DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, anycorrection of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground ofrejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would bethe same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-7 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0089068 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Matsumura et al. teach an information activation method, comprising: sending, by a network side device, a Media Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) command (Fig. 6A, [0159, 0184], UE receives an activation command (i.e. MCE CE) for mapping up to eight TCI states to a codepoint in a DCI field. The MAC CE may activate a plurality of TCI states among the plurality of configured TCI states. DCI may indicate one of the plurality of activated TCI states. The DCI may be UL/DL DCI. The indicated TCI state may be applied to at least one (or all) of UL/DL channels/RSs. One piece of DCI may indicate both a UL TCI and a DL TC),
Matsumura et al. teach wherein the MAC CE command comprises at least two first MAC CE commands or a second MAC CE command (Figs. 13-14, [0319], a MAC CE (first MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including a plurality of (for example, two) TCI fields (TCI field 1-1 above) and a MAC CE (second MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DC),
Matsumura et al. teach wherein: the first MAC CE command is used to activate a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state corresponding to one piece of first identifier information (Figs. 13-14, 31, [0311, 0320, 0540-0541], in a case of a joint TCI state, a DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL/UL (joint) TCI state and a second DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using DCI (beam indication). For a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE, either one joint (DL/UL) TCI state or one separate (DL/UL) TCI state may correspond to one TCI codepoint. The UE judges that the MAC CE includes a corresponding DL TCI state ID field (i.e. identifier information) and a corresponding UL TCI state ID field. a field indicating the number of corresponding DL/UL TCI states (IDs) (described hereinafter as “E”) is included. The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a field indicating a CORESET (CORESET ID) for which a TCI state is indicated, and a field (TCI state ID) for indicating a TCI state applicable to a CORESET identified by a CORESET ID. (Note: (Note: “CORESET ID” refers to the one piece of first identifier information)),
Matsumura et al. teach the second MAC CE command is used to activate TCI states corresponding to at least two pieces of second identifier information (Fig. 13-14, 31, [0210, 0312, 0319, 0321, 0540-0541], in a case of a separate TCI state, a DL (separate) TCI state and a UL (separate) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL (separate) TCI state and a first UL (separate) TCI state and a second DL (separate) TCI state and a second UL (separate) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using the DCI (beam indication). A MAC CE (second MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including one TCI field (TCI field 1-2 above) may be separate MAC CEs. For a TCI state activated by the second MAC CE, either a plurality of joint (DL/UL) TCI states or a plurality of separate (DL/UL) TCI states may correspond to one TCI codepoint. The UE judges that the MAC CE includes a corresponding DL TCI state ID field (i.e. identifier information) and a corresponding UL TCI state ID field. a field indicating the number of corresponding DL/UL TCI states (IDs) (described hereinafter as “E”) is included. The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a field indicating a CORESET (CORESET ID) for which a TCI state is indicated, and a field (TCI state ID) for indicating a TCI state applicable to a CORESET identified by a CORESET ID. (Note: “CORESET ID” and “TCI state ID” refer to the two pieces of second identifier information)),
Matsumura et al. teach and an activated TCI state is used to determine common beam information of a plurality of channels (Figs. 6, 13-14, [0167, 0171], with a unified TCI framework, UL and DL channels can be controlled by a common framework. A unified TCI framework may indicate a common beam (common TCI state) and apply the common beam to all the UL and DL channels instead of defining a TCI state or a spatial relation for each channel as in Rel. 15, or apply a common beam for UL to all the UL channels while applying a common beam for DL to all the DL channels. By beam management based on DCI (DCI level beam indication), a common beam/unified TCI state may be indicated from the same TCI pool (joint common TCI pool, joint TCI pool, set) for both UL and DL. X (>1) TCI states may be activated by a MAC CE. UL/DL DCI may select one from the X active TCI states. The selected TCI state may be applied to channels/RSs of both UL and DL).
Regarding claim 19, Matsumura et al. teach a network side device, comprising: a processor; and a memory having a computer program or an instruction stored thereon, wherein the computer program or the instruction, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to implement operations, comprising (Fig. 40, [0749, 0751], each function of the base station 10 and the user terminals 20 is implemented, for example, by allowing certain software (programs) to be read on hardware such as the processor 1001 and the memory 1002. The processor 1001 reads programs (program codes), software modules, data, and so on from at least one of the storage 1003 and the communication apparatus 1004, into the memory 1002, and executes various processes according to these),
Matsumura et al. teach sending a Media Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) command (Fig. 6A, [0159, 0184], UE receives an activation command (i.e. MCE CE) for mapping up to eight TCI states to a codepoint in a DCI field. The MAC CE may activate a plurality of TCI states among the plurality of configured TCI states. DCI may indicate one of the plurality of activated TCI states. The DCI may be UL/DL DCI. The indicated TCI state may be applied to at least one (or all) of UL/DL channels/RSs. One piece of DCI may indicate both a UL TCI and a DL TC),
Matsumura et al. teach wherein the MAC CE command comprises at least two first MAC CE commands or a second MAC CE command (Figs. 13-14, [0319], a MAC CE (first MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including a plurality of (for example, two) TCI fields (TCI field 1-1 above) and a MAC CE (second MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DC),
Matsumura et al. teach wherein: the first MAC CE command is used to activate a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state corresponding to one piece of first identifier information (Figs. 13-14, 31, [0311, 0320, 0540-0541], in a case of a joint TCI state, a DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL/UL (joint) TCI state and a second DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using DCI (beam indication). For a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE, either one joint (DL/UL) TCI state or one separate (DL/UL) TCI state may correspond to one TCI codepoint. The UE judges that the MAC CE includes a corresponding DL TCI state ID field (i.e. identifier information) and a corresponding UL TCI state ID field. a field indicating the number of corresponding DL/UL TCI states (IDs) (described hereinafter as “E”) is included. The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a field indicating a CORESET (CORESET ID) for which a TCI state is indicated, and a field (TCI state ID) for indicating a TCI state applicable to a CORESET identified by a CORESET ID. (Note: (Note: “CORESET ID” refers to the one piece of first identifier information)),
Matsumura et al. teach the second MAC CE command is used to activate TCI states corresponding to at least two pieces of second identifier information (Fig. 13-14, 31, [0312, 0319, 0321, 0540-0541], in a case of a separate TCI state, a DL (separate) TCI state and a UL (separate) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL (separate) TCI state and a first UL (separate) TCI state and a second DL (separate) TCI state and a second UL (separate) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using the DCI (beam indication). A MAC CE (second MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including one TCI field (TCI field 1-2 above) may be separate MAC CEs. For a TCI state activated by the second MAC CE, either a plurality of joint (DL/UL) TCI states or a plurality of separate (DL/UL) TCI states may correspond to one TCI codepoint. The UE judges that the MAC CE includes a corresponding DL TCI state ID field (i.e. identifier information) and a corresponding UL TCI state ID field. a field indicating the number of corresponding DL/UL TCI states (IDs) (described hereinafter as “E”) is included. The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a field indicating a CORESET (CORESET ID) for which a TCI state is indicated, and a field (TCI state ID) for indicating a TCI state applicable to a CORESET identified by a CORESET ID. (Note: “CORESET ID” and “TCI state ID” refer to the two pieces of second identifier information)),
Matsumura et al. teach and an activated TCI state is used to determine common beam information of a plurality of channels (Figs. 6, 13-14, [0167, 0171], with a unified TCI framework, UL and DL channels can be controlled by a common framework. A unified TCI framework may indicate a common beam (common TCI state) and apply the common beam to all the UL and DL channels instead of defining a TCI state or a spatial relation for each channel as in Rel. 15, or apply a common beam for UL to all the UL channels while applying a common beam for DL to all the DL channels. By beam management based on DCI (DCI level beam indication), a common beam/unified TCI state may be indicated from the same TCI pool (joint common TCI pool, joint TCI pool, set) for both UL and DL. X (>1) TCI states may be activated by a MAC CE. UL/DL DCI may select one from the X active TCI states. The selected TCI state may be applied to channels/RSs of both UL and DL).
Regarding claim 20, Matsumura et al. teach a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program or an instruction that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to implement operations, comprising (Fig. 40, [0746, 0751], a computer apparatus that includes a processor 1001, a memory 1002, a storage 1003, a communication apparatus 1004, an input apparatus 1005, an output apparatus 1006, a bus 1007, and so on. The processor 1001 reads programs (program codes), software modules, data, and so on from at least one of the storage 1003 and the communication apparatus 1004, into the memory 1002, and executes various processes according to these),
Matsumura et al. teach sending a Media Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) command (Fig. 6A, [0159, 0184], UE receives an activation command (i.e. MCE CE) for mapping up to eight TCI states to a codepoint in a DCI field. The MAC CE may activate a plurality of TCI states among the plurality of configured TCI states. DCI may indicate one of the plurality of activated TCI states. The DCI may be UL/DL DCI. The indicated TCI state may be applied to at least one (or all) of UL/DL channels/RSs. One piece of DCI may indicate both a UL TCI and a DL TC),
Matsumura et al. teach wherein the MAC CE command comprises at least two first MAC CE commands or a second MAC CE command (Figs. 13-14, [0319], a MAC CE (first MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including a plurality of (for example, two) TCI fields (TCI field 1-1 above) and a MAC CE (second MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DC),
Matsumura et al. teach wherein: the first MAC CE command is used to activate a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state corresponding to one piece of first identifier information (Figs. 13-14, 31, [0311, 0320, 0540-0541], in a case of a joint TCI state, a DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL/UL (joint) TCI state and a second DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using DCI (beam indication). For a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE, either one joint (DL/UL) TCI state or one separate (DL/UL) TCI state may correspond to one TCI codepoint. The UE judges that the MAC CE includes a corresponding DL TCI state ID field (i.e. identifier information) and a corresponding UL TCI state ID field. a field indicating the number of corresponding DL/UL TCI states (IDs) (described hereinafter as “E”) is included. The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a field indicating a CORESET (CORESET ID) for which a TCI state is indicated, and a field (TCI state ID) for indicating a TCI state applicable to a CORESET identified by a CORESET ID. (Note: (Note: “CORESET ID” refers to the one piece of first identifier information)),
Matsumura et al. teach the second MAC CE command is used to activate TCI states corresponding to at least two pieces of second identifier information (Fig. 13-14, 31, [0312, 0319, 0321, 0540-0541], in a case of a separate TCI state, a DL (separate) TCI state and a UL (separate) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL (separate) TCI state and a first UL (separate) TCI state and a second DL (separate) TCI state and a second UL (separate) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using the DCI (beam indication). A MAC CE (second MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including one TCI field (TCI field 1-2 above) may be separate MAC CEs. For a TCI state activated by the second MAC CE, either a plurality of joint (DL/UL) TCI states or a plurality of separate (DL/UL) TCI states may correspond to one TCI codepoint. The UE judges that the MAC CE includes a corresponding DL TCI state ID field (i.e. identifier information) and a corresponding UL TCI state ID field. a field indicating the number of corresponding DL/UL TCI states (IDs) (described hereinafter as “E”) is included. The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a field indicating a CORESET (CORESET ID) for which a TCI state is indicated, and a field (TCI state ID) for indicating a TCI state applicable to a CORESET identified by a CORESET ID. (Note: “CORESET ID” and “TCI state ID” refer to the two pieces of second identifier information)),
Matsumura et al. teach and an activated TCI state is used to determine common beam information of a plurality of channels (Figs. 6, 13-14, [0167, 0171], with a unified TCI framework, UL and DL channels can be controlled by a common framework. A unified TCI framework may indicate a common beam (common TCI state) and apply the common beam to all the UL and DL channels instead of defining a TCI state or a spatial relation for each channel as in Rel. 15, or apply a common beam for UL to all the UL channels while applying a common beam for DL to all the DL channels. By beam management based on DCI (DCI level beam indication), a common beam/unified TCI state may be indicated from the same TCI pool (joint common TCI pool, joint TCI pool, set) for both UL and DL. X (>1) TCI states may be activated by a MAC CE. UL/DL DCI may select one from the X active TCI states. The selected TCI state may be applied to channels/RSs of both UL and DL).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumura et al. teach wherein when the network side device configures a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command corresponds to one codepoint (Fig. 14A, [0311, 0320], in a case of a joint TCI state, a DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL/UL (joint) TCI state and a second DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using DCI (beam indication). For a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE, either one joint (DL/UL) TCI state or one separate (DL/UL) TCI state may correspond to one TCI codepoint).
Regarding claim 4, Matsumura et al. teach wherein when the network side device configures a separate TCI mode, each TCI state and codepoint activated according to the first MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to one separate Downlink (DL) TCI state and one separate Uplink (UL) TCI state; one codepoint corresponds to one separate DL TCI state; or one codepoint corresponds to one separate UL TCI state (Fig. 14B, [0312, 0321], in a case of a separate TCI state, a DL (separate) TCI state and a UL (separate) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL (separate) TCI state and a first UL (separate) TCI state and a second DL (separate) TCI state and a second UL (separate) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using the DCI (beam indication). for a TCI state activated by the second MAC CE, either a plurality of joint (DL/UL) TCI states or a plurality of separate (DL/UL) TCI states may correspond to one TCI codepoint).
Regarding claim 5, Matsumura et al. teach wherein each TCI state and codepoint activated according to the first MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to one joint TCI state; one codepoint corresponds to one separate Downlink (DL) TCI state and one separate UL TCI state; one codepoint corresponds to one separate DL TCI state; or one codepoint corresponds to one separate Uplink (UL) TCI state (Fig. 14A, [0311, 0319-0320], a MAC CE (first MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including a plurality of (for example, two) TCI fields (TCI field 1-1 above). in a case of a joint TCI state, a DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be activated for the UE by using the MAC CE. Subsequently, a first DL/UL (joint) TCI state and a second DL/UL (joint) TCI state may be indicated for the UE by using DCI (beam indication). For a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE, either one joint (DL/UL) TCI state or one separate (DL/UL) TCI state may correspond to one TCI codepoint).3
Regarding claim 6, Matsumura et al. teach wherein the first MAC CE command comprises first indication information, and the first indication information is used to indicate that a TCI state corresponding to a codepoint is one of the following: the joint TCI state; the separate DL TCI state and the separate UL TCI state; the separate DL TCI state; or the separate UL TCI state (Figs. 14A, 15 [0320, 0329], for a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE, either one joint (DL/UL) TCI state or one separate (DL/UL) TCI state may correspond to one TCI codepoint. in the joint TCI state-related correspondence, one or more (plurality of) joint TCI states may correspond to one TCI field codepoint).
Regarding claim 7, Matsumura et al. teach wherein a TCI state activated by the first MAC CE command is used for first identifier information indicated by the first MAC CE command (Figs. 6A, 14A [0206, 0319], the MAC CE (first MAC CE) for activating a TCI state indicated by DCI including a plurality of (for example, two) TCI fields (TCI field 1-1 above). The MAC CE may include a serving cell ID field, a BWP ID field, a field for indicating a TCI state identified by TCI-State ID (TCI state IDi,j (i is an integer from 0 to N, and j is 1 or 2)), a field (Ci) indicating whether TCI state IDi,2 is present in a corresponding octet, and a reserved bit field (set to R, 0).
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
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.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0089068 A1) in view of Zhou et al. (US 2020/0314860 A1).
Matsumura et al. disclose the claimed limitation as described in paragraph 4 above. Matsumura et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 2, wherein: the first identifier information comprises at least one of the following: Control Resource Set (CORESET) identifier information, a CORESET Pool Index (CORESETPoolIndex), Transmission Reception Point (TRP) identifier information, channel group identifier information, CORESET group identifier information, or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource group identifier information; and the second identifier information comprises at least one of the following: CORESET identifier information, CORESETPoolIndex, TRP identifier information, channel group identifier information, CORESET group identifier information, or PUCCH resource group identifier information.
Regarding claim 2, Farag et al. teach wherein: the first identifier information comprises at least one of the following: Control Resource Set (CORESET) identifier information, a CORESET Pool Index (CORESETPoolIndex), Transmission Reception Point (TRP) identifier information, channel group identifier information, CORESET group identifier information, or Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource group identifier information; and the second identifier information comprises at least one of the following: CORESET identifier information, CORESETPoolIndex, TRP identifier information, channel group identifier information, CORESET group identifier information, or PUCCH resource group identifier information (Fig. 34, [0464], the first plurality of P0 and alpha sets may be identified by a first ID of a first panel. In an example, the second plurality of P0 and alpha sets may be identified by a second ID of a second panel. The first ID of the first panel may comprise a first panel ID, a first CORESET ID (or a first CORESET pool index), a first SRI ID (or a first SRI group ID), and/or a first TCI index (or a first TCI group index). The second ID of the second panel may comprise a second panel ID, a second CORESET ID (or a second CORESET pool index), a second SRI ID (or a second SRI group ID), and/or a second TCI index (or a second TCI group index)).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Matsumura et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Zhou et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of comprising first identifier information at least one of the following: Control Resource Set (CORESET) identifier information, and the second identifier information comprises at least one of the following: CORESET identifier information. The motivation is to support an improved method for transmit one or more MAC CEs to a MAC entity (see [0332]).
Claim(s) 8 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0089068 A1) in view of Farag et al. (US 20220061056 A1).
Matsumura et al. disclose the claimed limitation as described in paragraph 4 above. Matsumura et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 8, wherein when the network side device configures a joint TCI mode, a TCI state and a codepoint activated according to the second MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to at least two TCI states, and each TCI state in the at least two TCI states corresponds to different second identifier information; or each codepoint corresponds to a TCI state corresponding to one piece of second identifier information, wherein the TCI state corresponding to the second identifier information comprises one joint TCI state; regarding claim 15, further comprising: sending, by the network side device, first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is used to configure a joint TCI mode or a separate TCI mode for at least one piece of first identifier information in first identifier information corresponding to the at least two first MAC CEs, or the first configuration information is used to configure a joint TCI mode or a separate TCI mode for at least one piece of second identifier information in second identifier information corresponding to the second MAC CE.
Regarding claim 8, Farag et al. teach wherein when the network side device configures a joint TCI mode, a TCI state and a codepoint activated according to the second MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to at least two TCI states, and each TCI state in the at least two TCI states corresponds to different second identifier information; or each codepoint corresponds to a TCI state corresponding to one piece of second identifier information, wherein the TCI state corresponding to the second identifier information comprises one joint TCI state (Figs. 2, 11, [0167-0168, 0293], the code points of the MAC CE can include: code point(s) with joint TCI state, code point(s) with DL TCI state, code point(s) with UL TCI state and/or code point(s) with a pair of DL TCI state and UL TCI state. Two MAC CE sets are activated: A first MAC CE activated set with code points that include joint TCI state and a second MAC CE activated set with code points that include one or more code point of type: code point with DL TCI state, code point with UL TCI state, or code point with a pair of DL TCI state and UL TCI state. A configuration message (RRC configuration and/or MAC CE configuration and/or DCI configuration) can configure either joint TCI state indication or separate TCI state indication which determines the MAC CE activated set to used. The second MAC CE for TCI state indication can indicate TCI states to a second set of UEs).
Regarding claim 15, Farag et al. teach further comprising: sending, by the network side device, first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is used to configure a joint TCI mode or a separate TCI mode for at least one piece of first identifier information in first identifier information corresponding to the at least two first MAC CEs, or the first configuration information is used to configure a joint TCI mode or a separate TCI mode for at least one piece of second identifier information in second identifier information corresponding to the second MAC CE (Figs. 2, 11, [0014, 0159], BS includes a transceiver configured to transmit configuration information for at least one of joint TCI states, DL TCI states, and UL TCI states. The BS also includes a processor operably connected to the transceiver. The processor is configured to determine TCI states to activate or indicate for at least one of DL channels and UL channels. There are two configurations. A first configuration for Joint TCI states and UL TCI states. A further indication can indicate if joint TCI states or separate TCI states for DL and UL channels are being used. Additionally, or alternatively, at the time of TCI state indication and/or TCI state activation, a type can indicate whether the TCI state is a joint TCI state or UL TCI state. A second configuration (e.g., pool) for DL TCI states).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Matsumura et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Farag et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of configuring a joint TCI mode, a TCI state and a codepoint activated according to the second MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to at least two TCI states, and each TCI state in the at least two TCI states corresponds to different second identifier information, and sending, by the network side device, first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information is used to configure a joint TCI mode. The motivation is to support an improved method for a fast beam indication wireless communication systems. (see [0010]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0089068 A1) in view of Xu et al. (US 2022/0294509 A1).
Matsumura et al. disclose the claimed limitation as described in paragraph 4 above. Matsumura et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 9, wherein when the network side device configures a separate TCI mode, a TCI state and a codepoint activated according to the second MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to TCI states corresponding to a plurality of pieces of second identifier information; or each codepoint corresponds to a TCI state corresponding to one piece of second identifier information, wherein the TCI state corresponding to the second identifier information comprises at least one of one Downlink (DL) TCI state or one UL TCI state.
Regarding claim 9, Xu et al. teach wherein when the network side device configures a separate TCI mode, a TCI state and a codepoint activated according to the second MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to TCI states corresponding to a plurality of pieces of second identifier information; or each codepoint corresponds to a TCI state corresponding to one piece of second identifier information, wherein the TCI state corresponding to the second identifier information comprises at least one of one Downlink (DL) TCI state or one UL TCI state (Figs. 25-26, [0275], a wireless device may receive, from a base station, one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters. The configuration parameters may indicate a plurality of TCI state pools. A TCI state pool (e.g., each of the plurality of TCI state pools) may comprise one or more TCI states. The one or more separate TCI state pools, of the plurality of TCI state pools, may comprise the downlink TCI state and the uplink TCI state. The codepoint may indicate the pair of the downlink TCI state and the uplink TCI state by indicating a same TCI index for the downlink TCI state and the uplink TCI state with the codepoint. The bitfield may activate one or more first TCI states. At least one bit of the bitfield (e.g., each bit of the bitfield) may indicate one or more second TCI states, of the one or more first TCI states, from one or more TCI state pools of the plurality of TCI state pools. The wireless device may receive an RRC message, the MAC CE (or a second MAC CE), and/or DCI activating (and/or enabling) the one or more TCI state pools. The MAC CE may comprise a second field activating the TCI states comprising the pair of the downlink TCI state and the uplink TCI state).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Matsumura et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Xu et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of configuring a separate TCI mode, a TCI state and a codepoint activated according to the second MAC CE command meet one of the following: one codepoint corresponds to TCI states corresponding to a plurality of pieces of second identifier information. The motivation is to support an improved method for a technology relate to wireless communication exposure detection and/or reporting. (see [0049]).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0089068 A1) in view of Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0125933 A1) (Matsumura’933 hereinafter).
Matsumura et al. disclose the claimed limitation as described in paragraph 4 above. Matsumura et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 12, wherein at least two of the joint TCI state, the separate DL TCI state, and the separate UL TCI state are from different TCI state pools.
Regarding claim 12, Matsumura’933 teaches wherein at least two of the joint TCI state, the separate DL TCI state, and the separate UL TCI state are from different TCI state pools (Fig. 1, [0052, 0054, 0119], one of the plurality of TCI states configured by the RRC parameter and the plurality of TCI states activated by the MAC CE may be referred to as a TCI pool (common TCI pool, joint TCI pool, TCI state pool). The plurality of TCI states activated by the MAC CE may be referred to as an active TCI pool (active common TCI pool). A MAC CE may activate a plurality of TCI states (active TCI pool) among the plurality of configured TCI states. A plurality of TCI states configured by an RRC IE, a plurality of TCI states activated by a MAC CE, information related to one or more TCI states, TCI state configuration, a TCI state pool, an active TCI state pool, a common TCI state pool, a unified TCI state pool, a TCI state list, a unified TCI state list, a joint TCI state pool, a separate TCI state pool, a separate DL/UL TCI state pool, a DL TCI state pool, a UL TCI state pool, a separate DL TCI state pool, and a separate UL TCI state pool may be interchangeably interpreted).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Matsumura et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Matsumura’933 in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of configuring TCI state pools in which at least two of the joint TCI state, the separate DL TCI state, and the separate UL TCI state are from different TCI state pools. The motivation is to support an improved method of next-generation mobile communication systems. (see [0001]).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0089068 A1) in view of Li et al. (US 2024/0306136 A1).
Matsumura et al. disclose the claimed limitation as described in paragraph 4 above. Matsumura et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 17, further comprising: sending, by the network side device, target DCI, wherein the target DCI is used to indicate a target TCI state in the activated TCI states.
Regarding claim 17, Xu et al. teach further comprising: sending, by the network side device, target DCI, wherein the target DCI is used to indicate a target TCI state in the activated TCI states (Fig. 1, [0071, ], downlink control information is received, a target transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state group is determined based on the downlink control information. The UE receives the downlink control information (for example, DCI) transmitted from a network device (for example, a gNB) and determines, based on the DCI information, the target TCI state group indicated by the DCI from previously activated N TCI state groups, where N is equal to 1 or N is greater than 1).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Matsumura et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Li et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of sending, by the network side device, target DCI, wherein the target DCI is used to indicate a target TCI state in the activated TCI states. The motivation is to support an improved method to beam indication methods and devices, and a storage medium (see [0002]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11, 13-14 16 and 18 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.
Conclusion
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/SYED M BOKHARI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2473
8/20/2026
/KWANG B YAO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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