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 .
DETAILED ACTION
a. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/09/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-5, 8-15, and 18-20 in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, are being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
- claims 1, 11, and 20 are amended
b. This is a first action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 03/09/2026.
Response to Arguments
Regarding Independent claims 1, 11, and 20 previously rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103, Applicant's arguments, see “Nam, however, does not teach or suggest that a capability IE, transmitted by the UE, indicates support of a plurality of random access preamble transmissions in different time instances, as required by claim 1. The capability taught by Nam is about concurrent PRACH transmissions and not for multiple PRACH transmissions in different time instances.” on page 10, filed on 03/09/2026, with respect to , have been fully considered but are moot, over the limitation(s) of “a plurality of random access preamble transmissions with a same transmit beam and at different time instances in a random access process”. Said limitations are newly added to the amended Claims 1, 11, and 20 and have been addressed in instant office action, as shown in section 35 USC 103 rejection below, with newly identified disclosures in previously applied reference Nam, in combination with previously applied references Zhang and Xu, thus rendering said Applicant’s arguments moot.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 8-11, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. US Pub 2019/0327766 (hereinafter “Zhang”), in view of Nam et al. US Pub 2020/0008188 (hereinafter “Nam”), and further in view of Xu et al. US Pub 2023/0209606 (hereinafter “Xu”).
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended)
Zhang discloses a method comprising:
receiving one or more configuration parameters based on the wireless device support (“At 710, the base station 105-b may transmit the PRACH configuration parameters to the UE 115-b. In some cases, some or all of the PRACH configuration parameters may be provided in RMSI that is received at the UE 115-b. In some examples, the PRACH configuration parameters may be transmitted via an SSB including one or more reference signals or synchronization signals, such as a primary synchronization signal (PSS) or a secondary synchronization signal (SSS). In some cases, the PRACH configuration parameters may be indicated in a table or via index values that are mapped to various PRACH configurations.” [0107]);
determining, based on the one or more configuration parameters (i.e. “PRACH configuration parameters 710” in Fig. 7), a first random access occasion (i.e. “first PRACH occasion 410” in Fig. 4) and a second random access occasion (i.e. “second PRACH occasion 415” in Fig. 4) that are used jointly (i.e. “form an extended PRACH occasion 405”) in a random access process (“The concatenation or aggregation of the first PRACH occasion 410 and second PRACH occasion 415 may form an extended PRACH occasion 405. While FIG. 4 illustrates two PRACH occasions, other examples may include three or more PRACH occasions. The first PRACH occasion 410 and the second PRACH occasion 415 may be contiguous or non-contiguous PRACH occasions.” [0086]), wherein a second resource associated with the second random access occasion is based on a first resource associated with the first random access occasion (“For example, the first PRACH occasion 410 may be located in a first slot, the second PRACH occasion 415 may be located in a second slot, and the PRACH occasions 410 and 415 may be aggregated to form an extended PRACH occasion 405. In other cases, the first PRACH occasion 410 may immediately precede the second PRACH occasion 415 (and thus the second PRACH occasion 415 may be immediately subsequent to the first PRACH occasion 410) in a same slot. In some cases, the first PRACH occasion 410 and the second PRACH occasion 415 may each have a same PRACH format (e.g., each may have PRACH format A3). In other cases, the first PRACH occasion 410 and the second PRACH occasion 415 may have different PRACH formats. For example, the first PRACH occasion 410 may have PRACH format A3 and the second PRACH occasion 415 may have PRACH format B3, although any combination of PRACH formats may be used.” [0086]); and
the first random access occasion (i.e. “first PRACH occasion 410” in Fig. 4) and the second random access occasion (i.e. “the second PRACH occasion 415” in Fig. 4) are at the different time instances (“For example, the first PRACH occasion 410 may be located in a first slot, the second PRACH occasion 415 may be located in a second slot (first and second slots mean different time instances), and the PRACH occasions 410 and 415 may be aggregated to form an extended PRACH occasion 405. In other cases, the first PRACH occasion 410 may immediately precede the second PRACH occasion 415 (and thus the second PRACH occasion 415 may be immediately subsequent to the first PRACH occasion 410) in a same slot.” [0086]);
Zhang does not specifically teach transmitting, by a wireless device, one or more capability information elements indicating a wireless device support of a plurality of random access preamble transmissions with a same transmit beam in a random access process; in response to initiating the random access process and based on the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion being used jointly in the same random access process: transmitting a random access preamble in the first random access occasion and via the first resource and a transmit beam; and transmitting a random access preamble in the second random access occasion and via the second resource and the same transmit beam.
In an analogous art, Nam discloses transmitting, by a wireless device (e.g. “UE 550” in Figs. 5C-5E), one or more capability information elements (“In certain other aspects, the configuration may be based on a UE capability” and furthermore “depend on the UE's 550 capability” [0137]) indicating a wireless device support of a plurality of random access preamble transmissions (“referring to any of FIGS. 5C-5E, the base station 555 may configure the UE 550 to transmit multiple concurrent PRACH transmissions within the same RAR window by sending configuration information with RRC signaling that is received by the UE 550. The configuration of multiple concurrent PRACH transmissions may depend on the UE's 550 capability, e.g., whether the UE is configured for concurrent PRACH transmissions, the number of concurrent PRACH transmissions the UE is capable of transmitting, the preamble indices (i.e. a plurality of random access preamble transmissions), transmission power, etc.” [0137]) with a same transmit beam (“the first PRACH transmission and the second PRACH transmission are beamformed using a same spatial beam.” [0161]) and at different time instances in a random access process (“The first RA preamble and the second RA preamble may be different, and the first RA preamble and the second RA preamble may be concurrently transmitted in a same RACH occasion or in different RACH occasions that overlap in time” [0010]);
a first random access occasion and a second random access occasion being used jointly in a same random access process, wherein transmitting a random access preamble in the first random access occasion and via the first resource (“In one aspect, 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,” [0021]) and a transmit beam (“the first PRACH transmission and the second PRACH transmission are beamformed using a same spatial beam.” [0161]); and
transmitting a random access preamble in the second random access occasion and via the second resource (“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.” [0021]) and the same transmit beam (“the first PRACH transmission and the second PRACH transmission are beamformed using a same spatial beam.” [0161]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions, to include Nam’s contention-free concurrent physical random access channel (PRACH) transmissions, in order to facilitate multiple random access preamble transmissions (Nam [Abstract]).
Zhang and Nam do not specifically teach monitoring a control channel for a random access radio network temporary identifier in response to the transmitting in the first random access occasion and the transmitting in the second random access occasion; and wherein: a second timing of the second random access occasion is after a first timing of the first random access occasion; and the monitoring starts after the second timing; and receiving a random access response based on the monitoring.
In an analogous art, Xu discloses monitoring a control channel (i.e. PDCCH) for a random access radio network temporary identifier (i.e. “RA-RNTI”) in response to the transmitting in the first random access occasion (“based on at least one of a first RA-RNTI determined for the first RO”) and the transmitting in the second random access occasion (“In some aspects, when the UE determines an RO for each of the multiple ROs at block 1330, the UE may monitor, for the RAR message during the RAR window, based on at least one of a first RA-RNTI determined for the first RO in response to transmitting the first random access preamble or a second RA-RNTI determined for the second RO in response to transmitting the second random access preamble.” [0156]); and wherein:
a second timing of the second random access occasion (“a second slot 202b based on a second RA-RNTI (RA-RNTI 722) computed from the RO1” [0104]; see also Fig. 8B) is after a first timing (i.e. “the second slot 202b may be spaced apart from the first slot 202a” [104]; see also Fig. 8B) of the first random access occasion (“To respond to the single RO-based PRACH 806, the BS 105 may transmit a second PDCCH 840 in a control portion 342 of a second slot 202b based on a second RA-RNTI (RA-RNTI 722) computed from the RO1. In some instances, the second slot 202b may be spaced apart from the first slot 202a as shown. In some other instances, the first slot 202a and the second slot 202b may be consecutive slots 202.” [0104]); and
the monitoring starts after the second timing (“For instance, the UE may monitor for the RAR message during an RAR window based on at least one of a first RA-RNTI determined for a first RO of the multiple ROs or a second RA-RNTI determined for a second RO of the multiple ROs.” [0118]); and
receiving a random access response (e.g. “receive a first PDCCH scheduling a first RAR message”, “receive a second PDCCH scheduling a second RAR message”) based on the monitoring (“In some aspects, the UE may receive a first PDCCH scheduling a first RAR message based on the first RA-RNTI and receive the first RAR message based on the first PDCCH. The first RAR message may include the PRACH preamble sequence part 1 transmitted in the first RO. The UE may also receive a second PDCCH scheduling a second RAR message based on the second RA-RNTI, for example, in the same slot as the first PDCCH or a different slot than the first PDCCH.” [0118]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions, as modified by Nam, to include Xu’s method for configuring a random access associated with multiple random access occasions (ROs), in order to facilitate multiple random access preamble transmissions (Xu [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Xu’s method for configuring a random access associated with multiple random access occasions (ROs) into Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 8
Zhang, as modified by Nam and Xu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Xu further discloses wherein, based on the second timing (i.e. “second slot 202b” in Fig. 8B) being after the first timing (i.e. “first slot 202a” in Fig. 8B), the random access radio network temporary identifier is calculated based on the second timing (“To respond to the single RO-based PRACH 806, the BS 105 may transmit a second PDCCH 840 in a control portion 342 of a second slot 202b based on a second RA-RNTI (RA-RNTI 722) computed from the RO1. In some instances, the second slot 202b may be spaced apart from the first slot 202a as shown. In some other instances, the first slot 202a and the second slot 202b may be consecutive slots 202.” [0104]).
Regarding claim 9
Zhang, as modified by Nam and Xu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Xu further discloses wherein, the receiving the random access response is based on control information associated with the random access radio network temporary identifier (“In some aspects, the UE may receive a first PDCCH scheduling a first RAR message based on the first RA-RNTI and receive the first RAR message based on the first PDCCH. The first RAR message may include the PRACH preamble sequence part 1 transmitted in the first RO. The UE may also receive a second PDCCH scheduling a second RAR message based on the second RA-RNTI, for example, in the same slot as the first PDCCH or a different slot than the first PDCCH.” [0118]).
Regarding claim 10
Zhang, as modified by Nam and Xu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Xu further discloses wherein the starting time of the monitoring (“In some aspects, when the UE determines an RO for each of the multiple ROs at block 1330, the UE may monitor, for the RAR message during the RAR window, based on at least one of a first RA-RNTI determined for the first RO in response to transmitting the first random access preamble or a second RA-RNTI determined for the second RO in response to transmitting the second random access preamble.” [0156]) is a control channel occasion (i.e. PDCCH) after the second timing (“To respond to the single RO-based PRACH 806, the BS 105 may transmit a second PDCCH 840 in a control portion 342 of a second slot 202b based on a second RA-RNTI (RA-RNTI 722) computed from the RO1” [0104]; see also Fig. 8B).
Regarding claim 11 (Currently Amended)
Zhang discloses a wireless device (“device 1105” in Fig. 11) comprising:
one or more processors (“processor 1140” in Fig. 11; [0137]); and
memory (“memory 1130” in Fig. 11; [0137]) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to:
transmit one or more capability information elements indicating a wireless device support of a plurality of random access preamble transmissions with a same transmit beam and at different time instances in a random access process;
receive one or more configuration parameters based on the wireless device support;
determine, based on the one or more configuration parameters, a first random access occasion and a second random access occasion that are used jointly in a same random access process, wherein:
a second resource associated with the second random access occasion is based on a first resource associated with the first random access occasion; and
the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion are at the different time instances;
in response to initiating the random access process and based on the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion being used jointly in the random access process:
transmit a random access preamble in the first random access occasion and via the first resource and a transmit beam; and
transmit a random access preamble in the second random access occasion and via the second resource and the same transmit beam;
monitor a control channel for a random access radio network temporary identifier in response to the transmitting in the first random access occasion and the transmitting in the second random access occasion; and wherein:
a second timing of the second random access occasion is after a first timing of the first random access occasion; and
the monitoring starts after the second timing; and
receive a random access response based on the monitoring.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 11 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 11 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 18
The wireless device of claim 11, wherein, based on the second timing being after the first timing, the random access radio network temporary identifier is calculated based on the second timing.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 18 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 8. Therefore apparatus claim 18 corresponds to method claim 8 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 8 rejection above.
Regarding claim 19
The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the starting time of the monitoring is a control channel occasion after the second timing.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 19 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 10. Therefore apparatus claim 19 corresponds to method claim 10 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 10 rejection above.
Regarding claim 20 (Currently Amended)
Zhang discloses a system (see Fig. 11) comprising:
a base station (e.g. “base station 105” in Fig. 11; [0046]); and
a wireless device (e.g. “UE 115” in Fig. 11; [0046]) comprising:
one or more processors (“processor 1140” in Fig. 11; [0137]); and
memory (“memory 1130” in Fig. 11; [0137]) storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device to: transmit one or more capability information elements indicating a wireless device support of a plurality of random access preamble transmissions with a same transmit beam and at different time instances in a random access process; receive one or more configuration parameters based on the wireless device support; determine, based on the one or more configuration parameters, a first random access occasion and a second random access occasion that are used jointly in a same random access process, wherein: a second resource associated with the second random access occasion is based on a first resource associated with the first random access occasion; and the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion are at the different time instances; in response to initiating the random access process and based on the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion being used jointly in the random access process: transmit, to the base station, a random access preamble in the first random access occasion and via the first resource and a transmit beam; and transmit, to the base station, a random access preamble in the second random access occasion and via the second resource and the same transmit beam;
monitor a control channel for a random access radio network temporary identifier in response to the transmitting in the first random access occasion and the transmitting in the second random access occasion; and wherein:
a second timing of the second random access occasion is after a first timing of the first random access occasion; and
the monitoring starts after the second timing; and
receive a random access response based on the monitoring.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 20 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 20 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Claims 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang, in view of Nam and Xu, and further in view of Huang et al. US Pub 2019/0320469 (hereinafter “Huang”).
Regarding claim 2
Zhang, as modified by Nam and Xu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Nam further discloses a random access procedure wherein the transmitting the random access preamble in the first random access occasion and the transmitting the random access preamble in the second random access occasion (“the base station may configure the UE with a first set of PRACH occasions and the first RA preamble for the first PRACH transmission. In certain other aspects, the first set of PRACH occasions and the first RA preamble are associated with a first SSBs. In certain other aspects, the base station may configure the UE with a second set of PRACH occasions and the second RACH preamble for the second PRACH transmission. In certain other aspects, the second set of PRACH occasions and the second RA preamble may be associated with a second SSB. In certain other aspects, the first set of PRACH occasions and the second set of PRACH occasions may overlap in the time domain.” [0161]) are via the same transmit beam (“the first PRACH transmission and the second PRACH transmission are beamformed using a same spatial beam” [0161]).
Zhang, Nam, and Xu do not specifically teach wherein the transmitting the random access preamble in the first random access occasion and the transmitting the random access preamble in the second random access occasion are via the same transmit beam based on using a same spatial filter.
In an analogous art, Huang discloses wherein the transmitting the random access preamble (“same spatial filter as transmitting a signal (e.g. RA preamble)”) in the first random access occasion and the transmitting the random access preamble in the second random access occasion are via the same transmit beam (as previously taught by Nam) based on using a same spatial filter (“For one example to determine transmission precoder or spatial filter for transmitting PUSCH with configured grant, if the UE triggers BFR procedure during a second occasion (equivalent to “first random access occasion”) and a third occasion (equivalent to “second random access occasion”) for transmitting PUSCH with configured grant, the UE could transmit PUSCH with configured grant on the third occasion via using same transmission precoder or same spatial filter as transmitting a signal (e.g. RA preamble) during BFR procedure.” [0317]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions, as modified by Nam and Xu, to include Huang’s method for transmitting first and second PUSCH by using a transmission precoder or a spatial filter, in order to facilitate multiple random access preamble transmissions (Huang [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Huang’s method for transmitting first and second PUSCH by using a transmission precoder or a spatial filter into Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 12
The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the transmitting the random access preamble in the first random access occasion and the transmitting the random access preamble in the second random access occasion are via the same transmit beam based on using the same spatial filter.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 12 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 2. Therefore apparatus claim 12 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Claims 3-5 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang, in view of Nam and Xu, and further in view of Sakhnini et al. US Pub 2022/0369385, claiming US provisional application 63187230 priority 05-11-2021 (hereinafter “Sakhnini”).
Regarding claim 3
Zhang, as modified by Nam and Xu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Zhang, Nam, and Xu do not specifically teach wherein the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion are in the same random access occasion group.
In an analogous art, Sakhnini discloses wherein the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion are in the same random access occasion group (“ROs and corresponding POs for a given beam may be grouped in joint RO and PO slots instead of standing alone in RO slots and separate PO slots. According to other aspects, the ROs and corresponding POs for the given beam may be grouped in a contiguous set of slots (e.g., where one or more of the contiguous set of slots includes an RO, a PO, or a joint RO and PO). Grouping into joint RO and PO slots (or the contiguous set of slots) for a given beam saves resources that would otherwise go unused while waiting for a scheduling entity to switch between beams to receive and transmit data with various scheduled entities at various locations.” [0099]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions, as modified by Nam and Xu, to include Sakhnini’s method for a joint random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasion (PO) slots, in order to facilitate multiple random access preamble transmissions (Sakhnini [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Sakhnini’s method for a joint random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasion (PO) slots into Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 4
Zhang, as modified by Nam, Xu, and Sakhnini, previously discloses the method of claim 3,
Sakhnini further discloses wherein the one or more configuration parameters (“The method comprises, at a scheduling entity, transmitting a physical random access channel (PRACH) indication indicating resources of: at least one reference slot, at least one joint random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasion (PO) (joint RO and PO) slot within the at least one reference slot, and at least a first RO and at least a first PO within the at least one joint RO and PO slot. According to one aspect, the at least the first RO and the at least the first PO correspond to each other and correspond to a first beam of a plurality of beams of the scheduling entity.” [0007]) comprise a first configuration parameter (e.g. “correspond to a first beam of a plurality of beams of the scheduling entity.”) indicating a first number of a plurality of random access occasions (“Aspects described herein may provide for the use of a joint RO and PO slot (or a plurality of contiguous RO and corresponding PO slots) where groups of ROs and POs associated with a first beam and groups of ROs and POs associated with a second beam can be sequenced in time. Aspects described herein may also provide a settable/configurable beam switching gap accounting time (e.g., a duration) between groups of ROs and POs associated with a first beam and groups of ROs and POs associated with a second beam.” [0100]) in the random access occasion group (i.e. “groups of ROs”).
Regarding claim 5
Zhang, as modified by Nam and Xu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Zhang, Nam, and Xu do not specifically teach wherein the random access preamble transmitted in the first random access occasion is the same as the random access preamble transmitted in the second random access occasion.
In an analogous art, Sakhnini discloses wherein the random access preamble (“For example, a scheduling entity may map the at least the first RO (e.g., RO1 1011) to the at least the first PO (e.g., PO1 1013) based on a commonality of a scheduled entity identifier in each of a received PRACH preamble in the at least the first RO and a received PUSCH preamble in the at least the first PO.” [0136]) transmitted in the first random access occasion is the same as the random access preamble transmitted in the second random access occasion (“There may be a one-to-one or one-to-many mapping between ROs and POs (i.e. one skilled in the art can map multiple random access occasions (ROs) to one PO (i.e. PRACH preamble). FIG. 9A is an example of a one-to-many mapping (e.g., the RO 902 is mapped to the first PO 904 and the second PO 906). The one-to-one or one-to-many mapping may be configured to the scheduled entity” [0126]; Fig. 9A).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions, as modified by Nam and Xu, to include Sakhnini’s method for a joint random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasion (PO) slots, in order to facilitate multiple random access preamble transmissions (Sakhnini [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Sakhnini’s method for a joint random access channel (RACH) occasion (RO) and physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) occasion (PO) slots into Zhang’s method for aggregating random access requests across two or more physical random access channel (PRACH) occasions since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 13
The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the first random access occasion and the second random access occasion are in the same random access occasion group.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 13 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore apparatus claim 13 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 14
The wireless device of claim 13, wherein: the one or more configuration parameters comprise a first configuration parameter indicating a first number of a plurality of random access occasions in the random access occasion group.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 14 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 4. Therefore apparatus claim 14 corresponds to method claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Regarding claim 15
The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the random access preamble transmitted in the first random access occasion is the same as the random access preamble transmitted in the second random access occasion.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 15 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore apparatus claim 15 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Conclusion
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411