DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 nonobviousness.
Claim 1-2, 6-7, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Muruganathan et al. (US 20230300835 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses an information activation method (abstract), comprising: sending, by a network side device (Base Station), a first Media Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) command, wherein the first MAC CE command is used for activating a Transmission Configuration Indicator (TCI) state (figs. 3-5; paragraph [0073]-[0075]; [0055]-[0068]; [0098]; and so on, illustrating transmitting MAC-CE by Base Station to UE to activate TCI state), wherein: the first MAC CE command, at least one codepoint among the plurality of codepoints corresponds to a plurality of TCI states among activated TCI states (figs. 3-5; paragraph [0075]-[0095]; [0099]-[0119]; [0071]; and so on, describing at least one codepoint associates with TCI states), and the activated TCI states are used for determining common beam information of a plurality of channels (paragraph [0052]; [0062]-[0064]; [0068], explaining that the TCI codepoints and states to determine corresponding common beams of links or channels).
Zhou does not explicitly disclose the plurality of codepoints are comprised in the MAC CE.
Muruganathan teaches the plurality of codepoints are comprised in the MAC CE (e.g. paragraph [0016]; [0025]; and etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the plurality of codepoints are comprised in the MAC CE as taught by Muruganathan into Zhou in order to improve codepoint to TCI state mapping and resource utilization.
Regarding claims 19-20, the claims include features identical to the subject matter mentioned in the rejection to claim 1. The claims are mere reformulation of claim 1 in order to define the corresponding a network side device and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and the rejection to claim 19-20 are applied hereto.
Regarding claim 2, Zhou discloses wherein the activated TCI states correspond to first identification information (paragraph [0052]; [0062]-[0064]; [0068]); and the first identification information comprises at least one of the following items: Control Resource Set (CORESET) identification information; identification information of correlated Search Spaces (SSs), wherein the correlated SSs are used for repeated transmission of a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH); identification information of a CORESET where the correlated SSs are located; transmission occasion information or transmission time information of the correlated SSs; CORESET Pool Index (CORESETPoolIndex); Transmission Reception Point (TRP) identification information; channel group identification information; CORESET group identification information; Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource group identification information; spatial filter identification information; terminal panel identification information; beam identification information; or TCI state identification information (paragraph [0052]; [0062]-[0064]; [0068]).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses wherein when there are N pieces of first identification information corresponding to the TCI states activated according to the first MAC CE command, each piece of first identification information corresponds to one joint TCI state, or a pair of separate TCI states, or one separate Downlink (DL) TCI state, or one separate Uplink (UL) TCI state, and a value of N satisfies at least one of the following items: the value of N is a quantity of TRPs; the value of N is a quantity of the first identification information corresponding to the TCI states corresponding to all the codepoints in the first MAC CE command; or the value of N is a maximum quantity of the first identification information corresponding to the joint TCI states or the separate TCI states corresponding to each codepoint in the first MAC CE command (paragraph [0052]; [0062]-[0064]; [0068]).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou further discloses comprising: sending, by the network side device, target Downlink Control Information (DCI), wherein the target DCI is used for indicating a target TCI state from the activated TCI states (paragraph [0051]-[0052]; [0057]-[0059]; [0070]; [0084]; [0108]; and so on).
Claim 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Muruganathan, and further in view of Farag et al. (US 2022/0247538 A1).
Regarding claim 3-4, Zhou discloses the network side device is configured with a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints (paragraph [0069]; [0093]; [0117]; [0151]; [0171]). However, Zhou does not explicitly disclose wherein when the network side device is configured with a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy: one codepoint corresponds to at least one joint TCI state.
Farag teaches wherein when the network side device is configured with a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy: one codepoint corresponds to at least one joint TCI state, and wherein when the network side device is configured with a separate TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy: one codepoint corresponds to at least one pair of separate TCI states (paragraph [0239]-[0248]; [0272]-[0274]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use wherein when the network side device is configured with a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy: one codepoint corresponds to at least one joint TCI state, and wherein when the network side device is configured with a separate TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy: one codepoint corresponds to at least one pair of separate TCI states as taught by Farag into Zhou in order to improve resource utilization.
Regarding claim 5, Zhou discloses he network side device is configured with a separate TCI mode and a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints (paragraph [0069]; [0093]; [0117]; [0151]; [0171]). However, Zhou does not explicitly disclose wherein when the network side device is configured with a separate TCI mode and a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy one of the following items: one codepoint corresponds to at least one joint TCI state or at least one pair of separate TCI state.
Farag teaches wherein when the network side device is configured with a separate TCI mode and a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy one of the following items: one codepoint corresponds to at least one joint TCI state or at least one pair of separate TCI state (paragraph [0239]-[0248]; [0272]-[0274]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use wherein when the network side device is configured with a separate TCI mode and a joint TCI mode, each TCI state activated according to the first MAC CE command and the codepoints satisfy one of the following items: one codepoint corresponds to at least one joint TCI state or at least one pair of separate TCI state as taught by Farag into Zhou in order to improve resource utilization.
Claim 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Muruganathan, and further in view of Liu et al. (US 20250070945 A1).
Regarding claim 8, as applied above, Zhou a target TCI state among the activated TCI states. Zhou does not disclose comprising: determining, by the network side device, Beam Application Time (BAT) of a target TCI state among the activated TCI states.
Liu teaches comprising: determining, by the network side device, Beam Application Time (BAT) of a target TCI state among the activated TCI states (paragraph [0012]; [0079]; [0102]-[0105]; [0114]; [0122]; [0132]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use comprising: determining, by the network side device, Beam Application Time (BAT) of a target TCI state among the activated TCI states as taught by Liu into Zhou in order to prevent timing ambiguity and to fast switch from one beam to another.
Regarding claim 9, Zhou discloses wherein: the target TCI state is a TCI state activated by the network side device through the first MAC CE command, or a TCI state indicated through DCI (paragraph [0051]-[0052]; [0056]-[0057]; [0062]-[0064]; [0066]-[0070]; [0079]; [0087]-[0095]; [0111]-[0119]; and so on); a first TCI state is a TCI state last activated by the network side device through an MAC CE before determining the target TCI state, or a TCI state indicated through the DCI (paragraph [0051]-[0052]; [0056]-[0057]; [0062]-[0064]; [0066]-[0070]; [0079]; [0087]-[0095]; [0111]-[0119]; and so on). Zhou does not disclose determining, by the network side device, the BAT of the target TCI state among the activated TCI states comprises: determining, by the network side device, the BAT of the target TCI state according to the target TCI state and the first TCI state.
Liu teaches determining, by the network side device, the BAT of the target TCI state among the activated TCI states comprises: determining, by the network side device, the BAT of the target TCI state according to the target TCI state and the first TCI state (paragraph [0079]; [0102]-[0105]; [0114]; [0122]; [01332]; [0140]; [0012]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use determining, by the network side device, the BAT of the target TCI state among the activated TCI states comprises: determining, by the network side device, the BAT of the target TCI state according to the target TCI state and the first TCI state as taught by Liu into Zhou in order to prevent timing ambiguity and to fast switch from one beam to another.
Regarding claim 10, as applied above, Zhou discloses wherein: the first information is information used for determining the target TCI state. Zhou does not disclose the BAT is a first slot after Y symbols after the network side device receives response information; the response information is acknowledgment information sent by a terminal based on first information; Y is a positive integer.
Liu teaches the BAT is a first slot after Y symbols after the network side device receives response information (paragraph [0102]); the response information is acknowledgment information sent by a terminal based on first information (paragraph [0102]-[0105]; and so on); Y is a positive integer (paragraph [0104]-[0105]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the BAT is a first slot after Y symbols after the network side device receives response information; the response information is acknowledgment information sent by a terminal based on first information; Y is a positive integer as taught by Liu into Zhou in order to prevent timing ambiguity and to fast switch from one beam to another.
Regarding claim 11, Zhou discloses wherein: the first TCI state corresponds to a first codepoint, and the target TCI state corresponds to a second codepoint (paragraph [0057]; [0063]-[0064]; [0068]; and etc.).
Zhou does not disclose when the first TCI state and the target TCI state satisfy at least one of the following items, the network side device determines the BAT of the target TCI state: TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are the same as TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and an arrangement sequence of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint is different from an arrangement sequence of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; or TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are the same as TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and arrangement positions of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from arrangement positions of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint.
Liu teaches when the first TCI state and the target TCI state satisfy at least one of the following items, the network side device determines the BAT of the target TCI state: TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are the same as TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and an arrangement sequence of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint is different from an arrangement sequence of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; or TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are the same as TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and arrangement positions of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from arrangement positions of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint (paragraph [0012]; [0079]; [0102]-[0105]; [0114]; [0122]; [0132]; [0140]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use when the first TCI state and the target TCI state satisfy at least one of the following items, the network side device determines the BAT of the target TCI state: TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are the same as TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and an arrangement sequence of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint is different from an arrangement sequence of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; or TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are the same as TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and arrangement positions of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from arrangement positions of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint as taught by Liu into Zhou in order to prevent timing ambiguity, to fast switch from one beam to another, and improve quality of service.
Regarding claim 12, Zhou discloses wherein TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, comprising: the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are subsets of the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint; or, the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint are different from the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint, and the TCI states corresponding to the second codepoint are subsets of the TCI states corresponding to the first codepoint (paragraph [0057]; [0063]-[0064]; [0068]; and etc.).
Claim 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Muruganathan, and further in view of Khoshnevisan et al. (US 2023/0254815 A1).
Regarding claim 13-14, as applied above, Zhou discloses first MAC CE command and target DCI. However, Zhou does not explicitly disclose wherein the first MAC CE command comprises a first signaling field, and the first signaling field is used for indicating a target TCI state from the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command.
Khoshnevisan teaches wherein the first MAC CE command comprises a first signaling field, and the first signaling field is used for indicating a target TCI state from the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, and wherein the target DCI comprises a first signaling field, and the first signaling field is used for indicating a target TCI state from TCI states corresponding to codepoints indicated by a TCI field in the target DCI (paragraph [0090]; [0101]; [0116]-[0119]; [0122]-[0123]; [0133]; [0136]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use wherein the first MAC CE command comprises a first signaling field, and the first signaling field is used for indicating a target TCI state from the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, and wherein the target DCI comprises a first signaling field, and the first signaling field is used for indicating a target TCI state from TCI states corresponding to codepoints indicated by a TCI field in the target DCI as taught by Khoshnevisan into Zhou in order to improve quality of service and reduce congestion.
Regarding claim 15-16, as applied above, Zhou discloses first MAC CE command and target DCI. However, Zhou does not disclose wherein whether the first MAC CE command comprises a first signaling field is determined according to at least one of the following items: configuration information of the network side device; or a quantity of the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, and wherein whether the target DCI comprises a first signaling field is determined according to at least one of the following items: configuration information of the network side device; a quantity of the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command; or a quantity of TCI states corresponding to codepoints indicated by a TCI field in the target DCI.
Khoshnevisan teaches wherein whether the first MAC CE command comprises a first signaling field is determined according to at least one of the following items: configuration information of the network side device; or a quantity of the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, and wherein whether the target DCI comprises a first signaling field is determined according to at least one of the following items: configuration information of the network side device; a quantity of the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command; or a quantity of TCI states corresponding to codepoints indicated by a TCI field in the target DCI ((paragraph [0090]; [0101]; [0116]-[0119]; [0122]-[0123]; [0133]; [0136]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use wherein whether the first MAC CE command comprises a first signaling field is determined according to at least one of the following items: configuration information of the network side device; or a quantity of the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, and wherein whether the target DCI comprises a first signaling field is determined according to at least one of the following items: configuration information of the network side device; a quantity of the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command; or a quantity of TCI states corresponding to codepoints indicated by a TCI field in the target DCI as taught by Khoshnevisan into Zhou in order to improve quality of service and reduce congestion.
Regarding claim 17-18, Zhou discloses a joint TCI state in the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, or a pair of separate TCI states, or a separate Uplink (UL) TCI state, or a separate Downlink (DL) TCI state; all the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command; or all the TCI states activated by the first MAC CE command, and orders or positions of the various TCI states (paragraph [0093]; [0117]; [0151]; [0171]; and so on), and a joint TCI state in the TCI states corresponding to the codepoints indicated by the TCI field in the DCI, or a pair of separate TCI states, or a separate UL TCI state, or a separate DL TCI state; all the TCI states corresponding to the codepoints indicated by the TCI field in the target DCI; or all the TCI states corresponding to the codepoints indicated by the TCI field in the target DCI, and orders and positions of the various TCI states (paragraph [0093]; [0117]; [0151]; [0171]; and so on).
Zhou does not disclose wherein the first signaling field is used for indicating one of the items.
Khoshnevisan teaches wherein the first signaling field is used for indicating one of the items (paragraph [0116]-[0117]; [0122]-[0123]; [0133]; [0133]; [0136]; [0166]; [0169]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use wherein the first signaling field is used for indicating one of the items as taught by Khoshnevisan into Zhou in order to improve quality of service and reduce congestion.
Conclusion
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/KIBROM T HAILU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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