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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 7, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues on page 10 of Remarks that Parkvall’s disclosure at thee cited portions is directed exclusively too scrambling sequences used during the random access (RACH) procedure, not to characteristic applied to uplink data. The Applicant further argues that in Parkvall, the cell-specific scrambling sequence is applied to message 3 of the RACH procedure, which carries the user terminal’s identity for contention resolution, not the uplink data that the communication device determined it needs to transmit. Parkvall’s RACH message 3 is a signaling message for establishing an uplink connection, it is not an uplink comprising uplink user data. The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Firstly, it is important to note that claim partially recites “an uplink signal comprising the uplink data”. Claim does not expressly recite the uplink signal comprising the uplink user data as argued by the Applicant. In other words, the current phrase “uplink data” is broadly and reasonably interpreted as any data that is related to the uplink. In this case, the message 3 RACH as disclosed in Parkvall reads on the phrase “uplink data” of claim language because of the following reasons:
One of ordinary skill in the art would have conceptualized that the MSG3 is transmitted on the PUSCH, which is literally a message, or data carried as uplink data.
Furthermore, Parkvall also discloses using an uplink scrambling code that is generally available to all user terminals desiring to randomly access service in a particular cell, in which it reads on “a reference value known to each of the communications device and the wireless communications networks” of claim language.
Hence, it should be clear to the Applicant that the teachings of Parkvall reads on “constructing an uplink comprising the uplink data by applying, to the uplink data, one or more characteristics initialised based on a reference value known to each of the communications device and the wireless communications network,” of claim language.
The Applicant further argues that Yoshimoto’s disclosure does not teach or suggest “the characteristics applied to uplink data”. Since the Examiner did not rely on Yoshimoto’s for the teachings of the argued features; this point of arguments is 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, 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, 3-5, 8, 11-13, 16, 26, and 54 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parkvall et al. (hereinafter “Parkvall”, US 2012/0176995) in view of Yoshimoto et al. (hereinafter “Yoshimoto”, US 2020/0213901).
Regarding claim 1, Parkvall discloses a method of operating a communications device for transmitting signals to and/or receiving signals from a wireless communications network via a wireless access interface, the method comprising
constructing an uplink signal comprising the uplink data by applying, to the uplink data, one or more characteristics initialised based on a reference value known to each of the communications device and the wireless communications network (i.e., detecting a first type of uplink scrambling sequences, e.g., specifically associated with a radio base station’s cell area or random access channel in S1 of Fig. 3, and as described in paragraph 0029), and
transmitting the uplink signal to the wireless communications network (i.e., transmitting the random access message to the radio base station in step S4 of Fig. 3, and as described in paragraph 0029).
Parkvall, however, does not expressly disclose:
determining that the communications device has uplink data to transmit to the wireless communications network.
In a similar endeavor, Yoshimoto discloses base station apparatus, terminal apparatus, and communication method for these apparatuses. Yoshimoto also discloses:
determining that the communications device has uplink data to transmit to the wireless communications network (i.e., a terminal apparatus requests radio resources for transmitting uplink data to a base station apparatus. The terminal apparatus transmits a Buffer Status Report (BSR) reporting an amount of packets stored in a transmission buffer in the terminal apparatus as described in paragraph 0004).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the network to allocate resources more effectively.
With further regard to claim 26, Parkvall also discloses the communications device (i.e., UE 20 as shown in Fig. 9) comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and/or to receive signals from a wireless communications network via a wireless access interface (i.e., UL-SCH transmitter 34, and DL-SCH receiver 36 as shown in Fig. 9), and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry (i.e., controller 30 configured in combination with the UL-SCH transmitter 34, and the DL-SCH receiver 36 as shown in Fig. 9 ).
Regarding claim 3, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Parkvall also discloses wherein the one or more characteristics of the uplink signal comprise at least one of a scrambling code, a property of a demodulation reference signal, DMRS, a frequency hopping pattern, whether the uplink signal is to be transmitted within reserved resources of the wireless access interface, whether the uplink signal is to be transmitted within invalid resources of the wireless access interface, and a transmission power (i.e., the scrambling code as described in paragraphs 0010-0012).
Regarding claim 4, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses wherein the reference value refers to a sequence number of a reference time resource unit of the wireless access interface (i.e., assigning time resource to perform transmission as described in paragraphs 0035, and 0061).
Regarding claim 5, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses determining the sequence number of the reference time resource unit via a Radio Resource Control, RRC, configuration signalled by the wireless communications network (i.e., RRC signaling transmitted from the base station apparatus as described in paragraphs 0044, and 0061).
Regarding claim 8, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses:
receiving, from the wireless communications network, a scheduling message indicating that the uplink signal is to be transmitted by the communications device to the wireless communications network (i.e., the resource configuration for grant-free transmission includes transmission timing indicating a subframe/slot/subframe in which PUSCH transmission using grant-free is started as described in paragraphs 0081-0083),
wherein the RRC configuration (i.e., the RRC signaling as described in paragraph 0044, and 0063) indicates the sequence number of the reference time resource unit with reference to a sequence number of a time resource unit of the wireless access interface in which the scheduling message is received by the communications device (i.e., the resource configuration for grant-free transmission includes transmission timing indicating a subframe/slot/subframe in which PUSCH transmission using grant-free is started as described in paragraphs 0081-0083).
Regarding claim 11, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses wherein the RRC configuration indicates a plurality of sequence numbers of candidate reference time resource units, wherein the method comprises receiving, from the wireless communications network, signalling indicating which of the candidate reference time resource units is the reference time resource unit with which the characteristics of the uplink signal to be constructed are associated (i.e., receiving DCI from the network indicating the uplink assignment as described in paragraphs 0058-0059).
Regarding claim 12, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses wherein the sequence number of the reference time resource unit is predetermined and known to the communications device (i.e., the terminal apparatus determines system information such as downlink system bandwidth and a System Frame Number (SFN) by using the PBCH as described in paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 13, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses receiving an indication of the sequence number of the reference time resource unit from the wireless communications network via Medium Access Control, MAC, Control Element, CE, signalling (i.e., using MAC CE as described in paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 16, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Yoshimoto also discloses receiving an indication of the sequence number of the reference time resource unit from the wireless communications network via Downlink Control Information, DCI, signalling (i.e., receiving DCI as described in paragraphs 0058-0059).
Regarding claim 54, Parkvall discloses an infrastructure equipment comprising
transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and/or to receive signals from a communications device via a wireless access interface (i.e., UL-SCH receiver 44, and DL-SCH transmitter 46 as shown in Fig. 9), and
controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry (i.e., controller 40 configured in combination with the UL-SCH receiver 44, and the DL-SCH transmitter 46 as shown in Fig. 9).
to determine that the communications device constructed the uplink signal by applying, to the uplink data, one or more characteristics initialised based on a reference value known to each of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment (i.e., detecting a first type of uplink scrambling sequences, e.g., specifically associated with a radio base station’s cell area or random access channel in S1 of Fig. 3, and as described in paragraph 0029), and
to decode the uplink signal to recover the uplink data in accordance with the one or more characteristics of the uplink signal (i.e., transmitting the random access message to the radio base station in step S4 of Fig. 3, and as described in paragraph 0029).
Parkvall, however, does not expressly disclose to receive an uplink signal from the communications device.
In a similar endeavor, Yoshimoto discloses base station apparatus, terminal apparatus, and communication method for these apparatuses. Yoshimoto also discloses to receive an uplink signal from the communications device (i.e., the terminal apparatus transmits uplink data in accordance with radio resource allocation indicated by uplink transmission parameters included in the UL grant as described in paragraph 0004).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the network to allocate resources more effectively.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parkvall in view of Yoshimoto and further in view of 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Solutions for NR to support non-terrestrial networks (NTN) (Release 16) 3GPP TR 38.821 V16.0.0 (2019-12) as cited in IDS dated September 6, 2023 (hereinafter “Reference A”).
Regarding claim 2, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Reference A discloses wherein the wireless communications network is a non-terrestrial network, NTN, and wherein the transmitting the signals to and/or receiving the signals from the NTN comprises communicating with a non-terrestrial infrastructure equipment forming part of the NTN via at least one of a plurality of spot beams which provides the wireless access interface for transmitting the signals to and/or receiving the signals from the non-terrestrial infrastructure equipment within a coverage region formed by the at least one of the spot beams (i.e., NTN network includes satellite or UAS platform, and a plurality of spot beams as shown in Fig. 4.1-1 & 4.1-2, and also Fig. 5.1-1 & 5.2-2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to extend the coverage areas.
Claim(s) 9, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parkvall in view of Yoshimoto, and further in view of Khoshnevisan et al. (hereinafter “Khoshnevisan”, US 2024/0080851).
Regarding claim 9, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Khoshnevisan discloses semi-persistent reporting of channel state information. Khoshnevisan also discloses wherein the RRC configuration indicates a number of consecutive sequence numbers of time resource units of the wireless access interface for which the communications device is to initialise the same characteristics when constructing uplink signals (i.e., the RRC signaling configures a type of PUSCH repetition for PUSCH transmission. Each PUSCH repetition is transmitted by a consecutive set of symbols that cross a slot boundary as described in paragraph 0081).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to make it more efficient for transmission uplink data while maintaining the same transmission parameters.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parkvall in view of Yoshimoto, and further in view of Ye et al. (hereinafter “Ye”, US 2023/0156804).
Regarding claim 10, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Ye discloses RACH procedures for non-terrestrial networks for user equipment. Ye also discloses wherein the sequence number indicated by the RRC configuration is dependent on the type of channel on which the uplink signal is transmitted (i.e., the offset value for PUSCH and PUCCH is different as described in paragraph 0083).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to align the time configuration due to the long propagation delays.
Claim(s) 14-15, and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parkvall in view of Yoshimoto, and further in view of Zhou et al. (hereinafter “Zhou”, US 2020/0404682).
Regarding claim 14, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Zhou discloses simultaneous semi-persistent scheduling or configured grant parameter update for multiple devices. Zhou also discloses wherein the MAC CE comprises a specific field which indicates the sequence number of the reference time resource unit (i.e., the non-default action time is indicated in the activation/reactivation DCI or the MAC CE as described in paragraphs 0176-0179).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to update the action time.
Regarding claim 15, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Zhou discloses simultaneous semi-persistent scheduling or configured grant parameter update for multiple devices. Zhou also discloses wherein the MAC CE implicitly indicates the sequence number of the reference time resource unit (i.e., the non-default action time, which is an absolute time, indicated in the activation/reactivation DCI or the MAC CE as described in paragraphs 0176-0177), wherein the method comprises determining the sequence number of the reference time resource unit based on a value of a different parameter to the sequence number of the reference time resource unit indicated by the MAC CE (i.e., the non-default action time is a relative time offset with reference to the activation/reactivation DCI or the MAC CE as described in paragraphs 0176-0180).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to update the action time.
Regarding claim 17, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Zhou discloses simultaneous semi-persistent scheduling or configured grant parameter update for multiple devices. Zhou also discloses wherein the DCI comprises a bit field, wherein the sequence number of the reference time resource unit is dependent on a value indicated by the bit field (i.e., the non-default action time is indicated in the activation/reactivation DCI or the MAC CE as described in paragraphs 0176-0179).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to update the action time.
Regarding claim 18, Parkvall and Yoshimoto disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Zhou discloses simultaneous semi-persistent scheduling or configured grant parameter update for multiple devices. Zhou also discloses wherein the DCI implicitly indicates the sequence number of the reference time resource unit (i.e., the non-default action time, which is an absolute time, indicated in the activation/reactivation DCI or the MAC CE as described in paragraphs 0176-0177), wherein the method comprises determining the sequence number of the reference time resource unit based on a value of a different parameter to the sequence number of the reference time resource unit indicated by the DCI (i.e., the non-default action time is a relative time offset with reference to the activation/reactivation DCI or the MAC CE as described in paragraphs 0176-0180).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to update the action time.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 WAYNE CAI whose telephone number is (571)272-7798. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KATHY WANG-HURST can be reached on (571)270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Wayne H Cai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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