DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to the Request for Continued Examination (RCE) filed on 03/05/2026.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/05/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/09/2026 is acknowledged.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 03/05/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-2, 9-10, 12-13 and 18-19 are pending
Claims 1, 9, 12 and 18 are amended
Claims 3-8, 11, 14-17 and 20-22 are canceled
Claims 1-2, 9-10, 12-13 and 18-19 remain rejected.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-2, 9-10, 12-13 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PARK et al. (WO 2016163843 A1), hereinafter referenced as Park, in view of 3GPP (3GPP TSG-RAN WG1 Meeting #99, R1-1912725, Reno, USA, 18th – 22th November 2019), hereinafter referenced as 3GPP, and further in view of Hosseini et al. (US 20180160440 A1), hereinafter referenced as Hosseini.
Regarding claims 1, 9, 12 and 18, Park teaches a wireless communication method for use in a wireless terminal (Page 1, Line [8]-Park discloses a method for reporting channel state information (CSI) and an apparatus supporting the same. Fig. 32, Page 48, Lines [41-50]-Park discloses a wireless communication system includes a base station 3210 and a plurality of terminals 3220 located in an area of a base station 3210. The base station 3210 includes a processor 3211, a memory 3212, and a radio frequency unit 3213. The processor 3211 implements the functions, processes, and / or methods proposed in FIGS. 1 to 31. Layers of the air interface protocol may be implemented by the processor 3211. The memory 3212 is connected to the processor 3211 and stores various information for driving the processor 3211. The RF unit 3213 is connected to the processor 3211 to transmit and / or receive a radio signal. The terminal 3220 includes a processor 3221, a memory 3222, and an RF unit 3223. The processor 3221 implements the functions, processes, and / or methods proposed in FIGS. 1 to 31. Layers of the air interface protocol may be implemented by the processor 3221. The memory 3222 is connected to the processor 3221 and stores various information for driving the processor 3221. The RF unit 3223 is connected to the processor 3221 to transmit and / or receive a radio signal), the wireless communication method comprising:
determining at least one synchronization value based on information received from a wireless network node (Page 10, Lines [17-18]-Park discloses the TAC is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment. The terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value),
the information received from the wireless network node includes …, a timing advanced value obtained at the wireless network node (Page 10, Lines [17-18]-Park discloses the TAC {ime alignment commands} is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment. The terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value. Page 15, Lines [36-37]-Park discloses the UE uses the CSI-RS antenna port of the CSI-RS resource configuration for delay spread, Doppler spread, Doppler shift (corresponding to the timing advanced drift rate). Page 9, Lines [39-47]-Park discloses a common application of TA (timing advance) values applicable to one specific cell ... When communicating with a base station (macro eNB) and communicating with a secondary base station through another cell, ... In this case, when uplink transmission using a single TA {Timing Advance} value); and
transmitting, to the wireless network node, an uplink signal based on the at least one synchronization value by applying the at least one synchronization value after the at least one synchronization value is determined (Page 10, Lines [18-21]-Park discloses the terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value. When the terminal updates the time synchronization, a time alignment timer is started or restarted. The UL grant includes an uplink resource allocation and a transmit power command (TPC) " used for transmission of a scheduling message (third message), ... The TPC is used for determining transmission power for a scheduled PUSCH. Page 9, Lines [45-46]-Park discloses when uplink transmission using a single TA value in a manner that is commonly applied to a plurality of cells may seriously affect synchronization of uplink signals transmitted),
the transmission of the uplink signal comprises a plurality of transmission parts (Table 1, Pages 3-4, Lines [48-53 and 1-5 respectively]-Park discloses uplink transmission consists of a radio frame having a period of T— f = 307 200 * T_s = 10 ms ... A radio frame consists of 10 subframes. One radio frame is composed of 20 slots having a length of T_slot = 15360 * T_s = 0.5ms, and each slot is given an index of 0 to 19. One subframe consists of two consecutive slots in the time domain, and subframe i consists of slot 2i and slot 2i + l {where l corresponds to the time interval i.e. the time gap, guard period} ... each subframe of the radio frame, 'D' represents a subframe for downlink transmission, 'D' represents a subframe for uplink transmission, and 'S' represents a downlink pilot time slot (DwPTS) (GP: Guard Period), UpPTS (Uplink Pilot Time Slot) ... DwPTS is used for ... synchronization or channel estimation at the terminal. UpPTS is used for ... synchronization of uplink transmission of the terminal. Page 8, Lines [1-4]-Park discloses multi-carrier means the aggregation of carriers (or carrier aggregation), wherein the aggregation of carriers means not only merging between contiguous carriers but also merging between non-contiguous carriers ... the number of downlink component carriers (hereinafter, referred to as 'DL CC') and the number of uplink component carriers (hereinafter, referred to as 'UL CC')),
each of the plurality of transmission parts is transmitted by respectively applying one of the at least one synchronization value (Page 10, Lines [17-21]-Park discloses the base station transmits a random access response ... The random access response includes ..., an UL grant indicating uplink radio resources, ..., and Time alignment commands (TAC) may be included. The TAC is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment. The terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value ... The UL grant includes an uplink resource allocation {corresponding to the bits, subframes, frames, slots and other transmission parts} ... used for transmission of a scheduling message. Page 8, Lines [43-47]-Park discloses the terminal may transmit a base station (that is, a macro) When communicating with a base station (macro eNB) and communicating with a secondary base station through another cell, a plurality of cells may have different propagation delay characteristics. In this case, when uplink transmission using a single TA value in a manner that is commonly applied to a plurality of cells may seriously affect synchronization of uplink signals transmitted on a plurality of cells. Accordingly, it may be desirable to have a plurality of TAs in a CA situation in which a plurality of cells are merged. In 3GPP Rel-11, an TA is independently allocated to a specific cell group unit in order to support multiple TAs. Consider. This is called a TA group (TAG: TA group) and the TAG may include one or more cells, and the same TA may be commonly applied to one or more cells included in the TAG. To support such multiple TAs, the MAC TA command control element consists of a 2-bit TAG identifier (TAG ID) and a 6-bit TA command field),
a time gap is inserted between two contiguous transmission parts of the plurality of transmission parts (Pages 3-4, Lines [52-53 and 1-3 respectively]-Park discloses one subframe consists of two consecutive slots in the time domain, and subframe i consists of slot 2i and slot 2i + l ... each subframe of the radio frame, 'D' represents a subframe for downlink transmission, 'D' represents a subframe for uplink transmission, and 'S' represents a downlink pilot time slot (DwPTS) (GP: Guard Period), UpPTS (Uplink Pilot Time Slot). (See also Page 8, Lines [1-4]). Page 10, Lines [17-21]-Park discloses the base station transmits a random access response ... The random access response includes ..., an UL grant indicating uplink radio resources, ..., and Time alignment commands (TAC) may be included. The TAC is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment. The terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value ... The UL grant includes an uplink resource allocation {corresponding to the bits, subframes, frames, slots and other transmission parts} ... used for transmission of a scheduling message),
a valid time of applying each of the at least one synchronization value is smaller than a valid time threshold (Page 30, Lines [10-16]-Park discloses when a terminal receives a new CSI-RS port configuration (eg, CSI-RS resource) such as 12-port or 16-port in the form of multiple aggregated CSI-RS resources from the base station, the corresponding aggregated A restrict ion can be defined / configured that CSI-RS resources are set so that they are not separated from each other by more than the X (OFDM) symbol (eg, X = 2). Page 9, Lines [55-56]-Park discloses UE may apply TA, determined based on an S cell to which random access has been successfully completed, to all of cell(s) within a corresponding sTAG As).
Park fails to teach a timing advanced value drift rate.
However, 3GPP teaches determining at least one synchronization value based on information received from a wireless network node (Fig. 2, Page 2, Section [3]-3GPP discloses the transmissions from different UEs in a cell are time-aligned {synchronized} at the gNB to maintain uplink orthogonality. Time alignment {synchronization value} is achieved by using different timing advance values at different UEs to compensate for their different propagation delays. Page 4, Section [4]-3GPP discloses a potential way to manage the Doppler drift induced by the satellite movement is that the network signals to the UE the Doppler rate to apply in a given cell (beam) ... the Doppler shift is proportional to the timing drift. Therefore, knowledge of the instantaneous Doppler shift (e.g. through a combination of an initial Doppler shift and a Doppler rate) is sufficient information for the UE to know how to continuously update the TA, and in principle no additional timing drift information is needed. Page 1, Section [2]-3GPP discloses to make the synchronization procedure even more efficient, it is assumed beneficial for a UE to possess knowledge of the satellite ephemeris data. This will allow the UE to point its receiver beam towards the expected location of the satellite. Page 12, Section [6]-3GPP discloses acquisition of the TA at UE with known location and satellite ephemeris ... Indication of common TA to all users within the coverage of the same beam ... NTN system will require the network to broadcast the propagation delay for a reference point (common delay) in the cell/beam. Due to satellite motion, the common delay will vary with time as well as the reference location. Page 13, Section [6]-3GPP discloses when the propagation delay is large, the TA command sent by the gNB could be stale by the time the UE receives it ... The network sends timing advance commands to a UE in connected mode to maintain uplink timing ... The UE calculates the new TA value ... To cope with a large timing drift ..., several such commands per second are required),
the information received from the wireless network node includes at least one of a timing advanced value obtained at the wireless network node, or a timing advanced value drift rate obtained at the wireless network node (Page 1, Section [2]-3GPP discloses to make the synchronization procedure even more efficient, it is assumed beneficial for a UE to possess knowledge of the satellite ephemeris data. This will allow the UE to point its receiver beam towards the expected location of the satellite. Fig. 2, Page 2, Section [3]-3GPP discloses the transmissions from different UEs in a cell are time-aligned {synchronized} at the gNB to maintain uplink orthogonality. Time alignment {synchronization value} is achieved by using different timing advance values at different UEs to compensate for their different propagation delays. Page 12, Section [6]-3GPP discloses acquisition of the TA at UE with known location and satellite ephemeris ... Indication of common TA to all users within the coverage of the same beam ... NTN system will require the network to broadcast the propagation delay for a reference point (common delay) in the cell/beam. Due to satellite motion, the common delay will vary with time as well as the reference location. Page 13, Section [6]-3GPP discloses when the propagation delay is large, the TA command sent by the gNB could be stale by the time the UE receives it ... The network sends timing advance commands to a UE in connected mode to maintain uplink timing ... The UE calculates the new TA value ... To cope with a large timing drift ..., several such commands per second are required. Page 4, Section [4]-3GPP discloses a potential way to manage the Doppler drift induced by the satellite movement is that the network signals to the UE the Doppler rate to apply in a given cell (beam) ... the Doppler shift is proportional to the timing drift. Therefore, knowledge of the instantaneous Doppler shift (e.g. through a combination of an initial Doppler shift and a Doppler rate) is sufficient information for the UE to know how to continuously update the TA, and in principle no additional timing drift information is needed).
Park and 3GPP are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of communication network, dealing with NTN synchronization, random access, and timing advance.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the Park to incorporate the teachings of 3GPP on synchronization information, with a motivation to include location of a satellite, a timing advanced value and a timing advanced value drift rate, and ultimately guarantee coping with large timing drifts in LEO NTN, (3GPP, Page 15, Section [6]).
Park fails to teach a time length of each of the plurality of transmission parts is smaller than a duration threshold.
However, Hosseini teaches a time length of each of the plurality of transmission parts is smaller than a duration threshold (Fig. 4, Para. [0058]-Hosseini discloses example 400 of timing advances for multiple component carriers for wireless transmission timing based on timing advance values in shortened transmission time interval transmissions. Para. [0006]-Hosseini discloses identifying a timing advance (TA) value associated with one or more component carriers (CCs) for a wireless transmission, identifying a TA threshold value, and setting one or more parameters associated with the wireless transmission at a first value when the TA value is below the TA threshold value. Para. [0007]-Hosseini discloses if the TTI duration is a shortened TTI (sTTI), the TA threshold value may be set to provide sufficient processing time for a UE to generate feedback information within the feedback transmission timing, and if the TA value exceeds the TA threshold value, the feedback transmission timing may be set to provide additional time. Para. [0036]-Hosseini discloses if the wireless transmission uses a sTTI duration, the TA threshold value may be set to provide sufficient processing time for a UE to generate feedback information within the feedback transmission timing. In such cases, if the TA value exceeds the TA threshold value, the feedback transmission timing may be set to provide additional time for a UE to perform processing to generate the feedback information. Para. [0059]-Hosseini discloses if, however, the largest TA value across cells is smaller than the maximum misalignment value 445 (e.g., 31 μs), then Tdiff may be set to the maximum misalignment value 445 (e.g., 31 μs). Thus, to ensure that Tdiff<Tmax, the following property may be enforced),
a valid time of applying each of the at least one synchronization value is smaller than a valid time threshold (Para. [0057]-Hosseini discloses in cases where the value of k in the n+k rule is fixed, in order to guarantee that the remaining time for UE processing is sufficient, the total time difference Tdiff (the effective TA value) 335 should be below a specified threshold Tmax).
Park and Hosseini are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication network, dealing with Wireless Transmission Timing Based On Timing Advance Values In Shortened Transmission Time Interval Transmissions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the Park in view of 3GPP to incorporate the teachings of Hosseini on synchronization, with a motivation to limit transmission time length and the valid time for applying synchronization value, and guarantee improved methods, systems, devices, or apparatuses that support wireless transmission timing based on timing advance values in shortened transmission time interval transmissions. (Hosseini, Para. [0006]).
Regarding claims 2, 10, 13 and 19, Park in view of 3GPP and Hosseini teaches the wireless communication method of claim 1, the wireless communication method of claim 9, the wireless terminal of claim 12 and the wireless network node of claim 18 respectively.
Park further teaches the at least one synchronization value comprises a timing advanced value (Page 9, Lines [45-46]-Park discloses when uplink transmission using a single TA {Timing Advance} value in a manner that is commonly applied to a plurality of cells may seriously affect synchronization of uplink signals transmitted. Page 9, Lines [39-68]-Park discloses a common application of TA (timing advance) values applicable to one specific cell ... the timing advance alignment for the STAG when requested by the above-described handover procedure, a command of the base station. Page 10, Lines [17-18]-Park discloses the TAC is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's Arguments/Remarks, filed on 03/05/2026, with respect to the 35 USC § 103 rejection of claims 1-2, 9-10, 12-13 and 18-19 have been fully considered. Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
In the remarks, on pages 8 and 9, Lines [18-22 and 2-7 respectively], Applicant argues that, “…the cited references fail to disclose, much less teach or suggest, an uplink signal comprises a plurality of transmission parts, wherein each of the plurality of transmission parts is transmitted by respectively applying one of the at least one synchronization value, wherein a time gap is inserted between two contiguous transmission parts of the plurality of transmission parts,” and “…Park fails to describe its "slots" and "subframes" being each transmitted by respectively applying one of the at least one synchronization value ... Park does not teach or suggest that each of the plurality of transmission parts is transmitted by respectively applying one of the at least one synchronization value” respectively.
However, Park teaches the transmission of the uplink signal comprises a plurality of transmission parts (Table 1, Pages 3-4, Lines [48-53 and 1-5 respectively]-Park discloses uplink transmission consists of a radio frame having a period of T— f = 307 200 * T_s = 10 ms ... A radio frame consists of 10 subframes. One radio frame is composed of 20 slots having a length of T_slot = 15360 * T_s = 0.5ms, and each slot is given an index of 0 to 19. One subframe consists of two consecutive slots in the time domain, and subframe i consists of slot 2i and slot 2i + l ... each subframe of the radio frame, 'D' represents a subframe for downlink transmission, 'D' represents a subframe for uplink transmission, and 'S' represents a downlink pilot time slot (DwPTS) (GP: Guard Period), UpPTS (Uplink Pilot Time Slot) ... DwPTS is used for ... synchronization or channel estimation at the terminal. UpPTS is used for ... synchronization of uplink transmission of the terminal. Page 8, Lines [1-4]-Park discloses multi-carrier means the aggregation of carriers (or carrier aggregation), wherein the aggregation of carriers means not only merging between contiguous carriers but also merging between non-contiguous carriers ... the number of downlink component carriers (hereinafter, referred to as 'DL CC') and the number of uplink component carriers (hereinafter, referred to as 'UL CC')), wherein each of the plurality of transmission parts is transmitted by respectively applying one of the at least one synchronization value (Page 10, Lines [17-21]-Park discloses the base station transmits a random access response ... The random access response includes ..., an UL grant indicating uplink radio resources, ..., and Time alignment commands (TAC) may be included. The TAC is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment. The terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value ... The UL grant includes an uplink resource allocation {corresponding to the bits, subframes, frames, slots and other transmission parts} ... used for transmission of a scheduling message. Page 8, Lines [43-47]-Park discloses the terminal may transmit a base station (that is, a macro) When communicating with a base station (macro eNB) and communicating with a secondary base station through another cell, a plurality of cells may have different propagation delay characteristics. In this case, when uplink transmission using a single TA value in a manner that is commonly applied to a plurality of cells may seriously affect synchronization of uplink signals transmitted on a plurality of cells. Accordingly, it may be desirable to have a plurality of TAs in a CA situation in which a plurality of cells are merged. In 3GPP Rel-11, an TA is independently allocated to a specific cell group unit in order to support multiple TAs. Consider. This is called a TA group (TAG: TA group) and the TAG may include one or more cells, and the same TA may be commonly applied to one or more cells included in the TAG. To support such multiple TAs, the MAC TA command control element consists of a 2-bit TAG identifier (TAG ID) and a 6-bit TA command field).
In the remarks, on page 9, Lines [20-22], Applicant argues that, “…the cited references fail to disclose, much less teach or suggest, the recited time gap feature, which is inserted between two contiguous transmission parts of the plurality of transmission parts of the uplink signal.”
However, Park teaches a time gap is inserted between two contiguous transmission parts of the plurality of transmission parts (Pages 3-4, Lines [52-53 and 1-3 respectively]-Park discloses one subframe consists of two consecutive slots in the time domain, and subframe i consists of slot 2i and slot 2i + l ... each subframe of the radio frame, 'D' represents a subframe for downlink transmission, 'D' represents a subframe for uplink transmission, and 'S' represents a downlink pilot time slot (DwPTS) (GP: Guard Period), UpPTS (Uplink Pilot Time Slot). Page 10, Lines [17-21]-Park discloses the base station transmits a random access response ... The random access response includes ..., an UL grant indicating uplink radio resources, ..., and Time alignment commands (TAC) may be included. The TAC is information indicating a time synchronization value that the base station sends to the terminal to maintain uplink time alignment. The terminal updates the uplink transmission timing by using the time synchronization value ... The UL grant includes an uplink resource allocation {corresponding to the bits, subframes, frames, slots and other transmission parts} ... used for transmission of a scheduling message).
Conclusion
Listed below are the prior arts made of record and not relied upon but are considered pertinent to applicant`s disclosure.
Wang et al. (US 20070149206 A1)-discloses A method and system for adjusting uplink transmission timing when sending an initial transmission to a target cell/Node-B of an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) immediately after handover from a source cell/Node-B of the E-UTRAN. In one embodiment, a user equipment (UE) autonomously computes and applies a timing advance (TA) value based on the current source cell/Node-B timing value, cell/Node-B beacon channel reference signal measurements and knowledge of the relative time difference, (if any), between the source and target cells/Node-Bs. In another embodiment, the UE sends a scheduling request message or real data packets with the computed TA value applied to the uplink transmission timing to the E-UTRAN via pre-allocated non-contention based uplink radio resources. In an alternate embodiment, the UE sends a scheduling request message with the new computed TA value applied to the UL transmission timing to an E-UTRAN via a synchronous random access channel (RACH)…. …Fig. 1-4
LIU et al. (WO 2019029372 A1)-discloses Methods, network device and terminal device are disclosed time advance adjustment. A method comprises receiving a time advance, TA, command from a network device; determining a TA granularity or range; and determining a TA value based at least partly on the TA command and the TA granularity or range, wherein different numerologies are configured for at least two carriers and/or at least two bandwidth parts (BWPs) in one carrier, wherein the at least two carriers and/or the at least two BWPs serve the terminal device and/or the terminal device supports at least one numerology…. …Fig. 1-5
PARK et al. (US 20200107348 A1)-discloses a wireless communication system, and disclosed are a method for transmitting and receiving an uplink signal for a first system and a second system to which numerologies determined independently of each other are applied, and a device for supporting same. More specifically, disclosed is a method for transmitting and receiving an uplink signal between a terminal and a base station in cases when a system in which a timing adjustment or timing advance (TA) command message is transmitted and a system in which an uplink signal to which the TA command is applied is transmitted are different.… …Fig. 1-5
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/OO/
Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472