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 .
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments filed on 02/02/2026 regarding claims 21-32 in the remarks are fully considered but moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection.
Response to Amendments
Claim Objections
2. Claim 31 is objected to because of this informality:
Claim 31 is amended by canceling the limitation(s) of “a control resource set (CORESET) to which the TCI state applies”, thereby making the claim as whole incomplete. That is, the limitation(s) “The UE of claim 29, wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of the .” as amended makes the claim as a whole incomplete.
Appropriate correction(s) is therefore required.
Response to Arguments
Double Patenting
3. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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4. Claims 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, and 32 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,143,325 in view of Khoshnevisan (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0235455).
Instant Application 18/931,725
US Patent No. 12,143,325
21. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry coupled to a memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
process, based on signaling from a network, a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources; monitor a PDCCH based on the TCI state, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located (QCLed) with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state;
process, based on signals received from a network, downlink control information (DCI) comprising a TCI codepoint with multiple TCI states for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH);
process, based on signals received from the network, DMRS, wherein DMRS ports for the PDSCH are QCLed with one or more channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) of the multiple TCI states, wherein the one or more CSI-RS are from multiple cells of a single frequency network (SFN) based on the multiple TCI states;
and determine a time and frequency offset corresponding to each of the multiple cells based on the CSI-RS.
Note: Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 address all the limitation(s) of claim 21 with the exception of processing circuitry coupled to a memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
process, based on signaling from a network, a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources; monitor a PDCCH based on the TCI state, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located (QCLed) with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state.
Khoshnevisan teaches processing circuitry coupled to a memory (see Figure 3, controller/processor 359 coupled to memory 360), the processing circuitry configured to:
process, based on signaling from a network, a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources (see paragraph [0100], receiving MAC-CE for activating two or more TCI states that apply to a PDCCH DMRS port); monitor a PDCCH based on the TCI state, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located (QCLed) with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state (see paragraph [0092], disclose decoding PDCCH candidates based on the configured CORESET. The CORESET is configured for scheduling PDSCHs with two or more TCI states that apply to all DMRS ports. The PDCCH candidates of the CORESET are decoded using composite QCL derived from two or more reference signals).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the decoding of PDCCH candidates (as disclosed in Khoshnevisan) into US Patent 12,143,325 as a way of enabling the UE to receive the PDSCH based on the derived QCL (please see paragraph [0094] of Khoshnevisan).
11. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to:
process, based on signals received from a network, downlink control information (DCI) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) codepoint with multiple TCI states for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH);
process, based on signals received from the network, a demodulated reference signal (DMRS), wherein DMRS ports for the PDSCH are quasi co-located (QCLed) with one or more channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) of the multiple TCI states, wherein the one or more CSI-RS are from multiple cells of a single frequency network (SFN) based on the multiple TCI states;
and determine a time and frequency offset corresponding to each of the multiple cells based on the CSI-RS.
As per claim 22:
Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 in view of Khoshnevisan teaches the apparatus of claim 21.
Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 does not teach wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of a serving cell to which the MAC CE applies.
Khoshnevisan teaches wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of a serving cell to which the MAC CE applies (see Figure 9, paragraph [0072], the MAC-CE 612 may include a number of octets or bytes that may indicate a serving cell ID 912 and a bandwidth part ID 914).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the decoding of PDCCH candidates (as disclosed in Khoshnevisan) into US Patent 12,143,325 as a way of enabling the UE to receive the PDSCH based on the derived QCL (please see paragraph [0094] of Khoshnevisan).
As per claim 24:
Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 in view of Khoshnevisan teaches the apparatus of claim 21.
Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 does not teach wherein the MAC CE further comprises multiple TCI states associated with the CORESET.
Khoshnevisan teaches wherein the MAC CE further comprises multiple TCI states associated with the CORESET (as explained earlier in paragraph [0100], the MAC-CE activates two or more TCI states that apply to a PDCCH DMRS port and a transmission layer across all resource blocks and symbols of a CORESET on which the DCI is received).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the decoding of PDCCH candidates (as disclosed in Khoshnevisan) into US Patent 12,143,325 as a way of enabling the UE to receive the PDSCH based on the derived QCL (please see paragraph [0094] of Khoshnevisan).
25. An apparatus comprising
generate, for transmission to the UE, downlink control information (DCI) comprising a TCI codepoint with multiple TCI states for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH);
and generate, for transmission to the UE, DMRS, wherein DMRS ports for the PDSCH are QCLed with one or more channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) of the multiple TCI states, wherein the one or more CSI-RS are from multiple cells of a single frequency network (SFN) based on the multiple TCI states.
Note: Even though claim 11 of US Patent 12,143,325 is directed to the UE, the body of the claim disclose receiving the generated signals from the apparatus/eNB/base station.
Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 does not disclose the claim features of processing circuitry coupled to a memory, the processing circuitry configured to:
generate, for transmission to a user equipment (UE), a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources;
and generate reference signals for transmission to the UE via a PDCCH resources, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state.
Khoshnevisan teaches processing circuitry coupled to a memory (see Figure 3, controller/processor 375 coupled to memory 376), the processing circuitry configured to:
generate, for transmission to a user equipment (UE), a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources (see paragraph [0100], receiving MAC-CE for activating two or more TCI states that apply to a PDCCH DMRS port);
and generate reference signals for transmission to the UE via a PDCCH resources, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state (see paragraph [0092], disclose decoding PDCCH candidates based on the configured CORESET. The CORESET is configured for scheduling PDSCHs with two or more TCI states that apply to all DMRS ports. The PDCCH candidates of the CORESET are decoded using composite QCL derived from two or more reference signals).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person
of ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the application to incorporate the
decoding of PDCCH candidates (as disclosed
in Khoshnevisan) into US Patent 12,143,325
as a way of enabling the UE to receive the
PDSCH based on the derived QCL (please see
paragraph [0094] of Khoshnevisan).
11. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to:
process, based on signals received from a network, downlink control information (DCI) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) codepoint with multiple TCI states for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH);
process, based on signals received from the network, a demodulated reference signal (DMRS), wherein DMRS ports for the PDSCH are quasi co-located (QCLed) with one or more channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) of the multiple TCI states, wherein the one or more CSI-RS are from multiple cells of a single frequency network (SFN) based on the multiple TCI states;
and determine a time and frequency offset corresponding to each of the multiple cells based on the CSI-RS.
Claim 26 is rejected in the same scope as claim 22.
Claim 28 is rejected in the same scope as claim 24.
29. A user equipment (UE), comprising: a transceiver configured to communicate with a network; and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
process, based on signaling from the network, a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources; monitor a PDCCH based on the TCI state, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state;
process, based on signals received from a network, downlink control information (DCI) comprising a TCI codepoint with multiple TCI states for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH);
process, based on signals received from the network, DMRS, wherein DMRS ports for the PDSCH are QCLed with one or more channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) of the multiple TCI states, wherein the one or more CSI-RS are from multiple cells of a single frequency network (SFN) based on the multiple TCI states;
and determine a time and frequency offset corresponding to each of the multiple cells based on the CSI-RS.
Note: Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 address all the limitation(s) of claim 21 with the exception of transceiver configured to communicate with a network; and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver
process, based on signaling from the network, a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources; monitor a PDCCH based on the TCI state, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state.
Khoshnevisan teaches transceiver configured to communicate with a network (see Figure 3, RX/TX 354); and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver (see Figure 3, controller/processor 359 coupled to RX/TX 354)
process, based on signaling from the network, a Medium Access Control Control Element (MAC CE) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state corresponding to Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) resources (see paragraph [0100], receiving MAC-CE for activating two or more TCI states that apply to a PDCCH DMRS port); monitor a PDCCH based on the TCI state, wherein a DMRS port for the PDCCH in a control resource set (CORESET) is quasi co-located with one or more reference signals indicated by the TCI state (see paragraph [0092], disclose decoding PDCCH candidates based on the configured CORESET. The CORESET is configured for scheduling PDSCHs with two or more TCI states that apply to all DMRS ports. The PDCCH candidates of the CORESET are decoded using composite QCL derived from two or more reference signals).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the decoding of PDCCH candidates (as disclosed in Khoshnevisan) into US Patent 12,143,325 as a way of enabling the UE to receive the PDSCH based on the derived QCL (please see paragraph [0094] of Khoshnevisan).
11. An apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to:
process, based on signals received from a network, downlink control information (DCI) comprising a transmission configuration indication (TCI) codepoint with multiple TCI states for a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH);
process, based on signals received from the network, a demodulated reference signal (DMRS), wherein DMRS ports for the PDSCH are quasi co-located (QCLed) with one or more channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) of the multiple TCI states, wherein the one or more CSI-RS are from multiple cells of a single frequency network (SFN) based on the multiple TCI states;
and determine a time and frequency offset corresponding to each of the multiple cells based on the CSI-RS.
Claim 30 is rejected in the same scope as claim 22.
Claim 32 is rejected in the same scope as claim 24.
5. Claims 23, 27 and 31 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 11 of U.S. Patent No. 12,143,325 in view of Khoshnevisan (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0235455) and further in view of Sakhnini (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0321429).
As per claim 23:
Claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 in view of Khoshnevisan teaches the apparatus of claim 21with the exception of:
wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of the CORESET.
Sakhnini teaches wherein the MAC CE further comprises an indication of the CORESET (see paragraph [0062], the dynamically scheduled CORESETs are defined and indicated e.g. in a DCI or MAC-CE).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the scheduled CORESETs as indicated in DCI or MAC-CE (as disclosed in Sakhnini) into both claim 11 of US Patent No. 12,143,325 and Khoshnevisan as a way of indicating the transmission of the PDCCH (please see paragraph [0062] of Sakhnini).
Claims 27 and 31 are rejected in the same scope as claim 23.
Note: Examiner tried to contact applicant’s representative Michael J. Marcin (Reg. No. 48,198) on May 22, 2026 and also May 27, 2026 for possible issuance of allowance provided a terminal disclaimer was filed but was not successful.
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 21-28 are allowed provided a terminal disclaimer is filed to overcome the obvious-type double patenting rejection as shown above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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PRINCE AKWASI. MENSAH
Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/PRINCE A MENSAH/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
/Michael Thier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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