DETAILED ACTION
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
1. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments filed on 03/11/2026 regarding claims 1, 3, 7, 8, 13, 15 and 19-28 in the remarks are fully considered but moot in view of new ground(s) of rejections.
Response to Amendments
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. 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.
4. Claims 8, 21, 25 and 26 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.
Last line of claim 8 recites “a broadcast signal”. It is unclear if the recited “broadcast signal” is the same as the “broadcast signal” recited in line 8 of independent claim 8. It is therefore suggested to amend the “broadcast signal” as “the broadcast signal” if they are the same or distinguish the two broadcast signals if they are different.
The respective dependent claims are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for the same reason(s) as mentioned above for independent claim 8.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claim(s) 1, 3, 8, 13, 15, 23-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0345281) in view of Maattanen (US PG Pub. No. 2021/0274414).
As per claim 1:
Yang teaches a satellite communication method (see abstract and paragraph [0020], teaches a satellite transmission method), applied to a communication apparatus (see Figure 1, UE 111), comprising:
receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter (see paragraph [0047], the UE receives TA specific signaling from the base station. The TA specific signaling comprising information such as absolute value of the TA (construed as said common TA parameter) and rate change of the uplink TA (construed as said common TA change amount calculation parameter), …, wherein the common TA parameter is used to obtain a common TA (see paragraph [0047], the UE uses the absolute value as the TA value of the uplink signal), and wherein the common TA change amount calculation parameter comprises a change rate of the common TA (see paragraph [0047], rate change of the uplink TA);
obtaining an updated common TA based on the time point t1 and the change rate of the common TA (see paragraph [0047], the final timing advance is calculated as: TAt=TAo + (t-to)*µ);
and sending an uplink signal based on the updated common TA (see paragraph [0040], based on the determined final TA adjustment parameter, the UE may send an uplink signal to the BS side).
Yang does not clearly disclose receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter, and a time point t1 in a broadcast signal as claimed.
Maattanen teaches receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter, and a time point t1 in a broadcast signal (paragraphs [0120]-[0127], the broadcast message from the network may indicate one or more of a common reference in relation to system frame number in the radio frames, a change of the TA and an absolute time (e.g., GPS time or UTC time)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the transmission of the indication message (as disclosed in Maattanen) into Yang as a way of enabling the wireless device to prepare for a change from a first ground station to a second ground station offering communication via one or more satellites (please see paragraph [0048] of Maattanen).
As per claim 3:
Yang in view of Maattanen teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the updated common TA is obtained further based on the common TA and a sending time of the uplink signal (Yang, see figure 4, paragraph [0035], the TA final is determined based on first TA value, TA variation rate, a second TA value and a fraction of time, Δt. After updating the final TA adjustment parameter, the UE sends an uplink transmission, please see paragraph [0040]).
As per claim 8:
Yang teaches a satellite communication apparatus (paragraph [0044] disclose satellite can act as a base station), comprising:
at least one processor (see Figure 2, electronics processor 220);
and one or more memories including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (see paragraph [0067], memory for storing instructions and executed by processor), cause the communication apparatus to perform operations comprising:
obtaining a common timing advance (TA) parameter and a common TA change amount calculation parameter (see paragraph [0047], received capability information from the UE, the network sends packet configuration information indicating the absolute TA and rate of change of the uplink TA);
and sending, by the satellite communication device, the common TA parameter and the common TA change amount calculation parameter (see paragraph [0047], the UE receives TA specific signaling from the base station. The TA specific signaling comprising information such as absolute value of the TA (construed as said common TA parameter) and rate change of the uplink TA (construed as said common TA change amount calculation parameter)…, wherein the common TA parameter is used to obtain a common TA (see paragraph [0047], the UE uses the absolute value as the TA value of the uplink signal), wherein the common TA change amount calculation parameter comprises a change rate of the common TA (see paragraph [0047], rate change of the uplink TA), wherein the time point t1 and the change rate of the common TA are used to update the common TA to obtain an updated common TA (see paragraph [0047], the final timing advance is calculated as: TAt=TAo + (t-to)*µ), and the updated common TA is used by a terminal device to send an uplink signal (see paragraph [0040], based on the determined final TA adjustment parameter, the UE may send an uplink signal to the BS side), and wherein the time point t1 is a time point indicating a sending time or a receiving time of the common TA parameter (paragraph [0047], disclose a time instant t corresponding to the uplink TA and thus the time for sending the uplink signal).
Yang does not clearly disclose receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter, and a time point t1 in a broadcast signal and
and is sent together with the common TA parameter in a broadcast signal as claimed.
Maattanen teaches receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter, and a time point t1 in a broadcast signal (paragraphs [0120]-[0127], the broadcast message from the network may indicate one or more of a common reference in relation to system frame number in the radio frames, a change of the TA and an absolute time (e.g., GPS time or UTC time))
and is sent together with the common TA parameter in a broadcast signal (see paragraphs [0120]-[0127], the broadcast message includes one or more information such as common reference time and absolute time and thus sent together).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the transmission of the indication message (as disclosed in Maattanen) into Yang as a way of enabling the wireless device to prepare for a change from a first ground station to a second ground station offering communication via one or more satellites (please see paragraph [0048] of Maattanen).
As per claim 13:
Yang teaches a terminal device (see Figure 2, paragraph [0023], apparatus 210 may be a wireless device or UE), comprising:
at least one processor (see Figure 2, electronics processor 220);
and one or memories including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (see paragraph [0067], memory for storing instructions and executed by processor), cause the terminal device to:
receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter (see paragraph [0047], the UE receives TA specific signaling from the base station. The TA specific signaling comprising information such as absolute value of the TA (construed as said common TA parameter) and rate change of the uplink TA (construed as said common TA change amount calculation parameter), …, wherein the common TA parameter is used to obtain a common TA (see paragraph [0047], the UE uses the absolute value as the TA value of the uplink signal), and wherein the common TA change amount calculation parameter comprises a change rate of the common TA (see paragraph [0047], rate change of the uplink TA);
obtaining an updated common TA based on the time point t1 and the change rate of the common TA (see paragraph [0047], the final timing advance is calculated as: TAt=TAo + (t-to)*µ);
and sending an uplink signal based on the updated common TA (see paragraph [0040], based on the determined final TA adjustment parameter, the UE may send an uplink signal to the BS side).
Yang does not clearly disclose receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter, and a time point t1 in a broadcast signal as claimed.
Maattanen teaches receiving a common timing advance (TA) parameter, a common TA change amount calculation parameter, and a time point t1 in a broadcast signal (paragraphs [0120]-[0127], the broadcast message from the network may indicate one or more of a common reference in relation to system frame number in the radio frames, a change of the TA and an absolute time (e.g., GPS time or UTC time)).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to implement the transmission of the indication message (as disclosed in Maattanen) into Yang as a way of enabling the wireless device to prepare for a change from a first ground station to a second ground station offering communication via one or more satellites (please see paragraph [0048] of Maattanen).
Claim 15 is rejected in the same scope as claim 3.
As per 23:
Yang in view of Maattanen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the t1 indicates a sending time of the common TA parameter or a receiving time of the common TA parameter (Yang, see paragraph [0047], t indicates the current instant time corresponding to the uplink TA signaling).
As per claim 24:
Yang in view of Maattanen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein: TA full = =TA _common+(t2-t1)*KTA wherein TA full represents the updated common TA, TA common represents the common TA, KTA represents the change rate of the common TA, and t2 represents a sending time of the uplink signal (Yang, see paragraph [0047], TAt=TAO + (t-t0)*µ, TA0 is previous timing advance at t0, TAt is the current timing advance at time t and µ is the rate of change of the uplink TA).
Claim 25 is rejected in the same scope as claim 23.
Claim 26 is rejected in the same scope as claim 24.
Claim 27 is rejected in the same scope as claim 23.
Claim 28 is rejected in the same scope as claim 24.
7. Claims 7 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Maattanen and further in view of Shin (US PG Pub. No. 2016/0044666).
As per claim 7:
Yang in view of Maattanen teaches the method according to claim 1 with the exception of:
receiving the common TA change amount calculation parameter by using a system information block (SIB) or remaining minimum system information (RMSI).
Shin teaches receiving the common TA change amount calculation parameter by using a system information block (SIB) or remaining minimum system information (RMSI) (see paragraph [0028], discloses receiving first timing adjustment step size from at least one of the first signal that is received through SIB or RRC signaling of a base station).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the received step size information (as disclosed in Shin into Yang and Maattanen as a way of achieving an optimal performance of uplink reception or D2D reception (please see paragraph [0061] of Shin).
As per claim 19:
Yang in view of Shin teaches the terminal device according to claim 13 with the exception of:
wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the terminal device to: receive the common TA change amount calculation parameter by using a system information block (SIB) or remaining minimum system information (RMSI).
Shin teaches wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the terminal device to: receive the common TA change amount calculation parameter by using a system information block (SIB) or remaining minimum system information (RMSI) (see paragraph [0028], discloses receiving first timing adjustment step size from at least one of the first signal that is received through SIB or RRC signaling of a base station).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the received step size information (as disclosed in Shin into Yang and Maattanen as a way of achieving an optimal performance of uplink reception or D2D reception (please see paragraph [0061] of Shin).
8. Claims 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Maattanen and further in view of Nishio (US PG Pub. No. 2022/0217782).
As per claim 20:
Yang in view of Maattanen teaches the method of claim 1 with the exception of:
wherein the updated common TA is associated with a round-trip delay between a reference point and a satellite position.
Nishio teaches wherein the updated common TA is associated with a round-trip delay between a reference point and a satellite position (see paragraph [0069], discloses performing timing adjustment based on the value of the common TA notified by the base station. The value of the TA is configured based on the RTT near the center of the cell. For example, when the base station 200 is included in a geostationary satellite, the value of the common TA is about 270ms and when the base station 200 communicates with terminal via a geostationary satellite, the value of the common TA is about 540ms. Said RTT is indicative of the propagation time between the satellite and the terminal, please see paragraph [0042]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the adjustment of the transmission timing (as disclosed in Nishio) into (Yang and Mattanen) as a way of reducing the delay differences between the preambles of the respective different terminals received by the satellite (please see paragraph [0044] of Nishio).
Claims 21 and 22 are rejected in the same scope as claim 20.
Conclusion
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PRINCE AKWASI. MENSAH
Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/PRINCE A MENSAH/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
/Michael Thier/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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