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 § 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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites “… information related to the indication …”. However, this is the first time this ‘indication’ is mentioned in the claims. This is an antecedent basis issue. Additionally, Applicant also refers to several different instances of “indicating”, “transmission configuration indication (TCI) state”, and “… for indication”, in dependent claim 1. On top of the antecedent basis issue, this makes the claim indefinite as it is unclear exactly what Applicant is referring to with “the indication”. Examiner requests that Applicant please correct this issue.
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.
Claims 9-10, and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vilaipornsawai et al (US 20200296704 A1), and further in view of Rong et al (US 20230269041 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Vilaipornsawai teaches
A terminal comprising ([0035] UE):
a receiver that receives a list indicating a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state, and receives a configuration related to a field in downlink control information (DCI) for indication of one or more TCI states in the list ([0035] UE comprises antenna; [0110], [0114]-[0115], [0119], and [0134]-[0135] the UE receives downlink control information DCI which includes a list of TCI states and the UE also receives a configuration parameter tci-PresentInDCI (configuration related to a field) in the DCI to indicate configured TCI states, where each TCI state indication can collectively form a TCI field); and
a processor that determines, based on the configuration, a size of the field ([0035] UE comprises processor; [0114]-[0115], and [0134]-[0138] the total number of bits (size of the field) for TCI field in the DCI is k*N, where N is the number of TCI states in the DCI, and the UE interprets the value of the TCI field (UE determines size) based on the tci-PresentInDCI parameter (based on the configuration)),
It should be noted that paragraph [0107] of Vilaipornsawai does state that DCI (which includes the TCI states) is used to schedule both uplink and downlink data. However, for the sake of compact prosecution, Rong is introduced below to more explicitly teach the feature of TCI states for both UL and DL.
Rong teaches a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state applicable to both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) ([0108] TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states)
wherein the processor applies the one or more TCI states indicated by the DCI to both the UL and the DL ([0158]-[0159] UE includes processor; [0103], [0108], and [0146] TCI states are applied to each indicated group (examples given are applying TCI states to PUSCH and applying TCI states to PDSCH; i.e. UL and DL), where the TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states).
Vilaipornsawai and Rong are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention, as they are both in the same field of configuring TCI states. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Vilaipornsawai to include the teachings of Rong where TCI states can be for DL, UL, and DL/UL joint. The rationale behind this would be to facilitate more efficient beam management for multiple data and/or control channels on DL and UL ([0037] Rong).
Regarding claim 10, Vilaipornsawai modified by Rong teaches The terminal according to claim 9, as is described above.
Vilaipornsawai further teaches further comprising a transmitter that reports capability information related to the indication indicating support of a function of indicating the one or more TCI states based on a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) ([0110] and [0120] the UE is configured with a list of M TCI states, where the number M of TCI states is based on the UE’s capability (reports capability information related to support of indicating TCI states) and the TCI states are modified, activated, or deactivated using MAC-CE, and the MAC-CE may be used to configure the number of TCI states (based on a MAC-CE)).
Regarding claim 12, Vilaipornsawai teaches
A radio communication method for a terminal, comprising ([0010] method for a UE):
receiving a list indicating a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state, and receiving a configuration related to a field in downlink control information (DCI) for indication of one or more TCI states in the list ([0110], [0114]-[0115], [0119], and [0134]-[0135] the UE receives downlink control information DCI which includes a list of TCI states and the UE also receives a configuration parameter tci-PresentInDCI (configuration related to a field) in the DCI to indicate configured TCI states, where each TCI state indication can collectively form a TCI field);
determining, based on the configuration, a size of the field ([0114]-[0115], and [0134]-[0138] the total number of bits (size of the field) for TCI field in the DCI is k*N, where N is the number of TCI states in the DCI, and the UE interprets the value of the TCI field (UE determines size) based on the tci-PresentInDCI parameter (based on the configuration)); and
It should be noted that paragraph [0107] of Vilaipornsawai does state that DCI (which includes the TCI states) is used to schedule both uplink and downlink data. However, for the sake of compact prosecution, Rong is introduced below to more explicitly teach the feature of TCI states for both UL and DL.
Rong teaches a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state applicable to both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) ([0108] TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states)
applying the one or more TCI states indicated by the DCI to both the UL and the DL ([0103], [0108], and [0146] TCI states are applied to each indicated group (examples given are applying TCI states to PUSCH and applying TCI states to PDSCH; i.e. UL and DL), where the TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states).
Vilaipornsawai and Rong are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention, as they are both in the same field of configuring TCI states. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Vilaipornsawai to include the teachings of Rong where TCI states can be for DL, UL, and DL/UL joint. The rationale behind this would be to facilitate more efficient beam management for multiple data and/or control channels on DL and UL ([0037] Rong).
Regarding claim 13, Vilaipornsawai teaches
A base station comprising ([0099] and [Fig. 3B] base station):
a transmitter that transmits a list indicating a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state, and transmits a configuration related to a field in downlink control information (DCI) for indication of one or more TCI states in the list ([0099] and [Fig. 3B] base station comprises transmitter; [0107], [0110], [0114]-[0115], [0119], and [0134]-[0135] the UE receives downlink control information DCI from the base station which includes a list of TCI states and the UE also receives a configuration parameter tci-PresentInDCI (configuration related to a field) in the DCI to indicate configured TCI states, where each TCI state indication can collectively form a TCI field); and
a processor that controls transmission of the DCI including the field having a size based on the configuration ([0099] and [Fig. 3B] base station comprises processor;),
It should be noted that paragraph [0107] of Vilaipornsawai does state that DCI (which includes the TCI states) is used to schedule both uplink and downlink data. However, for the sake of compact prosecution, Rong is introduced below to more explicitly teach the feature of TCI states for both UL and DL.
Rong teaches a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state applicable to both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) ([0108] TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states)
wherein the one or more TCI states indicated by the DCI are applied to both the UL and the DL ([0103], [0108], and [0146] TCI states are applied to each indicated group (examples given are applying TCI states to PUSCH and applying TCI states to PDSCH; i.e. UL and DL), where the TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states).
Vilaipornsawai and Rong are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention, as they are both in the same field of configuring TCI states. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Vilaipornsawai to include the teachings of Rong where TCI states can be for DL, UL, and DL/UL joint. The rationale behind this would be to facilitate more efficient beam management for multiple data and/or control channels on DL and UL ([0037] Rong).
Regarding claim 14, Vilaipornsawai teaches
A system comprising a terminal and a base station ([Fig. 3A] and [Fig. 3B] UE and base station), wherein
the terminal comprises ([0035] UE):
a receiver that receives a list indicating a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state applicable to both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL), and receives a configuration related to a field in downlink control information (DCI) for indication of one or more TCI states in the list ([0035] UE comprises antenna; [0110], [0114]-[0115], [0119], and [0134]-[0135] the UE receives downlink control information DCI which includes a list of TCI states and the UE also receives a configuration parameter tci-PresentInDCI (configuration related to a field) in the DCI to indicate configured TCI states, where each TCI state indication can collectively form a TCI field); and
a processor that determines, based on the configuration, a size of the field ([0035] UE comprises processor; [0114]-[0115], and [0134]-[0138] the total number of bits (size of the field) for TCI field in the DCI is k*N, where N is the number of TCI states in the DCI, and the UE interprets the value of the TCI field (UE determines size) based on the tci-PresentInDCI parameter (based on the configuration)),
the base station comprises ([0099] and [Fig. 3B] base station):
a transmitter that transmits the list and the configuration ([0099] and [Fig. 3B] base station comprises transmitter; [0107], [0110], [0114]-[0115], [0119], and [0134]-[0135] the UE receives downlink control information DCI from the base station which includes a list of TCI states and the UE also receives a configuration parameter tci-PresentInDCI (configuration related to a field) in the DCI).
It should be noted that paragraph [0107] of Vilaipornsawai does state that DCI (which includes the TCI states) is used to schedule both uplink and downlink data. However, for the sake of compact prosecution, Rong is introduced below to more explicitly teach the feature of TCI states for both UL and DL.
Rong teaches a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state applicable to both uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) ([0108] TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states)
wherein the processor applies the one or more TCI states indicated by the DCI to both the UL and the DL ([0103], [0108], and [0146] TCI states are applied to each indicated group (examples given are applying TCI states to PUSCH and applying TCI states to PDSCH; i.e. UL and DL), where the TCI states can be DL TCI states, UL TCI states, and joint DL/UL TCI states), and
Vilaipornsawai and Rong are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention, as they are both in the same field of configuring TCI states. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Vilaipornsawai to include the teachings of Rong where TCI states can be for DL, UL, and DL/UL joint. The rationale behind this would be to facilitate more efficient beam management for multiple data and/or control channels on DL and UL ([0037] Rong).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vilaipornsawai et al (US 20200296704 A1), Rong et al (US 20230269041 A1), and further in view of Lee et al (US 20250141607 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Vilaipornsawai modified by Rong teaches The terminal according to claim 9, as is described above.
Vilaipornsawai further teaches wherein
the configuration is tci-PresentInDCI ([0119], and [0134]-[0135] configuration parameter tci-PresentInDCI),
the field is a TCI field ([0114]-[0115] each TCI state indication can collectively form a TCI field), and
Vilaipornsawai does not explicitly teach when the tci-PresentInDCI is configured by a radio resource control (RRC) parameter, the processor determines that the size of the TCI field is 3 bits, and when the tci-PresentInDCI is not configured by the RRC parameter, the processor determines that the TCI field is not present.
However, Lee does teach when the tci-PresentInDCI is configured by a radio resource control (RRC) parameter, the processor determines that the size of the TCI field is 3 bits, and when the tci-PresentInDCI is not configured by the RRC parameter, the processor determines that the TCI field is not present ([0352] when the DCI includes a TCI field, if the RRC parameter (configured by RRC parameter) tci-PresentInDCI is activated, the UE may assume that the TCI field is 3-bit (i.e. only when the tci-PresentInDCI parameter is activated can the UE assume the TCI field is present)).
Vilaipornsawai, Rong, and Lee are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention, as they are all in the same field of configuring TCI states. It would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed inventio to have modified Vilaipornsawai/Rong to include the teachings of Lee where the tci-PresentInDCI parameter lets the UE assume the TCI field exists and is 3 bits. The rationale behind this would be to improve reliability ([0136] Lee).
Conclusion
The following is prior art made of record and not relied upon but is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure:
US 20220417909 A1 to Zhu et al teaches a higher layer parameter tci-PresentInDCI with a TCI field, and TCI states being used for UL/DL ([0598] Zhu).
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/A.J.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JAY L VOGEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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