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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/14/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 04/14/2026 with respect to claim rejection under 112(a) for claim(s) 16-19 made on 01/14/2026 have been considered. The Examiner notes that Applicant’s specification supports the limitation at [0074] disclosing “an indication of the number of the PRACH repetitions may be used for Msg3 as well” and at [0064] disclosing “The number of repetitions may be explicitly configured via radio resource control (“RRC”) signaling (e.g., RACH-ConfigCommon IE).” Therefore, the claim rejection under 112(a) to the claims is withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments and amendment filed 04/14/2026 with respect to claim(s) 1, 8, and 16 have been fully considered but they do not overcome the previous rejections for claims 1 and 8 based on Rastegardoost et al. (US 2021/0051707 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (US 2020/0221506 A1) and for claim 16 based on Rastegardoost in view of Jeon and Cozzo et al. (US 2021/0360660 A1). Applicant’s argument: Applicant argues Rastegardoost, Jeon, and Cozzo do not teach amended claims 1, 8, and 16. Particularly, Applicant argues that Rastegardoost does not teach first and second configurations that are distinct and independently received. Applicant further argues that Rastegardoost does not teach the new limitations in the claims. Examiner’s response: Examiner respectfully disagrees. Regarding the first and second configurations, Applicant’s claims do not explicitly require the first and second configurations are independent and distinctly received. Both configurations are received by the UE from a network, and the first configuration is received in a RACH common configuration IE. There is no further limiting feature for the second configuration. Therefore, the second configuration may be received in the same RACH common configuration IE. Furthermore, Examiner submits Rastegardoost discloses two independent and distinct configurations in Figs. 23-24, [0273]-[0274]: the base station sends, to the UE, one or more SSB(s) and RRC message(s), where [0197], [0251]: the one or more RRC messages comprise configuration parameters, and [0222]: RRC comprises PRACH occasion configuration IE for MsgA RO. Regarding the new limitation in claims 1 and 8, Rastegardoost discloses in [0241]: wireless device receives, from the base station, configuration regarding transmitting a TB multiple time based on a MsgA PUSCH repetition level/number/factor. Figs. 23-24, [0273]-[0274]: the base station sends, to the UE, one or more SSB(s) and RRC message(s) comprising resource configuration for a MsgA PUSCH transmission. The wireless device measures the RSRP of the one or more SSBs and determines a MsgA PUSCH repetition factor (K) based on the measurement of the RSRP, where K may be selected based on the RSRP range / RSRP thresholds. [0197], [0251]: the one or more RRC messages comprise configuration parameters. [0258]-[0259]: the configuration parameters indicate RSRP thresholds K1 and R. The wireless device determines K between K1 and R. Regarding the new limitation in claim 16, Cozzo discloses in Fig. 8, [0099]: UE receives, from a gNB, a configuration indicating a number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission. [0083], [0096]: gNB configures the UE to operate in a CE mode and configures the UE with one or more RSRP thresholds so that the UE can determine the CE level based on RSRP measurements and thresholds, where each CE level is associated with parameters for the Msg3 PUSCH transmission such as a number of repetitions. [0126]: the measurement is based on SSB.
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 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) 1-3 and 8-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegardoost et al. (US 2021/0051707 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (US 2020/0221506 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 8, Rastegardoost discloses A method of a user equipment (UE), the method comprising and A user equipment (UE), comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to (Fig. 15A: wireless device 1502 comprises a memory 1524 and a processing system 1518 coupled to memory 1524):
receiving a first configuration from a network, wherein the first configuration corresponds to performing a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission on multiple random access channel (RACH) occasions ([0241]: wireless device receives, from a base station, configuration regarding transmitting a preamble for a number of preamble repetitions using a number of PRACH occasions associated with a selected SSB. Figs. 23-24, [0273]-[0274]: the base station sends, to the UE, one or more SSB(s) and RRC message(s). [0222]: RRC comprises PRACH occasion configuration IE for MsgA RO), and wherein the first configuration is received in a RACH ([0222]: RRC comprises PRACH occasion configuration IE for MsgA RO);
receiving a second configuration from the network, wherein the second configuration corresponds to performing repetition of a RACH message based at least in part on a measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of a synchronization signal block (SSB) satisfying an RSRP threshold, wherein the repetition of the RACH message comprises Msg3 repetition, MsgA repetition, or a combination thereof ([0241]: wireless device receives, from the base station, configuration regarding transmitting a TB multiple time based on a MsgA PUSCH repetition level/number/factor. Figs. 23-24, [0273]-[0274]: the base station sends, to the UE, one or more SSB(s) and RRC message(s) comprising resource configuration for a MsgA PUSCH transmission. The wireless device measures the RSRP of the one or more SSBs and determines a MsgA PUSCH repetition factor (K) based on the measurement of the RSRP, where K may be selected based on the RSRP range / RSRP thresholds. [0197], [0251]: the one or more RRC messages comprise configuration parameters. [0258]-[0259]: the configuration parameters indicate RSRP thresholds K1 and R. The wireless device determines K between K1 and R); and
performing a random access procedure based on the first configuration and the second configuration ([0241]: wireless device performs multiple transmissions of the preamble for the number of MsgA PRACH repetitions and multiple transmissions of the TB based on the number of repetitions).
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Jeon discloses wherein the first configuration is received in a RACH common configuration information element (IE) ([0351]: RACH-ConfigCommon comprises a total number of random access preambles, a number of PRACH occasions, a maximum number of random access preamble transmission that may be performed, and a number of SSBs per RACH occasion. The total number of random access preambles may be a multiple of the number of SSBs per RACH occasion).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the base station, as taught by Rastegardoost, to provide a RACH-ConfigCommon comprising a total number of random access preambles, a number of PRACH occasions, a maximum number of random access preamble transmission that may be performed, and a number of SSBs per RACH occasion, as taught by Jeon.
Doing so allows the wireless device to transmit a preamble on one or more PRACH resources that may comprise one or more PRACH occasions (Jeon: [0350]).
Regarding claim(s) 2 and 9, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 8 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost discloses wherein the first configuration comprises an indication to use multiple PRACH preamble transmissions for each detected synchronization signal block (SSB) ([0241]: wireless device receives, from a base station, configuration regarding transmitting a preamble for a number of preamble repetitions using a number of PRACH occasions associated with a selected SSB).
Regarding claim(s) 3 and 10, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 8 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost discloses further comprising configuring the multiple RACH occasions with PRACH repetition or multi-beam transmission in response to detecting at least one synchronization signal block (SSB) candidate ([0241]: wireless device receives, from a base station, configuration regarding transmitting a preamble for a number of preamble repetitions using a number of PRACH occasions associated with a selected SSB).
Claim(s) 4 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegardoost et al. (US 2021/0051707 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (US 2020/0221506 A1) and Sun et al. (WO 2018/224013 A1).
Regarding claim(s) 4 and 11, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 8 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Sun discloses further comprising receiving information indicating a number of repetitions of beams explicitly along with a radio resource control (RRC) RACH configuration, implicitly based on a subcarrier spacing, or based on a predefined reference signal received power threshold of a synchronization signal block (SSB) (pg. 4 sections 1 and 3: NR-PRACH resource configuration information includes beam resource indication information and maximum retransmission times information, and is sent by the network device via RRC signaling).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device and the base station, as taught by Rastegardoost, to receive and to send, respectively, an NR-PRACH resource configuration information includes beam resource indication information and maximum retransmission times information via RRC signaling, as taught by Sun.
Doing so provides a beam failure recovery request when a beam fails and a random access procedure for the terminal (Sun: pg. 3 last section).
Claim(s) 5-6 and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegardoost et al. (US 2021/0051707 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (US 2020/0221506 A1) and Taherzadeh Boroujeni et al. (US 2021/0385880 A1).
Regarding claim(s) 5 and 12, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 8 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Taherzadeh Boroujeni discloses further comprising configuring the multiple RACH occasions, wherein each RACH occasions of the multiple RACH occasions is configured with a different subcarrier spacing (Fig. 3, [0111]-[0112]: UE 115 is configured with different transmission times and different frequencies having different subcarrier spacings for random access preambles).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device, as taught by Rastegardoost, to be configured with different transmission times and different frequencies having different subcarrier spacings for random access preambles, as taught by Taherzadeh Boroujeni.
Doing so decreases a likelihood of additional, subsequent random access preamble transmission by the UE (Taherzadeh Boroujeni: [0053]).
Regarding claim(s) 6 and 13, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon and Taherzadeh Boroujeni discloses all features of claim(s) 5 and 12 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Taherzadeh Boroujeni discloses further comprising making one RACH attempt per one subcarrier spacing, and changing the subcarrier spacing if no random access response (RAR) message is received during a RAR monitoring time (Fig. 3, [0111]-[0112]: UE 115 transmits a first random access preamble 205-a at a first time and at a first frequency resource having a first subcarrier spacing. When the UE receives no RAR while monitoring during the RAR window 315, the UE transmits a second random access preamble 205-b at a second time and at a second frequency resource having a second subcarrier spacing).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device, as taught by Rastegardoost, to be configured with different transmission times and different frequencies having different subcarrier spacings for random access preambles, as taught by Taherzadeh Boroujeni.
Doing so decreases a likelihood of additional, subsequent random access preamble transmission by the UE (Taherzadeh Boroujeni: [0053]).
Claim(s) 7 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegardoost et al. (US 2021/0051707 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (US 2020/0221506 A1) and Ohara et al. (US 2022/0174749 A1).
Regarding claim(s) 7 and 14, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon discloses all features of claim(s) 1 and 8 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Ohara discloses further comprising configuring, for 2-step RACH, to perform repetition of MsgA with a different number of repetitions for a MsgA preamble and a MsgA physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) ([0052]: the maximum number of retransmissions of the MsgA in the 2-step RACH includes different values for the preamble of the MsgA and the PUSCH of the MsgA), and performing a first preamble repetition then MsgA repetition ([0035]: the retransmission starts from the transmission of the preamble and then the transmission of the PUSCH), wherein multiple MsgA preambles are combined to detect a preamble, the multiple MsgA PUSCHs are combined to decode PUSCH information (This limitation recites an action performed by a gNB based on applicant’s specification at [0068], [0076], and [0078]-[0079] which is different than the claimed UE and apparatus that the method and apparatus are directed to. According to MPEP 2111.04 I., "wherein" clauses may raise a question as to the limiting effect of claim language. Claim scope is not limited by claim language that does not limit a claim to a particular structure. As applied to claims 7 and 14, the wherein clause recited above does not affect the structural configuration or functionality of the claimed UE and apparatus because the limitation of the wherein clause recites functionality performed by a gNB and is not an action that the one or more processors of the claimed UE and apparatus perform. The operations performed by the claimed UE and apparatus do not rely on the existence of the performance by the gNB. Thus, the limitation of the wherein clause is not given patentable weight in determining whether the claim is rejectable in view of prior art).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device, as taught by Rastegardoost, to be configured with a maximum number of retransmissions of the MsgA in the 2-step RACH including different values for the preamble of the MsgA and the PUSCH of the MsgA, as taught by Ohara.
Doing so provides a technology capable of reducing latency by a 2-step RACH and increasing a success rate of random access even in a bad communication environment (Ohara: [0010]).
Claim(s) 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rastegardoost et al. (US 2021/0051707 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (US 2020/0221506 A1) and Cozzo et al. (US 2021/0360660 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Rastegardoost discloses A user equipment (UE), comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to (Fig. 15A: wireless device 1502 comprises a memory 1524 and a processing system 1518 coupled to memory 1524):
receive, from a network, a first configuration associated with performing a transmission on multiple occasions ([0241]: wireless device receives, from a base station, configuration regarding transmitting a preamble for a number of preamble repetitions using a number of PRACH occasions associated with a selected SSB. Figs. 23-24, [0273]-[0274]: the base station sends, to the UE, one or more SSB(s) and RRC message(s). [0222]: RRC comprises PRACH occasion configuration IE for MsgA RO), wherein the first configuration is received in a random access channel (RACH) ([0222]: RRC comprises PRACH occasion configuration IE for MsgA RO);
perform the transmission based at least in part on the first configuration and the second configuration ([0241]: wireless device performs multiple transmissions of the preamble for the number of MsgA PRACH repetitions and multiple transmissions of the TB based on the number of repetitions).
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Jeon discloses wherein the first configuration is received in a RACH common configuration information element (IE) ([0351]: RACH-ConfigCommon comprises a total number of random access preambles, a number of PRACH occasions, a maximum number of random access preamble transmission that may be performed, and a number of SSBs per RACH occasion. The total number of random access preambles may be a multiple of the number of SSBs per RACH occasion).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the base station, as taught by Rastegardoost, to provide a RACH-ConfigCommon comprising a total number of random access preambles, a number of PRACH occasions, a maximum number of random access preamble transmission that may be performed, and a number of SSBs per RACH occasion, as taught by Jeon.
Doing so allows the wireless device to transmit a preamble on one or more PRACH resources that may comprise one or more PRACH occasions (Jeon: [0350]).
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Cozzo discloses receive, from the network using a random access response (RAR), a second configuration associated with performing Msg3 repetition based on a measured reference signal received power (RSRP) of a synchronization signal block (SSB) satisfying an RSRP threshold (Fig. 8, [0099]: UE receives, from a gNB, a configuration indicating a number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission. [0083], [0096]: gNB configures the UE to operate in a CE mode and configures the UE with one or more RSRP thresholds so that the UE can determine the CE level based on RSRP measurements and thresholds, where each CE level is associated with parameters for the Msg3 PUSCH transmission such as a number of repetitions. [0126]: the measurement is based on SSB); and
perform the transmission based at least in part on the second configuration (Fig. 8, [0101]: UE transmits Msg3 with the number of repetitions when the PRACH transmission is successful).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device, as taught by Rastegardoost, to receive, from a gNB, a configuration indicating a number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission, and to transmit Msg3 with the number of repetitions when the PRACH transmission is successful, as taught by Cozzo.
Doing so provides coverage enhancements of Msg 3 (Cozzo: [0004]).
Regarding claim(s) 17, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon and Cozzo discloses all features of claim(s) 16 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Cozzo discloses wherein the RAR indicates a number of repetitions ([0103]: the number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission is indicated by a field in the UL grant of the RAR message).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device, as taught by Rastegardoost, to receive, from the gNB, the configuration indicating the number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission in the UL grant of the RAR message, as taught by Cozzo.
Doing so provides coverage enhancements of Msg 3 (Cozzo: [0004]).
Regarding claim(s) 18, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon and Cozzo discloses all features of claim(s) 16 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost discloses wherein the transmission comprises a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission ([0222]: wireless device receives, from the base station, configuration regarding PUSCH occasions).
Regarding claim(s) 19, Rastegardoost in view of Jeon and Cozzo discloses all features of claim(s) 16 as outlined above.
Rastegardoost does not disclose, but Cozzo discloses wherein the RAR comprises an uplink (UL) grant (([0103]: the number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission is indicated by a field in the UL grant of the RAR message)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to program the wireless device, as taught by Rastegardoost, to receive, from the gNB, the configuration indicating the number of repetitions of Msg3 PUSCH transmission in the UL grant of the RAR message, as taught by Cozzo.
Doing so provides coverage enhancements of Msg 3 (Cozzo: [0004]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THE HY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3813. The examiner can normally be reached on Mo-Fr: 8am-4pm.
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/THE HY NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
TheHy.Nguyen@USPTO.gov
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