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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 18, 2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 7 and 9-11 recite “determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble, a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources, wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble,” and “wherein a PRACH mask index for the indicated SSB index selects the same RACH occasion index in the second cycle of transmission resources when the corresponding position in the first cycle occurs before the terminal is enabled.” However, Applicant’s Specification does not disclose how to determine a timing at which a terminal is “enabled to transmit the random access preamble.” Further, a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would not have understood how to determine the metes and bounds of timing of at which a terminal is “enabled to transmit the random access preamble.” Accordingly, the claim limitation “the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble” is indefinite.
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.
Claim(s) 7 and 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi et al. (US 2021/0120592)(and JP 2018-091542) in view of Xiong et al. (US 2020/0344810), and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2020/0053786).
Regarding claim 7, Takahashi discloses a terminal (Takahashi, paragraph [0001], base station apparatus and terminal apparatus) comprising:
a receiver (Takahashi, Fig. 13; paragraph [0269], transmission/reception unit 10 is also referred to as a transmitter or a receiver) configured to receive a PDCCH order from a base station, the a PDCCH order including an SSB index specifying a synchronization signal block (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1001, receive SSB index; paragraph [0181] [0114, JP 2018-091542], terminal receives random access configuration information by a downlink signal; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0259], terminal receives SSB index information and mask index information from the base station S1001) and a RACH occasion index specifying a position of a transmission resource for transmitting a random access preamble (Takahashi, paragraph [0006], PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], a set of one or more PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0210], bit information in the message 0 includes SSB index information and mask index information referred to as a RACH occasion index);
a processor (Takahashi, Fig. 13; paragraph [0269], processing unit 14) configured to determine the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble, based on the SSB index and the RACH occasion index included in the PDCCH order (Takahashi, Fig. 10, step S1002, determine PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], a set of one or more PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0259], terminal determines a next available PRACH occasion based on the index); and
a transmitter (Takahashi, Fig. 13; paragraph [0269], reception unit 10 is also referred to as a transmitter) configured to transmit the random access preamble at the position of the transmission resource determined by the processor (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1003; paragraph [0006], transmit a random access preamble by using PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0259], terminal transmits random access preamble in the determined PRACH occasion S1003),
wherein a cycle of transmission resources, including a plurality of RACH occasions, is consecutive transmission resources indicated by the RACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the RACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8),
wherein the processor is configured to determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1003; paragraph [0006], transmit a random access preamble by using PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0259], terminal transmits random access preamble in the determined PRACH occasion S1003), a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1), wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0212] [0141 JP 2018-091542], terminal having received the message 0, identifies a group of PRACH occasions to which the SSB index indicated by SSB index information has been mapped; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8),
wherein a PRACH mask index for the indicated SSB index selects the same RACH occasion index in the second cycle of transmission resources when the corresponding position in the first cycle occurs before the terminal is enabled (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0212] [0141 JP 2018-091542], terminal having received the message 0, identifies a group of PRACH occasions to which the SSB index indicated by SSB index information has been mapped; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8), and
wherein a timing at which the terminal is able to transmit the random access preamble is a timing when a processing time of the terminal elapses after receiving the PDCCH order (Takahashi, Fig. 5; paragraph [0141], after PDCCH transmission, there is a processing delay, the switching time from the downlink to the uplink, and generation of the PUCCH and/or PUSCH transmit signal).
While Takahashi does not explicitly disclose that the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources, a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would have understood that delays due to processing of a transmitted PDCCH order (Takahashi, paragraph [0141], the processing delay of the PDCCH, the switching time from the downlink to the uplink) could lead to the terminal not being ready to transmit a RACH by the time a first cycle of scheduled RACH occasions occurs and then being ready to transmit a RACH by the time a second cycle of scheduled RACH occasions occurs, in which case the identified RACH occasion in the second cycle would be the next available (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information).
However, in order to expedite prosecution, the Examiner includes the Xiong reference, which explicitly discloses the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources (Xiong, Fig. 7; paragraph [0248], if the UE has long processing time or in long backoff time, the first available complete SSB-RO mapping is the second SSB-to-RO mapping after receiving the downlink trigger).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, that the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources if the position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index is not available in the first cycle. The motivation would have been to use the next available PRACH occasion, as disclosed in both Takahashi and Xiong.
Additionally, in order to expedite prosecution, the Examiner includes the Kim reference, which more explicitly discloses the scenario illustrated in Fig. 5 of Applicant’s Specification, on which Applicant’s claims are based, with multiple cycles of transmission resources, each including a plurality of RACH occasions, including Figs. 26 and 28 of Kim (Fig. 28 is the same disclosure which was previously cited in Fig. 1 of LG Electronics, RACH Procedure, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #91 R1-1719898, 27 Nov 2017, section 2).
Kim discloses wherein a cycle of transmission resources, including a plurality of RACH occasions, is consecutive transmission resources indicated by the RACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the RACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index (Kim, Figs. 26, 28; paragraph [0295], resource mapping pattern can be repeated k times),
wherein the processor is configured to determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble, a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources, wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble (Kim, Figs. 16, 17, 26, 28), and
wherein a timing at which the terminal is able to transmit the random access preamble is a timing when a time of the terminal elapses after receiving the PDCCH order (Kim, Fig. 16).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have first and second cycles of consecutive transmission resources indicated by the PRACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the PRACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index, and that a PDCCH order could be received after the beginning of a first cycle of transmission resources which would mean that the next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information would be in the second cycle of transmission resources, in the invention of Takahashi. The motivation to combine the references would have been to use the next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information, as disclosed in Takahashi.
Claims 9 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 7.
Claims 10 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 7. Takahashi additionally discloses a base station(Takahashi, paragraph [0001], base station apparatus and terminal apparatus).
Regarding claim 11, Takahashi discloses a base station (Takahashi, paragraph [0001], base station apparatus and terminal apparatus) comprising:
a transmitter (Takahashi, Fig. 13; paragraph [0269], transmission/reception unit 10 is also referred to as a transmitter or a receiver) configured to transmit a PDCCH order from a base station, the a PDCCH order including an SSB index specifying a synchronization signal block (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1001, receive SSB index; paragraph [0181] [0114, JP 2018-091542], terminal receives random access configuration information by a downlink signal; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0259], terminal receives SSB index information and mask index information from the base station S1001) and a RACH occasion index specifying a position of a transmission resource for transmitting a random access preamble (Takahashi, paragraph [0006], PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], a set of one or more PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0210], bit information in the message 0 includes SSB index information and mask index information referred to as a RACH occasion index);
a processor (Takahashi, Fig. 13; paragraph [0269], processing unit 14) configured to determine that the terminal transmits the random access preamble at the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble, based on the SSB index and the RACH occasion index included in the PDCCH order (Takahashi, Fig. 10, step S1002, determine PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], a set of one or more PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0259], terminal determines a next available PRACH occasion based on the index); and
a receiver (Takahashi, Fig. 13; paragraph [0269], reception unit 10 is also referred to as a transmitter) configured to receive the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1003; paragraph [0006], transmit a random access preamble by using PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0259], terminal transmits random access preamble in the determined PRACH occasion S1003),
wherein a cycle of transmission resources, including a plurality of RACH occasions, is consecutive transmission resources indicated by the RACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the RACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8),
wherein the processor is configured to determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1003; paragraph [0006], transmit a random access preamble by using PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0259], terminal transmits random access preamble in the determined PRACH occasion S1003), a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1), wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0212] [0141 JP 2018-091542], terminal having received the message 0, identifies a group of PRACH occasions to which the SSB index indicated by SSB index information has been mapped; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8),
wherein a PRACH mask index for the indicated SSB index selects the same RACH occasion index in the second cycle of transmission resources when the corresponding position in the first cycle occurs before the terminal is enabled (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0212] [0141 JP 2018-091542], terminal having received the message 0, identifies a group of PRACH occasions to which the SSB index indicated by SSB index information has been mapped; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8), and
wherein a timing at which the terminal is able to transmit the random access preamble is a timing when a processing time of the terminal elapses after receiving the PDCCH order (Takahashi, Fig. 5; paragraph [0141], after PDCCH transmission, there is a processing delay, the switching time from the downlink to the uplink, and generation of the PUCCH and/or PUSCH transmit signal).
While Takahashi does not explicitly disclose that the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources, a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would have understood that delays due to processing of a transmitted PDCCH order (Takahashi, paragraph [0141], the processing delay of the PDCCH, the switching time from the downlink to the uplink) could lead to the terminal not being ready to transmit a RACH by the time a first cycle of scheduled RACH occasions occurs and then being ready to transmit a RACH by the time a second cycle of scheduled RACH occasions occurs, in which case the identified RACH occasion in the second cycle would be the next available (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information).
However, in order to expedite prosecution, the Examiner includes the Xiong reference, which explicitly discloses the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources (Xiong, Fig. 7; paragraph [0248], if the UE has long processing time or in long backoff time, the first available complete SSB-RO mapping is the second SSB-to-RO mapping after receiving the downlink trigger).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, that the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources if the position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index is not available in the first cycle. The motivation would have been to use the next available PRACH occasion, as disclosed in both Takahashi and Xiong.
Additionally, in order to expedite prosecution, the Examiner includes the Kim reference, which more explicitly discloses the scenario illustrated in Fig. 5 of Applicant’s Specification, on which Applicant’s claims are based, with multiple cycles of transmission resources, each including a plurality of RACH occasions, including Figs. 26 and 28 of Kim (Fig. 28 is the same disclosure which was previously cited in Fig. 1 of LG Electronics, RACH Procedure, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #91 R1-1719898, 27 Nov 2017, section 2).
Kim discloses wherein a cycle of transmission resources, including a plurality of RACH occasions, is consecutive transmission resources indicated by the RACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the RACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index (Kim, Figs. 26, 28; paragraph [0295], resource mapping pattern can be repeated k times),
wherein the processor is configured to determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble, a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources, wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble (Kim, Figs. 16, 17, 26, 28), and
wherein a timing at which the terminal is able to transmit the random access preamble is a timing when a time of the terminal elapses after receiving the PDCCH order (Kim, Fig. 16).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have first and second cycles of consecutive transmission resources indicated by the PRACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the PRACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index, and that a PDCCH order could be received after the beginning of a first cycle of transmission resources which would mean that the next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information would be in the second cycle of transmission resources, in the invention of Takahashi. The motivation to combine the references would have been to use the next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information, as disclosed in Takahashi.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 18, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts that the limitation “the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble” is not indefinite, because paragraph [0044] of the Applicant’s Specification discloses the user equipment is able to transmit the message at a timing after the user equipment has completed preparation for transmission or at a timing in response to a report from a network. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the invention, would have understood that many factors may be involved in the user equipment being “enabled” to transmit the preamble, and that either of those factors cannot, alone, dispositively be used to determine that the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble.
Applicant further asserts that Takahashi and Kim do not disclose determining a RACH occasion in a second cycle of transmission resources that is subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle, or that a first cycle of transmission resources included a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble. However, this is incorrect.
Takashi discloses wherein the processor is configured to determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1003; paragraph [0006], transmit a random access preamble by using PRACH occasion index indicating a PRACH occasion available for transmission of the random access preamble; paragraph [0182] [0115 JP 2018-091542], PRACH occasions available for transmission for the random access preamble is identified; paragraph [0259], terminal transmits random access preamble in the determined PRACH occasion S1003), a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources (Takahashi, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, S1002 determine next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0006], association period; paragraph [0192] [0121 JP 2018-091542], two PRACH slots in a time period; a period in which the PRACH configuration period is repeated a prescribed number of times is referred to as an association period, a cycle in which the PRACH occasion is allocated once to each of all SSB indices is referred to as an SSB index allocation cycle, SSB-perRACH-Occasion may be 1 or more than 1 or less than 1), wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble (Takahashi, Fig. 10, S1001 receive SSB/PBCH blocks and receive SSB index information and mask index information; paragraph [0209] [0138 JP 2018-091542], message 0 is a PDCCH order; paragraph [0212] [0141 JP 2018-091542], terminal having received the message 0, identifies a group of PRACH occasions to which the SSB index indicated by SSB index information has been mapped; paragraph [0214] [0143 JP 2018-091542], mask indicates PRACH occasion indices 1 to 8).
Kim discloses wherein a cycle of transmission resources, including a plurality of RACH occasions, is consecutive transmission resources indicated by the RACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the RACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index (Kim, Figs. 26, 28; paragraph [0295], resource mapping pattern can be repeated k times), wherein the processor is configured to determine, as the position of the transmission resource for transmitting the random access preamble, a position corresponding to the SSB index and the RACH occasion index in a second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources, wherein the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources is after receiving the PDCCH order and the time interval of the first cycle of transmission resources includes a timing at which the terminal is enabled to transmit the random access preamble (Kim, Figs. 16, 17, 26, 28).
Additionally, in order to expedite prosecution, the Examiner includes the Xiong reference, which explicitly discloses the preamble is transmitted in the second cycle of transmission resources subsequent to a time interval of a first cycle of transmission resources (Xiong, Fig. 7; paragraph [0248], if the UE has long processing time or in long backoff time, the first available complete SSB-RO mapping is the second SSB-to-RO mapping after receiving the downlink trigger).
Applicant further asserts that there is no motivation to combine Takahashi and Kim. However, the motivation to combine the references would have been to use the next available PRACH occasion based on SSB index information and mask index information, as disclosed in Takahashi.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fig. 1 of LG Electronics, RACH Procedure, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #91 R1-1719898, 27 Nov 2017, section 2 (Hereafter, R1-1719898) discloses wherein a cycle of transmission resources, including a plurality of RACH occasions, is consecutive transmission resources indicated by the RACH occasion indexes until the indexing of the consecutive transmission resources by the RACH occasion indexes is reset after switching SSB index.
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/ALAN L LINDENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419