US 11057896

US Patent 11,057,896, titled "Methods and apparatuses of determining quasi co-location (QCL) assumptions for beam operations," was issued on July 6, 2021, from an application filed on October 22, 2019. The original assignee was FG Innovation Co Ltd, and the current assignee is Hannibal IP LLC. The inventors are Chien-Chun Cheng, Tsung-Hua Tsai, Yu-Hsin Cheng, and Wan-Chen Lin.

Abstract:
The patent describes a method for wireless communications where a User Equipment (UE) monitors multiple Control Resource Sets (CORESETs) within an active Bandwidth Part (BWP) of a serving cell. The UE then applies a first Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption from a specific CORESET to receive an aperiodic Channel Status Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS). This first CORESET is identified as being associated with a monitored search space configured with the lowest CORESET Identity (ID) among the monitored CORESETs.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Independent Claim 1 (System Claim - UE):
  This claim describes a User Equipment (UE) that includes computer-readable media with instructions and a processor. The processor is configured to monitor various Control Resource Sets (CORESETs) that are set up for the UE within a specific active Bandwidth Part (BWP) of a serving cellular connection during a given time slot. The UE then uses a particular Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption from one of these monitored CORESETs (referred to as the "first CORESET") to receive a Channel Status Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS) that appears irregularly (aperiodic). The key condition is that this "first CORESET" is linked to a monitored search space that has the lowest identification number (CORESET ID) among all the CORESETs being monitored.

• Independent Claim 10 (System Claim - UE):
  This claim also describes a User Equipment (UE) with computer-readable media and a processor. The processor is set up to monitor multiple CORESETs configured for the UE within an active BWP of a serving cell in a time slot. Additionally, the UE receives Downlink Control Information (DCI), which schedules a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), from a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). If the time gap (scheduling offset) between when the PDCCH (carrying the DCI) finishes transmitting and when the PDSCH starts is less than a certain limit (threshold), the UE applies the QCL assumption used for receiving that PDCCH to also receive the PDSCH. The PDCCH itself is transmitted within one of the monitored CORESETs, and that specific monitored CORESET is associated with a monitored search space that has the lowest CORESET ID among all the monitored CORESETs.

• Independent Claim 11 (Method Claim):
  This claim outlines a method of wireless communication performed by a User Equipment (UE). The method involves the UE monitoring at least one of several Control Resource Sets (CORESETs) that are configured for it within an active Bandwidth Part (BWP) of a serving cell during a time slot. Subsequently, the UE applies a first Quasi Co-Location (QCL) assumption from a first CORESET (which is one of the monitored CORESETs) to receive an aperiodic Channel Status Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS). Similar to Claim 1, this first CORESET is characterized by being associated with a monitored search space that has the lowest CORESET Identity (ID) among the set of monitored CORESETs.

Legal Status and Litigation:
The patent is currently "Active" and is set to expire on December 10, 2039. It is involved in litigation. Specifically, a PTAB case, IPR2025-01187, was filed (and settled), and a US case was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (case 4:25-cv-00200). It is also noted that this patent family has experienced its first worldwide litigation.

(Note: The CAFC 2026 dockets search did not return specific results for this patent number in the provided May 2026 schedule. However, the Google Patents information for US11057896B2 directly indicates active litigation, which is prioritized as current ground truth).