DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the Request for Continued Examination filed on 7/8/2026.
Currently, claims 1-20 are pending.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 7/12/2026 is accepted and entered.
Where the ‘No IDS size fee’ statement/requirement in regards to provisions of 37 CFR 1.17(v) is correct, given that #1) the first IDS was filed on 9/12/2024 (i.e. before the effective date of the new IDS rules) and #2) said first IDS already stated/listed more than 200 items/references (i.e. the cumulative count already exceeded the third fee threshold). Which is verified by ‘Provision #15’ & ‘Example 9’ of ‘Quick Reference Guide to the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) Size Fee and Size Fee Assertion’ published by the USPTO.
Claim Objections
Note that the claim amendments of RCE filed on 7/8/2026 include substantial amendments and differences with respect to the previously allowed claims (see Allowability Notice mailed on 4/8/2026 and previous claim set filed on 2/18/2026).
Where the current claim amendments introduce a large number of typographic errors, i.e. double/extra spaces, are introduced into independent claims 1 and 11.
The Examiner recommends the following corrections (i.e. deletion of the double/extra spaces in the claims filed on 7/8/2026), as addressed below:
1. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
receiving [[ ]]downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission and a second PDSCH transmission,
wherein the DCI comprises [[ ]]information for determining a beam[[ ]], wherein the DCI indicates a time domain resource information for the first PDSCH transmission and the second PDSCH transmission;
receiving the first PDSCH transmission using a first beam, wherein the first beam is a beam used for receiving a control channel transmission; and
receiving the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam [[ ]]comprised in the DCI.
11. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:
a transceiver; and
a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, wherein:
the transceiver and the processor are configured to receive [[ ]]downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission and a second PDSCH transmission,
wherein the DCI comprises [[ ]]information for determining a beam[[ ]], wherein the DCI indicates a time domain resource information for the first PDSCH transmission and the second PDSCH transmission;
the transceiver [[ ]]and the processor are further configured to receive the first PDSCH transmission using a first beam, wherein the first beam is a beam used to receive a control channel transmission; and
the transceiver [[ ]]and the processor are further configured to receive the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam [[ ]]comprised in the DCI.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Note that the claim amendments of RCE filed on 7/8/2026 include substantial amendments and differences with respect to the previously allowed claims (see Allowability Notice mailed on 4/8/2026 and previous claim set filed on 2/18/2026).
Where the current claim amendments introduce a new contradiction/issue into the scope of the independent claim 1 (and independent claim 14).
Section 5.1 (below)
With regards to claim 1 (which removes the double/extra spaces addressed earlier in this OA) states (with emphasis added):
1. A method for use in a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
receiving downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission and a second PDSCH transmission,
wherein the DCI comprises information for determining a beam, wherein the DCI indicates a time domain resource information for the first PDSCH transmission and the second PDSCH transmission;
receiving the first PDSCH transmission using a first beam, wherein the first beam is a beam used for receiving a control channel transmission; and
receiving the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam comprised in the DCI.
Where the last limitation of claim 1 (see emphasized limitation above), logically recites antecedent basis to the earlier limitation “wherein the DCI comprises information for determining a beam”. However, the claim amendments (of the last limitation) only partially update the antecedent basis of the last limitation (via the phrase “the information”) and then immediately states “determining a beam”, where the phrase “determining a beam” (of the last limitation) technically introduces a new/second ‘determined beam’ (in regards the phrase “wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam comprised in the DCI”); which contradicts the merits of the instant Detailed Specification as well as the scope of the previously allowed claims (filed on 2/18/2026 as addressed in the Allowability Notice mailed on 4/8/2026).
Therefore (as addressed above), last limitation of claim 1 (i.e. “receiving the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam comprised in the DCI”) fail(s) the threshold requirements for clarity and precision as pursuant to MPEP 2173.02.II, which also renders the scope of claim 1 to be indefinite with regards to the knowledge and abilities of a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (as pursuant to MPEP 2173.02.II).
Where the Examiner recommends one of the following amendments to correct the issue:
Option 1) receiving the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining [[a]]the beam comprised in the DCI.
Although since the terminology of “beam”, “first beam”, and “second beam” are already introduced/required by the limitations of claim 1, option 2 (below) may provide a more robust/thorough solution.
Option 2) receiving the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for the determined beam comprised in the DCI.
Section 5.2 (below)
With regards to claim 11 (which removes the double/extra spaces addressed earlier in this OA) states (with emphasis added):
11. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:
a transceiver; and
a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver, wherein:
the transceiver and the processor are configured to receive downlink control information (DCI) that schedules a first physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission and a second PDSCH transmission,
wherein the DCI comprises information for determining a beam, wherein the DCI indicates a time domain resource information for the first PDSCH transmission and the second PDSCH transmission;
the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive the first PDSCH transmission using a first beam, wherein the first beam is a beam used to receive a control channel transmission; and
the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam comprised in the DCI.
Where the last limitation of claim 11 (see emphasized limitation above), logically recites antecedent basis to the earlier limitation “wherein the DCI comprises information for determining a beam”. However, the claim amendments (of the last limitation) only partially update the antecedent basis of the last limitation (via the phrase “the information”) and then immediately states “determining a beam”, where the phrase “determining a beam” (of the last limitation) technically introduces a new/second ‘determined beam’ (in regards the phrase “wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam comprised in the DCI”); which contradicts the merits of the instant Detailed Specification as well as the scope of the previously allowed claims (filed on 2/18/2026 as addressed in the Allowability Notice mailed on 4/8/2026).
Therefore (as addressed above), last limitation of claim 11 (i.e. “the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining a beam comprised in the DCI”) fail(s) the threshold requirements for clarity and precision as pursuant to MPEP 2173.02.II, which also renders the scope of claim 11 to be indefinite with regards to the knowledge and abilities of a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (as pursuant to MPEP 2173.02.II).
Where the Examiner recommends one of the following amendments to correct the issue:
Option 1) the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for determining [[a]]the beam comprised in the DCI.
Although since the terminology of “beam”, “first beam”, and “second beam” are already introduced/required by the limitations of claim 11, option 2 (below) may provide a more robust/thorough solution.
Option 2) the transceiver and the processor are further configured to receive the second PDSCH transmission using a second beam, wherein the second beam is determined based on the information for the determined beam comprised in the DCI.
Section 5.3 (below)
Where dependent claims 2-10 and 12-20 each fail to mitigate the indefinite scope of independent parent claim 1 and/or independent parent claim 11 (as addressed above) and thus claims 2-10 and 12-20 are each rejected for similar rationale as claim 1 and/or claim 11 above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 11 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as well as the claim objections, as set forth in this Office action (supra).
Claims 2-10 and 12-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as well as the claim objections, as set forth in this Office action (supra); and rewritten or amended to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Where the closet prior art of record is Papasakellariou et al. (US 2014/0328260), which discloses a wireless communication system including at the one base station (eNB) and a User Equipment (UE, a.k.a. WTRU); see at least figure 1. Wherein at least paragraph [0011] discloses (with emphasis added):
[0011] In a sixth embodiment, a user equipment (UE) is provided. The UE includes a receiver configured to receive one or more Physical Downlink Shared CHannels (PDSCHs) transmitted from a base station in respective one or more Transmission Time Intervals (TTIs), the one or more PDSCHs scheduled by a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format that includes at least one field consisting of binary elements and is transmitted by the base station in a Physical Downlink Control CHannel (PDCCH) in a first TTI, the receiver configured to receive the one PDSCH in the one TTI or receive the one or more PDSCHs in the one or more TTIs. The UE also includes a detector configured to detect the DCI format and obtain a value for the at least one field. The UE further includes a processor configured to determine, from the value, at least one of: a number for the DCI format, wherein the number is a counter of DCI formats received from the base station in a set of TTIs, when the DCI format can schedule only one PDSCH transmission to the UE in the first TTI, and a number of one or more TTIs where one or more respective PDSCHs is received by the receiver when the DCI format can schedule multiple PDSCH transmission to the UE in respective multiple TTIs.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure and are cited in the attached PTO-892 form, including the merits of Yu et al. (US 2015/0009968).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James M. Perez, telephone number (571)270-3231. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday: 10am to 6pm EST.
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/JAMES M PEREZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635 7/24/2026
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