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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendment filed on December 1, 2025, has been entered. Claims 1-6, 8-15, and 17-20 are presently pending with claims 1 and 13 being independent. Claims 2-6, 9-10, 12, 14-15, and 18-19 are an original claim. Claims 7 and 16 are canceled. Claims 8, 11, 17, and 20 have been previously presented. Claims 1 and 13 are currently amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, pages 6-9, filed December 1, 2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that claims 1 and 13 are allowable because Christoffersson et al. (US 2023/0068789 A1; hereinafter Christoffersson) states that “an exemplary RA resource configuration for 2-step RA where the PRACH occasions have the same periodicity in the active BWP as in the initial BWP, but the periods are phase shifted” and does not read on the presently recited claims, where “the first RO density in the time domain is different than the second RO density in the time domain.” However, under broadest reasonable interpretation, a “RO density in the time domain” encompasses the configured periodicity of PRACH occasions (i.e., how many occasions occur per unit of time). Christofferson teaches RA resource configurations in which the PRACH occasions in different BWPs are configured with different periodicities, which necessarily yields different time-domain densities. Christoffersson teaches “2-step RA where the PRACH occasions occur with different periodicity. The active BWP PRACH occasions are twice as frequent as the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP.” (¶ [0089).
Accordingly, applicant’s arguments are not persuasive, and the rejection of claims 1 and 13 is maintained.
The applicant also argues that the dependent claims 2-6, 8-12, 14-15, and 17-20 are patentable over the cited references for the same reasons found unpersuasive above. Applicant has not made any specific arguments related to dependent claims; therefore, the rejection of those claims is maintained.
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.
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 1, 3-4, 6, 8-10, 13, 15, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feng et al. (WO 2022/198500 A1; hereinafter Feng) in view of Christoffersson et al. (US 2023/0068789 A1; hereinafter Christoffersson).
Regarding claim 1, Feng teaches a method of a user equipment (UE) (¶ [0008] A random access processing method executable in a user equipment (UE).),
comprising:
receiving, from a network (read as downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal), a first random access channel (RACH) configuration for a first initial uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) having a first bandwidth (BW) (read as frequency) (¶ [0043] Downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal may be a transmission operation from a base station to a UE. A UE receives and identifies RACH related configuration to obtain RACH related resources.; ¶ [0064] The UE obtains frequency location and bandwidth and RACH configuration of an initial UL BWP.; ¶ [0067] The UE obtains a location of a given RO. The location of the given RO is represented by a first offset value of an RO frequency offset of the given RO with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a first initial UL BWP.),
the first RACH configuration defining first physical random access channel (PRACH) resources of the first initial UL BWP (¶ [0088] The first initial UL BWP is associated with the first RACH configuration. The UE obtains a frequency location and bandwidth PRACH configuration.);
receiving, from the network (read as downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal), a second RACH configuration for a second initial UL BWP having a second BW (read as frequency) (¶ [0043] Downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal may be a transmission operation from a base station to a UE. A UE receives and identifies RACH related configuration to obtain RACH related resources.; ¶ [0067] The location of a given RO is further represented by a second offset value of an RO frequency offset of the given RO with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a second initial UL BWP.),
the second RACH configuration defining second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP that are available during time instances where the first PRACH resources defined by the first RACH configuration are not available to the UE for random access (FIG. 10, elements 323 & 333 RACH occasion, element 413 beam; ¶ [0081] When the UE receives the beam 413, the RO 333 is in the frequency range of the UE while the RO 323 is out of the frequency range of the UE., ¶ [0082] The relationship between the given RO and the frequency range of the UE shows whether the given RO is included in the frequency range of the UE. ¶ [0084] When the second RACH configuration referred to as an inlier RACH configuration has an RO that is included in the frequency range of the UE, when the first RACH configuration is no in the frequency range and, therefore, unavailable, the UE selects the second initial UL BWP as a selected BWP.; ¶ [0088] The first initial UL BWP and the second initial UL BWP have separated RACH configurations. The first initial UL BWP is associated with a first RACH configuration, and the second initial UL BWP is associated with a second RACH configuration. The UE obtains a frequency location and bandwidth and PRACH configuration of two or more initial UL BWPs.); and
performing at least a portion of a random access procedure (read as Random Access Preamble) with the network using one or more of the second PRACH resources (read as selected PRACH occasion) of the second initial UL BWP (read as at least one of the initial UL BWP) (¶ [0088] At least one of the initial UL BWPs with separated PRACH configuration is within UE bandwidth. The UE selects the initial UL BWP as the active initial UL BWP. The UE MAC layer instructs the UE physical layer to transmit the Random Access Preamble using the selected PRACH occasion. UE transmits the preamble.).
Feng does not explicitly teach wherein first RACH occasions (ROs) occur corresponding to the first RACH configuration in the first initial UL BWP with a first RO density in a time domain, wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a second RO density in the time domain for second ROs in the second initial UL BWP that do not overlap in time with the first ROs, and wherein the first RO density in the time domain is different than the second RO density in the time domain.
In analogous art, Christoffersson teaches wherein first RACH occasions (ROs) (read as PRACH occasions) occur corresponding to the first RACH configuration in the first initial UL BWP (read as default or initial BWP) with a first RO density in a time domain, wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a second RO density in the time domain for second ROs in the second initial UL BWP (read as additional BWP) that do not overlap (do not occur simultaneously) in time with the first ROs (Fig. 11 illustrates an exemplary RA resource configuration where PRACH occasions in the active BWP and initial BWP are phase shifted and do not occur simultaneously; ¶ [0081] A default BWP or initial BWP and at least one additional BWP.; ¶ [0093] PRACH occasions are phase shifted such that the PRACH occasions in the active BWP do not occur simultaneously with the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP. Preamble group A in the active BWP is allocated fewer PUSCH resources than the initial BWP.).
wherein the first RO density in the time domain is different than the second RO density in the time domain (¶ [0089] 2-step RA where the PRACH occasions occur with different periodicity. The active BWP PRACH occasions are twice as frequent as the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson with a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce latency and increase reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by configuring RACH occasion density to handle the traffic load and channel conditions (Christoffersson: ¶¶ [0002-0008]).
Regarding claim 3, Feng teaches wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining an offset to a lowest PRACH resource (read as reference point) in a frequency domain of the second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP (Table 5: Offset between RO and the reference point; ¶ [0067] The location of given RO is further represented by a second offset value of an RO frequency offset of the given RO with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a second initial UL BWP. The frequency domain reference point of the second initial UL BWP represents a lowest frequency of the second initial BWP.).
Regarding claim 4, Feng teaches wherein the offset is relative to a lowest physical resource block (PRB) in the BW of a serving cell used by the UE to communicate with the network (¶ [0056] UE may record a physical resource block (PRB) offset list including frequency offset between RO and a reference point, such as the lowest PRB of an initial UL BWP.; ¶ [0065] If the RACH occasion (RO) selected by the MAC entity falls in one initial UL BWP, UE may select this initial UL BWP to perform random access.).
Regarding claim 6, Feng teaches wherein the offset is relative to a lowest physical resource block (PRB) of the second initial UL BWP (read as initial UL BWP) (¶ [0056] UE may record a physical resource block (PRB) offset list including frequency offset between RO and a reference point, such as the lowest PRB of an initial UL BWP.; ¶ [0065] If the RACH occasion (RO) selected by the MAC entity falls in one initial UL BWP, UE may select this initial UL BWP to perform random access.).
Regarding claim 8, Feng does not explicitly teach wherein the first RO density corresponds to a first periodicity that is larger than a second periodicity corresponding to the second RO density.
In analogous art, Christoffersson teaches wherein the first RO (read as PRACH occasion) density corresponds to a first (read as initial) periodicity that is larger than a second (read as active) periodicity corresponding to the second RO density (Fig. 7 illustrates an initial PRACH occasion with larger periodicity than the active PRACH occasion; ¶ [0089] The active BWP PRACH occasions are twice as frequent as the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson with a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce latency and increase reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by configuring RACH occasion density to handle the traffic load and channel conditions (Christoffersson: ¶¶ [0002-0008]).
Regarding claim 9, Feng teaches receiving, from the network (read as downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal), a physical uplink channel (PUCCH) configuration for PUCCH resources of the second initial UL BWP (¶ [0043] Downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal may be a transmission operation from a base station to a UE. A UE receives and identifies RACH related configuration to obtain RACH related resources.; ¶ [00165] The second initial UL BWP is associated with a second PUCCH configuration.); and
sending (read as transmits), to the network (read as uplink (UL)), hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ- ACK) feedback corresponding to the random access procedure on a first PUCCH resource (read as hop) of the PUCCH resources of the second initial UL BWP (¶ [0045] When the RACH related resources comprise a set of one or more hops for PUCCH transmission, the set of one or more hops may be configured in a PUCCH configuration.; ¶ [00144] The random access uplink message may be a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a msg4 HARQ-ACK during the random access procedure. The set of one or more hops is configured in a PUCCH configuration.; ¶ [00164] The UE transmits a HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission.; ¶ [00165] The first initial UL BWP and the second initial UL BWP have separated PUCCH configurations. The second initial UL BWP is associated with a second PUCCH configuration.; ¶ [00166] When the second PUCCH configuration referred to as an inlier PUCCH configuration has a hop that is included in the frequency range of the UE, the UE selects the second initial UL BWP associated with the inlier PUCCH configuration as a selected BWP.).
Regarding claim 10, Feng wherein the PUCCH configuration includes a parameter defining locations of the PUCCH resources within the second initial UL BWP (Fig. 15, illustrates locations of PUCCH resources; ¶ [00145] Fig. 15 shows an example of PUCCH RF-retuning.; ¶ [00150] The location of given hop is further represented by a second offset of a hop frequency offset of the given hop with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a second initial UL BWP.).
Regarding claim 13, Feng teaches a method of a radio access network (RAN) (Fig. 1, element 200 base station; ¶ [0002] The RAN comprises a set of base stations (BSs) which provide wireless links to the UEs located in cells covered by base station.; ¶ [0041] Fig. 1 illustrates a telecommunication system including a base station (BS) that executes the disclosed method.),
comprising:
sending, to a user equipment (UE), a first random access channel (RACH) configuration for a first initial uplink (UL) bandwidth part (BWP) having a first bandwidth (BW) (read as frequency) (¶ [0043] Downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal may be a transmission operation from a base station to a UE. A UE receives and identifies RACH related configuration to obtain RACH related resources.; ¶ [0064] The UE obtains frequency location and bandwidth and RACH configuration of an initial UL BWP.; ¶ [0067] The UE obtains a location of a given RO. The location of the given RO is represented by a first offset value of an RO frequency offset of the given RO with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a first initial UL BWP.),
the first RACH configuration defining first physical random access channel (PRACH) resources of the first initial UL BWP (¶ [0088] The first initial UL BWP is associated with the first RACH configuration. The UE obtains a frequency location and bandwidth PRACH configuration.);
sending, to the UE, a second RACH configuration for a second initial UL BWP having a second BW (read as frequency) (¶ [0043] Downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal may be a transmission operation from a base station to a UE. A UE receives and identifies RACH related configuration to obtain RACH related resources.; ¶ [0067] The location of a given RO is further represented by a second offset value of an RO frequency offset of the given RO with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a second initial UL BWP.),
the second RACH configuration defining second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP that are available during time instances where the first PRACH resources defined by the first RACH configuration are not available to the UE for random access (FIG. 10, elements 323 & 333 RACH occasion, element 413 beam; ¶ [0081] When the UE receives the beam 413, the RO 333 is in the frequency range of the UE while the RO 323 is out of the frequency range of the UE., ¶ [0082] The relationship between the given RO and the frequency range of the UE shows whether the given RO is included in the frequency range of the UE. ¶ [0084] When the second RACH configuration referred to as an inlier RACH configuration has an RO that is included in the frequency range of the UE, when the first RACH configuration is no in the frequency range and, therefore, unavailable, the UE selects the second initial UL BWP as a selected BWP.; ¶ [0088] The first initial UL BWP and the second initial UL BWP have separated RACH configurations. The first initial UL BWP is associated with a first RACH configuration, and the second initial UL BWP is associated with a second RACH configuration. The UE obtains a frequency location and bandwidth and PRACH configuration of two or more initial UL BWPs.); and
performing at least a portion of a random access procedure (read as Random Access Preamble) with the network using one or more of the second PRACH resources (read as selected PRACH occasion) of the second initial UL BWP (read as at least one of the initial UL BWP) (¶ [0088] At least one of the initial UL BWPs with separated PRACH configuration is within UE bandwidth. The UE selects the initial UL BWP as the active initial UL BWP. The UE MAC layer instructs the UE physical layer to transmit the Random Access Preamble using the selected PRACH occasion. UE transmits the preamble.).
Feng does not explicitly teach wherein first RACH occasions (ROs) occur corresponding to the first RACH configuration in the first initial UL BWP with a first RO density in a time domain, wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a second RO density in the time domain for second ROs in the second initial UL BWP that do not overlap in time with the first ROs, and wherein the first RO density in the time domain is different than the second RO density in the time domain.
In analogous art, Christoffersson teaches wherein first RACH occasions (ROs) (read as PRACH occasions) occur corresponding to the first RACH configuration in the first initial UL BWP (read as default or initial BWP) with a first RO density in a time domain, wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a second RO density in the time domain for second ROs in the second initial UL BWP (read as additional BWP) that do not overlap (do not occur simultaneously) in time with the first ROs (Fig. 11 illustrates an exemplary RA resource configuration where PRACH occasions in the active BWP and initial BWP are phase shifted and do not occur simultaneously; ¶ [0081] A default BWP or initial BWP and at least one additional BWP.; ¶ [0093] PRACH occasions are phase shifted such that the PRACH occasions in the active BWP do not occur simultaneously with the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP. Preamble group A in the active BWP is allocated fewer PUSCH resources than the initial BWP.).
wherein the first RO density in the time domain is different than the second RO density in the time domain (¶ [0089] 2-step RA where the PRACH occasions occur with different periodicity. The active BWP PRACH occasions are twice as frequent as the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson with a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce latency and increase reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by configuring RACH occasion density to handle the traffic load and channel conditions (Christoffersson: ¶¶ [0002-0008]).
Regarding claim 15, Feng teaches wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining an offset to a lowest PRACH resource (read as reference point) in a frequency domain of the second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP (Table 5: Offset between RO and the reference point; ¶ [0067] The location of given RO is further represented by a second offset value of an RO frequency offset of the given RO with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a second initial UL BWP. The frequency domain reference point of the second initial UL BWP represents a lowest frequency of the second initial BWP.).
Regarding claim 17, Feng does not explicitly teach wherein the first RO density corresponds to a first periodicity that is larger than a second periodicity corresponding to the second RO density.
In analogous art, Christoffersson teaches wherein the first RO (read as PRACH occasion) density corresponds to a first (read as initial) periodicity that is larger than a second (read as active) periodicity corresponding to the second RO density (Fig. 7 illustrates an initial PRACH occasion with larger periodicity than the active PRACH occasion; ¶ [0089] The active BWP PRACH occasions are twice as frequent as the PRACH occasions in the initial BWP.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson with a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce latency and increase reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by configuring RACH occasion density to handle the traffic load and channel conditions (Christoffersson: ¶¶ [0002-0008]).
Regarding claim 18, Feng teaches sending, to the UE, a physical uplink channel (PUCCH) configuration for PUCCH resources of the second initial UL BWP (¶ [0043] Downlink (DL) transmission of a control signal may be a transmission operation from a base station to a UE. A UE receives and identifies RACH related configuration to obtain RACH related resources.; ¶ [00165] The second initial UL BWP is associated with a second PUCCH configuration.); and
receiving, from the UE, hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ- ACK) feedback corresponding to the random access procedure on a first PUCCH resource (read as hop) of the PUCCH resources of the second initial UL BWP (¶ [0045] When the RACH related resources comprise a set of one or more hops for PUCCH transmission, the set of one or more hops may be configured in a PUCCH configuration.; ¶ [00144] The random access uplink message may be a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a msg4 HARQ-ACK during the random access procedure. The set of one or more hops is configured in a PUCCH configuration.; ¶ [00164] The UE transmits a HARQ-ACK information in a PUCCH transmission.; ¶ [00165] The first initial UL BWP and the second initial UL BWP have separated PUCCH configurations. The second initial UL BWP is associated with a second PUCCH configuration.; ¶ [00166] When the second PUCCH configuration referred to as an inlier PUCCH configuration has a hop that is included in the frequency range of the UE, the UE selects the second initial UL BWP associated with the inlier PUCCH configuration as a selected BWP.).
Regarding claim 19, Feng wherein the PUCCH configuration includes a parameter defining locations of the PUCCH resources within the second initial UL BWP (Fig. 15, illustrates locations of PUCCH resources; ¶ [00145] Fig. 15 shows an example of PUCCH RF-retuning.; ¶ [00150] The location of given hop is further represented by a second offset of a hop frequency offset of the given hop with respect to a frequency domain reference point of a second initial UL BWP.).
Claims 2, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feng in view of Christoffersson further in view of Rastegardoost et al. (US 2024/0032103 A1; hereinafter Rastegardoost).
Regarding claim 2, Feng and Christoffersson do not explicitly teach wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a number of the second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP that are frequency division multiplexed (FDMed) in a single time instance of a RACH occasion (RO) of the second initial UL BWP.
In analogous art, Rastegardoost teaches wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a number of the second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP that are frequency division multiplexed (FDMed) in a single time instance of a RACH occasion (RO) of the second initial UL BWP (¶ [0234] A base station may transmit to a wireless device one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters of a RA procedure. The parameters may comprise a number (e.g., msg1-FDM) of PRACH transmission occasions FDMed in one time instance.; ¶ [0335] A UE may receive a second RRC message configuring a second initial UL BWP.; ¶ [0346] Second RACH configuration parameters may indicate second ROs in the initial UL BWP-2 (e.g., RO-1 to RO-4). The second RACH configuration parameters may indicate: two FDMed ROs (e.g., Msg1-FDM=2); and a second RACH configuration index indicating slot n, and starting symbol 0 for RO-1 to RO-2, and starting symbol m for RO-3 to RO-4.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of resource parameters taught by Rastegardoost with configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson and a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to decrease latency and connection reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by providing alternate random access configuration under conditions of congestion or when PRACH resources fall outside the UE’s available frequency range (Rastegardoost: ¶¶ [0331-0335]).
Regarding claim 12, Feng and Christoffersson do not explicitly teach wherein the second RACH configuration is received from the network in system information block 1 (SIB 1).
In analogous art, Rastegardoost teaches wherein the second RACH configuration is received from the network in system information block 1 (SIB 1) (¶ [0335] A UE may receive a second RRC message (e.g., a second SIB1) indicating/configuring a second initial UL BWP. The second RRC message may comprise second configuration parameters indicating: second RACH resources/occasions in the second initial UL BWP.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of resource parameters taught by Rastegardoost with configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson and a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to decrease latency and connection reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by providing alternate random access configuration under conditions of congestion or when PRACH resources fall outside the UE’s available frequency range (Rastegardoost: ¶¶ [0331-0335]).
Regarding claim 14, Feng and Christoffersson do not explicitly teach wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a number of the second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP that are frequency division multiplexed (FDMed) in a single time instance of a RACH occasion (RO) of the second initial UL BWP.
In analogous art, Rastegardoost teaches wherein the second RACH configuration includes a parameter defining a number of the second PRACH resources of the second initial UL BWP that are frequency division multiplexed (FDMed) in a single time instance of a RACH occasion (RO) of the second initial UL BWP (¶ [0234] A base station may transmit to a wireless device one or more RRC messages comprising configuration parameters of a RA procedure. The parameters may comprise a number (e.g., msg1-FDM) of PRACH transmission occasions FDMed in one time instance.; ¶ [0335] A UE may receive a second RRC message configuring a second initial UL BWP.; ¶ [0346] Second RACH configuration parameters may indicate second ROs in the initial UL BWP-2 (e.g., RO-1 to RO-4). The second RACH configuration parameters may indicate: two FDMed ROs (e.g., Msg1-FDM=2); and a second RACH configuration index indicating slot n, and starting symbol 0 for RO-1 to RO-2, and starting symbol m for RO-3 to RO-4.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine configuration of resource parameters taught by Rastegardoost with configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson and a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to decrease latency and connection reliability, which increases user satisfaction, by providing alternate random access configuration under conditions of congestion or when PRACH resources fall outside the UE’s available frequency range (Rastegardoost: ¶¶ [0331-0335]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feng in view of Christoffersson further in view of Liu et al. (US 2022/0408474 A1; hereinafter Liu).
Regarding claim 5, Feng and Christoffersson do not explicitly teach wherein the offset is relative to a common reference block (CRB) #0 that is configured by the network.
In analogous art, Liu teaches wherein the offset is relative to a common reference (read as resource) block (CRB) #0 that is configured by the network (Fig. 11, element 1114 common resource block 0; ¶ [0307] A relationship between the physical resource block and the common resource block in UL BWP #2 is provided by an equation.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an offset relative to a common reference block (CRB) taught by Liu with configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson and a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve reliability and increase resource allocation efficiency, which increases user satisfaction, by optimizing the timing and frequency alignment for RACH procedures by utilizing offset relative to a CRB (Liu: ¶¶ [0003-0005]).
Claims 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feng in view of Christoffersson further in view of Yi et al. (US 2019/0364602 A1; hereinafter Yi).
Regarding claim 11, Feng and Christoffersson do not explicitly teach wherein the PUCCH configuration includes an indication of where the PUCCH resources are located within the second initial UL BWP in a frequency domain according to an intra-slot frequency hopping mechanism that is enabled on the second initial UL BWP by the indication.
In analogous art, Yi teaches wherein the PUCCH configuration includes an indication of where the PUCCH resources are located within the second initial UL BWP (read as multiple UL BWPs) in a frequency domain according to an intra-slot frequency hopping mechanism that is enabled on the second initial UL BWP by the indication (¶ [0234] In common resource configurations for PUCCH resources among multiple UL BWPs, some nested structure may be considered. For example, PUCCH resources for intra-slot hopping may be constructed based on the smallest UL BWP (sharing the same numerology/subcarrier spacing).; ¶ [0236] The hopping part for the second UL BWP is 0 then becomes 100.; ¶ [0237] When intra-slot hopping is used, intra-slot hoppings may occur over K PRBs and/or K RBGs where K may be defined by the network for a given numerology/subcarrier spacing starting from a PRB index.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an indication of where the PUCCH resources are located taught by Yi with configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson and a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to optimize resource allocation and reduce latency, which increases user satisfaction, by identifying the precise location of PUCCH resources associated with a second RACH configuration (Yi: ¶¶ [0002-0014]).
Regarding claim 20, Feng and Christoffersson do not explicitly teach wherein the PUCCH configuration includes an indication of where the PUCCH resources are located within the second initial UL BWP in a frequency domain according to an intra-slot frequency hopping mechanism that is enabled on the second initial UL BWP by the indication.
In analogous art, Yi teaches wherein the PUCCH configuration includes an indication of where the PUCCH resources are located within the second initial UL BWP (read as multiple UL BWPs) in a frequency domain according to an intra-slot frequency hopping mechanism that is enabled on the second initial UL BWP by the indication (¶ [0234] In common resource configurations for PUCCH resources among multiple UL BWPs, some nested structure may be considered. For example, PUCCH resources for intra-slot hopping may be constructed based on the smallest UL BWP (sharing the same numerology/subcarrier spacing).; ¶ [0236] The hopping part for the second UL BWP is 0 then becomes 100.; ¶ [0237] When intra-slot hopping is used, intra-slot hoppings may occur over K PRBs and/or K RBGs where K may be defined by the network for a given numerology/subcarrier spacing starting from a PRB index.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine an indication of where the PUCCH resources are located taught by Yi with configuration of RACH occasion density taught by Christoffersson and a second RACH configuration that is available when the first PRACH resource are not available as taught by Feng. One would have been motivated to do so in order to optimize resource allocation and reduce latency, which increases user satisfaction, by identifying the precise location of PUCCH resources associated with a second RACH configuration (Yi: ¶¶ [0002-0014]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Amuru et al. (US 2023/0024023 A1) discloses “Apparatus and Method for Handling Bandwidth Part Configuration for Random Access Channel Procedure in Wireless Communication System”
Jeon et al. (US 2024/0373470 A1) discloses “Access Procedures for Wireless Communications”
Xu (US 2022/0353923 A1) discloses “Communication Method and Apparatus)
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/D.M.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464