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
Applicant's arguments filed June 2, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant amends independent claims 1, 14, and 20 by partially reciting “a TAG identifier pointer for a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state, wherein a value of the TAG identifier pointer identifies, for the first TCI state, the first TAG identified by the first TAG identifier”. The Applicant also argues on page 8 of Remarks that Yuan does not configure a parameter that, for a given TCI state, identifies one of the configured TAG identifiers.
The Examiner respectfully disagrees as claim merely recites a wireless device receive a message comprising a configuration parameter including a TAG identifier pointer for a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI). In light of Yuan’s disclosure, paragraphs 0084-0087 of Yuan disclose a TAG is associated with a close loop index (CLI) (e.g., CLI 0, or CLI 1) associated with a first TA or a second TA (e.g., TA of a lower/higher TAG ID). Yuan further describes that when the UE transmits an uplink channel with a CLI index of 0, the UE determines that TA associated with the lower TAG-Is to be applied to the uplink channel, and when the UE transmits an uplink channel with a CLI index of 12, the UE determines the TA associated with the higher TAG-Id to be applied to the uplink channel. In other words, Yuan expressly disclose “a configuration parameter including a TAG identifier pointer for a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI)” of claim language.
The Applicant further argues that Turtinen does not disclose the newly added features. Since the Examiner does not rely on Turtinen’s teachings for the newly added features; this point of arguments is moot.
Therefore, it should be clear to the Applicant that the combination of Yuan and Turtinen still reads on the currently amended claim language based on the discussion above.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 11, 13-17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan et al. (hereinafter “Yuan”, WO 2023/159365) as cited in IDS dated December 31, 2025 in view of Turtinen et al. (hereinafter “Turtinen”, WO 2025/065565).
Regarding claims 1, 14, and 20, Yuan discloses a wireless device (i.e., a UE 1204 as shown in Fig. 12), and a method, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising:
one or more processors (i.e., application processor 1206); and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (i.e., a memory coupled to the processor as described in paragraphs 0005-0006), cause the wireless device to:
receive one or more messages comprising one or more configuration parameters of a cell, wherein the one or more configuration parameters comprise:
a first timing advance group (TAG) identifier identifying a first TAG of the cell (i.e., Tag-Id0 as described in paragraph 0089);
a second TAG identifier identifying a second TAG of the cell (i.e., Tag-Id1 as described in paragraph 0089);
a TAG identifier pointer for a first transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state (i.e., a Close Loop Index (CLI) of 0 or 1 is associated with a first TA of lower TAG ID or higher TAG ID, and associated with unified TCI. Also, different TCI states (e.g., TCI 0 or TCI 1) as described in paragraphs 0084-0087), wherein a value of the TAG identifier pointer identifies, for the first TCI state, the first TAG identified by the first TAG identifier (i.e., CLI index of 0 or CLI index of 1 associated with a unified TCI or a unified TCI group as described in paragraphs 0084-0087), and
a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) resource parameter indicating a PUCCH resource for hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) feedback transmission of physical downlink shared control channel (PDSCH) receptions of a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) configuration of the cell (i.e., a third PUCCH for acknowledgement/non-acknowledgment (A/N) to a SPS PDSCH as described in paragraphs 0101, and 0111) and
determine that a time alignment timer of the first TAG, expires (i.e., a timer expiration is determined as described in paragraphs 0092, and 0094-0095).
Yuan, however, does not expressly disclose the remaining features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Turtinen discloses configuration handling with tow timing advance groups. Turtinen also discloses:
clear one or more downlink assignments of the SPS configuration, based on the first TCI state (i.e., a TCI as described in paragraphs 0033-0036), of the PUCCH resource for the SPS configuration, being associated with the first TAG with the expired time alignment timer (i.e., the configured downlink assignment or SPS configuration is cleared as described in paragraphs 0033-0036).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to prevent any further configurations could occur within the cells.
Regarding claims 2, and 15, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein a time alignment timer of the second TAG is running while the time alignment timer of the first TAG is expired (i.e., the other TAT of the TAG of the serving cell remains running while the other one expires as described in paragraphs 0033, and 0051).
Regarding claims 3, and 16, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device not to clear a downlink assignment of a second SPS configuration based on a second TCI state of a second PUCCH resource of the second SPS configuration being associated with the second TAG with the running time alignment timer (i.e., the UL channels or configurations associated with the other TAG may continue intact, and clear only the necessary and configured DL SPS configuration in cast the TAT of one of the two TAGs associated with the serving cell expires as described in paragraphs 0033-0034, and 0051).
Regarding claim 4, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive a downlink control information (DCI) indicating activation of the SPS configuration (i.e., DCI is transmitted through a control resource set associated with the first TAG as described in paragraph 0044).
Regarding claim 5, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive one or more control commands indicating two TCI states for the cell, wherein the two TCI states comprise the TCI state (i.e., the uplink TCI state as described in paragraph 0047).
Regarding claim 6, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein:
the one or more configuration parameters comprise a TCI state parameter of the PUCCH resource (i.e., the device determines that the PUCCH resource for the SPS configuration is associated with the first TAG by determining that an uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or joint TCI state followed by the PUCCH resource is associated with the first TAG as described in paragraph 0044); and
a value of the TCI state parameter indicates the TCI state, for the PUCCH resource, among the two TCI states (i.e., the device determines that the PUCCH resource for the SPS configuration is associated with the first TAG by determining that an uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or joint TCI state followed by the PUCCH resource is associated with the first TAG as described in paragraphs 0044, and 0086).
Regarding claim 7, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein the uplink TCI state is:
one of the two TCI states based on the TCI state parameter being set to a first value (i.e., the DCI associated with the first TAG or second TAG through control resource set (CORESET), which is associated with CORESET pool index. The CORESET pool index is associated with a TAG through TCI state associated with an identifier of TAG as described in paragraphs 0053-0054); or
another one of the two TCI states based on the TCI state parameter being set to a second value (i.e., the DCI associated with the first TAG or second TAG through control resource set (CORESET), which is associated with CORESET pool index. The CORESET pool index is associated with a TAG through TCI state associated with an identifier of TAG as described in paragraphs 0053-0054).
Regarding claim 8, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein:
Said one of the two TCI states is for a first control resource set (coreset) pool index (i.e., the DCI associated with the first TAG or second TAG through control resource set (CORESET), which is associated with CORESET pool index. The CORESET pool index is associated with a TAG through TCI state associated with an identifier of TAG as described in paragraphs 0053-0054); and
said another one of the two TCI state is for a second coreset pool index (i.e., the DCI associated with the first TAG or second TAG through control resource set (CORESET), which is associated with CORESET pool index. The CORESET pool index is associated with a TAG through TCI state associated with an identifier of TAG as described in paragraphs 0053-0054).
Regarding claim 11, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein the cell is a serving cell of the wireless device (i.e., the serving cell as described in Abstract and paragraphs 0033, and 0036).
Regarding claims 13, and 19, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive, based on a downlink TCI state (i.e., the device determines the PUCCH resource from the DCI that activates the configured downlink assignment as described in paragraphs 0053-0054), the one or more downlink assignments of the SPS configuration before the one or more downlink assignments are cleared (i.e., the device clears the configured downlink assignment in a case that the PUCCH resource which is used to indicate feedback to the configured downlink assignment as described in paragraphs 0036, and 0051).
Regarding claim 17, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Turtinen also discloses wherein: the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to receive one or more control commands indicating two TCI states for the cell;
the two TCI states comprise the first TCI state (i.e., the uplink TCI state as described in paragraph 0047);
the one or more configuration parameters comprise a TCI state parameter of the PUCCH resource (i.e., the device determines that the PUCCH resource for the SPS configuration is associated with the first TAG by determining that an uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or joint TCI state followed by the PUCCH resource is associated with the first TAG as described in paragraph 0044); and
a value of the TCI state parameter indicates the first TCI state, for the PUCCH resource, among the two TCI states (i.e., the device determines that the PUCCH resource for the SPS configuration is associated with the first TAG by determining that an uplink transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state or joint TCI state followed by the PUCCH resource is associated with the first TAG as described in paragraph 0044).
Claim(s) 9, 12, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yuan in view of Turtinen, and further in view of 5G; NR; Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol specification (3GPP TS 38.321 version 15.8.0 Release 15) (2020-01) (hereinafter “Reference A”).
Regarding claims 9, and 18, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Reference A discloses wherein the clearing the one or more downlink assignments of the SPS configuration comprises not using the one or more downlink assignments of the SPS configuration for the PDSCH receptions of the SPS configuration (i.e., clear any configured downlink assignment as described in section 5.2 Maintenance of Uplink Time Assignment on page 23, section 5.3.1 DL assignment reception on page 24 including SPS PDSCH because SPS is configured downlink assignment, and SPS PDSCH is not dynamically scheduled, and only exists when it is configured).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to ensure that no data is received after the SPS configuration is released.
Regarding claim 12, Yuan and Turtinen disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Reference A discloses wherein the serving cell is:
a special cell (SpCell) of a master cell group (MCG) or a secondary cell group (SCG) (i.e., special cell in section 3.1 on page 8, and SCG as described in section 4.2.2. on page 9); or
a secondary cell (SCell).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the control plane signaling.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 WAYNE CAI whose telephone number is (571)272-7798. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KATHY WANG-HURST can be reached on (571)270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Wayne H Cai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
Prosecution Insights