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.
Claims 1, 3, 6-10, 14, 16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the target event" in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the target event" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 1, 3, 6-10, 16, and 20 are vague and indefinite because of the terms “in a case that”. Therefore, all the limitations following these terms are optional. It is suggested to include a determining step before these terms.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the terms “A readable storage medium”. It is suggested to replace “A readable storage medium” with “A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium”.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13, 16-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura et al (2025/0150865).
Regarding claims 1, 16, and 20, Matsumura discloses a terminal and a beam failure detection method, comprising: performing, by a terminal (see terminal in figure 5), measurement based on a plurality of beam failure detection reference signal BFD RS sets, wherein the plurality of BFD RS sets respectively correspond to a plurality of pieces of target information, and at least one of control channels corresponding to the target information uses a unified transmission configuration indicator TCI state (see figure 1 and The RS measured at step S101 may be referred to as an RS for beam failure detection (Beam Failure Detection RS (BFD-RS)) in paragraphs 0059, 0061); and sending a beam failure recovery request BFRQ in a case that a measurement result of at least one BFD RS set meets a preset condition (see BFRQ in step S104 of figure 1 and paragraph 0067; The UE detects beam failure when a certain condition is satisfied in paragraph 0061).
Regarding claims 2 and 17, Matsumura discloses wherein the target information comprises at least one of the following: a control resource set CORESET pool index (see ), a transmission and reception point TRP identifier, a channel group identifier, a CORESET group identifier, a physical uplink control channel PUCCH resource group identifier, a unified TCI state indicated by a network, a codepoint corresponding to the unified TCI state indicated by the network, and a physical cell identifier PCI (see a CORESET pool index in paragraph 0124).
Regarding claim 3, Matsumura discloses wherein in a case that the plurality of BFD RS sets are explicitly configured on a network side, the method further comprises: updating, by the terminal, a TCI state of each BFD RS in the plurality of BFD RS sets based on at least one of the following (see The TCI state may be configured (indicated) by higher layer signaling or physical layer signaling, or a combination of these in paragraphs 0029, 0099): radio resource control RRC signaling (see RRC in paragraphs 0066); a media access control control element MAC CE (see MAC-CE in paragraphs 0087-0088); and a unified TCI state indicated by a network, wherein the unified TCI state indicated by the network corresponds to same target information as a BFD RS set to which the BFD RS belongs, or the unified TCI state indicated by the network has a correspondence with the BFD RS set to which the BFD RS belongs; or, wherein in a case that the plurality of BFD RS sets are explicitly configured on a network side: a BFD RS resource of the i-th BFD RS set in the plurality of BFD RS sets is the same as or quasi-co-located QCLed with a source RS of a unified TCI state corresponding to the i-th target information corresponding to the i-th BFD RS set; or the BFD RS resource of the i-th BFD RS set in the plurality of BFD RS sets is QCLed with a physical downlink control channel PDCCH on a target CORESET of the i-th target information; wherein i is a positive number greater than or equal to 1 and less than N, and N is the number of BFD RS sets of the plurality of BFD RS sets; or, wherein in a case that the plurality of BFD RS sets are implicitly configured on a network side: a source RS of a first TCI state is used as a BFD RS of a first BFD RS set in the plurality of BFD RS sets, wherein the first TCI state comprises a unified TCI state used by a CORESET associated with target information corresponding to the first BFD RS set; or a source RS of a second TCI state is used as a BFD RS of a second BFD RS set in the plurality of BFD RS sets, wherein the second TCI state comprises a TCI state corresponding to the same target information as the second BFD RS set; or a source RS of a third TCI state is used as a BFD RS of a third BFD RS set in the plurality of BFD RS sets, wherein the third TCI state comprises a TCI state corresponding to third BFD RS set; or a source RS of a fourth TCI state is used as a BFD RS in the plurality of BFD RS sets, wherein the fourth TCI state comprises: a TCI state of a CORESET associated with the terminal or a TCI state of a CORESET associated with the terminal and using a unified TCI state indicated by a network.
Regarding claim 4, Matsumura discloses wherein a plurality of new beam identification reference signal NBI-RS sets are configured for the terminal, and the plurality of NBI-RS sets are in one-to-one correspondence to the plurality of BFD RS sets; wherein a BFD RS set and a NBI-RS set having a correspondence are associated with same target information; wherein at least two NBI-RS of a first NBI-RS set in the plurality of NBI-RS sets are associated with different target information (see The BFRQ may include information of the new candidate beam/new candidate RS identified at step S103. Resources for the BFRQ may be associated with the new candidate beam. The information of the beam may be notified by using a beam index (BI), a port index of a certain reference signal, an RS index, a resource index (for example, a CSI-RS resource indicator (CRI)), an SSB resource indicator (SSBRI), or the like in paragraph 0074, target in paragraphs 0029, 0036).
Regarding claim 5, Matsumura discloses wherein the sending a BFRQ comprises at least one of the following: sending a beam failure recovery BFR media access control control element MAC CE by using an available uplink grant; sending a physical uplink control channel scheduling request PUCCH-SR; and performing contention-based random access CBRA (see In a case where BF is detected, PUCCH-BFR (scheduling request (SR)) may be transmitted from the UE to a PCell/PSCell in paragraph 0088).
Regarding claim 6, Matsumura discloses wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a joint TCI state, and radio link measurement results, detected by the terminal, of all BFD RS resources in the BFD RS set corresponding to the first target information are lower than a first preset threshold, the sending a BFR MAC CE by using an available uplink grant comprises at least one of the following: sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of the first target information (see a UL grant (DCI) in paragraph 0088; an uplink channel (for example, a PUSCH) by using a MAC CE in paragraph 0089); sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of second target information in the plurality of pieces of target information, wherein a measurement result not lower than the first preset threshold is present in radio link measurement results, detected by the terminal, of all BFD RS resources in a BFD RS set corresponding to the second target information; and sending the BFR MAC CE by using M latest available uplink grants of M pieces of target information in the plurality of pieces of target information, wherein the M pieces of target information are target information with a latest available uplink grant in the plurality of pieces of target information, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1; or, wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a separate TCI state, and radio link measurement results, detected by the terminal, of all BFD RS resources in the BFD RS set corresponding to the first target information are lower than a first preset threshold, the sending a BFR MAC CE by using an available uplink grant comprises at least one of the following: sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of the first target information; and sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of third target information in the plurality of pieces of target information.
Regarding claim 7, Matsumura discloses wherein the sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of the first target information comprises: in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the second target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received, sending the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information; and/or the sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of second target information in the plurality of pieces of target information comprises: in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the first target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received, sending the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information; or, wherein the sending the BFR MAC CE by using a latest available uplink grant of third target information in the plurality of pieces of target information comprises: in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the first target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information and beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received, sending the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the third target information (see a candidate beam for beam failure recovery in paragraphs 0107-0109, 0200).
Regarding claim 8, Matsumura discloses wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a joint TCI state, the sending a PUCCH-SR comprises at least one of the following: sending the PUCCH-SR in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the first target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; sending the PUCCH-SR in a case that the terminal does not have a latest available uplink grant of second target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; and sending the PUCCH-SR in a case that the terminal does not have a latest available uplink grant, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using M latest available uplink grants of M pieces of target information in the plurality of pieces of target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is transmitted by using M latest available uplink grants of M pieces of target information in the plurality of pieces of target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received, wherein the M pieces of target information are target information with a latest available uplink grant in the plurality of pieces of target information, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1; or, wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a joint TCI state, the performing CBRA comprises at least one of the following: performing CBRA in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the first target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; performing CBRA in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the second target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the second target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; performing CBRA in a case that the terminal does not have a latest available uplink grant, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using M latest available uplink grants of M pieces of target information in the plurality of pieces of target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is transmitted by using M latest available uplink grants of M pieces of target information in the plurality of pieces of target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received, wherein the M pieces of target information are target information with a latest available uplink grant in the plurality of pieces of target information, and M is an integer greater than or equal to 1; performing CBRA in a case that transmission of the PUCCH-SR is unsuccessful and an uplink grant from the network is not received after transmission of the PUCCH-SR, or that a beam failure occurs for the target information corresponding to the PUCCH-SR resource used for sending the PUCCH-SR, or that radio link measurement results of all BFD RS resources in a BFD RS set corresponding to a PUCCH-SR resource used for sending the PUCCH-SR are lower than a first preset threshold; and performing CBRA in a case that radio link measurement results, detected by the terminal, of all BFD RS resources in the plurality of BFD RS sets are lower than the first preset threshold; or, wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a separate TCI state, the sending a PUCCH-SR comprises at least one of the following: sending the PUCCH-SR in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the first target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; and sending the PUCCH-SR in a case that the terminal does not have a latest available uplink grant of third target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the third target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the third target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; or, wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a separate TCI state, the performing CBRA comprises at least one of the following: performing CBRA in a case that the terminal does not have the latest available uplink grant of the first target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the first target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; performing CBRA in a case that the terminal does not have a latest available uplink grant of third target information, or that transmission of the BFR MAC CE by using the latest available uplink grant of the third target information is unsuccessful, or that the BFR MAC CE is sent by using the latest available uplink grant of the third target information but beam failure recovery response information of the network side is not received; performing CBRA in a case that transmission of the PUCCH-SR is unsuccessful and an uplink grant from the network is not received after transmission of the PUCCH-SR, or that a beam failure occurs for the target information corresponding to the PUCCH-SR resource used for sending the PUCCH-SR, or that radio link measurement results of all BFD RS resources in a BFD RS set corresponding to a PUCCH-SR resource used for sending the PUCCH-SR are lower than a first preset threshold; and performing CBRA in a case that radio link measurement results, detected by the terminal, of all BFD RS resources in the plurality of BFD RS sets are lower than the first preset threshold; or, wherein in a case that a unified TCI state used by at least one of control channels corresponding to first target information is a separate TCI state, the performing CBRA comprises at least one of the following: performing, by the terminal, repetition transmission of a random access channel RACH based on a TCI state of the plurality of pieces of target information; or performing, by the terminal, repetition transmission of a RACH based on a TCI state of the plurality of BFD RS sets (see PUCCH (for example, scheduling request (SR)) transmission for BFR and a MAC CE (for example, UL-SCH) transmission for BFR in paragraph 0086).
Regarding claim 9, Matsumura discloses wherein the sending a PUCCH-SR comprises at least one of the following: in a case that one PUCCH-SR resource is configured for the terminal, sending the PUCCH-SR by using the PUCCH-SR resource; in a case that a plurality of PUCCH-SR resources are configured for the terminal, sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to the first target information, or sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to a first BFD RS set corresponding to the first target information; and in a case that a plurality of PUCCH-SR resources are configured for the terminal, sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to the second target information in the plurality of pieces of target information, or sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to a second BFD RS set corresponding to the second target information in the plurality of pieces of target information; or, wherein the sending a PUCCH-SR comprises at least one of the following: in a case that one PUCCH-SR resource is configured for the terminal, sending the PUCCH-SR by using the PUCCH-SR resource; in a case that a plurality of PUCCH-SR resources are configured for the terminal, sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to the first target information, or sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to a BFD RS set corresponding to the first target information; and in a case that a plurality of PUCCH-SR resources are configured for the terminal, sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to the third target information in the plurality of pieces of target information, or sending the PUCCH-SR by using a PUCCH-SR resource corresponding to a BFD RS set corresponding to the third target information in the plurality of pieces of target information (see PUCCH (for example, scheduling request (SR)) transmission for BFR and a MAC CE (for example, UL-SCH) transmission for BFR in paragraph 0086)).
Regarding claim 10, Matsumura discloses wherein after the sending a BFRQ, the method further comprises: in a case that radio link measurement results of all BFD RS resources in a BFD-RS set associated with a PCI of a serving cell are lower than a first preset threshold, and that no new beam is detected based on an NBI-RS set corresponding to the BFD-RS set, performing one of the following: performing a cell handover; performing a random access procedure; and performing a radio link failure and reestablishment procedure (see the UE may trigger BFR (for example, start any one of random access procedures mentioned below) when receiving the beam failure instance notification certain times (for example, beamFailureInstanceMaxCount configured by RRC) or more until the timer expires in paragraph 0066).
Regarding claims 11 and 18, Matsumura discloses receiving, by the terminal, a beam failure recovery response BFRR, wherein the BFRR comprises at least one of the following: first DCI that carries a toggled new data identifier NDI and schedules a PUSCH by using a same hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ process identifier ID as a physical uplink shared channel PUSCH in which a BFR MAC CE is located, wherein the BFR MAC CE is a BFR MAC CE sent by the terminal; and second DCI for indicating a unified TCI state (see DCI and MAC CE in paragraphs 0051, 0086-0088, 0105).
Regarding claim 12, Matsumura discloses wherein the second DCI comprises the first DCI, or the second DCI is different from the first DCI; and/or the unified TCI state indicated by the second DCI is a TCI state determined based on a new beam indicated in the BFR MAC CE (see DCI and MAC CE in paragraphs 0051-0052, 0087-0088).
Regarding claim 13, Matsumura discloses wherein a TCI state of the BFRR is determined based on a new beam indicated in the BFR MAC CE; or a TCI state of the BFRR is determined based on a TCI state of fourth target information in the plurality of pieces of target information, wherein a measurement result not lower than a first preset threshold is present in radio link measurement results, detected by the terminal, of all BFD RS resources in a BFD RS set corresponding to the fourth target information (see the base station that has detected the BFRQ transmits a response signal (which may be referred to as gNB response or the like) in response to the BFRQ from the UE in paragraph 0079; a new candidate beam (or a new candidate RS index) in paragraphs 0087, 0089).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-15 and 19 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN D NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3084. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 - 4:30.
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/BRIAN D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475
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