DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an RCE filed on 08/17/2026.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-44, 49, 61 and 63 have been cancelled.
Claims 45-46, 50-58, 62 and 64-66 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 08/17/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues on pages 8-13 in the remarks that the applicant has concern about using two different QCL-TypeD on an active downlink bandwidth part of one or more cells. The applicant believes the current prior art “R1-2107485” does not teach amended claimed limitation “wherein the selection of the first control resource set is based on at least one of: common search space sets of at least one control resource set on an active downlink bandwidth part of at least a first cell of the one or more cells that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers, the selection of the second control resource set is based on user specific search space sets of at least one control resource set on an active downlink bandwidth part of at least a second cell of the one or more cells that associated with at least two physical cell identifiers wherein the first and second cels are different cells.” of independent claims 45,57 and 65. Therefore, these claims should be allowed. In response, examiner disagrees with the applicant. The examiner’s interpretation of this limitation is the selection of a first control resource set is done based on least a common search space sets of at least one control resource set on an active downlink bandwidth part of at least a first cell of the one or more cells that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers and the selection of a second control resource set is done based on least user specific search space sets of at least one control resource set on an active downlink bandwidth part of at least a second cell of the one or more cells that associated with at least two physical cell identifiers wherein the first and second cels are different cells. The teaching of R1-2107485 on section 2.1.2, observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using a first and a second control resource sets, it’s teaching on section 2.1.2, proposal 4,about using a CSS is equated to common search space set and USS is equated to user specific search space set, it’s teaching on section 2.1.2,proposal 4, observation 3 about determining QCL assumption for PDCCH reception according to associate CORESET is interpreted as selecting the first control resource set based on the common search space sets, it’s teaching on section 2.1.4, proposal 10 about detecting (DL DCI) from PDCCH reception associate with CORESET pool and using the DCI for indicating a TCI state (to provide common QCL information) is interpreted as using the TCI with CORESET, it teaches on figure 3 teaches using one or more cells, it’s teaching on section 2.1.2, proposal 5 about using PS-RNTI with a P-Cell is read as using one cell that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers, it’s teaching on section 2.1.6, “working assumption from RAN#105 (bullet point 4)” about using maximum number of TCI agates pools for supporting across BWPs is interpreted as using one control resource set on active downlink bandwidth part, it’s teaching on observation 2, proposal 4 about using a subset of CORESET is interpreted as using a first and a second control resource sets, it’s teaching on section 2.1.2, proposal 4 about using a CSS is equated to common search space set and USS is equated to user specific search space set, it's teaching on section 2.1.2,proposal 4, observation 3 about determining QCL assumption for PDCCH reception according to associate CORESET is interpreted as selecting the second control resource set based on the USS space sets, it’s teaching on section 2.1.4, proposal 10 about detecting (DL DCI) from PDCCH reception associate with CORESET pool and using the DCI for indicating a TCI state (to provide common QCL information) is interpreted as using the TCI with CORESET, it’s teaches on figure 3 teaches using one or more cells, it’s teaching on section 2.1.2, proposal 5 about using PS-RNTI with a P-Cell is read as using one cell that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers, it’s teaching on section 2.1.6, “working assumption from RAN#105 (bullet point 4)” about using maximum number of TCI agates pools for supporting across BWPs is interpreted as using one control resource set on active downlink bandwidth part.
As for applicant’s arguments on pages 13-14 in the remarks about allowing dependent claims, these claims cannot be allowed, because these claims depend on independent claims.
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 45-48, 50, 52-55 and 57-60, 62 and 64-66 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being anticipated by (applicant admitted prior art) 3GPP TSG RAN WG1#106-e, R1-2107485 (hereinafter, “R1-2107485” (publication date: August/16-27, 2021)) in view of Cirik et al. (hereinafter, “Cirik”; 20200351841).
In response to claims 45, 57 and 66,
R1-2107485 teaches determine, with the apparatus, to monitor physical downlink control channel candidates in overlapping monitoring occasions of two or more control resource sets of the communication network (section 2.1.2, “Target RS applying joint/separate TCI”, UE is equated to an apparatus, figure 4, the TRP or base station shown in this figure is equated to an apparatus, section 2.1.2, observation 2, tracking is equated to determining with the apparatus as well as monitoring occasions, tracking and determining DL QCL information for PDCCH reception explicitly teaches monitor physical downlink control channel candidates, figure 4 explicitly teaches having overlaps between two resources, section 2.1.2, observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using two or more control resource sets of the communication network),
wherein the two or more control resource sets are using at least two different QCL-Type-D (quasi co-location Type-D) on an active downlink bandwidth part of one or more cells (section 2.1.4, using a single or multiple serving for DL TCI spatial relation framework is interpreted as using downlink communication, figure 4 explicitly teaches using one or more cells, section 2.1.6, “TCI state pool sharing in CA operation /Working assumption from RAN#105 (bullet point 4)” and table 6 is interpreted as using active bandwidth part for one or more cells, section 2.1.8, proposal 17, a QCL-Type-D without PL-RS and QCL-Type-D with PL-RS are interpreted as using two different types of QCL-Type-D for two or more control resource sets); and
select a first control resource set using of at least two different QCL-TypeD a first QCL-Type-D and a second control resource set using a second QCL-Type-D of at least two different QCL-TypeD for monitoring at least two of the physical downlink control channel candidates (section 2.1.2, observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using a first control resource set and using a second control resource set, section 2.1.8, proposal 17, determining (DL beam for measurement) with a QCL-Type-D using configuration 1 for providing QCL-Type-D without PL-RS is equated to first QCL-TypeD and QCL-Type-D with PL-RS is equated to a second type of QCL-TypeD, section 2.1.2, observation 3, PDCCH CSS set with (type 0/0A/2/3) is interpreted as using at least two different types of PDCCH or using at least two of the physical downlink control channel candidates, section 2.1.2, observation 4,detrmining a QCL assumption according to the associate CORESET for a PDCCH reception is interpreted as select a first control resource set using of at least two different QCL-TypeD a first QCL-Type-D and a second control resource set using a second QCL-Type-D of at least two different QCL-TypeD for monitoring at least two of the physical downlink control channel candidates),
wherein the selection of the first control resource set is based on at least one of: common search space sets of at least one control resource set on an active downlink bandwidth part of at least a first cell of the one or more cells that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers (section 2.1.2, observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using a first and a second control resource sets, section 2.1.2, proposal 4,CSS is equated to common search space set and USS is equated to user specific search space set, section 2.1.2,proposal 4, observation 3,determining QCL assumption for PDCCH reception according to associate CORESET is interpreted as selecting the first control resource set based on the common search space sets, section 2.1.4, proposal 10, detecting (DL DCI) from PDCCH reception associate with CORESET pool and using the DCI for indicating a TCI state (to provide common QCL information) is interpreted as using the TCI with CORESET, figure 3 teaches using one or more cells, section 2.1.2, proposal 5, using PS-RNTI with a P-Cell is read as using one cell that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers, section 2.1.6, “working assumption from RAN#105 (bullet point 4)”, using maximum number of TCI agates pools for supporting across BWPs is interpreted as using one control resource set on active downlink bandwidth part), and
the selection of the second control resource set is based on user specific search space sets of at least one control resource set on an active downlink bandwidth part of at least a second cell of the one or more cells that associated with at least two physical cell identifiers wherein the first and second cels are different cells (observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using a first and a second control resource sets, section 2.1.2, proposal 4,CSS is equated to common search space set and USS is equated to user specific search space set, section 2.1.2,proposal 4, observation 3,determining QCL assumption for PDCCH reception according to associate CORESET is interpreted as selecting the second control resource set based on the USS space sets, section 2.1.4, proposal 10, detecting (DL DCI) from PDCCH reception associate with CORESET pool and using the DCI for indicating a TCI state (to provide common QCL information) is interpreted as using the TCI with CORESET, figure 3 teaches using one or more cells, section 2.1.2, proposal 5, using PS-RNTI with a P-Cell is read as using one cell that associated with one or more physical cell identifiers, section 2.1.6, “working assumption from RAN#105 (bullet point 4)”, using maximum number of TCI agates pools for supporting across BWPs is interpreted as using one control resource set on active downlink bandwidth part).
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly an apparatus of a communication network, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches an apparatus of a communication network, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least (paragraph 222 and 223 together teach this limitation):
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for using at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed with the at least one processor as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL type-D.
In response to claims 46 and 58,
R1-2107485 teaches to monitor the physical downlink control channel candidates in overlapping monitoring occasions of the two or more control resource sets associated with the first QCL-TypeD and the second QCL-TypeD (section 2.1.2, observation 2, tracking is equated to determining and monitoring occasions, tracking and determining DL QCL information for PDCCH reception explicitly teaches monitor physical downlink control channel candidates, figure 4 explicitly teaches having overlaps between two resources, section 2.1.2, observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using two or more control resource sets of the communication network, section 2.1.8, proposal 17, determining (DL beam for measurement) with a QCL-Type-D using configuration 1 for providing QCL-Type-D without or with PL-RS explicitly teaches using a first and a second type QCL-Type-D).
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus (paragraph 222 and 223 together teach this limitation):
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for using instructions, when executed with the at least one processor as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL Type-D.
In response to claims 47 and 59,
R1-2107485 teaches wherein the first and the second control resource sets have been activated with transmission configuration indication states (section 2.1.2, observation 2, proposal 4, subset of CORESET is interpreted as using, section 2.1.4, using a single or multiple serving for DL TCI spatial relation framework is interpreted using multiple TCI states, section 2.1.2, applying QCL information (by the UE) joint/separate TCI for all CORESET explicitly teaches activating TCI states for the first and second control resource sets).
In response to claims 48 and 60,
R1-2107485 teaches wherein the transmission configuration indication states comprise at least one of a joint transmission configuration indication state or a downlink transmission configuration indication state associated with at least two different QCL-Type set to type-D properties (section 2.1.2, applying QCL information (by the UE) joint/separate TCI for all CORESET explicitly teaches the transmission configuration indication states comprise at least one of a joint transmission configuration indication state, section 2.1.8, proposal 17,QCL-Type-D without PLRS is equated to one type of QCL-Type-D property and QCL-Type-D with PL-RS is equated to another type of QCL-Type-D property, determining (DL beam for measurement) with a QCL-Type-D using configuration 1 for providing QCL-Type-D without or with PL-RS explicitly teaches using at least two different QCL-Type set to type-D properties).
In response to claim 50,
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly about claim 50.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to select as the first control resource set, a control resource set corresponding to a common search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network (paragraph 372, associating a first CORESET with common search space (CSS) set is interpreted as select as the first control resource set, a control resource set corresponding to a common search space set, paragraph 373 using one or more second CORESET with using user specific search (USS) set is interpreted as using the first and the second control resource sets corresponding to the user specific search space sets, paragraph 375-376, using one or more cells are interpreted as using a physical cell that is different from a serving cell, using cell specific index of the cell being the lowest among the cell specific indices with one or more CORESETs associate with one or more cells explicitly teach using a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for using select a control resource set corresponding to at least one of a common search space set or a user specific search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL Type-D.
In response to claim 52,
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly about claim 52.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to select as the second control resource set, a control resource set corresponding to the user specific search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network that have a control resource set corresponding to the user specific search space associated with a physical cell identification different from that of the cell (paragraph 372, associating a first CORESET with common search space (CSS) set is interpreted as select a control resource set corresponding to at least one of a common search space set , paragraph 373 using one or more second CORESET with using user specific search (USS) set is interpreted as using the second control resource sets corresponding to the user specific search space sets that is corresponding to the user specific search space set, paragraph 375-376, using one or more cells are interpreted as using a physical cell that is different from a serving cell, using cell specific index of the cell being the lowest among the cell specific indices with one or more CORESETs associate with one or more cells explicitly teaches this limitation).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for using select a control resource set corresponding to at least one of a common search space set or a user specific search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL type-D.
In response to claim 53,
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly about claim 53.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the user specific search space is associated with a physical cell identification different from that of the cell and containing a common search space(, paragraph 373 using one or more second CORESET with using user specific search (USS) set is interpreted as using the first and the second control resource sets corresponding to the user specific search space sets, paragraph 375-376, using one or more cells are interpreted as using a physical cell that is different from a serving cell, using cell specific index with one or more CORESETs associate with one or more cells explicitly teaches using a physical cell identification different from that of a serving cell).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for using transmission configuration indication state of the first and the second control resource sets corresponding to the user specific search space sets is associated with a physical cell identification different from that of a serving cell as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL type-D.
In response to claims 54 and 65,
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly about claims 54 and 65.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to select any control resource set of two or more control resource sets having a same QCL-Type-D (paragraph 380-381, selecting first or second CORESET for QCL-Type-D explicitly teaches this limitation).
In response to claim 62,
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly about claim 62.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the selecting the first control resource set comprises selecting as the first control resource set, a control resource set corresponding to a common search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network (paragraph 372, associating a first CORESET with common search space (CSS) set is interpreted as select as the first control resource set that is corresponding to a common search space set, paragraph 373 using one or more second CORESET with using user specific search (USS) set is interpreted as using the first and the second control resource sets corresponding to the user specific search space sets, paragraph 375-376, using one or more cells are interpreted as using a physical cell that is different from a serving cell, using cell specific index of the cell being the lowest among the cell specific indices with one or more CORESETs associate with one or more cells explicitly teaches using a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for selecting the first control resource set comprises selecting as the first control resource set, a control resource set corresponding to a common search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL Type-D.
In response to claim 64,
R1-2107485 does not teach explicitly about claim 64.
Cirik in view of R1-2107485 teaches wherein the selecting the first control resource set comprises selecting a control resource set corresponding to the common search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network that have a control resource set corresponding to the user specific search space associated with a physical cell identification different from that of the cell (paragraph 372, associating a first CORESET with common search space (CSS) set is interpreted as select a control resource set corresponding to at least one of a common search space set , paragraph 373 using one or more second CORESET with using user specific search (USS) set is interpreted as using the first and the second control resource sets corresponding to the user specific search space sets, paragraph 375-376, using one or more cells are interpreted as using a physical cell that is different from a serving cell, using cell specific index of the cell being the lowest among the cell specific indices with one or more CORESETs associate with one or more cells explicitly teaches using a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network).
It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify R1-2107485 for using select a control resource set corresponding to at least one of a common search space set or a user specific search space set with a lowest index in a cell with a lowest index as compared to other cells of the communication network as taught by Cirik because it would allow using a unified TCI framework for supporting source/target QCL relations in the current supported QCL type-D.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 51 and 55-56 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.
As for dependent claim 51, this claim is objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein when there is no at least one control resource set corresponding to a common search space in the active downlink bandwidth part of one or more cells, the cell with a lowest index that is selected does not have a control resource set corresponding to the user specific search space set associated with a physical cell identification different from that of the cell.”
The closest prior art in the record Cirik et al. (20200351841) teaches in paragraph 343 about using one or more CORESET with a TCI field in a DCI, he teaches in paragraph 372-373 about using CSS and USS with the CORESET, he teaches in paragraph 375-376 about using cell specific index with the CORESET and he teaches in paragraph 380-381 about using a QCL-Type-D with a first and a second CORESET, but he fails to teach the above cited limitation.
As for dependent claim 55, this claim is objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to select as the first control resource set, a control resource set with a lowest index in a cell as compared to other cells of the communication network that do not have a control resource set corresponding to the user specific search space set associated with a physical cell identification different from that of the cell and containing a common search space.”
The closest prior art in the record Cirik et al. (20200351841) teaches in paragraph 343 about using one or more CORESET with a TCI field in a DCI, he teaches in paragraph 372-373 about using CSS and USS with the CORESET, he teaches in paragraph 375-376 about using cell specific index with the CORESET and he teaches in paragraph 380-381 about using a QCL-Type-D with a first and a second CORESET, but he fails to teach the above cited limitation.
As for dependent claim 56, this claim is objected, because there is no prior art in the record that teaches claimed limitation “wherein the instructions, when executed with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to select as the second control resource set a control resource set with a lowest user specific search space set index in a cell as compared to other cells of the communication network that do not have a control resource set corresponding to the user specific search space associated with a physical cell identification different from that of the cell and containing a common search space.”
The closest prior art in the record Cirik et al. (20200351841) teaches in paragraph 343 about using one or more CORESET with a TCI field in a DCI, he teaches in paragraph 372-373 about using CSS and USS with the CORESET, he teaches in paragraph 375-376 about using cell specific index with the CORESET and he teaches in paragraph 380-381 about using a QCL-Type-D with a first and a second CORESET, but he fails to teach the above cited limitation.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABUSAYEED HAQUE whose telephone number is (571)270-7252. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am -7:30 pm.
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/ABUSAYEED M HAQUE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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