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 § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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.
Claim(s) 16-19, 21, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park hereinafter).
Here is how the reference teaches the claim.
Regarding claim 16, Park discloses a user equipment (Park, paragraphs [0044], As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN) 102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106), comprising:
a transceiver (Park, paragraph [0046], The communication direction from the RAN 104 to the wireless device 106 over the air interface is known as the downlink and the communication direction from the wireless device 106 to the RAN 104 over the air interface is known as the uplink (i.e., downlink and uplink communication performed over the air interface by a transceiver of the wireless device). Also see Fig. 15, elements 1518, 1520 and 1522 and paragraph [0211], Memory 1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may be executed by the processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 to carry out one or more of the functionalities discussed in the present application. Although not shown in FIG. 15, the transmission processing system 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities);
a memory (Park, Fig. 15, elements 1502 and 1524); and
a processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver (Park, Fig. 15, elements 1502, 1518, 1520 and 1522. Also see paragraph [0211], The processing system 1508 and the processing system 1518 may be associated with a memory 1514 and a memory 1524, respectively … Although not shown in FIG. 15, the transmission processing system 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities), wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
receive, via the transceiver during a first slot (Park, paragraph [0324], In an example, a wireless device may receive a MAC-CE activation command for at least one of at least two TCI-states for a CORESET. In an example, a PDSCH may provide the MAC-CE activation command. In an example, the wireless device may transmit a HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH in a slot (i.e., the wireless device receive control information during a first slot)), control information for a first transmission that is scheduled during a second slot (Park, paragraph [0324], when the wireless device receives the MAC-CE activation command (i.e., control information) for the at least one of the at least two TCI-states for the CORESET, in response to the transmitting HARQ-ACK information in the slot, the wireless device may apply the MAC-CE activation command X msec ( e.g., 3 msec, 5 msec) after the slot. In an example, when the wireless device applies the MAC-CE activation command in a second slot (i.e., schedules a first transmission during second t slot), a first BWP may be active in the second slot. In response to the first BWP being active in the second slot, the first BWP may be an active BWP), the second slot following the first slot by less than a threshold duration (Park, paragraph [0439], The PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset (i.e., duration of time) between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset)); and
receive, via the transceiver, the first transmission using a beam associated with a first control resource set of at least one control resource set being monitored by the user equipment (Park, paragraph [0426], The wireless device may monitor a downlink control channel (e.g., a set of PDCCH candidates, a DCI, or DCIs) in a CORESET, based on a TCI-state configured/activated in the CORESET, (e.g., on an active DL BWP) of an (activated) serving cell configured with the (respective) PDCCH monitoring. The wireless device may monitor the downlink control channel (e.g., the set of PDCCH candidates) in the CORESET based on the TCI-state, according to corresponding search space set(s)), the first control resource set having a lowest control resource set identifier of the at least one control resource set (Park, paragraph [0427], the wireless device may determine (e.g., based on the performing the default PDSCH RS selection) a PDSCH default beam, e.g., as identical to a second TCI-state or a second QCL assumption applied for a CORESET with a lowest ID ( e.g., CORESET-specific index being the lowest) or as identical to a third TCI-state with a lowest ID (e.g., among activated TCI-states in a BWP), e.g., TCI-state ID being the lowest among active TCI-states in a BWP), the reception of the first transmission using the beam associated with the first control resource set being based on an absence of, for the user equipment (Park, paragraph [0427], the PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH (i.e., the reception of the first transmission using the beam associated with the first CORESET) and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset), when a CORESET delivering a DCI scheduling a PDSCH is not configured with a higher layer parameter (e.g., TCI-PresentlnDCI), or when a higher layer parameter (e.g., TCIPresentlnDCI) associated with a CORESET delivering a DCI scheduling a PDSCH is not enabled (e.g. not set as "enabled", not turned on, or disabled) (i.e., the reception of the first transmission using the beam associated with the first CORESET being based on an absent or not being set as enabled for the wireless device)), a configured transmission configuration indicator state associated with a plurality of transmissions (Park, abstract, In response to the receiving the first control command: downlink transport blocks are received via a downlink shared channel and based on the second TCI state, a first downlink control channel is received via the first coreset and based on the first TCI state; and a second downlink control channel is received via the second coreset and based on the second TCI state (i.e., TCI state indicator associated with plurality of transmission)).
Regarding claim 17, Park discloses wherein: the at least one control resource set is associated with a first search space of an active bandwidth part of a serving cell for the user equipment that is being monitored by the user equipment (Park, paragraph [0120], For a downlink BWP in a set of configured downlink BWPs on a primary cell (PCell), a base station may configure a UE with one or more control resource sets (CORESETs) for at least one search space. A search space is a set of locations in the time and frequency domains where the UE may find control information. The search space may be a UE-specific search space or a common search space (potentially usable by a plurality of UEs). For example, a base station may configure a UE with a common search space, on a PCell or on a primary secondary cell (PSCell), in an active downlink BWP); and
the at least one control resource set is associated with a third slot that precedes the second slot and is closer to the second slot than any other slot associated with the first search space (Park, paragraph [0197], A CORESET may comprise a time-frequency resource in which the UE tries to decode a DCI using one or more search spaces. The base station may configure a CORESET in the time-frequency domain. In the example of FIG. 14A, a first CORESET 1401 and a second CORESET 1402 occur at the first symbol in a slot. The first CORESET 1401 overlaps with the second CORESET 1402 in the frequency domain. A third CORESET 1403 occurs at a third symbol in the slot. A fourth CORESET 1404 occurs at the seventh symbol in the slot. CORESETs may have a different number of resource blocks in frequency domain).
Regarding claim 18, Park discloses wherein the beam is indicated by a transmission configuration indicator for the first control resource set (Park, paragraph [0385], The wireless device may determine receiving beams ( or spatial domain filters) for PDCCHs/PDSCHs based on a TCI indication (e.g., DCI) and a CORESET pool index associated with a CORESET for the DCI).
Regarding claim 19, Park discloses wherein the first transmission comprises a physical downlink shared channel transmission (Park, paragraph [0437], In an example, source RS(s) in M (joint) TCIs of the at least one joint TCI may provide common QCL information at least for reception (e.g., device-dedicated reception, or UE-dedicated reception) on a PDSCH and one or more CORESETs, transmitted from a TRP identified by the at least one TRP ID, e.g., in a serving cell).
Regarding claim 21, Park discloses wherein the first transmission comprises an aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission (Park, paragraph [0149], The base station may configure the UE to provide CSI reports periodically, aperiodically, or semi-persistently. For periodic CSI reporting, the UE may be configured with a timing and/or periodicity of a plurality of CSI reports. For aperiodic CSI reporting, the base station may request a CSI report. For example, the base station may command the UE to measure a configured CSI-RS resource and provide a CSI report relating to the measurements).
Regarding claim 26, Park discloses a method for wireless communication at a user equipment (Park, paragraphs [0044], As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN) 102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106), comprising:
receiving, during a first slot (Park, paragraph [0324], In an example, a wireless device may receive a MAC-CE activation command for at least one of at least two TCI-states for a CORESET. In an example, a PDSCH may provide the MAC-CE activation command. In an example, the wireless device may transmit a HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH in a slot (i.e., the wireless device receive control information during a first slot)), control information for a first transmission that is scheduled during a second slot (Park, paragraph [0324], when the wireless device receives the MAC-CE activation command (i.e., control information) for the at least one of the at least two TCI-states for the CORESET, in response to the transmitting HARQ-ACK information in the slot, the wireless device may apply the MAC-CE activation command X msec ( e.g., 3 msec, 5 msec) after the slot. In an example, when the wireless device applies the MAC-CE activation command in a second slot (i.e., schedules a first transmission during second t slot), a first BWP may be active in the second slot. In response to the first BWP being active in the second slot, the first BWP may be an active BWP), the second slot following the first slot by less than a threshold duration (Park, paragraph [0439], The PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset (i.e., duration of time) between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset)); and
receiving the first transmission using a beam associated with a first control resource set of at least one control resource set being monitored by the user equipment (Park, paragraph [0426], The wireless device may monitor a downlink control channel (e.g., a set of PDCCH candidates, a DCI, or DCIs) in a CORESET, based on a TCI-state configured/activated in the CORESET, (e.g., on an active DL BWP) of an (activated) serving cell configured with the (respective) PDCCH monitoring. The wireless device may monitor the downlink control channel (e.g., the set of PDCCH candidates) in the CORESET based on the TCI-state, according to corresponding search space set(s)), the first control resource set having a lowest control resource set identifier of the at least one control resource set (Park, paragraph [0427], the wireless device may determine (e.g., based on the performing the default PDSCH RS selection) a PDSCH default beam, e.g., as identical to a second TCI-state or a second QCL assumption applied for a CORESET with a lowest ID ( e.g., CORESET-specific index being the lowest) or as identical to a third TCI-state with a lowest ID (e.g., among activated TCI-states in a BWP), e.g., TCI-state ID being the lowest among active TCI-states in a BWP), the receiving the first transmission using the beam associated with the first control resource set being based on an absence of, for the user equipment (Park, paragraph [0427], the PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH (i.e., the reception of the first transmission using the beam associated with the first CORESET) and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset), when a CORESET delivering a DCI scheduling a PDSCH is not configured with a higher layer parameter (e.g., TCI-PresentlnDCI), or when a higher layer parameter (e.g., TCIPresentlnDCI) associated with a CORESET delivering a DCI scheduling a PDSCH is not enabled (e.g. not set as "enabled", not turned on, or disabled) (i.e., the reception of the first transmission using the beam associated with the first CORESET being based on an absent or not being set as enabled for the wireless device)), a configured transmission configuration indicator state associated with a plurality of transmissions (Park, abstract, In response to the receiving the first control command: downlink transport blocks are received via a downlink shared channel and based on the second TCI state, a first downlink control channel is received via the first coreset and based on the first TCI state; and a second downlink control channel is received via the second coreset and based on the second TCI state (i.e., TCI state indicator associated with plurality of transmission)).
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.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kwak et al., 2023/0318686 A1 (Kwak hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 20, Park discloses the user equipment of claim 19. Park does not explicitly disclose wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the physical downlink shared channel transmission. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Kwak discloses method related to a device operating in a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the physical downlink shared channel transmission (Kwak, paragraph [0180], the WTRU 102 may be configured to determine a first processing time value from among the plural processing time values to decode a PDSCH or encode a PUSCH based at least in part on the aggregation level of a scheduling PDCCH being less than ( or equal to) a threshold. The WTRU 102 may determine a second processing time value to decode the PDSCH or encode the PUSCH from among the plural processing time values based at least in part on the aggregation level of the scheduling PDCCH being less than (or equal to) the threshold).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park by using the features, as taught by Kwak, in order to support a WTRU determine a processing time value and applying it to process a target associated with the processing time value and/or type (see Kwak, abstract).
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Zhang et al., 2023/0155773 A1 (Zhang hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 22, Park discloses the user equipment of claim 21. Park does not explicitly disclose wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhang discloses method related to a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission (Zhang, paragraph [0112], Given the possibility for aperiodic CSI-RS to be scheduled by DCI using a scheduling offset below a threshold that would allow a UE to decode the DCI, it may also be useful to provide techniques for determining a default QCL assumption for aperiodic CSI-RS, at least according to some embodiments).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park by using the features, as taught by Zhang, in order to support a method related to determining a quasi-co-located assumption for aperiodic channel state information reference signals for multi-transmission-reception-point operation in a wireless communication system (see Zhang, abstract).
Claim(s) 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Zhang et al., 2019/0306850 A1 (Zhang’850 hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 23-24, Park discloses the user equipment of claim 16 and the user equipment of claim 21. Park does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 23, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive the first transmission using the beam associated with the first control resource set based on an absence of a second transmission scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot, and configured to use a transmission configuration indicator state.
Regarding claim 24, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive a radio resource control configuration specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by lowest control resource set identifiers if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhang’850 discloses method related to a user equipment configured for new radio (NR) communications that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 23, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive the first transmission using the beam associated with the first control resource set based on an absence of a second transmission scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot, and configured to use a transmission configuration indicator state (Zhang’850, paragraph [0247], If more than one active TCI state is configured, at operation 2110, it is determined whether the scheduling offset is below a threshold. If it is determined that the offset is below a threshold, at operation 2114, the PDSCH beam is based on the CORESET in the latest slot with the lowest CORESET ID. If the scheduling offset is not below the threshold, at operation 2112, it is determined whether TCI is present in DCI. If the TCI is present in the DCI, at operation 2118, the PDSCH beam is based on the indicated TCI state. If the TCI is not present in the DCI (i.e., in absence of second transmission schedule), at operation 2116, the PDSCH beam is based on the TCI state for scheduling PDCCH).
Regarding claim 24, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive a radio resource control configuration specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by lowest control resource set identifiers if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Zhang’850, paragraph [0246]-[0247], In some aspects, for a UE supporting only 1 active TCI state, the gNB may configure 1 TCI state by RRC or active 1 TCI state by MAC Control Element (CE) if multiple TCI states are configured by RRC. In that case, the UE does not need to use different beams to receive the downlink signal with different scheduling offsets as shown in FIG. 17 … If a UE is configured with more than 1 TCI state for PDSCH (i.e., not being configured with at least one TCI) by MAC CE, it could determine the PDSCH beam based on the scheduling offset and whether the TCI is present in DCI. … If it is determined that the offset is below a threshold, at operation 2114, the PDSCH beam is based on the CORESET in the latest slot with the lowest CORESET ID).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park by using the features, as taught by Zhang’850, in order to support a method related to decoding a plurality of CSI-RSs received from a base station on a corresponding plurality of beams (see Zhang’850, abstract).
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kang et al., 2022/0095330 A1 (Kang hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 25, Park discloses the user equipment of claim 16. Park does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor and the memory are further configured with a rule specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by lowest control resource set identifiers if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Kang discloses method related to transmitting a PUSCH by a terminal in a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the processor and the memory are further configured with a rule specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams (Kang, paragraph [0322], The UE may transmit the PUCCH through a UL panel/beam corresponding to the TCI determined based on a specific rule) indicated by lowest control resource set identifiers if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Kang, paragraph [0313], The default TCI is a TCI applied to a specific set of control resources (determined by an agreed rule). The specific control resource set may be the control resource set (CORESET) associated with a monitored search space with the lowest CORESET-ID in the latest slot in which one or more CORESETs within the active BWP of the serving cell).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park by using the features, as taught by Kang, in order to support next-generation mobile communication systems meet, e.g., handling of explosively increasing data traffic, significant increase in per-user transmission rate, working with a great number of connecting devices, and support for very low end-to-end latency and high-energy efficiency (see Kang, abstract and paragraph [0003]).
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5, 7-9 and 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Cirik et al., 2024/0030982 A1 (Cirik hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses a user equipment (Park, paragraphs [0044], As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN) 102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106), comprising:
a transceiver (Park, paragraph [0046], The communication direction from the RAN 104 to the wireless device 106 over the air interface is known as the downlink and the communication direction from the wireless device 106 to the RAN 104 over the air interface is known as the uplink (i.e., downlink and uplink communication performed over the air interface by a transceiver of the wireless device). Also see Fig. 15, elements 1518, 1520 and 1522 and paragraph [0211], Memory 1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may be executed by the processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 to carry out one or more of the functionalities discussed in the present application. Although not shown in FIG. 15, the transmission processing system 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities);
a memory (Park, Fig. 15, elements 1502 and 1524); and
a processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver (Park, Fig. 15, elements 1502, 1518, 1520 and 1522. Also see paragraph [0211], The processing system 1508 and the processing system 1518 may be associated with a memory 1514 and a memory 1524, respectively … Although not shown in FIG. 15, the transmission processing system 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities), wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
receive, via the transceiver, an indication of a first transmission configuration indicator state associated with a plurality of transmissions (Park, paragraph [0437], In an example, source RS(s) in M (joint) TCIs of the at least one joint TCI may provide common QCL information at least for reception (e.g., device-dedicated reception, or UE-dedicated reception) on a PDSCH and one or more CORESETs, transmitted from a TRP identified by the at least one TRP ID, e.g., in a serving cell. Also see [0439] The common QCL information may be applied to determining a PDSCH default beam. The wireless device may determine a PDSCH default beam as identical to an indicated (e.g., configured, activated, updated, or selected) (joint) TCI, e.g., of the M(joint) TCIs);
receive, via the transceiver during a first slot (Park, paragraph [0324], In an example, a wireless device may receive a MAC-CE activation command for at least one of at least two TCI-states for a CORESET. In an example, a PDSCH may provide the MAC-CE activation command. In an example, the wireless device may transmit a HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH in a slot (i.e., the wireless device receive control information during a first slot)), control information that schedules a first transmission during a second slot (Park, paragraph [0324], when the wireless device receives the MAC-CE activation command (i.e., control information) for the at least one of the at least two TCI-states for the CORESET, in response to the transmitting HARQ-ACK information in the slot, the wireless device may apply the MAC-CE activation command X msec ( e.g., 3 msec, 5 msec) after the slot. In an example, when the wireless device applies the MAC-CE activation command in a second slot (i.e., schedules a first transmission during second t slot), a first BWP may be active in the second slot. In response to the first BWP being active in the second slot, the first BWP may be an active BWP), the second slot following the first slot by a duration of time that is less than a threshold duration (Park, paragraph [0439], The PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset (i.e., duration of time) between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset)); and
receive, via the transceiver, the first transmission using a beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0427], the wireless device may determine (e.g., based on the performing the default PDSCH RS selection) a PDSCH default beam, e.g., as identical to a second TCI-state (i.e., a PDSCH transmission using a beam indicated by a TCI-state)),
Regarding claim 15, Park discloses a method for wireless communication at a user equipment (Park, paragraphs [0044], As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN) 102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106), comprising:
receiving an indication of a first transmission configuration indicator state associated with a plurality of transmissions (Park, paragraph [0437], In an example, source RS(s) in M (joint) TCIs of the at least one joint TCI may provide common QCL information at least for reception (e.g., device-dedicated reception, or UE-dedicated reception) on a PDSCH and one or more CORESETs, transmitted from a TRP identified by the at least one TRP ID, e.g., in a serving cell. Also see [0439] The common QCL information may be applied to determining a PDSCH default beam. The wireless device may determine a PDSCH default beam as identical to an indicated (e.g., configured, activated, updated, or selected) (joint) TCI, e.g., of the M(joint) TCIs);
receiving, during a first slot (Park, paragraph [0324], In an example, a wireless device may receive a MAC-CE activation command for at least one of at least two TCI-states for a CORESET. In an example, a PDSCH may provide the MAC-CE activation command. In an example, the wireless device may transmit a HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH in a slot (i.e., the wireless device receive control information during a first slot)), control information that schedules a first transmission during a second slot (Park, paragraph [0324], when the wireless device receives the MAC-CE activation command (i.e., control information) for the at least one of the at least two TCI-states for the CORESET, in response to the transmitting HARQ-ACK information in the slot, the wireless device may apply the MAC-CE activation command X msec ( e.g., 3 msec, 5 msec) after the slot. In an example, when the wireless device applies the MAC-CE activation command in a second slot (i.e., schedules a first transmission during second t slot), a first BWP may be active in the second slot. In response to the first BWP being active in the second slot, the first BWP may be an active BWP), the second slot following the first slot by a duration of time that is less than a threshold duration (Park, paragraph [0439], The PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset (i.e., duration of time) between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset)); and
receiving the first transmission using a beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0427], the wireless device may determine (e.g., based on the performing the default PDSCH RS selection) a PDSCH default beam, e.g., as identical to a second TCI-state (i.e., a PDSCH transmission using a beam indicated by a TCI-state)),
Park does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 1, the reception of the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state being based on the second slot following the first slot by the duration of time that is less than the threshold duration.
Regarding claim 15, the receiving the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state being based on the second slot following the first slot by the duration of time that is less than the threshold duration.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Cirik discloses a method related a device operating in a wireless communication system that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 1, the reception of the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state being based on the second slot following the first slot by the duration of time that is less than the threshold duration (Cirik, paragraph [0437], The wireless device may receive/measure, in the first time slot, the first downlink signal based on the TCI state (e.g., Beam 1) of the selected coreset (i.e., first transmission using Beam 1 indicated by the TCI state), for example, in response to the first time offset being less than the threshold (i.e., first time slot is less than the threshold duration). The wireless device may receive/measure, in the second time slot, the second downlink signal based on the TCI state ( e.g., Beam 1) of the selected coreset, for example, in response to the second time offset (i.e., duration of time) being less than the threshold. Also see paragraph [0437], For example, the DCIs may comprise a first DCI, a second DCI, and a third DCI. The first DCI may schedule/trigger a first downlink signal (e.g., PDSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) in a first time slot (e.g., Slot n in FIG. 23). The second DCI may schedule/trigger a second downlink signal (e.g., PDSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) in a second time slot (e.g., Slot n+l in FIG. 23) (i.e. second or slot n+1 follows the first slot or slot n)).
Regarding claim 15, the receiving the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state being based on the second slot following the first slot by the duration of time that is less than the threshold duration (Cirik, paragraph [0437], The wireless device may receive/measure, in the first time slot, the first downlink signal based on the TCI state (e.g., Beam 1) of the selected coreset (i.e., first transmission using Beam 1 indicated by the TCI state), for example, in response to the first time offset being less than the threshold (i.e., first time slot is less than the threshold duration). The wireless device may receive/measure, in the second time slot, the second downlink signal based on the TCI state ( e.g., Beam 1) of the selected coreset, for example, in response to the second time offset (i.e., duration of time) being less than the threshold. Also see paragraph [0437], For example, the DCIs may comprise a first DCI, a second DCI, and a third DCI. The first DCI may schedule/trigger a first downlink signal (e.g., PDSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) in a first time slot (e.g., Slot n in FIG. 23). The second DCI may schedule/trigger a second downlink signal (e.g., PDSCH, aperiodic CSI-RS) in a second time slot (e.g., Slot n+l in FIG. 23) (i.e. second or slot n+1 follows the first slot or slot n)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park by using the features, as taught by Cirik, in order to support method related to improving efficiency of an aperiodic Cl reporting and/or avoid unnecessary signaling overhead by indicating measurement results (or radio link qualities such as RSRP, L1-RSRP, SNR, SINR) of reference signals indicated by at least two aperiodic trigger states in the aperiodic CSI report (see Cirik, abstract and paragraph [0222]).
Regarding claim 2, Park discloses wherein the first transmission comprises a physical downlink shared channel transmission (Park, paragraph [0437], In an example, source RS(s) in M (joint) TCIs of the at least one joint TCI may provide common QCL information at least for reception (e.g., device-dedicated reception, or UE-dedicated reception) on a PDSCH and one or more CORESETs, transmitted from a TRP identified by the at least one TRP ID, e.g., in a serving cell).
Regarding claim 4, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: identify quasi co-location parameters for receiving the physical downlink shared channel transmission based on the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0248], In an example, the using the TCI-state according to the value of the TCI field may comprise that the wireless device may assume that one or more DM-RS ports of the PDSCH of a serving cell are quasi co-located with one or more RS(s) in the TCI-state with respect to one or more QCL type parameter(s) given by the TCI-state when the time offset between the reception of the DCI and the PDSCH is equal or greater than the threshold).
Regarding claim 5, Park discloses wherein the first transmission comprises an aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission (Park, paragraph [0149], The base station may configure the UE to provide CSI reports periodically, aperiodically, or semi-persistently. For periodic CSI reporting, the UE may be configured with a timing and/or periodicity of a plurality of CSI reports. For aperiodic CSI reporting, the base station may request a CSI report. For example, the base station may command the UE to measure a configured CSI-RS resource and provide a CSI report relating to the measurements).
Regarding claim 7, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: identify quasi co-location parameters for receiving the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission based on the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0374], In an example, an aperiodic CSI-RS resource of the one or more CSI-RS resources may be associated with a first TCI state of the one or more TCI-State configurations. In an example, the first TCI state may indicate at least one first RS. In an example, the first TCI state may indicate at least one first QCL type. In an example, the aperiodic CSI-RS resource being associated with the first TCI state may comprise that the wireless device receives an aperiodic CSI-RS of the aperiodic CSI-RS resource with the at least one first RS (indicated by the first TCI state) with respect to the at least one first QCL type indicated by the first TCI state).
Regarding claim 8, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
receive the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0164], the base station may determine, based on the reported measurement results, one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states comprising a number of reference signals. In an example, the base station may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE ( e.g., via RRC signaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI). The UE may receive a downlink transmission with a receive (Rx) beam determined based on the one or more TCI states) based on the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission being configured to use the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0371], In an example, an aperiodic CSI-RS resource of the one or more CSI-RS resources may be associated with a TCI state (provided by a higher layer parameter qcl-info in IE CSIAperiodicTriggerStateList) of one or more TCI-State configurations).
Regarding claim 9, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
receive the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0164], the base station may determine, based on the reported measurement results, one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states comprising a number of reference signals. In an example, the base station may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE ( e.g., via RRC signaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI). The UE may receive a downlink transmission with a receive (Rx) beam determined based on the one or more TCI states) irrespective of whether the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission is configured to use the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0370], In an example, an aperiodic CSI-RS resource of the one or more CSI-RS resources may be associated with a TCI state (provided by a higher layer parameter qcl-info in IE CSIAperiodicTriggerStateList) of one or more TCI-State configurations (i.e., aperiodic CSI-RS is not limited to first TCI state, it could be associated with one or more TCI-State configurations)).
Regarding claim 13, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive the indication of the first transmission configuration indicator state via the control information (Park, paragraph [0164], In an example, the base station may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE ( e.g., via RRC signaling, a MAC CE, and/or a DCI) (i.e., via the control information). The UE may receive a downlink transmission with a receive (Rx) beam determined based on the one or more TCI states).
Regarding claim 14, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive the indication of the first transmission configuration indicator state via a medium access control-control element (Park, paragraph [0425], In an example, the wireless device may receive an activation command ( e.g., via a MAC-CE). The activation command may be used to map one or more TCI-states to one or more codepoints of a DCI field ( e.g., TCI field)).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Cirik et al., 2024/0030982 A1 (Cirik hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kwak et al., 2023/0318686 A1 (Kwak hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 3, Park and Cirik disclose the user equipment of claim 2. Park and Cirik do not explicitly disclose wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the physical downlink shared channel transmission. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Kwak discloses method related to a device operating in a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the physical downlink shared channel transmission (Kwak, paragraph [0180], the WTRU 102 may be configured to determine a first processing time value from among the plural processing time values to decode a PDSCH or encode a PUSCH based at least in part on the aggregation level of a scheduling PDCCH being less than ( or equal to) a threshold. The WTRU 102 may determine a second processing time value to decode the PDSCH or encode the PUSCH from among the plural processing time values based at least in part on the aggregation level of the scheduling PDCCH being less than (or equal to) the threshold).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Cirik by using the features, as taught by Kwak, in order to support a WTRU determine a processing time value and applying it to process a target associated with the processing time value and/or type (see Kwak, abstract).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Cirik et al., 2024/0030982 A1 (Cirik hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Zhang et al., 2023/0155773 A1 (Zhang hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 6, Park and Cirik disclose the user equipment of claim 5. Park and Cirik do not explicitly disclose wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhang discloses method related to a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission (Zhang, paragraph [0112], Given the possibility for aperiodic CSI-RS to be scheduled by DCI using a scheduling offset below a threshold
that would allow a UE to decode the DCI, it may also be useful to provide techniques for determining a default QCL assumption for aperiodic CSI-RS, at least according to some embodiments).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Cirik by using the features, as taught by Zhang, in order to support a method related to determining a quasi-co-located assumption for aperiodic channel state information reference signals for multi-transmission-reception-point operation in a wireless communication system (see Zhang, abstract).
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Cirik et al., 2024/0030982 A1 (Cirik hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Zhang et al., 2019/0306850 A1 (Zhang’850 hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 10-11, Park and Cirik disclose the user equipment of claim 1 and the user equipment of claim 5. Park and Cirik do not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
receive the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state based on an absence of a second transmission scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot, and configured to use a transmission configuration indicator state.
Regarding claim 11, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
receive a radio resource control configuration specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by at least one transmission configuration indicator state if the user equipment has been configured with the at least one transmission configuration indicator state. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhang’850 discloses method related to a user equipment configured for new radio (NR) communications that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 10, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
receive the first transmission using the beam indicated by the first transmission configuration indicator state based on an absence of a second transmission scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot, and configured to use a transmission configuration indicator state (Zhang’850, paragraph [0247], If more than one active TCI state is configured, at operation 2110, it is determined whether the scheduling offset is below a threshold. If it is determined that the offset is below a threshold, at operation 2114, the PDSCH beam is based on the CORESET in the latest slot with the lowest CORESET ID. If the scheduling offset is not below the threshold, at operation 2112, it is determined whether TCI is present in DCI. If the TCI is present in the DCI, at operation 2118, the PDSCH beam is based on the indicated TCI state. If the TCI is not present in the DCI (i.e., in absence of second transmission schedule), at operation 2116, the PDSCH beam is based on the TCI state for scheduling PDCCH).
Regarding claim 11, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to:
receive a radio resource control configuration specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by at least one transmission configuration indicator state if the user equipment has been configured with the at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Zhang’850, paragraph [0246]-[0247], In some aspects, for a UE supporting only 1 active TCI state, the gNB may configure 1 TCI state by RRC or active 1 TCI state by MAC Control Element (CE) if multiple TCI states are configured by RRC. In that case, the UE does not need to use different beams to receive the downlink signal with different scheduling offsets as shown in FIG. 17 … if a UE is configured with 1 TCI state for PDSCH by MAC CE or RRC, it can follow this configured TCI state to receive PDSCH regardless of scheduling offset and/or whether TCI state is present in the scheduling DCI).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Cirik by using the features, as taught by Zhang’850, in order to support a method related to decoding a plurality of CSI-RSs received from a base station on a corresponding plurality of beams (see Zhang’850, abstract).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Cirik et al., 2024/0030982 A1 (Cirik hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kang et al., 2022/0095330 A1 (Kang hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 12, Park and Cirik disclose the user equipment of claim 1. Park and Cirik do not explicitly disclose wherein the processor and the memory are further configured with a rule specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by at least one transmission configuration indicator state if the user equipment has been configured with the at least one transmission configuration indicator state. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Kang discloses method related to transmitting a PUSCH by a terminal in a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the processor and the memory are further configured with a rule specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams indicated by at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Kang, paragraph [0322], The UE may transmit the PUCCH through a UL panel/beam corresponding to the TCI determined based on a specific rule) if the user equipment has been configured with the at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Kang, paragraph [0329], The UE may select one TCI state according to a rule set/indicated by the BS or a designated PDSCH (TCI) and transmit the PUCCH through a UL panel/beam corresponding to the TCI).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Cirik by using the features, as taught by Kang, in order to support next-generation mobile communication systems meet, e.g., handling of explosively increasing data traffic, significant increase in per-user transmission rate, working with a great number of connecting devices, and support for very low end-to-end latency and high-energy efficiency (see Kang, abstract and paragraph [0003]).
Claim(s) 27-28, 30 and 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Lin et al., 2023/0049041 A1 (Lin hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 27, Park discloses a user equipment (Park, paragraphs [0044], As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN) 102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106), comprising:
a transceiver (Park, paragraph [0046], The communication direction from the RAN 104 to the wireless device 106 over the air interface is known as the downlink and the communication direction from the wireless device 106 to the RAN 104 over the air interface is known as the uplink (i.e., downlink and uplink communication performed over the air interface by a transceiver of the wireless device). Also see Fig. 15, elements 1518, 1520 and 1522 and paragraph [0211], Memory 1514 and memory 1524 (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) may store computer program instructions or code that may be executed by the processing system 1508 and/or the processing system 1518 to carry out one or more of the functionalities discussed in the present application. Although not shown in FIG. 15, the transmission processing system 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities);
a memory (Park, Fig. 15, elements 1502 and 1524); and
a processor coupled to the memory and the transceiver (Park, Fig. 15, elements 1502, 1518, 1520 and 1522. Also see paragraph [0211], The processing system 1508 and the processing system 1518 may be associated with a memory 1514 and a memory 1524, respectively … Although not shown in FIG. 15, the transmission processing system 1510, the transmission processing system 1520, the reception processing system 1512, and/or the reception processing system 1522 may be coupled to a memory (e.g., one or more non-transitory computer readable mediums) storing computer program instructions or code that may be executed to carry out one or more of their respective functionalities), wherein the processor and the memory are configured to:
receive, via the transceiver during a first slot (Park, paragraph [0324], In an example, a wireless device may receive a MAC-CE activation command for at least one of at least two TCI-states for a CORESET. In an example, a PDSCH may provide the MAC-CE activation command. In an example, the wireless device may transmit a HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH in a slot (i.e., the wireless device receive control information during a first slot)), control information for a first transmission that is scheduled during a second slot (Park, paragraph [0324], when the wireless device receives the MAC-CE activation command (i.e., control information) for the at least one of the at least two TCI-states for the CORESET, in response to the transmitting HARQ-ACK information in the slot, the wireless device may apply the MAC-CE activation command X msec ( e.g., 3 msec, 5 msec) after the slot. In an example, when the wireless device applies the MAC-CE activation command in a second slot (i.e., schedules a first transmission during second t slot), a first BWP may be active in the second slot. In response to the first BWP being active in the second slot, the first BWP may be an active BWP), the second slot following the first slot by less than a threshold duration (Park, paragraph [0439], The PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset (i.e., duration of time) between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset));
Regarding claim 34, Park discloses a method for wireless communication at a user equipment (Park, paragraphs [0044], As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the mobile communication network 100 includes a core network (CN) 102, a radio access network (RAN) 104, and a wireless device 106), comprising:
receiving, during a first slot (Park, paragraph [0324], In an example, a wireless device may receive a MAC-CE activation command for at least one of at least two TCI-states for a CORESET. In an example, a PDSCH may provide the MAC-CE activation command. In an example, the wireless device may transmit a HARQ-ACK information for the PDSCH in a slot (i.e., the wireless device receive control information during a first slot)), control information for a first transmission that is scheduled during a second slot (Park, paragraph [0324], when the wireless device receives the MAC-CE activation command (i.e., control information) for the at least one of the at least two TCI-states for the CORESET, in response to the transmitting HARQ-ACK information in the slot, the wireless device may apply the MAC-CE activation command X msec ( e.g., 3 msec, 5 msec) after the slot. In an example, when the wireless device applies the MAC-CE activation command in a second slot (i.e., schedules a first transmission during second t slot), a first BWP may be active in the second slot. In response to the first BWP being active in the second slot, the first BWP may be an active BWP), the second slot following the first slot by less than a threshold duration (Park, paragraph [0439], The PDSCH default beam may be used for a PDSCH reception based on certain condition(s), e.g., when a time offset (i.e., duration of time) between a reception of a DCI scheduling a PDSCH and a reception of the PDSCH is equal to or lower than a threshold (e.g., Threshold-Sched-Offset));
Park does not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 27, and receive, via the transceiver, the first transmission using a beam associated with a second transmission that is scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot, the second transmission being configured to use a first transmission configuration indicator state that is associated with a plurality of transmissions.
Regarding claim 34, and receiving the first transmission using a beam associated with a second transmission that is scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot, the second transmission being configured to use a first transmission configuration indicator state that is associated with a plurality of transmissions.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Lin discloses a method related to a user equipment operating in a wireless communication system that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 27, and receive, via the transceiver, the first transmission using a beam associated with a second transmission that is scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot (Lin, Fig. 10 and paragraph [0083], FIG. 10 is a flow chart 1000 of a method (process) for receiving downlink data channels. The method may be performed by a UE (e.g., the UE 704). At operation 1002, the UE receives DCI scheduling two or more downlink data channels to be transmitted in one or more slots (i.e., UE receives DCI scheduling of DL data channel for transmission during the second slot). Also see paragraph [0079], the base station 902 configures the UE 904 to receive data in accordance with a scheme "SDM." In particular, the base station 902 may transmit the same PDSCH on different beams in each slot of the slots 930-1, 930-2, 930-3 (i.e., UE receiving data using beam associated with the second transmission)), the second transmission being configured to use a first transmission configuration indicator state that is associated with a plurality of transmissions (Lin, paragraph [0083], At operation 1004, the UE determines an indication, in the DCI, indicating a first TCI state and a second TCI state. At operation 1006, the UE receives each of the two or more downlink data channels in a respective first set of resources in accordance with the first TCI state (i.e., the second transmission is configured to use TCI state associated with plurality of transmissions) and in a respective second set of resources in accordance with the second TCI state).
Regarding claim 34, and receiving the first transmission using a beam associated with a second transmission that is scheduled, at least in part, during the second slot (Lin, Fig. 10 and paragraph [0083], FIG. 10 is a flow chart 1000 of a method (process) for receiving downlink data channels. The method may be performed by a UE (e.g., the UE 704). At operation 1002, the UE receives DCI scheduling two or more downlink data channels to be transmitted in one or more slots (i.e., UE receives DCI scheduling of DL data channel for transmission during the second slot). Also see paragraph [0079], the base station 902 configures the UE 904 to receive data in accordance with a scheme "SDM." In particular, the base station 902 may transmit the same PDSCH on different beams in each slot of the slots 930-1, 930-2, 930-3 (i.e., UE receiving data using beam associated with the second transmission)), the second transmission being configured to use a first transmission configuration indicator state that is associated with a plurality of transmissions (Lin, paragraph [0083], At operation 1004, the UE determines an indication, in the DCI, indicating a first TCI state and a second TCI state. At operation 1006, the UE receives each of the two or more downlink data channels in a respective first set of resources in accordance with the first TCI state (i.e., the second transmission is configured to use TCI state associated with plurality of transmissions) and in a respective second set of resources in accordance with the second TCI state).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park by using the features, as taught by Lin, in order to support scheduling a user equipment to receive multiple physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs) in accordance with multiple transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states (see Lin, abstract and paragraph [0002]).
Regarding claim 28, Park discloses wherein the first transmission comprises an aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission (Park, paragraph [0149], The base station may configure the UE to provide CSI reports periodically, aperiodically, or semi-persistently. For periodic CSI reporting, the UE may be configured with a timing and/or periodicity of a plurality of CSI reports. For aperiodic CSI reporting, the base station may request a CSI report. For example, the base station may command the UE to measure a configured CSI-RS resource and provide a CSI report relating to the measurements).
Regarding claim 30, Park discloses wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: identify quasi co-location parameters for receiving the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission based on the first transmission configuration indicator state (Park, paragraph [0374], In an example, an aperiodic CSI-RS resource of the one or more CSI-RS resources may be associated with a first TCI state of the one or more TCI-State configurations. In an example, the first TCI state may indicate at least one first RS. In an example, the first TCI state may indicate at least one first QCL type. In an example, the aperiodic CSI-RS resource being associated with the first TCI state may comprise that the wireless device receives an aperiodic CSI-RS of the aperiodic CSI-RS resource with the at least one first RS (indicated by the first TCI state) with respect to the at least one first QCL type indicated by the first TCI state).
Claim(s) 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Lin et al., 2023/0049041 A1 (Lin hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Zhang et al., 2023/0155773 A1 (Zhang hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 27, Park and Lin disclose the user equipment of claim 28. Park and Lin do not explicitly disclose wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhang discloses method related to a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the threshold duration specifies a minimum decoding time for the aperiodic channel state information reference signal transmission (Zhang, paragraph [0112], Given the possibility for aperiodic CSI-RS to be scheduled by DCI using a scheduling offset below a threshold
that would allow a UE to decode the DCI, it may also be useful to provide techniques for determining a default QCL assumption for aperiodic CSI-RS, at least according to some embodiments).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Lin by using the features, as taught by Zhang, in order to support a method related to determining a quasi-co-located assumption for aperiodic channel state information reference signals for multi-transmission-reception-point operation in a wireless communication system (see Zhang, abstract).
Claim(s) 31-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Lin et al., 2023/0049041 A1 (Lin hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Zhang et al., 2019/0306850 A1 (Zhang’850 hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claims 31-32, Park and Lin disclose the user equipment of claim 27. Park and Lin do not explicitly disclose the following features.
Regarding claim 31, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive the first transmission using the beam associated with the second transmission based on an absence of a configured transmission configuration indicator state for the user equipment.
Regarding claim 32, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive a radio resource control configuration specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams associated with other transmissions if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Zhang’850 discloses method related to a user equipment configured for new radio (NR) communications that comprises the following features.
Regarding claim 31, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive the first transmission using the beam associated with the second transmission based on an absence of a configured transmission configuration indicator state for the user equipment (Zhang’850, paragraph [0247], If more than one active TCI state is configured, at operation 2110, it is determined whether the scheduling offset is below a threshold. If it is determined that the offset is below a threshold, at operation 2114, the PDSCH beam is based on the CORESET in the latest slot with the lowest CORESET ID. If the scheduling offset is not below the threshold, at operation 2112, it is determined whether TCI is present in DCI. If the TCI is present in the DCI, at operation 2118, the PDSCH beam is based on the indicated TCI state. If the TCI is not present in the DCI (i.e., in absence of second transmission schedule), at operation 2116, the PDSCH beam is based on the TCI state for scheduling PDCCH).
Regarding claim 32, wherein the processor and the memory are further configured to: receive a radio resource control configuration specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams associated with other transmissions if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Zhang’850, paragraph [0246]-[0247], In some aspects, for a UE supporting only 1 active TCI state, the gNB may configure 1 TCI state by RRC or active 1 TCI state by MAC Control Element (CE) if multiple TCI states are configured by RRC. In that case, the UE does not need to use different beams to receive the downlink signal with different scheduling offsets as shown in FIG. 17 … If a UE is configured with more than 1 TCI state for PDSCH (i.e., not being configured with at least one TCI) by MAC CE, it could determine the PDSCH beam based on the scheduling offset and whether the TCI is present in DCI. … If it is determined that the offset is below a threshold, at operation 2114, the PDSCH beam is based on the CORESET in the latest slot with the lowest CORESET ID).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Lin by using the features, as taught by Zhang’850, in order to support a method related to decoding a plurality of CSI-RSs received from a base station on a corresponding plurality of beams (see Zhang’850, abstract).
Claim(s) 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over disclosed prior art (IDS of 02/11/2026) Park et el., US 2022/0116859 A1 (Park herein after), in view of Lin et al., 2023/0049041 A1 (Lin hereinafter), as applied to the claims above and further in view of Kang et al., 2022/0095330 A1 (Kang hereinafter).
Here is how the references teach the claims.
Regarding claim 33, Park and Lin disclose the user equipment of claim 28. Park and Lin do not explicitly disclose wherein the processor and the memory are further configured with a rule specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams associated with other transmissions if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state. In the same field of endeavor (e.g., communication system) Kang discloses method related to transmitting a PUSCH by a terminal in a wireless communication system that comprises wherein the processor and the memory are further configured with a rule specifying that the user equipment is to receive transmissions using beams associated with other transmissions (Kang, paragraph [0322], The UE may transmit the PUCCH through a UL panel/beam corresponding to the TCI determined based on a specific rule) if the user equipment has not been configured with at least one transmission configuration indicator state (Kang, paragraph [0323], The UE may select any one of the plurality of TCI states (i.e., not being configured with at least one TCI State) according to a specific rule, and transmit the PUCCH through a UL panel/beam corresponding to the TCI).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Park and Lin by using the features, as taught by Kang, in order to support next-generation mobile communication systems meet, e.g., handling of explosively increasing data traffic, significant increase in per-user transmission rate, working with a great number of connecting devices, and support for very low end-to-end latency and high-energy efficiency (see Kang, abstract and paragraph [0003]).
Conclusion
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/OBAIDUL HUQ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473 Dated: 08/17/2026
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