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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 08/17/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-21 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 1-4 and 8 are amended
- claim 9 is canceled
b. This is a first action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 08/17/2026.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/17/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claims 1-8 and 10-21 previously rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103, Applicant's arguments, see “Amended independent Claims 1-4 and 8 recite: "there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource, such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources." These features are not disclosed or suggested by Deng and Yang, whether considered individually or in combination.” on page 10, filed on 08/17/2026, with respect to Deng et al. US Pub 2020/0053800 (hereinafter “Deng”), and in view of Yang US Pub 2022/0304068, claiming parent US continuation priority 2019-11-29 (hereinafter “Yang”), have been fully considered but are moot, over the limitations of “such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources”. Said limitations are newly added to the amended Claims 1-4 and 8 and have been addressed in instant office action, as shown in section 35 USC 103 rejection below, with newly identified prior art teaching from newly found reference Qiu et al. US Pub 2022/0015120, claiming parent US continuation priority 2019-03-28 (hereinafter “Qiu”), in combination with previously applied reference Deng, thus rendering said Applicant’s arguments moot. See section Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 below for complete details.
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 1-6, 8, 10-11, 13-14, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deng et al. US Pub 2020/0053800 (hereinafter “Deng”), and in view of Qiu et al. US Pub 2022/0015120, claiming parent US continuation priority 2019-03-28 (hereinafter “Qiu”).
Regarding claim 1 (Currently Amended)
Deng discloses a method of operating a wireless device (e.g. “A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU)”) for a wireless communication network (“A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) may be configured to receive RA resource sets, where each of the RA resource sets is associated with a node-B directional beam, select an RA resource set from among the RA resource sets, and initiate an RA procedure based on the selected RA resource set.” [Abstract]), the method comprising:
transmitting a first random access preamble (“The RA procedure may include selecting multiple preambles which include a preamble for each resource of a plurality of resources corresponding to the selected RA resource set.” [Abstract]) utilising a first antenna arrangement (“a directional transmit or receive beam is formed by a WTRU applying specific weight to each antenna elements of the antenna solution, be it a digital antenna array implementation as shown in FIG. 6, in which the weight is comprised of both amplitude and phase, or an analogue phase antenna array implementation as shown in FIG. 7, which comprises a phase-only weight.” [0078]) and transmitting a second random access preamble (“The RA procedure may include selecting multiple preambles which include a preamble for each resource of a plurality of resources corresponding to the selected RA resource set.” [Abstract]) utilising a second antenna arrangement (“a directional transmit or receive beam is formed by a WTRU applying specific weight to each antenna elements of the antenna solution, be it a digital antenna array implementation as shown in FIG. 6, in which the weight is comprised of both amplitude and phase, or an analogue phase antenna array implementation as shown in FIG. 7, which comprises a phase-only weight.” [0078]), the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble being transmitted on different frequency resources (“The RACH configuration may include one or more cell-specific preamble transmission sequences, transmit time instances, frequency resource allocations, initial power offsets, and the like.” [0165] and furthermore “The mWTRU may transmit a preamble at a frequency allocation corresponding to the maximum measured BMRS sequence. The frequency allocation or frequency allocations from which the mWTRU may chose for transmission may be per RACH configuration mapping (e.g. between BMRS and RACH frequency allocation or allocations).” [0161]),
Deng does not specifically teach for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource, such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources.
In an analogous art, Qiu discloses for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource (“A mapping relation between different frequency used for preamble transmission and different time-frequency resource can be configured or predefined (i.e. one-to-one mapping could be used). The frequency cannot be the same in time-frequency resource with time interval less than certain threshold, for example, maximum delay difference within the cell. In this option, UE first selects a time-frequency resource, then selects a preamble and transmits the preamble using frequency associated with the time-frequency resource selected (i.e. specific association between selected preamble and selected frequency). gNB differentiate the location of time-frequency resource according to the frequency received preamble transmitted by.” [0055]), such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources (“The configuration of random access resource may include at least one of the following alternatives. A first option is preamble division. In this option, preambles can be divided into different groups and mapped to different time-frequency resources. The time-frequency resource can refer to location of time resource or location of frequency resource or time-frequency resource ID. In an example the same preamble will not be reused in time-frequency resource with time interval less than maximum delay difference within the cell. The mapping between the time-frequency resources and the preamble group can be predefined or be configured by the gNB. For example, in a first step, the UE receives configuration information for performing the random access (RACH) procedure. This configuration information includes the mapping between time-frequency resources and preamble groups. The configuration information can be sent to UE with system information or by RRC signaling. In a second step, the UE selects a time-frequency resource, then selects the preamble to be transmitted within the preamble group that mapped into the selected time-frequency resource (since a specific preamble is already mapped to a specific frequency resource, selecting the first frequency resource associated with the first preamble would automatically selects the second frequency resources associated with the second preamble since the gNB knows that the second frequency cannot be the same in time-frequency resource with time interval less than certain threshold, for example, maximum delay difference within the cell). Then, the UE transmits the selected preamble using selected time-frequency resource. The gNB differentiates the location of the time-frequency resource according to the preamble group index the received preamble belongs to. ” [0053]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Deng’s method for transmitting selected multiple preambles in sequential RA transmissions, to include Qiu’s method for transmitting/receiving multiple random access configurations, in order to mitigate transmission delay (Qiu [0003]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Qiu’s method for transmitting/receiving multiple random access configurations into Deng’s method for transmitting selected multiple preambles in sequential RA transmissions 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 2 (Currently Amended)
Deng discloses a wireless device (“wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d” in Fig. 1A; [0039]) for a wireless communication network (“FIG. 1A is a system diagram of an example communications system in which one or more disclosed embodiments may be implemented” [0008]), the wireless device configured to:
transmit a first random access preamble utilising a first antenna arrangement and transmit a second random access preamble utilising a second antenna arrangement, the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble being transmitted on different frequency resources, for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource, such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second resources.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 2 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 2 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 3 (Currently Amended)
Deng discloses a method of operating a network node (“the base stations 114a, 114b may be a base transceiver station (BTS), a Node-B, an eNode B, a Home Node B, a Home eNode B, a site controller, an access point (AP), a wireless router, and the like.” In Fig. 1A; [0040]) for a wireless communication network (“FIG. 1A is a system diagram of an example communications system in which one or more disclosed embodiments may be implemented” [0008]), the method comprising:
receiving a first random access preamble and receiving a second random access preamble (“receive, from the node-B, in response to the sequential RA transmissions, at least one RAR, where each of the received at least one RAR corresponds to one of the transmitted multiple preambles.” [0004]), the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble (“The RA procedure may include selecting multiple preambles which include a preamble for each resource of a plurality of resources corresponding to the selected RA resource set.” [Abstract]) being transmitted on different frequency resources (“The RACH configuration may include one or more cell-specific preamble transmission sequences, transmit time instances, frequency resource allocations, initial power offsets, and the like.” [0165] and furthermore “The mWTRU may transmit a preamble at a frequency allocation corresponding to the maximum measured BMRS sequence. The frequency allocation or frequency allocations from which the mWTRU may chose for transmission may be per RACH configuration mapping (e.g. between BMRS and RACH frequency allocation or allocations).” [0161])
Deng does not specifically teach for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource, such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources.
In an analogous art, Qiu discloses for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource (“A mapping relation between different frequency used for preamble transmission and different time-frequency resource can be configured or predefined (i.e. one-to-one mapping could be used). The frequency cannot be the same in time-frequency resource with time interval less than certain threshold, for example, maximum delay difference within the cell. In this option, UE first selects a time-frequency resource, then selects a preamble and transmits the preamble using frequency associated with the time-frequency resource selected (i.e. specific association between selected preamble and selected frequency). gNB differentiate the location of time-frequency resource according to the frequency received preamble transmitted by.” [0055]), such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources (“The configuration of random access resource may include at least one of the following alternatives. A first option is preamble division. In this option, preambles can be divided into different groups and mapped to different time-frequency resources. The time-frequency resource can refer to location of time resource or location of frequency resource or time-frequency resource ID. In an example the same preamble will not be reused in time-frequency resource with time interval less than maximum delay difference within the cell. The mapping between the time-frequency resources and the preamble group can be predefined or be configured by the gNB. For example, in a first step, the UE receives configuration information for performing the random access (RACH) procedure. This configuration information includes the mapping between time-frequency resources and preamble groups. The configuration information can be sent to UE with system information or by RRC signaling. In a second step, the UE selects a time-frequency resource, then selects the preamble to be transmitted within the preamble group that mapped into the selected time-frequency resource (since a specific preamble is already mapped to a specific frequency resource, selecting the first frequency resource associated with the first preamble would automatically selects the second frequency resources associated with the second preamble since the gNB knows that the second frequency cannot be the same in time-frequency resource with time interval less than certain threshold, for example, maximum delay difference within the cell). Then, the UE transmits the selected preamble using selected time-frequency resource. The gNB differentiates the location of the time-frequency resource according to the preamble group index the received preamble belongs to. ” [0053]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Deng’s method for transmitting selected multiple preambles in sequential RA transmissions, to include Qiu’s method for transmitting/receiving multiple random access configurations, in order to mitigate transmission delay (Qiu [0003]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Qiu’s method for transmitting/receiving multiple random access configurations into Deng’s method for transmitting selected multiple preambles in sequential RA transmissions 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 (Currently Amended)
Deng discloses a network node (“the base stations 114a, 114b may be a base transceiver station (BTS), a Node-B, an eNode B, a Home Node B, a Home eNode B, a site controller, an access point (AP), a wireless router, and the like.” In Fig. 1A; [0040]) for a wireless communication network, the network node configured to:
receive a first random access preamble and receive a second random access preamble, the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble being transmitted on different frequency resources, for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource, such that selecting one of the first and second frequency resources automatically selects the other first and second frequency resources.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 4 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore apparatus claim 4 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 5
Deng, as modified by Qiu, previously discloses the method according to Claim 1,
Deng further discloses wherein the first random access preamble is based on a first signaling sequence, and the second random access preamble is based on a second signaling sequence (“The mWTRU may use a preamble sequence corresponding to the maximum measured BMRS sequence. The preamble sequence (or sequences from which the mWTRU may choose) for transmission may be per the RACH configuration mapping (e.g., between BMRS and preamble transmission sequence or sequences).” [0161]).
Regarding claim 6
Deng, as modified by Qiu, previously discloses the method according to Claim 1,
Deng further discloses wherein the first random access preamble is shifted relative to the second random access preamble based on one or both of a cyclic shift (“The PRACH transmission sequences may be or may include preambles included in a RA resource set and may be or may be based on Zadoff-Chu (ZC) sequences. Each preamble sequence may have a unique index number associated with a specific cyclic shift of the ZC sequence. The set of preamble sequences for each RA resource set may be configured or may be determined based on pre-configured criteria. For example, each RA resource set may have a designated ZC base sequence and each preamble in the resource set may use a different cyclic shift based on the designated ZC base sequence.” [0250]) and a code (“one Zadoff-Chu (ZC) base sequence with different cyclic shift, Walsh code, Golay sequence, and the like.” [0139]).
Regarding claim 8 (Currently Amended)
A non-transitory computer storage medium storing a computer program comprising instructions causing processing circuitry to one or both control and perform a method, the method comprising:
transmitting a first random access preamble utilising a first antenna arrangement and transmitting a second random access preamble utilising a second antenna arrangement, the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble being transmitted on different frequency resources, for the different frequency resources, there being a configured one-to-one mapping from a first frequency resource to a second frequency resource, such that selecting one of the first and second resources automatically selects the other of the first and second frequency resources.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 8 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore computer program product claim 8 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 10
The wireless device according to Claim 2, wherein the first random access preamble is based on a first signaling sequence, and the second random access preamble is based on a second signaling sequence.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 10 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore apparatus claim 10 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 11
The wireless device according to Claim 2, wherein the first random access preamble is shifted relative to the second random access preamble based on one or both of a cyclic shift and a code.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 11 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 11 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 13
The method according to Claim 3, wherein the first random access preamble is based on a first signaling sequence, and the second random access preamble is based on a second signaling sequence.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 13 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 5. Therefore method claim 13 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 14
The method according to Claim 3, wherein the first random access preamble is shifted relative to the second random access preamble based on one or both of a cyclic shift and a code.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 14 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 6. Therefore method claim 14 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 16
The network node according to Claim 4, wherein the first random access preamble is based on a first signaling sequence, and the second random access preamble is based on a second signaling sequence.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 16 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 10. Therefore apparatus claim 16 corresponds to apparatus claim 10 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 10 rejection above.
Regarding claim 17
The network node according to Claim 4, wherein the first random access preamble is shifted relative to the second random access preamble based on one or both of a cyclic shift and a code.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 17 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 11. Therefore apparatus claim 17 corresponds to apparatus claim 11 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 11 rejection above.
Regarding claim 18
The network node according to Claim 4, wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 18 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 12. Therefore apparatus claim 18 corresponds to apparatus claim 12 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 12 rejection above.
Regarding claim 19
The method according to Claim 5, wherein the first random access preamble is shifted relative to the second random access preamble based on one or both of a cyclic shift and a code.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 19 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 6. Therefore method claim 19 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Claims 7, 12, 15, 20, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Deng, in view of Qiu, and further in view of Yang US Pub 2022/0304068, claiming parent US continuation priority 2019-11-29 (hereinafter “Yang”).
Regarding claim 7
Deng, as modified by Qiu, previously discloses the method according to Claim 1,
Deng and Qiu do not specifically teach wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences.
In an analogous art, Yang discloses wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences (“The first root sequence may be a first preamble root sequence, and the second root sequence may be a second preamble root sequence.” [0194] and furthermore “obtaining the first preamble group by performing cyclic shift on a first root sequence; and obtaining the second preamble group by performing cyclic shift on a second root sequence.” [0193]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Deng’s method for transmitting selected multiple preambles in sequential RA transmissions, as modified by Qiu, to include Yang’s method for transmitting/receiving multiple random access configurations, in order to select a specified random access configuration from the multiple random access configurations according to positioning capability of the terminal device to perform random access (Yang [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Yang’s method for transmitting/receiving multiple random access configurations into Deng’s method for transmitting selected multiple preambles in sequential RA transmissions 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 according to Claim 2, wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 12 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 11 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 15
The method according to Claim 3, wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 15 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 7. Therefore method claim 15 corresponds to method claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 20
The method according to Claim 14, wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 20 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 7. Therefore method claim 20 corresponds to method claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 21
The method according to Claim 5, wherein the first random access preamble and the second random access preamble shifted by being based on different root sequences.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 21 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 7. Therefore method claim 21 corresponds to method claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG M NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8184. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00am - 6:30pm.
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
