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 .
This action is in response to the communication filed on 04/07/2026.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/07/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-6, 8, 10-11, 13, 17-20, 23-25 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian et al. (U.S. Pub. 20220231811) in view of Mu (U.S. Pub. 20240357525), further in view of Sevindik (U.S. Pub. 20220272746).
Regarding claim 1 Tian disclose, an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising: one or more memories read as: “the memory 1004”; a processor read as: “the processor 1002”; and one or more processors memory coupled with the one or more memories and processor, the processor configured cause the UE to:
receive a synchronization signal block that comprises at least a first parameter that indicates a first subset of a set of system information messages have a first message configuration and a second subset of the set of system information messages have a second message configuration para. 11, “a user equipment (UE) to receive, from a base station (BS), a first synchronization signal block (SSB) of a first group of SSBs of an SSB burst set, where the first group of SSBs and a second group of SSBs of the SSB burst set are spaced apart in time by a group of control resource sets (CORESETs)”… para. 125, “The BS 105 may also utilize MCS and/or other transmission parameters indicated by the first SIB scheduling information to transmit the first SIB”,
receive, based at least in part on a channel condition at the UE and the first parameter para. 7, “receiving, in a first CORESET of the group of CORESETs and SIBs based on the first SSB, SIB scheduling information”, a system information message from one of the first subset of the set of system information messages para. 7, “receiving, from a base station (BS), a first synchronization signal block (SSB) of a first group of SSBs of an SSB burst set” or the second subset of the set of system information messages. The claim list features in the alternative. While the claim lists a number of optional limitations only one limitation from the list is required and needs to be met by the prior art. The Examiner has chosen the first of the alternatives.
Tian does not specifically disclose, wherein the synchronization signal block indicates one or more parameters for the set of system information messages, the one or more parameters comprising at least the first parameter. However, Mu teaches, “The terminal can acquire the first SSB and acquire the first system message scheduled by the common PDCCH based on the first SSB, and based on information carried by the first system message, the terminal can determine remaining transmission parameters of the second SSB”, see para. 72.
Tian and Mu are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to transmission parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Mu in the system of Tian so the system can accurately receive the information intended for it and decoded correctly. The motivation for doing so would have been to ensure the data received corresponded with the data that was transmitted according to the channel conditions.
wherein the channel condition comprises a measurement of a reference signal received power at the UE “uplink channel conditions is based on Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) measurements of one or more resource blocks”, see para. 22.
Tian, Mu and Sevindik are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to transmission parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Sevindik in the system of Tian and Mu so the system can accurately evaluate the power contributions from the specific resource elements. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve link adaptation and mobility management in the network.
Regarding claim 2 Tian disclose, wherein the first message configuration and the second message configuration have at least one configuration element that is different para. 121, “In some aspects, the second SCS is 480 kHz, and the BS 105 may schedule and/or configure the first CORESET and the first SIB as discussed above with reference to FIG. 7A (e.g., as shown in the expanded view 705) or FIG. 7B (e.g., as shown in the expanded view 707)” , and the at least one configuration element includes one or more of a modulation and coding scheme, a quantity of occupied time resources, a quantity of occupied frequency resources, a transmission power, or any combinations thereof para. 121, “The BS 105 may also utilize MCS and/or other transmission parameters indicated by the first SIB scheduling information to transmit the first SIB”.
Regarding claim 5 Tian disclose, wherein the one or more processors are processors are further configured to cause the UE to:
decode a master information block from the synchronization signal block, para. 43, “Each SSB may include a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), and/or a master information block (MIB)” wherein the first parameter is included in the master information block para. 43, “a MIB may include system information for initial network access and scheduling information for further system information”.
Regarding claim 6 Tian disclose, wherein the first parameter is a flag that indicates an associated system information message is one of the first subset of the set of system information messages or the second subset of the set of system information messages para. 5, “The SSB may also provide information associated with a control resource set (CORESET) where the BS may transmit scheduling information for additional system information”.
Regarding claim 8 Tian disclose, wherein the first parameter is received from a serving cell or from a neighbor cell para. 7, “a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), the method includes receiving, from a base station (BS) a first synchronization signal block (SSB) of a first group of SSBs of an SSB burst set”, and
wherein different values of the first parameter indicate that an associated system information message is one of the first subset of the set of system information messages or the second subset of the set of system information messages para. 7, “receiving, in a first CORESET of the group of CORESETs and SIBs based on the first SSB”.
Regarding claim 10 Tian disclose, further comprising an antenna configured to:
receive a control channel message associated with the system information message from one of the first subset of the set of system information messages or the second subset of the set of system information messages para. 62, “UE 115 may receive RMSI and/or OSI. The RMSI and/or OSI may include radio resource control (RRC) information related to random access channel (RACH) procedures, paging, control resource set (CORESET) for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring”,
wherein a first subset of control channel messages associated with the first subset of the set of system information messages have a first set of control channel parameter values para. 73, “where the BS 105 may transmit RMSI 332 and/or other transmission parameters related to the transmission of the RMSI 332. The RMSI 332 may include one or more SIBs (e.g., the SIB 1, SIB 2, etc.) providing various information (e.g., PRACH configurations) to facilitate communication with the network”, and
a second subset of control channel messages associated with the second subset of the set of system information messages have a second set of control channel parameter values that is different from the first set of control channel parameter values para. 181, “receiving, from a base station (BS),… a second group of SSBs of the SSB burst set are spaced apart in time by a group of control resource sets (CORESETs) and system information blocks (SIBs)”.
Regarding claim 11 Tian disclose, wherein the set of system information messages include a first subset of the set of system information messages that each include a first quantity of system information parameters and a second subset of the set of system information messages each include a second quantity of system information parameters para. 73 “the BS 105 may transmit RMSI 332 and/or other transmission parameters related to the transmission of the RMSI 332. The RMSI 332 may include one or more SIBs (e.g., the SIB 1, SIB 2, etc.) providing various information (e.g., PRACH configurations) to facilitate communication with the network”, and
wherein the first quantity of system information parameters is different from the second quantity of system information parameters para. 73 “In some instances, the RMSI scheduling information 322 may also be referred to as SIB scheduling information”.
Claim 13 recites an apparatus corresponding to the apparatus of claim 1 and thus is rejected under the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 17 Tian disclose, further comprising an antenna configured to: receive configuration information that indicates the first subset of the set of system information messages and the second subset of the set of system information messages, the configuration information received in one or more of a master information block, a radio resource control transmission, a control information transmission, or any combinations thereof para. 62, “UE 115 may receive RMSI and/or OSI. The RMSI and/or OSI may include radio resource control (RRC) information related to random access channel (RACH) procedures, paging, control resource set (CORESET) for physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring”.
Regarding claim 18 the limitations of claim 18 are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claim 10. The examiner notes that claim 18 discloses a third subset corresponding to the second and first subset and the functions described by Tian, since Tian only mention the two instances, as a matter of example Nam et al. US. Pub. 20180192383 shows “a third subset is indicated in the PDCCH” see para. 104, which shows that two or more subset can be set to the user equipment from the base station and execute the functions described by Tian.
Regarding claim 19 Tian disclose, wherein the one or more parameters include at least a first parameter that indicates the first subset of the set of system information messages has a first transmission configuration and the second subset of the set of system information messages has a second transmission configuration para. 104, “where the BS 105 may transmit RMSI 332 and/or other transmission parameters related to the transmission of the RMSI 332. The RMSI 332 may include one or more SIBs (e.g., the SIB 1, SIB 2, etc.) providing various information (e.g., PRACH configurations) to facilitate communication with the network”, and wherein the first system information message is received via one of the first subset of the set of system information messages or the second subset of the set of system information messages based at least in part on a channel condition at the UE and the first parameter para. 7, “receiving, in a first CORESET of the group of CORESETs and SIBs based on the first SSB”. The claim list features in the alternative. While the claim lists a number of optional limitations only one limitation from the list is required and needs to be met by the prior art. The Examiner has chosen the first of the alternatives.
Regarding claims 20 and 25 the limitations of claim 20 and 25 are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claim 2.
Regarding claim 23 the limitations of claim 23 are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claim 10.
Claim 24 recites an apparatus corresponding to the apparatus of claim 1 and thus is rejected under the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Claim 27 recites an apparatus corresponding to the apparatus of claim 13 and thus is rejected under the same reason set forth in the rejection of claim 13.
Claim(s) 3, 4, 7, 21 and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tian et al. (U.S. Pub. 20220231811) in view of Mu (U.S. Pub. 20240357525), further in view of Sevindik (U.S. Pub. 20220272746). further in view of Gowda et al. (U.S. Pub. 20190036647).
Regarding claim 3 Tian, Mu and Sevindik does not specifically disclose, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:
defer an attempt to decode a first system information message of the first subset of the set of system information messages based at least in part on the channel condition at the UE being below a threshold value associated with the first parameter. However, Gowda teach, “In some cases, the device may skip further decoding of the downlink channel if the device determines radio conditions satisfy a predetermined condition (e.g., are below a threshold quality level”, see para. 32.
Gowda further teach, decode a second system information message of the second subset of the set of system information messages based at least in part on the channel condition at the UE being below the threshold value associated with the first parameter para. 121, “The UE may perform a decoding attempt after N repetitions of the control channel”.
Tian, Mu, Sevindik and Gowda are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to transmission parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Gowda in the system of Tian, Mu and Sevindik so the system can accurately receive the information intended for it and decoded correctly. The motivation for doing so would have been to ensure the data received corresponded with the data that was transmitted according to the channel conditions.
Regarding claim 4 Tian disclose, wherein the threshold value associated with the first parameter is a second reference signal received power of a reference signal included in the synchronization signal block para. 44, “detecting an SSB providing a received signal quality (e.g., a reference signal received power (RSRP)) that satisfies a certain threshold, the UE may continue to monitor for SIB scheduling information”.
Regarding claim 7 Tian, Mu and Sevindik does not specifically disclose, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to cause the UE to:
receive an indication of a threshold value associated with the first parameter. However, Gowda teach, “the UE may update the SNR threshold corresponding to the probability of decoding the data channel… the one or more parameters may be indicated to the UE (e.g., from a base station, or another UE), see para. 5”, and
wherein the flag indicates that the associated system information message is to be decoded based at least in part on the channel condition at the UE exceeding the threshold value para. 115, “the UE is able to decode the control channel using a smaller number of control channel repetitions than that scheduled by the base station (e.g., the UE may detect that a SNR condition is at or above a threshold)”.
Tian, Mu, Sevindik and Gowda are analogous because they pertain to the field of wireless communication and, more specifically, to transmission parameters.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Gowda in the system of Tian, Mu and Sevindik to determine the channel conditions are appropriately for transmission. The motivation for doing so would have been to ensure the data received corresponded with the data that was transmitted in minimal channel conditions for transmission.
Regarding claims 21 and 26 the limitations of claim 21 and 26 are rejected in the same manner as analyzed above with respect to claim 4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Stirling-Gallacher et al. (U.S. Pub. 20170033916) which disclose(s) multi-user, full duplex in-band communication in wireless networks.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAUL RIVAS whose telephone number is (571)270–5590. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday, from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy K. Kundu, can be reached on (571) 272 - 8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571–273–8300.
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/RR/
Examiner, Art Unit 2471
/SUJOY K KUNDU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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