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 .
Responsive to amendments filed on 06/22/2026.
Claims 1, 15, and 21 have been amended. Claims 4-6, 17, and 22-25 are cancelled. Claims 1, 13-15, 18-19, 21, and 26-27 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amended claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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, 13-15, 18-19, 21, and 26-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0132057; hereinafter Jang – with an effective filing date of April 1, 2020, which provides support for the specification) in view of MolavianJazi et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2021/0058971; hereinafter MolavianJazi).
Regarding claim 1 Jang discloses a method for configuring random access resources, comprising:
configuring, by a network device, a first random access resource for a first type terminal and a second random access resource for a second type terminal by a random access channel (RACH) ConfigCommon information element (IE) (paragraphs 0071-0075; wherein a base station configures UE(s) via an SIB1 which comprises at least one RACH-ConfigCommon IE, and the IE configures, at least, PRACH parameters for two types of UEs: an NR-lite UE and a normal NR UE); and
configuring a first value of ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB in the RACHConfigCommon IE for the first type terminal, and a second value of ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB in the RACH ConfigCommon IE for the second type terminal (paragraphs 0074, 0090; the 1st second parameter set may be for a normal NR UE and the 2nd second parameter set may be for an NR-lite UE. Examples of the parameter set may include parameters specifying the time-frequency resource of the PRACH resource being the physical channel through which the random access preamble is transmitted (prach-ConfigurationIndex, msg1-FDM, msg1-FrequencyStart, etc.), parameters related to determining success or failure of a random access procedure (preambleTransMax, ra-ResponseWindow, ra-ContentionResolutionTimer, etc.), parameters related to beams during random access (rsrp-ThresholdSSB, ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB, etc.), parameters related to preamble groups (groupBconfigured)), wherein the first value and the second value are different (paragraphs 0074, 0090; with separate ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB parameters configured for UE type), wherein at least some parameters of the first random access resource are different from corresponding parameters of the second random access resource, the parameters comprise at least a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, and a random access preamble (paragraphs 0074, 0090; may include parameters specifying the time-frequency resource of the PRACH resource being the physical channel through which the random access preamble is transmitted and parameters related to preamble groups (groupBconfigured)).
Jang fails to explicitly disclose but MolavianJazi, in the same field of endeavor related to random access for reduced capability UEs, discloses wherein an RACH occasion corresponding to a synchronous broadcast signal block (SSB) of the first random access resource is the same as an RACH occasion corresponding to an SSB of the second random access resource (paragraphs 0175-0184; multiple considerations can be made for association of PRACH repetitions with SSBs, at least for CBRA/SI-request/beam failure recovery. In one embodiment, SSBs can be mapped to or associated with valid ROs as in Rel-15 NR (preambles first, then FMDed ROs, then TDMed ROs within a PRACH slot, then PRACH slots) regardless of whether or not an RO belongs to a Rel-15 NR PRACH configuration or to an extended NR Rel-15 PRACH configuration), and a contention-based preamble used by the SSB of the first random access resource is different from a contention-based preamble used by the SSB of the second random access resource (paragraphs 0175-0184; In some embodiments, a first UE of a first UE-type can be configured with a first PRACH configuration, such as one or more of a first set of PRACH preambles, a first set of RACH occasions… A second UE of a second UE-type can be configured with a second PRACH configuration, such as one or more of a second set of PRACH preambles, a second set of RACH occasions). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Jang with the teachings of MolavianJazi, in order to enhance PRACH transmission (MolavianJazi: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 13 Jang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first random access resource corresponds to a first information element, the second random access resource corresponds to a second information element, and the first information element is different from the second information element (paragraphs 0074-0075, 0090-0091; separately transmitting a RACH-ConfigCommon IE for a type 1 UE and a RACH-ConfigCommon IE (RACH-ConfigCommonLight IE) for a type 2 UE, the two IEs may both be transmitted via an SIB1).
Regarding claim 14 Jang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first random access resource is carried in a first information domain of a specified information element, the second random access resource is carried in a second information domain of the specified information element, and the first information domain is different from the second information domain (paragraphs 0074-0075, 0090-0091; separately transmitting a RACH-ConfigCommon IE for a type 1 UE and a RACH-ConfigCommon IE (RACH-ConfigCommonLight IE) for a type 2 UE, the two IEs may both be transmitted via an SIB1; configuration parameters are independent for each device).
Regarding claim 15 Jang discloses an apparatus for configuring random access resources (fig. 2), comprising:
a processor (controller 37);
a memory configured to store instructions executable by the processor (memory 39);
wherein the processor is configured to:
configure a first random access resource for a first type terminal and a second random access resource for a second type terminal by a random access channel (RACH) ConfigCommon information element (IE) (paragraphs 0071-0075; wherein a base station configures UE(s) via an SIB1 which comprises at least one RACH-ConfigCommon IE, and the IE configures, at least, PRACH parameters for two types of UEs: an NR-lite UE and a normal NR UE); and
configure a first value of ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB in the RACHConfigCommon IE for the first type terminal, and a second value of ssb-perRACH- OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB in the RACH ConfigCommon IE for the second type terminal (paragraphs 0074, 0090; the 1st second parameter set may be for a normal NR UE and the 2nd second parameter set may be for an NR-lite UE. Examples of the parameter set may include parameters specifying the time-frequency resource of the PRACH resource being the physical channel through which the random access preamble is transmitted (prach-ConfigurationIndex, msg1-FDM, msg1-FrequencyStart, etc.), parameters related to determining success or failure of a random access procedure (preambleTransMax, ra-ResponseWindow, ra-ContentionResolutionTimer, etc.), parameters related to beams during random access (rsrp-ThresholdSSB, ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB, etc.), parameters related to preamble groups (groupBconfigured)), wherein the first value and the second value are different (paragraphs 0074, 0090; with separate ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB parameters configured for UE type), wherein at least some parameters of the first random access resource are different from corresponding parameters of the second random access resource, the parameters comprise at least a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, and a random access preamble (paragraphs 0074, 0090; may include parameters specifying the time-frequency resource of the PRACH resource being the physical channel through which the random access preamble is transmitted and parameters related to preamble groups (groupBconfigured)).
Jang fails to explicitly disclose but MolavianJazi, in the same field of endeavor related to random access for reduced capability UEs, discloses wherein an RACH occasion corresponding to a synchronous broadcast signal block (SSB) of the first random access resource is the same as an RACH occasion corresponding to an SSB of the second random access resource (paragraphs 0175-0184; multiple considerations can be made for association of PRACH repetitions with SSBs, at least for CBRA/SI-request/beam failure recovery. In one embodiment, SSBs can be mapped to or associated with valid ROs as in Rel-15 NR (preambles first, then FMDed ROs, then TDMed ROs within a PRACH slot, then PRACH slots) regardless of whether or not an RO belongs to a Rel-15 NR PRACH configuration or to an extended NR Rel-15 PRACH configuration), and a contention-based preamble used by the SSB of the first random access resource is different from a contention-based preamble used by the SSB of the second random access resource (paragraphs 0175-0184; In some embodiments, a first UE of a first UE-type can be configured with a first PRACH configuration, such as one or more of a first set of PRACH preambles, a first set of RACH occasions… A second UE of a second UE-type can be configured with a second PRACH configuration, such as one or more of a second set of PRACH preambles, a second set of RACH occasions). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Jang with the teachings of MolavianJazi, in order to enhance PRACH transmission (MolavianJazi: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 18 Jang discloses the apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first random access resource corresponds to a first information element, and the second random access resource corresponds to a second information element, and the first information element is different from the second information element (paragraphs 0074-0075, 0090-0091; separately transmitting a RACH-ConfigCommon IE for a type 1 UE and a RACH-ConfigCommon IE (RACH-ConfigCommonLight IE) for a type 2 UE, the two IEs may both be transmitted via an SIB1).
Regarding claim 19 Jang discloses the apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first random access resource is carried in a first information domain of a specified information element, the second random access resource is carried in a second information domain of the specified information element, and the first information domain is different from the second information domain (paragraphs 0074-0075, 0090-0091; separately transmitting a RACH-ConfigCommon IE for a type 1 UE and a RACH-ConfigCommon IE (RACH-ConfigCommonLight IE) for a type 2 UE, the two IEs may both be transmitted via an SIB1; configuration parameters are independent for each device).
Regarding claim 21 Jang discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein instructions stored in the storage medium are executed by a processor (paragraph 0119; recording medium), the processor executes the method for configuring random access resources, wherein the method comprises:
configuring a first random access resource for a first type terminal and a second random access resource for a second type terminal by a random access channel (RACH) ConfigCommon information element (IE) (paragraphs 0071-0075; wherein a base station configures UE(s) via an SIB1 which comprises at least one RACH-ConfigCommon IE, and the IE configures, at least, PRACH parameters for two types of UEs: an NR-lite UE and a normal NR UE); and
configuring a first value of ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB in the RACHConfigCommon IE for the first type terminal, and a second value of ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB in the RACH ConfigCommon IE for the second type terminal (paragraphs 0074, 0090; the 1st second parameter set may be for a normal NR UE and the 2nd second parameter set may be for an NR-lite UE. Examples of the parameter set may include parameters specifying the time-frequency resource of the PRACH resource being the physical channel through which the random access preamble is transmitted (prach-ConfigurationIndex, msg1-FDM, msg1-FrequencyStart, etc.), parameters related to determining success or failure of a random access procedure (preambleTransMax, ra-ResponseWindow, ra-ContentionResolutionTimer, etc.), parameters related to beams during random access (rsrp-ThresholdSSB, ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB, etc.), parameters related to preamble groups (groupBconfigured)), wherein the first value and the second value are different (paragraphs 0074, 0090; with separate ssb-perRACH-OccasionAndCB-PreamblesPerSSB parameters configured for UE type), wherein at least some parameters of the first random access resource are different from corresponding parameters of the second random access resource, the parameters comprise at least a time domain resource, a frequency domain resource, and a random access preamble (paragraphs 0074, 0090; may include parameters specifying the time-frequency resource of the PRACH resource being the physical channel through which the random access preamble is transmitted and parameters related to preamble groups (groupBconfigured)).
Jang fails to explicitly disclose but MolavianJazi, in the same field of endeavor related to random access for reduced capability UEs, discloses wherein an RACH occasion corresponding to a synchronous broadcast signal block (SSB) of the first random access resource is the same as an RACH occasion corresponding to an SSB of the second random access resource (paragraphs 0175-0184; multiple considerations can be made for association of PRACH repetitions with SSBs, at least for CBRA/SI-request/beam failure recovery. In one embodiment, SSBs can be mapped to or associated with valid ROs as in Rel-15 NR (preambles first, then FMDed ROs, then TDMed ROs within a PRACH slot, then PRACH slots) regardless of whether or not an RO belongs to a Rel-15 NR PRACH configuration or to an extended NR Rel-15 PRACH configuration), and a contention-based preamble used by the SSB of the first random access resource is different from a contention-based preamble used by the SSB of the second random access resource (paragraphs 0175-0184; In some embodiments, a first UE of a first UE-type can be configured with a first PRACH configuration, such as one or more of a first set of PRACH preambles, a first set of RACH occasions… A second UE of a second UE-type can be configured with a second PRACH configuration, such as one or more of a second set of PRACH preambles, a second set of RACH occasions). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Jang with the teachings of MolavianJazi, in order to enhance PRACH transmission (MolavianJazi: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 26 Jang discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first random access resource corresponds to a first information element, the second random access resource corresponds to a second information element, and the first information element is different from the second information element (paragraphs 0074-0075, 0090-0091; separately transmitting a RACH-ConfigCommon IE for a type 1 UE and a RACH-ConfigCommon IE (RACH-ConfigCommonLight IE) for a type 2 UE, the two IEs may both be transmitted via an SIB1).
Regarding claim 27 Jang discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the first random access resource is carried in a first information domain of a specified information element, the second random access resource is carried in a second information domain of the specified information element, and the first information domain is different from the second information domain (paragraphs 0074-0075, 0090-0091; separately transmitting a RACH-ConfigCommon IE for a type 1 UE and a RACH-ConfigCommon IE (RACH-ConfigCommonLight IE) for a type 2 UE, the two IEs may both be transmitted via an SIB1; configuration parameters are independent for each device).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Application Publication 2023/0209604 to Lei et al. – that discloses methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described to differentiate random access response types, such that a user equipment (UE) may identify a random access response for the UE. A UE may transmit a random access message that may be associated with a first type of random access response. The base station may be configured to communicate different types of random access responses, and may configure a random access response and an associated downlink control signal to correspond to the first type of random access response.
US Patent Application Publication 2021/0037553 to Wong et al. – which discloses different types of terminal device may be configured to derive different resource allocations from the same information in a single scheduling message. This can allow one scheduling message (e.g., a random access procedure RAR or a request to retransmit a random access procedure message three) to in effect grant different resources for corresponding messages for different terminal devices (e.g. random access procedure message threes or retransmissions of random access procedure message threes).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aixa A Guadalupe-Cruz whose telephone number is (571)270-7523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 6AM - 4:00PM.
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, Faruk Hamza can be reached on 571-272-7969. 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.
./FARUK HAMZA/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/Aixa Guadalupe-Cruz/
Examiner
Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights