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 INTERPRETATION
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
See independent claim 25, and dependent claim 30 that use the word “means”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-6, 9-15, 25-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsumura (US 2024/0430809 A1).
As to claim 1, Matsumura discloses a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) 20 (see figure 3), comprising: receiving first signaling configuring the UE with one or more unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) states (see paragraphs [0008], [0136], [0243]); applying an uplink power control (UL PC) parameter setting, associated with at least one of the unified TCI states, to a transmission occasion of an uplink signal to which the at least one the unified TCI states applies (see paragraphs [0008], [0243]); receiving second signaling reconfiguring at least one parameter of the UL PC parameter setting (see paragraph [0008] which discloses “A terminal according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a receiving section that receives information related to one or more transmission configuration indication (TCI) states”; see also see paragraphs [0153], [0156] which disclose plural power control states); and resetting an accumulation of power control adjustment state associated with the UL PC parameter setting (see paragraphs [0153], [0245]).
As to claims 2, 10, 26, Matsumura discloses that each of the unified TCI states indicates a common beam associated with multiple signals. See paragraphs [0035], [0036].
As to claims 3, 11, 27, Matsumura discloses that the uplink signal comprises at least one of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), or a sounding reference signal (SRS). See at least paragraphs [0031], [0032], [0053].
As to claims 4, 12, 28, Matsumura discloses that the UL PC parameter setting indicates at least: a first parameter for controlling received power level; a second parameter for partial path loss compensation; and a closed loop index. See paragraphs [0011], [0064], [0087], [0225].
As to claims 5, 13, 29, Matsumura discloses that the UL PC parameter setting also indicates a third parameter indicating a reference signal (RS) resource index for measuring path loss. See paragraphs [0064], [0111], [0181].
As to claims 6, 14, 30, Matsumura discloses that resetting the accumulation of power control adjustment state comprises resetting an accumulation of power control adjustment state associated with the closed loop index. See paragraphs [0156], [0164].
As to claim 9, it is rejected for similar reasons with respect to independent claim 1 as set forth above. In addition, Matsumura further discloses an apparatus 20 (see figure 6) for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories 1002 comprising executable instructions; and one or more processors 1001.
As to claim 15, Matsumura discloses that the one or more processors are further configured to cause the apparatus to reset the accumulation of power control adjustment state associated with the closed loop index if the second signaling reconfigures at least one of the first parameter or the second parameter. See paragraphs [0153], [0245].
As to claim 25, it is rejected for similar reasons with respect to independent claim 1 as set forth above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 16 is 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.
As to claim 16, the prior art of record fail to disclose that the one or more processors are further configured cause the apparatus to reset the accumulation of power control adjustment state associated with the closed loop index only if the second signaling reconfigures at least one of the first parameter or the second parameter associated with or used by a configured, activated, or indicated UL applicable TCI state.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jeon (US 2020/0351801 A1); Gao (US 2023/0299900 A1) disclose transmission power control.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN THANH VO whose telephone number is (571)272-7901. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
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/NGUYEN T VO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
