DETAILED ACTION
In response to communications filed 10/01/2025.
Claims 16-21, 23, 25-27, 29 and 30 are pending for examination.
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 16-21, 23, 25-27, 29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2022/0086780 A1) in view of Miao et al. (US 2022/0386263 A1) hereinafter “Tsai” and “Miao” respectively.
Regarding Claim 16, Tsai teaches A method of a terminal (Tsai: paragraph 0141 & Fig. 1, user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0272 & Fig. 16), the method comprising:
receiving a timing drift rate (Tsai: paragraph 0148 & Fig. 4, UE acquires a propagation delay between the satellite and the UE provided by network (component, i.e. base station); see also paragraphs 0156, 0189 & Figs. 10-13, receive UE-specific delay between UE and a satellite based on distance) from a base station (Tsai: paragraph 0141 & Fig. 1, base station);
transmitting a random access (RA) preamble to the base station (Tsai: paragraphs 0189, 0266 & Figs. 10-13, MSG1 or RA preamble to the base station);
monitoring to receive a random access response (RAR) in response to the RA preamble from the base station within a window starting after an offset time (Tsai: paragraph 0266, after MSG1 transmission, the UE monitors for a random access response (RAR) (MSG2) from the network within a configured window) which is determined based on a delay parameter between the terminal and a satellite (Tsai: paragraph 0193, starting an RA response window after the offset from an end of an RA preamble transmission; see also paragraphs 0183, amount of timing adjustment or time alignment value for DL/UL at the base station based on propagation delay between the satellite and UE);
obtaining a timing advance (TA) value from the base station (Tsai: paragraphs 0147, 0189, 0191, & Figs. 10-13, acquiring timing advance from the base station);
updating the TA value (Tsai: paragraph 0147, updating timing advance (i.e. N_TA)) based on the timing drift rate and an ephemeris of a satellite (Tsai: paragraphs 0147-0148, 0154, TA based on delay and satellite ephemeris);
calculating a difference value between the TA value and the updated TA value (Tsai: paragraphs 0157, 0163, UE-specific differential timing advance); and
transmitting information of the updated TA value which is the difference value to the base station (Tsai: paragraphs 0237-0241, report the TA information to the base station including N_TA and/or Full TA information).
Tsai fails to explicitly teach receiving information of a common delay time between a plurality of terminals and the base station from the base station to determine a time to transmit the random access (RA) preamble. However, Miao from an analogous art similarly teaches a terminal receives a common transmission delay sent by a network device which is configured to determine a transmission timing between the terminal and the network device according to the common transmission delay (Miao: paragraphs 0115-0119 & Fig. 8; see also paragraphs 0091-0093 & Fig. 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsai to consider a common transmission delay when transmitting a RA preamble to the base station as taught by Miao so as to synchronize between the terminal and base station and ensure proper reception of the RA preamble.
Regarding Claim 17, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the TA value is obtained in an initial access procedure between the terminal and the base station (Tsai: paragraph 0189 & Fig. 10, initiate a random access (RA) procedure to obtain TA).
Regarding Claim 18, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches receiving the ephemeris from the base station (Tsai: paragraph 0147, NW (i.e. base station) may broadcast satellite ephemeris to a UE).
Regarding Claim 19, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the TA value is updated based on the ephemeris (Tsai: paragraphs 0147-0148 & 0154, updating TA based on satellite ephemeris) and position information of the terminal (Tsai: paragraphs 0154, TA value based on location information).
Regarding Claim 20, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the transmitting the information of the updated TA value is enabled by the base station (Tsai: paragraphs 0237-0241, report the TA information to the base station including N_TA and/or Full TA information).
Regarding Claim 21, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the updating the TA value is triggered by the base station (Tsai: paragraph 0147, updated TA based on command field in an Msg2, therefore the updated TA is triggered by the message received from the base station).
Regarding Claim 23, Tsai teaches A method of a base station (Tsai: paragraph 0141 & Fig. 1, base station; see also paragraph 0272 & Fig. 16) the method comprising:
transmitting a timing drift rate (Tsai: paragraph 0148 & Fig. 4, UE acquires a propagation delay between the satellite and the UE provided by network (component, i.e. base station); see also paragraphs 0156, 0189 & Figs. 10-13, receive UE-specific delay between UE and a satellite based on distance) to a terminal (Tsai: paragraph 0141 & Fig. 1, user equipment (UE); see also paragraph 0272 & Fig. 16);
transmitting an ephemeris of a satellite to the terminal (Tsai: paragraph 0283, TA drift including satellite ephemeris information; see also paragraphs 0095 & 0228, UE receives satellite ephemeris-related information indicated by the base station to determine TA);
receiving a random access (RA) preamble from the terminal (Tsai: paragraphs 0189, 0266 & Figs. 10-13, MSG1 or RA preamble to the base station);
transmitting a random access response (RAR) in response to the RA preamble to the terminal within in a window (Tsai: paragraph 0266, after MSG1 transmission, the UE monitors for a random access response (RAR) (MSG2) from the network within a configured window) starting after an offset time which is determined based on a delay parameter between the terminal and the satellite Tsai: paragraph 0193, starting an RA response window after the offset from an end of an RA preamble transmission; see also paragraphs 0183, amount of timing adjustment or time alignment value for DL/UL at the base station based on propagation delay between the satellite and UE); and
receiving information of an updated timing advance (TA) value (Tsai: paragraph 0147, updating timing advance (i.e. N_TA)) based on the timing drift rate and the ephemeris from the terminal (Tsai: paragraphs 0147-0148, 0154, TA based on delay and satellite ephemeris),
wherein the information of the updated TA value is a difference value between the TA value and the updated TA value (Tsai: paragraphs 0157, 0163, UE-specific differential timing advance), and the TA value is transmitted from the base station to the terminal in an initial access procedure between the terminal and the base station (Tsai: paragraph 0189 & Fig. 10, initiate a random access (RA) procedure to obtain TA).
Tsai fails to explicitly teach transmitting information of a common delay time between a plurality of terminals and the base station to the terminal to determine a time to receive the random access (RA) preamble. However, Miao from an analogous art similarly teaches a network device transmits a common transmission delay to a terminal which is configured to determine a reception timing between the terminal and the network device according to the common transmission delay (Miao: paragraphs 0091-0093 & Fig. 7; see also paragraphs 0115-0119 & Fig. 8).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tsai to consider a common transmission delay when transmitting a RA preamble to the base station as taught by Miao so as to synchronize between the terminal and base station and ensure proper reception of the RA preamble.
Regarding Claim 25, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein a reporting operation of the information of the updated TA value is enabled by the base station (Tsai: paragraphs 0237-0241, report the TA information to the base station including N_TA and/or Full TA information).
Regarding Claim 26, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein an updating operation of the TA value is performed by the terminal (Tsai: paragraph 0147, updating timing advance (i.e. N_TA)), and the updating operation is triggered by the base station (Tsai: paragraph 0147, updated TA based on command field in an Msg2, therefore the updated TA is triggered by the message received from the base station).
Regarding Claim 27, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches wherein the TA value is updated based on the ephemeris and position information of the terminal (Tsai: paragraphs 0147-0148, 0154, TA based on delay and satellite ephemeris).
Regarding Claim 29, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches receiving request information related to the information of the updated TA value from the base station (Tsai: paragraph 0233, request field to indicate transmission of a TA value),
wherein the information of the updated TA value is transmitted based on the request information (Tsai: paragraph 0233, said transmission of a TA value).
Regarding Claim 30, Tsai-Miao teaches the respective claim(s) as presented above and further teaches transmitting request information related to the information of the updated TA value to the terminal (Tsai: paragraph 0233, request field to indicate transmission of a TA value),
wherein the information of the updated TA value is transmitted based on the request information (Tsai: paragraph 0233, said transmission of a TA value).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claims 16 and 23 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 NAJEEB ANSARI whose telephone number is (571)270-5446. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am to 2pm.
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, ASAD NAWAZ can be reached at 469-295-9193. 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.
/NAJEEB ANSARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/SYED ALI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463