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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 01/05/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/08/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant’s argument in pages 7-11, the applicant asserts that “Amended independent claim 7 recites, in part, “(i) a receiver configured to: receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position and a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) that includes system information,” and (ii) "wherein the transmission periodicity for the block is a periodicity of half frames for reception of the PBCH.” As explained below, Applicant respectfully asserts that Samsung, Ericsson, Si, and Yu, whether considered separately or in combination, fail to teach at least the above- referenced limitations of amended independent claim 7. The same is true regarding independent claims 8-11, which recite a substantially similar limitation.” Examiner respectively disagrees.
As indicated by the office action, as further indicated by fig. 3, section 4.2 of R1-1700883 (SAMSUNG), “SS block in above 6GHz NR need to convey large payloads, such as the SS block index indication information… An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM, FDM, CDM or hybrid manner… NR-PBCH is for MIBs”, would indicating the SS block including synchronization signal and PBCH that includes system information that delivered according to SS block index indication that indicating SS block/burst/burst set configuration information, number of SS blocks in a SS burst, and the number of SS bursts in a SS burst set or periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec, which would indicating the transmission periodicity of the synchronization signal and PBCH. Therefore, R1-1700883 (SAMSUNG) would teach “receive, from a base station, information indicating a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) that includes system information”.
And as further indicated by fig. 15, table 4, par. 194 of SI ‘946, the SS block in the SS burst set in the time domain is indicated by SS block index and signaled to the UE, which would indicating SIB, as indicated by par. 97, 177, 201, 231, and as further indicated by par. 134, 203, and par. 233 of SI ‘946, “There are two parts in SI static part and dynamic part. Static part is called as MIB… Dynamic part is called as SIB…dynamically indicate the UE-specific configuration of the actual transmission of the SS blocks in a SS burst set or part of the configuration in PDCCH…SS burst index is common across SS blocks in each SS-burst. The following SS burst index and SS block index per SS burst need to be indicated respectively”, which would indicating the SS block index or timing position is convey or inform using SIB. Therefore, SI ‘946 would discloses “receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position and a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and system information.”
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., SIB that indicates both a time position and a transmission periodicity for an SS/PBCH block) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Therefore, the combination of R1-1700883 (SAMSUNG) and SI ‘946 would teach “a receiver configured to: receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position and a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) that includes system information… wherein the transmission periodicity for the block is a periodicity of half frames for reception of the PBCH.” Therefore, the combination of Samsung, Ericsson, Si, and Yu would teach the claims.
The rejection is maintained.
(note: In the context of cellular networks like LTE and 5G NR, a System Information Block (SIB) is a broadcast message containing essential information about the network and its capabilities, allowing User Equipment (UE) to operate correctly and efficiently).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SAMSUNG (“SS BW and multiplexing” herein R1-1700883) in view of SI et al. (US 20180167946 as supported by provisional app. 62483010 filed on 04/07/2017), Ericsson (“Basic access configuration acquisition principles for NR” herein R2-168298), and YU et al. (US 20180220395).
Regarding claims 7, 9, R1-1700883 teaches a terminal (section 2, 4, UE) comprising:
a receiver configured to:
receive, from a base station, information indicating a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) that includes system information (page 2, chapter 2: “SS block index indication” have the functionality to deliver SS block/burst/burst set configuration information, number of SS blocks in a SS burst, and the number of SS bursts in a SS burst set. SS burst set configuration may be cell-specifically determined; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec; fig. 3, section 4.2, SS block in above 6GHz NR need to convey large payloads, such as the SS block index indication information… An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM, FDM, CDM or hybrid manner… NR-PBCH is for MIBs) and receive the block based on the transmission periodicity (p. 2-3, “Mapping of SS block in an SS burst Set”, SS burst Set would consider as transmission periodically for the SS block; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec); and
receive, from the base station, an index corresponding to a location in time domain of the block (page 3, fig. 3, chapter 4.2: “SS multiplexing and bandwidth for above 6GHz”: SS block index indication information…SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PRBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM (time domain)…MRS-1 is for beam measurement or demodulation reference signals for NR-PBCH; fig. 2, the SS block index range is from 0 to ZX-1, the index indicating the block on time domain);
wherein the system information includes 2 lower bits of a system frame number (page 2, section 2, LSB of the system frame number (2bits)); and
wherein the transmission periodicity for the block is a periodicity of half frames for reception of the PBCH (page 2, chapter 2; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec (frame); fig. 3, section 4.2, An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1; Therefore, the periodicity of the block is one frame, which is half of two frames).
However, R1-1700883 does not teach receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position.
But, SI ‘946 in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position and a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and system information (par. 97, 201, A BCCH is mapped to either a transport channel referred to as a broadcast channel (BCH) when it conveys a master information block (MIB) or to a DL shared channel (DL-SCH) when it conveys a System Information Block (SIB); par. 137, the NR-MIB and NR-SIB, sent on NR-PBCH; par. 177, NR-PBCH indicates the part of minimum system information (MIB) and the scheduling information for the RMSI in PDSCH; par. 231, At the transmitter side, a scrambling sequence, defined to identify one SS block index individually, is used to scramble the NR-PBCH resource elements; and at the receiver side, only if the UE use the same scrambling sequence to detect the NR-PBCH, it can pass the CRC detection and therefore the UE can find the corresponding SS block index; fig. 15, table 4, par. 194, SS block index indicating the SS block in the SS burst set in time domain; par. 134, 203, 233).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by SI ‘946 in the system of R1-1700883 to indicating the SS and DMRS.
The motivation would have been to reduce interference, mitigated or avoided.
However, R1-1700883 does not teach a processor configured to acquire information to perform random access from the system information contained in the block and perform random access with the base station using the information to perform random access.
But, R2-168298 in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches a processor configured to acquire information to perform random access from the system information contained in the block and perform random access with the base station using the information to perform random access (chapter 2, obtaining PRACH Configuration from SS Block to perform PRACH).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by R2-168298 in the system of R1-1700883 and SI ‘946 for using the synchronization to perform PRACH.
The motivation would have been to synchronize and prevent collision.
However, R1-1700883 does not teach wherein the system information includes 3 bits.
But, YU et al. (US 20180220395) in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches wherein the system information includes 3 bits of a system frame number (par. 146, a specific example of a quantity of information bits included in the MIB is as follows: A system frame number (SFN) has three bits).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by YU in the system of R1-1700883, SI ‘946, and R2-168298 to extend the SFN to 3 bits.
The motivation would have been to increase presentation or counting.
Regarding claims 8, 10, R1-1700883 teaches a base station (section 2, 4, RAN network side, implicit base station) comprising:
a transmitter configured to:
transmit, to a terminal, a Information indicating a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) that includes system information (page 2, chapter 2: “SS block index indication” have the functionality to deliver SS block/burst/burst set configuration information, number of SS blocks in a SS burst, and the number of SS bursts in a SS burst set. SS burst set configuration may be cell-specifically determined; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec; fig. 3, section 4.2, SS block in above 6GHz NR need to convey large payloads, such as the SS block index indication information… An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM, FDM, CDM or hybrid manner… NR-PBCH is for MIBs) and transmit the block based on the transmission periodicity (p. 2-3, “Mapping of SS block in an SS burst Set”, SS burst Set would consider as transmission periodically for the SS block; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec); and
transmit, to the terminal, an index corresponding to a location in time domain of the block (page 3, fig. 3, chapter 4.2: “SS multiplexing and bandwidth for above 6GHz”: SS block index indication information…SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PRBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM (time domain)…MRS-1 is for beam measurement or demodulation reference signals for NR-PBCH; fig. 2, the SS block index range is from 0 to ZX-1, the index indicating the block on time domain); and
wherein the system information includes 2 lower bits of a system frame number (page 2, section 2, LSB of the system frame number (2bits)), and
wherein the transmission periodicity for the block is a periodicity of half frames for reception of the PBCH (page 2, chapter 2; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec (frame); fig. 3, section 4.2, An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1; Therefore, the periodicity of the block is one frame, which is half of two frames).
However, R1-1700883 does not teach transmit, to a terminal, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position.
But, SI ‘946 in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches transmit, to a terminal, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position and a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and system information (par. 97, 201, A BCCH is mapped to either a transport channel referred to as a broadcast channel (BCH) when it conveys a master information block (MIB) or to a DL shared channel (DL-SCH) when it conveys a System Information Block (SIB); par. 137, the NR-MIB and NR-SIB, sent on NR-PBCH; par. 177, NR-PBCH indicates the part of minimum system information (MIB) and the scheduling information for the RMSI in PDSCH; par. 231, At the transmitter side, a scrambling sequence, defined to identify one SS block index individually, is used to scramble the NR-PBCH resource elements; and at the receiver side, only if the UE use the same scrambling sequence to detect the NR-PBCH, it can pass the CRC detection and therefore the UE can find the corresponding SS block index; fig. 15, table 4, par. 194, SS block index indicating the SS block in the SS burst set in time domain; par. 134, 203, 233).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by SI ‘946 in the system of R1-1700883 to indicating the SS and DMRS.
The motivation would have been to reduce interference, mitigated or avoided.
However, R1-1700883 does not teach a processor configured to perform random access with the terminal using information to perform random access included in the system information contained in the block;
But, R2-168298 in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches a processor configured to perform random access with the terminal using information to perform random access included in the system information contained in the block (chapter 2, obtaining PRACH Configuration from SS Block to perform PRACH);
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by R2-168298 in the system of R1-1700883 and SI ‘946 for using the synchronization to perform PRACH.
The motivation would have been to synchronize and prevent collision.
However, R1-1700883 does not teach wherein the system information includes 3 bits.
But, YU et al. (US 20180220395) in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches wherein the system information includes 3 bits of a system frame number (par. 146, A system frame number (SFN) has three bits).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by YU in the system of R R1-1700883, SI ‘946, and R2-168298 to extend the SFN to 3 bits.
The motivation would have been to increase presentation or counting.
Regarding claim 11, R1-1700883 teaches a wireless communication system comprising: a terminal (section 2, 4, UE); and a base station (section 2, 4, RAN network side, implicit base station), wherein:
the terminal (section 2, 4, UE) includes:
a receiver configured to:
receive, from the base station, an Information indicating a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) that includes system information (page 2, chapter 2: “SS block index indication” have the functionality to deliver SS block/burst/burst set configuration information, number of SS blocks in a SS burst, and the number of SS bursts in a SS burst set. SS burst set configuration may be cell-specifically determined; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec; fig. 3, section 4.2, SS block in above 6GHz NR need to convey large payloads, such as the SS block index indication information… An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM, FDM, CDM or hybrid manner… NR-PBCH is for MIBs) and receive the block based on the transmission periodicity (p. 2-3, “Mapping of SS block in an SS burst Set”, SS burst Set would consider as transmission periodically for the SS block; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec); and
receive, from the base station, an index corresponding to a location in time domain of the block (page 3, fig. 3, chapter 4.2: “SS multiplexing and bandwidth for above 6GHz”: SS block index indication information…SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PRBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM (time domain)…MRS-1 is for beam measurement or demodulation reference signals for NR-PBCH; fig. 2, the SS block index range is from 0 to ZX-1, the index indicating the block on time domain); and
the base station (section 2, 4, RAN network side, implicit base station) includes:
a transmitter configured to:
transmit, to the terminal, the information indicating the transmission periodicity for the block containing the synchronization signal and the system information (page 2, chapter 2: “SS block index indication” have the functionality to deliver SS block/burst/burst set configuration information, number of SS blocks in a SS burst, and the number of SS bursts in a SS burst set. SS burst set configuration may be cell-specifically determined; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec) and transmit the block based on the transmission periodicity (p. 2-3, “Mapping of SS block in an SS burst Set”, SS burst Set would consider as transmission periodically for the SS block; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec); and
transmit, to the terminal, the index corresponding to the location in time domain of the block (page 3, fig. 3, chapter 4.2: “SS multiplexing and bandwidth for above 6GHz”: SS block index indication information…SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PRBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1, which can be multiplexed in TDM (time domain)…MRS-1 is for beam measurement or demodulation reference signals for NR-PBCH; fig. 2, the SS block index range is from 0 to ZX-1, the index indicating the block on time domain); and
wherein the system information includes 2 lower bits of a system frame number (page 2, section 2, LSB of the system frame number (2bits)), and
wherein the transmission periodicity for the block is a periodicity of half frames for reception of the PBCH (page 2, chapter 2; fig. 2, proposal 3, SS burst sets are periodically recurring with a single periodicity of 10 msec (frame); fig. 3, section 4.2, An SS block comprises a combination of synchronization signals, broadcast signals, and reference signals, i.e., NR-PBCH, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-TSS, and MRS-1; Therefore, the periodicity of the block is one frame, which is half of two frames).
However, R1-1700883 does not teach receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position.
But, SI ‘946 in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches receive, from a base station, a System Information Block (SIB) indicating a time position and a transmission periodicity for a block containing a synchronization signal and system information (par. 97, 201, A BCCH is mapped to either a transport channel referred to as a broadcast channel (BCH) when it conveys a master information block (MIB) or to a DL shared channel (DL-SCH) when it conveys a System Information Block (SIB); par. 137, the NR-MIB and NR-SIB, sent on NR-PBCH; par. 177, NR-PBCH indicates the part of minimum system information (MIB) and the scheduling information for the RMSI in PDSCH; par. 231, At the transmitter side, a scrambling sequence, defined to identify one SS block index individually, is used to scramble the NR-PBCH resource elements; and at the receiver side, only if the UE use the same scrambling sequence to detect the NR-PBCH, it can pass the CRC detection and therefore the UE can find the corresponding SS block index; fig. 15, table 4, par. 194, SS block index indicating the SS block in the SS burst set in time domain; par. 134, 203, 233).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by SI ‘946 in the system of R1-1700883 to indicating the SS and DMRS.
The motivation would have been to reduce interference, mitigated or avoided.
However, R1-1700883 does not teach
a processor of the terminal configured to acquire information to perform random access from the system information contained in the block and perform random access with the base station using the information to perform random access;
a processor of the base station configured to perform random access with the terminal using the information to perform random access included in the system information contained in the block;
But, R2-168298 in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches
a processor of the terminal configured to acquire information to perform random access from the system information contained in the block and perform random access with the base station using the information to perform random access (chapter 2, obtaining PRACH Configuration from SS Block to perform PRACH);
a processor of the base station configured to perform random access with the terminal using the information to perform random access included in the system information contained in the block (chapter 2, obtaining PRACH Configuration from SS Block to perform PRACH);
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by R2-168298 in the system of R1-1700883 and SI ‘946 for using the synchronization to perform PRACH.
The motivation would have been to synchronize and prevent collision.
However, R1-1700883 does not teach wherein the system information includes 3 bits.
But, YU et al. (US 20180220395) in a similar or same field of endeavor teaches wherein the system information includes 3 bits of a system frame number (par. 146, A system frame number (SFN) has three bits).
Thus, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effectively filing date of the claimed invention to implement the system or method as taught by YU in the system of R R1-1700883, SI ‘946, and R2-168298 to extend the SFN to 3 bits.
The motivation would have been to increase presentation or counting.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
AKKARAKARAN et al. (US 20180254796) teaches this may be configured by the gNB based on some time index (e.g. SS-block index) in MSIB (master system information block)/SIB (system inform block)/DCI (downlink control information)/RRC (radio resource control) (par. 82).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THINH D TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3934. The examiner can normally be reached mon-fri 9-6.
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/THINH D TRAN/for /Thinh Tran/, Patent Examiner of Art Unit 2466 01/24/2026