www.uspto.gov
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/572,378
`
`01/10/2022
`
`Ankit BHAMRI
`
`736456.535C1
`
`8085
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`NGUYEN,THAI
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2469
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`03/18/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`17/572,378
`Examiner
`THAI NGUYEN
`
`Applicant(s)
`BHAMRI etal.
`Art Unit
`2469
`
`AIA (FITF) Status
`Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 1/10/2022.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)() This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-14 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`CL] Claim(s)__is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1,4-6 and 10-14 is/are rejected.
`Claim(s) 2-3 and 7-9 is/are objected to.
`C) Claim(s
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http:/Awww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10)2) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)M The drawing(s) filed on 1/10/2022 is/are: a)) accepted or b)C) objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)(¥) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)() None ofthe:
`b)( Some**
`a) All
`1.@) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240312
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/572,378
`Art Unit: 2469
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
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`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`1.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`(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.
`
`2.
`
`Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AlA), second paragraph, as being
`
`indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor
`
`ora joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the
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`invention.
`
`3.
`
`Claim 2 recites the limitation “...determines a number of regions according to maximum number
`
`of TCI states...to be indicated by one TCI in the DCI” which makes the claim indefinite.
`
`It’s unclear if
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`Applicant intended to claim “...indicated by one TCI in the DCI” or not since the language “to be
`
`indicated” may be interpreted to mean “yet to be indicated”. Examiner will interpret as best
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`understood.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`4.
`
`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-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory
`
`basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AlA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/572,378
`Art Unit: 2469
`
`Page 3
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same
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`under either status.
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`5.
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`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, namesanother inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of
`the claimed invention.
`
`6.
`
`Claims 1, 4-6, 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Khoshnevisan et
`
`al (USPN 20200404667), with provisional application 62/865730filed 6/24/2019.
`
`Regarding claim 1, Khoshnevisan discloses
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`a user equipment(UE), comprising: (UE, FIG. 2 #120, comprising [0043]
`
`a transceiver, which in operation, receives downlink control information (DCI) signaling; (combined
`
`transmit/receive circuitry for receiving DCI [0030, 0045-0049], FIGs. 9A, 10A, provisional application
`
`[0044-0045], FIG. 2
`
`a processor, which in operation: (processor, FIG. 2 #280, operable to perform [0049, 0087],
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`provisional application [0008, 0009], FIG. 2
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`obtains from the DCI signaling:a Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) indicator specifying that two
`
`or more TCIstates are configured (first TCI state and second TCI state configured [0087, 0006, 0007, 0098-
`
`0099], provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`a frequency domain resource assignment indicating frequency domain resources allocated for the two or
`
`more TCI states (RB allocation/PRB bundling size indicator from DCI [0098], FIGs. 9A, 10A, provisional
`
`application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/572,378
`Art Unit: 2469
`
`Page 4
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`determinesfor each TCI state of the two or more TCI states one or more regionsin frequency domain, each
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`region having an integer multiple of a precoding resource block group (PRG), said integer being equalto or larger
`
`than 1 (determines PRGs in frequency domain for each TCI state with region/block indexed with entire
`
`BWP [0099-0106], FIG. 9B, provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`wherein regionsof different TCI states do not overlap (region/block indexed are non-overlapping
`
`[0102], FIG. 9B, provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`wherein the transceiver, in operation, receives or transmits for each TCI state data on the frequency
`
`domain resources in the determined frequency domain region (combined transmit/receive circuitry for
`
`receiving data from each TRP with corresponding TCI state using determined PRG [0087, 0101], FIGs. 9A,
`
`9B, provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`7.
`
`Claim 14 is rejected based on similar ground(s) provided in rejection of claim 1.
`
`Regarding claim 13, Khoshnevisan discloses
`
`a scheduling node, comprising: (base station/TRP comprising [0004, 0033]
`
`a transceiver, which in operation, transmits downlink control information (DCI), signaling (combined
`
`transmit/receive circuitry for transmitting DCI [0030, 0033, 0044, 0047], provisional application [0042-
`
`0045], FIG. 2
`
`a processor, which in operation: (processor, FIG. 2 #240, [0047], provisional application [0046], FIG.
`
`provides within the DCI signaling: a transmission configuration indication (TCI) indicator specifying that
`
`two or more TCI states are configured (transmit TCI comprising first TCl state and second TCI state
`
`configured [0087, 0006, 0007, 0098-0099], provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/572,378
`Art Unit: 2469
`
`Page 5
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`a frequency domain resource assignment indicating frequency domain resources allocated for the two or
`
`more TCI states (RB allocation/PRB bundling size indicator from DCI [0098], FIGs. 9A, 10A, provisional
`
`application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`determinesfor each TCI state of the two or more TCI states one or more regionsin frequency domain, each
`
`region having an integer multiple of a precoding resource block group (PRG), said integer being equalto or larger
`
`than 1 (determines PRGs in frequency domain for each TCI state with region/block indexed with entire
`
`BWP [0099-0106], FIG. 9B, provisional application [(0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`wherein regionsof different TCI states do not overlap (region/block indexed are non-overlapping
`
`[0102], FIG. 9B, provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`wherein the transceiver, in operation, receives or transmits for each TCI state data on the frequency
`
`domain resources in the determined frequency domain region (combined transmit/receive circuitry for
`
`transmitting data to UE with corresponding TCI state using determined PRG [0087, 0101], FIGs. 9A, 9B,
`
`provisional application [0047, 0083, 0085-0091], FIGs. 7-10C
`
`Regarding claim 4, Khoshnevisan discloses “wherein the processor, in operation, assigns the regions to
`
`the respective integer multiples of PRGs in a semi-static manner, without considering dynamic resource allocation
`
`based on said DCI” PRGs being semi-statically indicated [0098, 0099], provisional application [0096, 0097]
`
`Regarding claim 5, Khoshnevisan discloses “assigns the regions to the respective integer multiples of
`
`PRGs in accordance with said frequency-domain resource assignment” UE assigns PRG based on bundlingsize
`
`P’ indicated by base station/TRP [0098, 0099], provisional application [0096, 0097]
`
`Regarding claim 6, Khoshnevisan discloses “associates the regions to the two or more TCI states
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`according to a pre-configured pattern” PRGs can be divided between two TCI states using half/half split
`
`[0102], provisional application [00100]
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/572,378
`Art Unit: 2469
`
`Page 6
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`Regarding claim 10, Khoshnevisan discloses “wherein the processor, in operation, sequentially
`
`associates consecutive regions to each of the two or more TCI states” UE assigns half of number of PRGs tofirst
`
`TCI and the other half number of PRGs to second TCI [0102-0105], FIGs. 9A, 9B, provisional application
`
`[00100, 00105]
`
`Regarding claim 11, Khoshnevisan discloses “as a fixed size commonforall regions of all TCI states”
`
`DCI contains size indicator for both TCI states [0097-0101], FIG. 9B, provisional application [0091, 0095,
`
`0097]
`
`Regarding claim 12, Khoshnevisan discloses “obtaining from the DCI absolutesize in terms of said
`
`multiple of PRGs” DCI message contains parameter for PRG size [0006-0009, 0099], FIGs. 9A, 9B,
`
`provisional application [0091, 0095, 0097]
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`8.
`
`Claim 2 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or
`
`35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AlA), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations
`
`of the base claim and any intervening claims.
`
`9.
`
`Claims 3, 7-9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be
`
`allowable if rewritten in independent form includingall of the limitations of the base claim and any
`
`intervening claims.
`
`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
`
`Conclusion
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`disclosure.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/572,378
`Art Unit: 2469
`
`Bagheri et al (USPN 20200314881)
`
`FIG. 6
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`Page 7
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
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`should be directed to THA] NGUYEN whosetelephone number is (571)270-7632. The examiner can
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`normally be reached M-F campus 10:30-5pm, telework 6pm-8pm| Telework count days.
`
`Examiner interviewsare 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, lan
`
`N Moore can be reached on (571)272-3085. The fax phone numberfor the organization wherethis
`
`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from
`
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`https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and
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`571-272-1000.
`
`/THAI NGUYEN/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
`
`