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
The following is a final office action in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 05/07/2026 for response of the office action mailed 02/17/2026. Claims 16, 18 and 26-29 have been amended. Claims 1-15, 17, 20-25 and 30-31 are cancelled. Claims 16, 18-19, 26-29 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claims 16, 18-19 and 26-29 and 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
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.
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 factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or non-obviousness.
Claims 16 and 26-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liberg et al. (US 2022/0352971), Liberg hereinafter, and further in view of Cirkic et al. (US 2019/0280748), Cirkic hereinafter.
Re. Claim 16, Liberg teaches a method by a user equipment (UE) comprising: (Fig. 4-6 & ¶0031 - Other embodiments include methods (e.g., procedures) for operating a user equipment (UE) in a first non-terrestrial network (NTN) that utilizes one or more polarization modes for serving one or more cells. These exemplary methods can be performed by a UE (e.g., wireless device));
receiving configuration information for a measurement, wherein the configuration information for the measurement includes polarization information related to a non-serving cell and applicable to the measurement for a downlink transmission; (¶0028 - For example, the first polarization mode can be associated with a downlink (DL) physical channel or signal, and the second polarization mode is associated with a DL reference signal. The DL reference signal can be quasi-co-located (QCL) with the DL physical channel or signal, such that they have substantially identical transmission properties (including, e.g., polarization). ¶0029 - In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include transmitting, to the one or more UEs, a further indication of at least one further polarization mode configured for use in a second cell of the first NTN. ¶0093 - For each DL reference signal (e.g., CSI-RS), each DL physical channel (e.g., PDCCH, PDSCH), or each synchronization signal block (SSB) (as signaled in ssb-PositionsInBurst information element (IE) defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v15.0.0) configured in the cell, the network node can configure a UE with a transmit polarization mode (used by satellite transmitter) and/or a receive polarization mode (used by UE receiver));
performing measurements for the non-serving cell based on the polarization information (¶0100 - Put differently, the network node indicates the polarization mode implicitly based on its transmissions. Based on the inference from this implicit indication, the UE can adapt its receive and transmit polarization modes accordingly when communicating with, and/or measuring signals transmitted by, a network node that utilizes the inferred polarization mode);
wherein the polarization information includes information for a right-handed circular polarization (RHCP), a left-handed circular polarization (LHCP), or a linear polarization (¶0125 - In some embodiments, the indicated at least one polarization mode can include any of the following: linear polarization, horizontal polarization, vertical polarization, circular polarization, right-hand circular polarization, and left-hand circular polarization);
Yet, Liberg does not explicitly teach and reporting measurement information including the measurements,
However, in the analogous art, Cirkic explicitly teaches and reporting measurement information including the measurements, (Fig. 11-12 & ¶0020 - The terminal is adapted for performing measurement reporting based on a configuration configured by a network node, wherein the configuration indicates that the reporting is to be performed on a first signaling comprising two reference signals, and a second signaling comprising two reference signals, wherein the first signaling and the second signaling have orthogonal polarizations. The terminal may be adapted for such reporting and/or measurement. Please also see ¶0088).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Cirkic to the teaching of Liberg. The motivation would be because a new type of reporting may be configured or utilised, that inform the UE over which reference signals to measure and/or to provide a measurement report (¶0045, Cirkic).
Re. Claim 26, Liberg teaches a method by a non-terrestrial network (NTN) comprising: (Abstract - Embodiments include methods for operating a network node in a non-terrestrial network (NTN) that utilizes one or more polarization modes for serving one or more cells);
transmitting configuration information for a measurement, wherein the configuration information for the measurement includes polarization information related to a non-serving cell and applicable to the measurement for a downlink transmission; (¶0028 - For example, the first polarization mode can be associated with a downlink (DL) physical channel or signal, and the second polarization mode is associated with a DL reference signal. The DL reference signal can be quasi-co-located (QCL) with the DL physical channel or signal, such that they have substantially identical transmission properties (including, e.g., polarization). ¶0029 - In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include transmitting, to the one or more UEs, a further indication of at least one further polarization mode configured for use in a second cell of the first NTN. ¶0093 - For each DL reference signal (e.g., CSI-RS), each DL physical channel (e.g., PDCCH, PDSCH), or each synchronization signal block (SSB) (as signaled in ssb-PositionsInBurst information element (IE) defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v15.0.0) configured in the cell, the network node can configure a UE with a transmit polarization mode (used by satellite transmitter) and/or a receive polarization mode (used by UE receiver));
wherein the polarization information includes information for a right-handed circular polarization (RHCP), a left-handed circular polarization (LHCP), or a linear polarization (¶0125 - In some embodiments, the indicated at least one polarization mode can include any of the following: linear polarization, horizontal polarization, vertical polarization, circular polarization, right-hand circular polarization, and left-hand circular polarization);
Yet, Liberg does not explicitly teach and receiving measurement information including measurements for the non-serving cell obtained based on the polarization information
However, in the analogous art, Cirkic explicitly teaches and receiving measurement information including measurements for the non-serving cell obtained based on the polarization information (Fig. 11-12 & ¶0020 - The terminal is adapted for performing measurement reporting based on a configuration configured by a network node, wherein the configuration indicates that the reporting is to be performed on a first signaling comprising two reference signals, and a second signaling comprising two reference signals, wherein the first signaling and the second signaling have orthogonal polarizations. The terminal may be adapted for such reporting and/or measurement. ¶0072 - The network node may, based on the received report/s, compute a resulting beamforming and/or suitable precoders, e.g. combining reports. ¶0106 - Measurement reporting and/or providing a measurement report may generally comprise transmitting a measurement report, in particular to a source/transmitter of reference signaling, e.g. a network node, and/or performing measurements, e.g. on reference signaling, and/or evaluating measurements (e.g., processing the measurement results). A measurement report may be based on the performed measurements and/or the evaluating. Generally, reference signaling may be cell-specific … Please also see ¶0088).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Cirkic to the teaching of Liberg. The motivation would be because a new type of reporting may be configured or utilised, that inform the UE over which reference signals to measure and/or to provide a measurement report (¶0045, Cirkic).
Re. Claim 27, Liberg teaches a user equipment (UE) comprising: a radio frequency (RF) transceiver; and a processor connected to the RF transceiver, wherein the processor is configured to: (Fig. 9 & ¶0177-¶0178);
control the RF transceiver to receive configuration information for a measurement, wherein the configuration information for the measurement includes polarization information related to a non-serving cell and applicable to the measurement for a downlink transmission; (Fig. 4-6 & ¶0028 - For example, the first polarization mode can be associated with a downlink (DL) physical channel or signal, and the second polarization mode is associated with a DL reference signal. The DL reference signal can be quasi-co-located (QCL) with the DL physical channel or signal, such that they have substantially identical transmission properties (including, e.g., polarization). ¶0029 - In some embodiments, these exemplary methods can also include transmitting, to the one or more UEs, a further indication of at least one further polarization mode configured for use in a second cell of the first NTN. ¶0093 - For each DL reference signal (e.g., CSI-RS), each DL physical channel (e.g., PDCCH, PDSCH), or each synchronization signal block (SSB) (as signaled in ssb-PositionsInBurst information element (IE) defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v15.0.0) configured in the cell, the network node can configure a UE with a transmit polarization mode (used by satellite transmitter) and/or a receive polarization mode (used by UE receiver));
perform measurements for the non-serving cell based on the polarization information; (¶0100 - Put differently, the network node indicates the polarization mode implicitly based on its transmissions. Based on the inference from this implicit indication, the UE can adapt its receive and transmit polarization modes accordingly when communicating with, and/or measuring signals transmitted by, a network node that utilizes the inferred polarization mode);
wherein the polarization information includes information for a right-handed circular polarization (RHCP), a left-handed circular polarization (LHCP), or a linear polarization (¶0125 - In some embodiments, the indicated at least one polarization mode can include any of the following: linear polarization, horizontal polarization, vertical polarization, circular polarization, right-hand circular polarization, and left-hand circular polarization);
Yet, Liberg does not explicitly teach and control the RF transceiver to report measurement information including the measurements, applicable to the measurement, for a downlink transmission related to at least one cell,
However, in the analogous art, Cirkic explicitly teaches and control the RF transceiver to report measurement information including the measurements, applicable to the measurement, for a downlink transmission related to at least one cell, (Fig. 11-12 & ¶0020 - The terminal is adapted for performing measurement reporting based on a configuration configured by a network node, wherein the configuration indicates that the reporting is to be performed on a first signaling comprising two reference signals, and a second signaling comprising two reference signals, wherein the first signaling and the second signaling have orthogonal polarizations. The terminal may be adapted for such reporting and/or measurement. ¶0106 - Measurement reporting and/or providing a measurement report may generally comprise transmitting a measurement report, in particular to a source/transmitter of reference signaling, e.g. a network node, and/or performing measurements, e.g. on reference signaling, and/or evaluating measurements (e.g., processing the measurement results). A measurement report may be based on the performed measurements and/or the evaluating. Generally, reference signaling may be cell-specific … Please also see ¶0088).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Cirkic to the teaching of Liberg. The motivation would be because a new type of reporting may be configured or utilised, that inform the UE over which reference signals to measure and/or to provide a measurement report (¶0045, Cirkic).
Re. Claim 28, Liberg teaches Claim 16.
Liberg further teaches the configuration information further includes information for at least one synchronization signal block (SSB) related to the measurement (¶0017 - In general, a DL “beam” is a coverage area of a network-transmitted RS that may be measured or monitored by a UE. In NR, for example, such RS can include any of the following, alone or in combination: SS/PBCH block (SSB) … ¶0094 - For each DL reference signal (e.g., CSI-RS), each DL physical channel (e.g., PDCCH, PDSCH), or each synchronization signal block (SSB) (as signaled in ssb-PositionsInBurst information element (IE) defined in 3GPP TS 38.331 v15.0.0) configured in the cell, the network node can configure a UE with a transmit polarization mode (used by satellite transmitter) and/or a receive polarization mode (used by UE receiver)).
Claims 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liberg and Cirkic, in view of Nam et al. (US 2020/0008188), Nam hereinafter, Xu et al. (CN 102595636B), Xu hereinafter, and further in view of Luo et al. (US 2023/0043937), Luo hereinafter.
Re. Claim 18, Liberg and Cirkic teach Claim 16.
Yet, Liberg and Cirkic do not explicitly teach receiving RACH configuration information including mapping information between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and a RACH occasion through RRC signaling; transmitting a random access channel (RACH) on the RACH occasion; and receiving a random access response (RAR) in response to the RACH, wherein the UE obtains first polarization information related to the RACH based on an index of the SSB, and wherein the RAR includes a Random Access Preamble Identifier (RAPID) including a polarization identifier for distinguishing the first polarization information.
However, in the analogous art, Nam explicitly teaches receiving RACH configuration information including mapping information between a synchronization signal block (SSB) and a RACH occasion through RRC signaling; (Fig. 4 & ¶0094 - The UE 404 may receive the PRACH configuration 424. ¶0021 - the base station configures the apparatus with a first set of PRACH occasions and the first RA preamble for the first PRACH transmission, the first set of PRACH occasions and the first RA preamble are associated with a first SSB, the base station configures the apparatus with a second set of PRACH occasions and the second RA preamble for the second PRACH transmission, and the second set of PRACH occasions and the second RA preamble are associated with a second SSB. Please also see ¶0018. Fig. 3 & ¶0066 - Similar to the functionality described in connection with the DL transmission by the base station 310, the controller/processor 359 provides RRC layer Functionality associated with system information (e.g., MIB, SIBs) acquisition). Examiner interprets the configuration of the first and second set of PRACH occasions with the first and second SSB as mapping information, including details from ¶0081-¶0082 and Fig. 2A-2D);
transmitting a random access channel (RACH) on the RACH occasion, (Fig. 4-8 & ¶0085 - configuring a UE to transmit multiple concurrent PRACH transmissions. Concurrent PRACH transmissions imply RA preambles transmitted in the same RACH occasion);
and receiving a random access response (RAR) in response to the RACH, (Fig. 4 & ¶0078 - the UE 350 may receive, from the base station 310, a first RA response (RAR) associated with the first PRACH transmission);
wherein the UE obtains first polarization information related to the RACH based on an index of the SSB, (Fig. 5A & ¶0138 - the UE 500 may transmit a first PRACH transmission that may be associated with a first beam 504a that is beamformed using the first antenna subarray 502a with the first polarization. ¶0081 - The SSB may be identified, e.g., using part of a time index carried by the PBCH DM-RS and the SSB time index carried by the PBCH data. Based on the identification of the SSB(s), the UE may determine a preferred SSB, and transmit a PRACH transmission using a set of resources on the preferred SSB time index).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Nam to the teachings of Liberg and Cirkic. The motivation would be because the invention relates generally to communications systems, and more particularly, to contention-free concurrent physical random access channel (PRACH) transmissions (¶0002, Nam).
Yet, Liberg, Cirkic and Nam do not explicitly teach and wherein the RAR includes a Random Access Preamble Identifier (RAPID) including a polarization identifier for distinguishing the first polarization information.
However, in the analogous art, Xu explicitly teaches and wherein the RAR includes a Random Access Preamble Identifier (RAPID) (Fig. 2 & ¶0009 - As shown in fig. 2, the Msg2 is a data packet transmission unit (MAC pdu) of a media Access control layer, and includes a MAC header (MAC header) and a MAC load (MAC payload), where the MAC header includes a plurality of subheaders (subheaders), each subheader carries a Preamble identifier (RA Preamble ID, RAPID) of a Random Access Response returned by an eNB, and the MAC payload carries corresponding Random Access Responses (RAR) in an order of the RAPID carried in the MAC header).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Xu to the teachings of Liberg, Cirkic and Nam. The motivation would be because the invention provides a method, a device and a system for determining random access response, which are used for enabling a user terminal to effectively identify the format of the random access response, improving the compatibility of user terminals of different versions, enabling the user terminals of different versions to accurately analyze and acquire RARs belonging to the user terminals, and improving the success rate of random access (¶0015, Xu).
Yet, Liberg, Cirkic, Nam and Xu do not explicitly teach including a polarization identifier for distinguishing the first polarization information.
However, in the analogous art, Luo explicitly teaches including a polarization identifier for distinguishing the first polarization information (Fig. 4A-B & ¶0016 - The dimension, namely, the polarization parameter is introduced into a manner of obtaining the first identity. Please see ¶0015-¶0016).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Luo to the teachings of Liberg, Cirkic, Nam and Xu. The motivation would be because the invention introduces a dimension, namely, a polarization parameter so that a preamble capacity is increased (¶0006, Luo).
Re. Claim 19, Liberg, Cirkic, Nam, Xu and Luo teach Claim 18.
Yet, Liberg, Cirkic, Nam and Xu do not explicitly teach the RAPID is pre-mapped for each of the RHCP and the left LHCP.
However, in the analogous art, Luo explicitly teaches the RAPID is pre-mapped for each of the RHCP and the left LHCP (Fig. 4A & ¶0010 - A connection request message sent by the terminal device includes a preamble. Fig. 4B & ¶0016 - If the terminal device sends the connection request message in a left-handed circular polarization mode, the second polarization parameter is a polarization parameter corresponding to the left-handed circular polarization mode. If the terminal device sends the connection request message in a right-handed circular polarization mode, the second polarization parameter is a polarization parameter corresponding to the right-handed circular polarization mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Luo to the teachings of Liberg, Cirkic, Nam and Xu. The motivation would be because the invention introduces a dimension, namely, a polarization parameter, is introduced, so that a preamble capacity is increased (¶0006, Luo).
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liberg and Cirkic, and further in view of Qiao et al. (US 2023/0139924), Qiao hereinafter.
Re. Claim 29, Liberg and Cirkic teach Claim 16.
Yet, Liberg and Cirkic do not explicitly teach the measurement is an intra-frequency measurement.
However, in the analogous art, Qiao explicitly teaches the measurement is an intra-frequency measurement (Fig. 3 & ¶0146 - cell measurement is performed if the current serving cell meets the cell measurement enabling threshold. For example, for an intra-frequency cell, when an S value of the current serving cell is less than or equal to an intra-frequency measurement threshold (S_IntraSearch), the terminal performs cell measurement based on the polarization priority information. Please also see ¶0147).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to add the teaching of Qiao to the teachings of Liberg and Cirkic. The motivation would be to ensure that a terminal device determines a more suitable cell to be camped on, implement load balancing, and ensure a better communication effect (¶0006, Qiao).
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 ALYSSA WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7673. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5pm. 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, Ayman Abaza can be reached on (571) 270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALYSSA WILLIAMS/Examiner, Art Unit 2465B /CHRISTOPHER T WYLLIE/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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