DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1 - 30 are presented for examination.
Specification
The title of the invention is objected for not being descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 12, 13, 17, 23, 24, 28 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US Pub. 20240064725 A1) in view of Yao et al. (US Pub. 20240031111 A1).
For claims 1 and 23, Zhang discloses an apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), comprising: a processor; memory coupled with the processor (UE 200 includes processor 205 operatively coupled with memory arrangement 210, thereby providing the claimed processor and coupled memory; Fig. 2) [0028]–[0029]; and
instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus (The processor of UE 200 executes instructions stored in memory arrangement 210 to implement the UE’s wireless-communication operations; Fig. 2) [0028]–[0029] to:
establish a communications link with a network via a first transmission and reception point and a second transmission and reception point (Zhang describes multi-TRP operation in which the UE is served through first and second TRPs corresponding to respective beam/TCI states, thereby establishing a communication link through both TRPs; Figs. 4–5) [0010], [0036];
identify for each reference signal of the set of reference signals, a respective transmission configuration indicator state according to an association of each reference signal with the first transmission and reception point or the second transmission and reception point (Zhang maps first and second TCI states to CSI-RS/SRS resources or resource sets associated with respective first and second TRPs, such that the TCI state for each reference signal is identified according to the reference signal’s TRP association; Fig. 5) [0045], [0050]–[0051]; and
communicate with the network according to the respective transmission configuration indicator state identified for each reference signal of the set of reference signals (Zhang applies the mapped TCI state to the corresponding CSI-RS/SRS resource associated with each TRP, thereby causing the UE to communicate each reference signal according to its identified TCI state; Fig. 5) [0050]–[0052]
But Zhang doesn’t explicitly teach receive scheduling information for a set of reference signals;
However, Yao discloses receive scheduling information for a set of reference signals ( RS request or trigger signaling identifies designated RS resources or resource sets for communication, thereby providing scheduling information for the set of reference signals; Figs. 2–3, and 6) [0019]–[0025], [0058]–[0060];
Yao further discloses communicate with the network according to the respective transmission configuration indicator state identified for each reference signal of the set of reference signals (Yao applies an indicated or activated TCI/beam state to the corresponding target RS resource, thereby causing each reference signal to be communicated according to its respective TCI state; Figs. 2 and 6) [0011]–[0013], [0046]–[0051], [0094]–[0099].
Since, all are analogous arts addressing reference signal schemes used in a mobile network; Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Zhang with Yao to ensure properly signaling for data transmission, thus, improving signal quality and reliability.
For claims 12 and 30, Zhang discloses apparatus for wireless communications at a network entity (gNB 300 is a network entity having processing and memory components configured to perform network-side wireless-communication operations; Fig. 3) [0030]–[0031], comprising: a processor; memory coupled with the processor (gNB 300 includes a processor operatively coupled with a memory arrangement, thereby providing the claimed processor and coupled memory; Fig. 3) [0030]–[0031]; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus (The processor of gNB 300 executes instructions stored in its memory arrangement to implement the disclosed network-side wireless-communication functions; Fig. 3) [0030]–[0031] to:
establish a communications link with a user equipment (UE) via a first transmission and reception point and a second transmission and reception point (Zhang describes a multi-TRP arrangement in which the network communicates with the UE through first and second TRPs corresponding to respective beam/TCI states; Figs. 4–5) [0010], [0036];
identify for each reference signal of the set of reference signals, a respective transmission configuration indicator state according to an association of each reference signal with the first transmission and reception point or the second transmission and reception point (Zhang maps first and second TCI states to CSI-RS/SRS resources or resource sets associated with respective first and second TRPs, thereby identifying the applicable state for each reference signal from its TRP association; Fig. 5) [0050]–[0052]; and
communicate with the UE via the first transmission and reception point and the second transmission and reception point according to the respective transmission configuration indicator state identified for each reference signal of the set of reference signals (Zhang shows the network and its respective TRPs communicating the mapped CSI-RS/SRS resources using the corresponding first and second TCI states; Fig. 5) [0050]–[0052].
But Zhang doesn’t explicitly teach transmit, to the UE, scheduling information for a set of reference signals;
However, Yao discloses transmit, to the UE, scheduling information for a set of reference signals (Yao describes the network device transmitting RS request, trigger, or configuration information that designates target RS resources or resource sets, thereby scheduling the set of reference signals at the UE; Figs. 2–3, and 6) [0030], [0111]–[0115];
Yao further discloses communicate with the UE via the first transmission and reception point and the second transmission and reception point according to the respective transmission configuration indicator state identified for each reference signal of the set of reference signals (Yao applies the indicated or activated TCI/beam state to each corresponding target RS resource, thereby causing the network and UE to communicate the respective reference signal according to its identified TCI state; Figs. 2 and 6) [0011]–[0013], [0046]–[0051], [0094]–[0099].
Since, all are analogous arts addressing reference signal schemes used in a mobile network; Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Zhang with Yao to ensure properly signaling for data transmission, thus, improving signal quality and reliability.
Claim 23 differs from claim 1 only by the additional recitation of the following limitation, which is also taught by the cited prior art. The cited prior art Zhang further discloses a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) ( UE performs the above-recited wireless-communication operations through its processor and stored instructions, thereby disclosing the corresponding method steps at the UE; Fig. 2) [0028]–[0029], comprising.
All other identical limitations are rejected based on the same rationale as shown above.
Claim 30 differs from claim 12 only by the additional recitation of the following limitation, which is also taught by the cited prior art. The cited prior art Zhang further discloses a method for wireless communications at a network entity ( gNB performs the above-recited network-side wireless-communication operations through its processor and stored instructions, thereby disclosing the corresponding method steps at the network entity; Fig. 3) [0030]–[0031], comprising.
All other identical limitations are rejected based on the same rationale as shown above.
For claims 2 and 24, Zhang, as modified by Yao, Yao further discloses the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to: receive control signaling indicating the respective transmission configuration indicator state for each reference signal of the set of reference signals ( control signaling activates or indicates TCI states and associates each activated state with a corresponding RS resource or resource set, thereby indicating the respective TCI state applicable to each reference signal; Fig. 6) [0050], [0055]–[0057], [0095]–[0103]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claims 6 and 28, Zhang, as modified by Yao, discloses to receive the control signaling are executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to: receive the control signaling via a radio resource control message (Zhang configures the TRP indices and corresponding CSI-RS/SRS resource-to-TCI-state mappings through RRC signaling, thereby teaching receipt of the control signaling in an RRC message; Fig. 5) [0040], [0048]–[0050].
For claim 13, Zhang, as modified by Yao, Yao further discloses transmit, to the UE, control signaling indicating the respective transmission configuration indicator state for each reference signal of the set of reference signals ( network-side control signaling activates or indicates TCI states and associates each activated state with a corresponding RS resource or resource set, thereby informing the UE of the respective TCI state applicable to each reference signal; Fig. 6) [0050], [0055]–[0057], [0095]–[0103]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 17, Zhang, as modified by Yao, discloses transmit the control signaling via a radio resource control message (Zhang configures and signals the TRP indices and corresponding CSI-RS/SRS resource-to-TCI-state mappings through RRC signaling, thereby teaching transmission of the control signaling in an RRC message; Fig. 5) [0040], [0048]–[0050].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5,7-11,14-16,18-22,25-27 and 29 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20220272706-A1 US-20240414748-A1 US-20250038934-A1 US-20250062817-A1
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to PAKEE FANG whose telephone number is (571)270-3633. The Examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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/PAKEE FANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
Prosecution Insights