DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to the application filed on 9/12/2024, which claims priority from the provisional application 63/538,994 filed on 9/18/2023. Claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
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 20 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 20 limitation of “…the per-UE granularity indicating that the UE is capable of performing the second feature in any scenario” is vague and indefinite. The specification does not provide clear examples of all the scenarios that correspond to the UE being capable of performing the second feature. Thus, metes and bounds of the claim are not clear, rendering the claim indefinite.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 9, 16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura et al. (US 2025/0279869, hereinafter Matsumura) in view of Huawei et al. (Discussion on Unified TCI Framework Extension for Multi-TRP; 3GPP TSG-RAN WG1, R1-2306533; Aug 21-25, 2023 by Huawei, HiSilicon; hereinafter Huawei).
Regarding claim 1, Matsumura discloses a method comprising: sending, by a user equipment (UE), a first transmission comprising information indicating a capability of per resource set for a first feature associated with a unified transmission-configuration-indicator (UTCI) scheme, the capability of per resource set indicating that the UE is capable of associating channel-state-information reference-signal (CSI-RS) resources with transmission-configuration-indicator (TCI) states at a resource-set level [Matsumura discloses that the UE may report UE capability indicating certain function and may be configured with a higher layer parameter (Matsumura paragraphs 0789-0790). The UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of unified TCI state to CSI-RS when a CSI-RS resource set is configured, and in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraph 0818). Matsumura discloses that the UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of a unified TCI state to an SRS in a case where one SRS resource set is configured; and the UE capability may also indicate whether the UE supports application of a unified TCI state to an SRS in a case where a plurality of SRS resources are configured (Matsumura paragraphs 0816 and 0817); indicating a capability of a feature associated with a UTCI, and that the UE is capable of CSI-RS resources with TCI states at a resource set level],
Wherein the UE is configured to support a joint transmission [Matsumura discloses that the UE capability may also indicate whether the UE supports application of a unified TCI state to PDCCH repetition transmission (repetition) for single TRP/multi-TRP in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraph 0812. Also see Matsumura paragraphs 0717, 0737); indicating that the UE supports a joint transmission].
Matsumura does not expressly disclose the features of wherein the first feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting: per aperiodic CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection; or per aperiodic CSI-RS resource-set configuration for TCI selection.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Huawei discloses that for aperiodic CSI-RS of sDCI based MTRP, an RRC configuration can be provided in CSI-AssociatedReportConfigInfo of CSI-AperiodicTriggerState for each CSI-RS resource set or for each CSI-RS resource in each aperiodic CSI-RS resource set to inform that the UE shall apply the first or the second indicated joint/DL TCI state to the CSI-RS resource if the aperiodic CSI-RS resource set is configured to follow unified TCI state. Whether the configuration is conducted per CSI-RS resource set or per CSI-RS resource is up to UE capability (see Huawei page 6, section 2.3.3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura to have the features of wherein the first feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting: per aperiodic CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection; or per aperiodic CSI-RS resource-set configuration for TCI selection; as taught by Huawei. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide unified TCI framework extension for multi-TRP and enhancements for simultaneous transmission across multi-panel (Huawei page 1, section 1).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 1. Matsumura and Huawei further disclose wherein: the joint transmission comprises a non-coherent joint transmission (NCJT); and the UE supports NCJT CSI under a second feature, the second feature indicating that the UE is capable of supporting one or more features of channel-state-information multiple-transmission-and-reception point (CSI MTRP) [Matsumura discloses that for multi-TRP transmission, non-coherent joint transmission may be used (Matsumura paragraphs 0082-0083). Huawei discloses that if the UE is configured for CSI-RS resource set, for an aperiodic CSI-RS resource set configured with two Resource Groups for NCJT CSI and configured to follow unified TCI state (Huawei page 6, section 2.3.3)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 1. Matsumura and Huawei further disclose wherein the UE does not support joint operation of a joint transmission and a UTCI CSI-RS transmission [Matsumura discloses that the joint TCI states may not be applicable to a CSI-RS; and the UE may assume that the joint TCI states are not applied to the CSI-RS (Matsumura paragraphs 0763 and 0764); indicating that the UE may not support joint operation of a joint transmission and a UTCI CSI-RS transmission]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, Matsumura discloses a method comprising: sending, by a user equipment (UE), information indicating a capability of per resource for a first feature associated with a unified transmission-configuration-indicator (UTCI) scheme, the capability of per resource indicating that the UE is capable of associating channel-state-information reference-signal (CSI-RS) resources with transmission-configuration-indicator (TCI) states at a resource level [Matsumura discloses that the UE may report UE capability indicating certain function and may be configured with a higher layer parameter (Matsumura paragraphs 0789-0790). The UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of unified TCI state to CSI-RS when a CSI-RS resource set is configured, and in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraph 0818). Matsumura discloses that the UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of a unified TCI state to an SRS in a case where one SRS resource set is configured; and the UE capability may also indicate whether the UE supports application of a unified TCI state to an SRS in a case where a plurality of SRS resources are configured (Matsumura paragraphs 0816 and 0817); indicating a capability of a feature associated with a UTCI, and that the UE is capable of CSI-RS resources with TCI states at a resource level]; and
Sending, by the UE, information indicating support for a second feature, the second feature indicating that the UE is capable of supporting joint operation of: joint transmission CSI [Matsumura discloses that the UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of a unified TCI state to a CSI-RS in a case where a plurality of CSI-RS resource sets are configured in one resource setting/report setting, in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraph 0819). Matsumura further discloses that for multi-TRP transmission, non-coherent joint transmission may be used (Matsumura paragraphs 0082-0083). Thus, a second feature may indicate that the UE can support joint transmission CSI].
Matsumura does not expressly disclose the features of per aperiodic UTCI CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection, wherein the first feature indicates that the UE can support: per aperiodic CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection; or per aperiodic CSI-RS resource-set configuration for TCI selection.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, Huawei discloses that for aperiodic CSI-RS of sDCI based MTRP, an RRC configuration can be provided in CSI-AssociatedReportConfigInfo of CSI-AperiodicTriggerState for each CSI-RS resource set or for each CSI-RS resource in each aperiodic CSI-RS resource set to inform that the UE shall apply the first or the second indicated joint/DL TCI state to the CSI-RS resource if the aperiodic CSI-RS resource set is configured to follow unified TCI state. Whether the configuration is conducted per CSI-RS resource set or per CSI-RS resource is up to UE capability (see Huawei page 6, section 2.3.3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura to have the features of per aperiodic UTCI CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection, wherein the first feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting: per aperiodic CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection; or per aperiodic CSI-RS resource-set configuration for TCI selection; as taught by Huawei. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide unified TCI framework extension for multi-TRP and enhancements for simultaneous transmission across multi-panel (Huawei page 1, section 1).
Regarding claim 18, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 16. Matsumura and Huawei further disclose wherein the joint transmission CSI comprises a non-coherent joint transmission (NCJT) CSI [Matsumura discloses that for multi-TRP transmission, non-coherent joint transmission may be used (Matsumura paragraphs 0082-0083). Huawei discloses that if the UE is configured for CSI-RS resource set, for an aperiodic CSI-RS resource set configured with two Resource Groups for NCJT CSI and configured to follow unified TCI state (Huawei page 6, section 2.3.3)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 16.
Regarding claim 20, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 16. Matsumura and Huawei further disclose wherein a granularity of support for the second feature comprises a per-UE granularity, the per-UE granularity indicating that the UE is capable of performing the second feature in any scenario [Matsumura discloses that the UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of a unified TCI state to a CSI-RS in a case where a plurality of CSI-RS resource sets are configured in one resource setting/report setting, in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraph 0819). Further, the UE capability may also indicate whether the UE supports application of a unified TCI state to an SRS in a case where a plurality of SRS resources are configured, in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework; and whether the UE supports application of a unified TCI state to a CSI-RS in a case where one CSI-RS resource set is configured in one resource setting/report setting in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraphs 0817 and 0819). This also suggests that the UE is capable performing the feature at the UE level or in various scenarios]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 16.
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura in view of AT&T (Summary of UE features for NR MIMO evolution; 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #113, R1-2304940; May 22-26, 2023 by AT&T).
Regarding claim 10, Matsumura discloses a method comprising: sending, by a user equipment (UE), first capability information based on a rule indicating how the UE applies a first indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or a second indicated TCI state to an aperiodic channel-state-information reference-signal (AP CSI-RS) resource [Matsumura discloses that the UE may report UE capability indicating certain function and may be configured with a higher layer parameter (Matsumura paragraphs 0789-0790). The UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of unified TCI state to CSI-RS when a CSI-RS resource set is configured, and in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraphs 0818 and 0819). The CSI-RS may be an aperiodic CSI-RS (Matsumura paragraph 0783)].
Matsumura does not expressly disclose the feature of receiving, by the UE, a coherent joint transmission (CJT) based on the sending of the first capability information.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement where the UE capability may support two TCI states for CJT (coherent joint transmission) PDSCH (see AT&T page 87, table entry for NR_MIMO_evo_DL_UL).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura to have the feature of receiving, by the UE, a coherent joint transmission (CJT) based on the sending of the first capability information; as taught by AT&T. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide various enhancements to UE features including multi-TRP enhancement (AT&T pages 74 and 76).
Regarding claim 11, Matsumura and AT&T disclose the method of claim 10. Matsumura and AT&T further disclose wherein: the first indicated TCI state comprises a joint TCI state or a downlink (DL) TCI state; or the second indicated TCI state comprises a joint TCI state or a DL TCI state [Matsumura discloses that the UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of unified TCI state to CSI-RS when a CSI-RS resource set is configured, and in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraphs 0818 and 0819)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 10.
Regarding claim 12, Matsumura and AT&T disclose the method of claim 10. Matsumura and AT&T further disclose wherein the rule indicates that support of the CJT is conditioned on the UE supporting a resource-level radio-resource-control (RRC) configuration, wherein the resource-level RRC configuration indicates that the UE is to apply a first indicated transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or a second indicated TCI state to an aperiodic channel-state-information reference-signal (AP CSI-RS) resource [AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement where the UE capability may support two TCI states for CJT (coherent joint transmission) PDSCH. An RRC configuration may be provided for each CSI-RS resource set for each CSI-RS resource in each aperiodic CSI-RS resource set to inform that the UE may apply the first or the second indicated joint/DL TCI state to the CSI-RS resource (see AT&T page 87, table entries for 40-1-4 and agreements under 40-1-4)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 10.
Claims 2, 5-6, 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura in view of Huawei, and further in view of AT&T (Summary of UE features for NR MIMO evolution; 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #113, R1-2304940; May 22-26, 2023 by AT&T).
Regarding claim 2, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 1. Matsumura and Huawei do not expressly disclose wherein the first feature is associated with an index number of 40-1-3 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement with features including NR_MIMO_evo_DL_UL, 40-1-3 which corresponds to TCI selection for aperiodic CSI-RS (AT&T pages 76-77, section 3.1 table for FFS).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura and Huawei to have the feature of wherein the first feature is associated with an index number of 40-1-3 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list; as taught by AT&T. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide various enhancements to UE features including multi-TRP enhancement (AT&T pages 74 and 76).
Regarding claim 5, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 1. Matsumura and Huawei do not expressly disclose wherein: the joint transmission comprises a coherent joint transmission (CJT); and the UE supports CJT CSI under a second feature, the second feature indicating that the UE is capable of supporting two transmission-configuration-indicator (TCI) states for a CJT transmission scheme for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH).
However, in the same or similar field of invention, AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement where the UE capability may support two TCI states for CJT (coherent joint transmission) PDSCH (see AT&T page 87, table entry for NR_MIMO_evo_DL_UL).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura and Huawei to have the features of wherein: the joint transmission comprises a coherent joint transmission (CJT); and the UE supports CJT CSI under a second feature, the second feature indicating that the UE is capable of supporting two transmission-configuration-indicator (TCI) states for a CJT transmission scheme for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); as taught by AT&T. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide various enhancements to UE features including multi-TRP enhancement (AT&T pages 74 and 76).
Regarding claim 6, Matsumura, Huawei and AT&T disclose the method of claim 5. Matsumura, Huawei and AT&T further disclose wherein the second feature is associated with an index number of 40-1-4 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list [AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement where the UE capability may support two TCI states for CJT (coherent joint transmission) PDSCH, which corresponds to feature 40-1-4 (see AT&T page 87, table entry for NR_MIMO_evo_DL_UL)]. In addition, the same motivation is used as the rejection of claim 5.
Regarding claim 17, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 16. Matsumura and Huawei do not expressly disclose wherein the first feature is associated with an index number of 40-1-3 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement with features including NR_MIMO_evo_DL_UL, 40-1-3 which corresponds to TCI selection for aperiodic CSI-RS (AT&T pages 76-77, section 3.1 table for FFS).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura and Huawei to have the feature of wherein the first feature is associated with an index number of 40-1-3 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list; as taught by AT&T. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide various enhancements to UE features including multi-TRP enhancement (AT&T pages 74 and 76).
Regarding claim 19, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 16. Matsumura and Huawei further disclose that the UE capability may indicate whether UE supports application of unified TCI state to CSI-RS when a CSI-RS resource set is configured, and in a case where a plurality of DL TCI states/plurality of UL TCI states/plurality of joint TCI states are indicated in a unified TCI state framework (Matsumura paragraphs 0818 and 0819). Matsumura and Huawei do not expressly disclose wherein the joint transmission CSI comprises a coherent joint transmission (CJT) CSI.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, AT&T discloses multi-TRP enhancement where the UE capability may support two TCI states for CJT (coherent joint transmission) PDSCH (see AT&T page 87, table entry for NR_MIMO_evo_DL_UL).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura and Huawei to have the feature of wherein the joint transmission CSI comprises a coherent joint transmission (CJT) CSI; as taught by AT&T. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide various enhancements to UE features including multi-TRP enhancement (AT&T pages 74 and 76).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsumura in view of Huawei, and further in view of MediaTek (UE Features for further enhancements on NR MIMO; 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 #108e, R1-2202058; Feb 21 – Mar 3, 2022 by MediaTek).
Regarding claim 4, Matsumura and Huawei disclose the method of claim 3. Matsumura and Huawei do not expressly disclose wherein the second feature is associated with an index number of 23-7-1 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list.
However, in the same or similar field of invention, MediaTek discloses features of CSI enhancements for multi-TRP which includes FG 23-7-1 which corresponds to features of CSI enhancement for multi-TRP (MediaTek page 7, section 2.7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Matsumura and Huawei to have the feature of wherein the second feature is associated with an index number of 23-7-1 of a Radio Access Network 1 (RAN1) UE features list; as taught by MediaTek. The suggestion/motivation would have been to provide CSI enhancement for multi-TRP deployment (MediaTek pages 7-8, section 2.7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 and 13-15 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.
Claim 7 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of sending, by the user equipment (UE), a second transmission comprising information declining to perform the first feature, wherein: the joint transmission comprises a non-coherent joint transmission (NCJT); and the UE supports NCJT CSI under a second feature, the second feature indicating that the UE is capable of supporting one or more features of channel-state-information multiple-transmission-and-reception point (CSI MTRP); in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 13 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein the sending of the first capability information comprises sending information indicating support of unified TCI (UTCI) with a capability of: per resource set; and two or more unified TCI (UTCI) states in a CJT scheme, wherein: the first indicated TCI state comprises a first indicated UTCI state and the second indicated TCI state comprises a second indicated UTCI state; and the rule indicates that, for CJT measurement or reporting: the UE applies the first indicated UTCI state to a CSI-RS resource in a first group; and the UE applies the second indicated UTCI state to a CSI-RS resource in a second group; the CSI-RS resource in the first group corresponds to a first TRP or to a first TRP group associated with a first indicated UTCI state; and the CSI-RS resource in the second group corresponds to a second TRP or to a second TRP group associated with the second indicated UTCI state; in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 14 would be allowable because the closest prior art, either alone or in combination, fails to anticipate or render obvious the features of wherein the sending of the first capability information comprises declining to perform a first feature associated with a unified transmission-configuration-indicator (UTCI) scheme, wherein the UE supports: a CJT scheme via a second feature and/or a third feature; and more than one unified transmission-configuration-indicator (UTCI) state for CJT via a fourth feature, wherein the first feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting: per aperiodic CSI-RS resource configuration for TCI selection; or per aperiodic CSI-RS resource-set configuration for TCI selection, wherein the second feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting one or more features for a first CJT codebook, wherein the third feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting one or more features for a second CJT codebook, and wherein the fourth feature indicates that the UE is capable of supporting two TCI states for the CJT scheme for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); in combination with all other limitations in the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/SAUMIT SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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