one uplink signal (paragraph 102, using the default beam for uplink and downlink transmission explicitly teaches using the default beam for uplink a downlink signal or multiple signals).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU and CHENG for using multiple signals include at least one downlink signal and at least one uplink signal as taught by AKKARAKARAN because it would allow using a RRC configuration message for determining a power configuration parameter in a 5G communication system.
In response to claims 25 and 37,
LIU and CHENG do not teach explicitly about claims 25 and 37.
AKKARAKARAN in view of LIU and CHENG teaches wherein the at least one uplink signal includes one or more of a physical uplink control channel, a physical uplink shared channel, a physical random access channel, or a sounding reference signal (paragraph 104, using an SRS with a PUCCH explicitly teaches using one or more of a physical uplink control channel).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU for using at least one uplink signal includes one or more of a physical uplink control channel, a physical uplink shared channel, a physical random access channel, or a sounding reference signal as taught by AKKARAKARAN because it would allow using a RRC configuration message for determining a power configuration parameter in a 5G communication system.
In response to claims 26 and 38,
LIU does do not teach explicitly about claims 26 and 38.
AKKARAKARAN in view of LIU teaches wherein the multiple downlink channels include one or more of multiple physical downlink control channels or multiple physical downlink shared channels (paragraph 108, using a TCI-StatePDCCH list explicitly teaches using one or more of multiple physical downlink control channels).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU for using multiple downlink channels include one or more of multiple physical downlink control channels as taught by AKKARAKARAN because it would allow using a RRC configuration message for determining a power configuration parameter in a 5G communication system.
Claims 31-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being anticipated by LIU et al. (hereinafter, “LIU”; 20230370238) in view of CHENG et al. (hereinafter, “CHENG”; 20200229098) in further view of Zhou et al. (hereinafter, “Zhou”;20230309170).
In response to claim 31,
LIU and CHENG do not teach explicitly about claim 31.
Zhou in view of LIU and CHENG teaches wherein the single TCI state indicated in the DCI is associated with a quasi co-location (QCL) source reference signal per QCL type (paragraph 136, QCL-D is equated to a QCL type, using a QCL-D parameter with a periodic CSI-RS is interpreted as using a quasi co-location (QCL) source reference signal per QCL type, detecting a DCI format by monitoring a PDCCH in a CORESET of one or more TCI states or QCL assumption is interpreted as the single TCI state indicated in the DCI is associated with a quasi co-location (QCL) source reference signal per QCL type).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU and CHENG for using a single TCI state indicated in the DCI is associated with a quasi co-location (QCL) source reference signal per QCL type as taught by Zhou because it would support improving a new beam identification for a PDCCH.
In response to claim 32,
LIU and CHENG do not teach explicitly about claim 32.
Zhou in view of LIU and CHENG teaches wherein the QCL source reference signal includes a synchronization signal block, a channel state information reference signal, or a sounding reference signal (paragraph 136, using a QCL-D parameter with a periodic CSI-RS or SS/PBCH is interpreted as using the QCL source reference signal includes a synchronization signal block, a channel state information reference signal).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify LIU and CHENG for using a single TCI state indicated in the DCI is associated with a quasi co-location (QCL) source reference signal per QCL type as taught by Zhou because it would support improving a new beam identification for a PDCCH.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22 and 34 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As for claim 22, this claim is objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein the DCI includes a control resource set (CORESET) identifier, a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource identifier, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource identifier, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource identifier, a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource identifier, or a combination thereof.”
The closest prior art in the record that teaches Zhou et al. (20230309170) teaches in paragraph 136 about using a QCL with a PDCCH in a CORESET along with a TCI state, but he fails to teach the cited limitation.
As for claim 34, this claim is objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein the DCI includes: a control resource set identifier (CORESET) and a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource identifier based at least in part on the single TCI state being applicable to communications associated with downlink and uplink control channels, a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource identifier and a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource identifier based at least in part on the single TCI state being applicable to communications associated with downlink and uplink data channels, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) resource identifier and a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource identifier based at least in part on the single TCI state being applicable to communications associated with downlink and uplink reference signals, a CORESET identifier, a PUCCH resource identifier, a PDSCH resource identifier, and a PUSCH resource identifier based at least in part on the single TCI state being applicable to communications associated with downlink and uplink control and data channels, a CORESET identifier and a PDSCH resource identifier based at least in part on the single TCI state being applicable to communications associated with downlink control and data channels, or a PUCCH resource identifier and a PUSCH resource identifier based at least in part on the single TCI state being applicable to communications associated with uplink control and data channels.”
The closest prior art in the record that teaches Zhou et al. (20230309170) teaches in paragraph 136 about using a QCL with a PDCCH in a CORESET along with a TCI state, but he fails to teach the cited limitation.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/ABUSAYEED M HAQUE/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466