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 .
Claims 15, 19, 20, 24, 25, 29, 30, 34 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/24/2026have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the claim limitation: “identifying whether the signals are received using a non-terrestrial network (NTN) in case that the frequency band is assigned for the NTN”. Fujii, Fig. 8 appear to show beam (i.e. frequency band) allocated, or assigned, for satellite system (i.e. NTN). This is also illustrated in Fig. 7A of Fujii, where beam 400A to 400C are separate frequency bands.
PNG
media_image1.png
305
388
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding the claim limitation: “the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN) and is for a specific cell of the terminal,” the support is Table 21, reference SFN-r16, INTEGER (0 … 1023), highlighted on page 6/9 of applicant’s Remarks. However, newly discovered reference Uchino appear to disclose an identical table.
For these reasons, Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 15, 20, 25, 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii, US 2019/0090141 in view of Medles, US 2021/0250885, further in view of Uchino, WO 2020/170460.
Regarding claim 15, Fujii teaches a method performed by a terminal in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving signals using a frequency band (Fujii, Fig. 3, step 103, and corresponding written description);
and identifying whether the signals are received using a non-terrestrial network (NTN) in case that the frequency band is assigned for the NTN (Fujii, Fig.3 step 105 and corresponding written description; see also, Fig. 8A and 8B for allocated, or assigned frequency band), and
Fujii does not explicitly teach receiving a system information block (SIB) for the NTN, wherein the SIB for the NTN includes time information associated with a satellite providing service to the terminal and location information of the satellite, and the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN) and is for a specific cell of the terminal.
However, Medles teaches receiving a system information block (SIB) for the NTN, (Medles, [0049]) wherein the SIB for the NTN includes time information associated with a satellite providing service to the terminal and location information of the satellite, ( Medles, [0049], The satellite information may comprise reference time of a satellite and information about beam or cell location and coverage on ground) and the time information is reference time information for a specific cell of the terminal. (Medles, [0049], satellite information may comprise reference time of a satellite).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing time of the current applications, to modify the NTN system of Fujii with the SIB of Medles in the analogous art of NTN communication, to improve accurate UE positioning (Meles [0009]).
Fujii and Medles do not teach the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN). However, in the analogous art, Uchino Fig. 5, reproduced below is identical to Table 21 of the current application.
PNG
media_image2.png
402
807
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Therefore, Uchino teaches the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN). (Uchino, Fig. 5, reference SFN-r16 INTEGER (0 … 1023)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing time of the current applications, to modify the NTN system of Fujii with the Time Reference Info List Information element of Uchino, because even according to applicant’s own disclosure, PP 85 this feature is in the standards TS 38.212, in other words, well known in the art.
For claim 20, it is the reciprocal in claim scope to claim 15, where claim 15 is on the receiving side, and claim 20 is on the transmission side. Fujii teaches a method performed by a node supporting a non- terrestrial network (NTN) in a communication system, the method comprising:
identifying whether to transmit signals using NTN (Fujii, Fig. 3, step 103, and corresponding written discription); and
in case that the signals are to be transmitted using the NTN, transmitting the signals using a frequency band assigned for the NTN (Fujii, Fig.3 step 105 and corresponding written description; see also, Fig. 8A and 8B for allocated, or assigned frequency band); and
Fujii does not explicitly teach transmitting a system information block (SIB) for the NTN, wherein the SIB for the NTN includes time information associated with a satellite providing service to a terminal and location information of the satellite, and wherein the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN) and is for a specific cell of the terminal.
However, Medles teaches transmitting a system information block (SIB) for the NTN (Medles, [0049]),
wherein the SIB for the NTN includes time information associated with a satellite providing service to a terminal and location information of the satellite ( Medles, [0049], The satellite information may comprise reference time of a satellite and information about beam or cell location and coverage on ground) , and
wherein the time information is reference time information for a specific cell of the terminal. (Medles, [0049], satellite information may comprise reference time of a satellite).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing time of the current applications, to modify the NTN system of Fujii with the SIB of Medles in the analogous art of NTN communication, to improve accurate UE positioning (Meles [0009]).
Fujii and Medles do not teach the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN). However, in the analogous art, Uchino Uchino teaches the time information is reference time information indicated by using a system frame number (SFN). (Uchino, Fig. 5, reference SFN-r16 INTEGER (0 … 1023)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing time of the current applications, to modify the NTN system of Fujii with the Time Reference Info List Information element of Uchino, because even according to applicant’s own disclosure, PP 85 this feature is in the standards TS 38.212, in other words, well known in the art.
For claims 25 and 30, they are apparatus and machine claims for claims 15 and 20. Fujii teaches a transceiver; and a controller coupled with the transceiver (Fujii, Fig. 1, [0035] – [0039]).
Claims 19, 24, 29 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujii, US 2019/0090141 in view of Medles, US 2021/0250885 and Uchino, WO 2020/170460, further in view of Hoang, WO 2020/198671.
For claims 19, 24, 29 and 34, Fujii, Medles Uchino do not teach the SIB for the NTN includes information for random access response (RAR) window to transmit a RAR message. However, Hoang teaches the SIB for the NTN includes information for random access response (RAR) window to transmit a RAR message (Hoang, Fig. 2, [0108]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing time of the current applications, to modify the NTN system of Fujii with the SIB of Hoang in the analogous art of NTN communication, to improve initial access procedure for NR and NTN interoperability. (Hoang, [0108]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Charles C Jiang whose telephone number is (571)270-7191. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7 am to 5 pm Eastern Time.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, TC Group director, Deborah Reynolds can be reached at (571) 272-0734. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
Prosecution Insights