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 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues the claims as amended. Examiner agrees that the previous rejection does not teach all of the newly introduced limitations. Please see the following rejections.
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal (2022/0279596; Foreign priority 24 Feb 2021), and further in view of Aiba (2018/0368188).
Regarding claim 3, Agiwal discloses a terminal device comprising: (See Agiwal fig. 2; UE (e.g. terminal))
transmission circuitry configured to transmit a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) of a first subcarrier spacing; and (See Agiwal fig. 2; UE transmits MsgA of 2step RA based upon a RACH config for MsgA with an SCS (e.g. a first subcarrier spacing); fig. 17, para. 47; terminal with a transceiver that transmits (transmission circuitry) and receives (reception circuitry); para. 108; SCS for PRACH is signaled in RACH config)
reception circuitry configured to receive a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format using a Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) in response to the PRACH transmission, wherein: (See Agiwal fig. 2; part 240, 245; downlink assignment received on PDCCH (e.g. control information in the downlink (DCI) using computed MsgB RNTI (e.g. RA-RNTI); para. 84 RA-RNTI; MsgB is in response to MsgA)
the RA-RNTI is calculated at least based, at least, on a predetermined second subcarrier spacing and an index of a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) symbol of the PRACH, and
the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH is based on the first subcarrier
spacing. (See Agiwal para. 77, 81; s_id is the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion where the UE has transmitted Msg1 (MsgA) (e.g. with the first SCS identified in RACH Config); fig. 2; part 235; RA-RNTI is calculated based upon the subcarrier spacing of PRACH>120 (e.g. a second subcarrier spacing))
Agiwal does not explicitly disclose wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI. However, Aiba does disclose wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI. (See Aiba para. 203) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the apparatus of Agiwal to include the teaching of wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI of Aiba with the motivation being for UE-Specific Targeting and further for efficient blind decoding and further for early detection and faster connection establishment reducing delays and further for security/identification (CRC scrambling with RA-RNTI ensures that only the intended UE can correctly validate the message, preventing other UEs from acting on it).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal (2022/0279596; Foreign priority 24 Feb 2021), and further in view of Aiba (2018/0368188).
Regarding claim 4, Agiwal discloses a base station device comprising:
reception circuitry configured to receive a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) of a first subcarrier spacing; and (See Agiwal fig. 2; UE transmits MsgA of 2step RA based upon a RACH config for MsgA with an SCS (e.g. a first subcarrier spacing) to base station (e.g. receive); fig. 18, para. 48; base station with a transceiver that transmits (transmission circuitry) and receives (reception circuitry); para. 108; SCS for PRACH is signaled in RACH config)
transmission circuitry configured to transmit a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format using a Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) in response to the PRACH reception, wherein: (See Agiwal fig. 2; part 240, 245; downlink assignment received by UE (e.g. base station transmits) on PDCCH (e.g. control information in the downlink (DCI) using computed MsgB RNTI (e.g. RA-RNTI); para. 84 RA-RNTI; MsgB is in response to MsgA)
the RA-RNTI is calculated at least based, at least, on a predetermined second
subcarrier spacing and an index of a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) symbol of the PRACH, and
the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH is based on the first subcarrier spacing. (See Agiwal para. 77, 81; s_id is the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion where the UE has transmitted Msg1 (MsgA) (e.g. with the first SCS identified in RACH Config); fig. 2; part 235; RA-RNTI is calculated based upon the subcarrier spacing of PRACH>120 (e.g. a second subcarrier spacing))
Agiwal does not explicitly disclose wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI. However, Aiba does disclose wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI. (See Aiba para. 203) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the apparatus of Agiwal to include the teaching of wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI of Aiba with the motivation being for UE-Specific Targeting and further for efficient blind decoding and further for early detection and faster connection establishment reducing delays and further for security/identification (CRC scrambling with RA-RNTI ensures that only the intended UE can correctly validate the message, preventing other UEs from acting on it).
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agiwal (2022/0279596; Foreign priority 24 Feb 2021), and further in view of Aiba (2018/0368188).
Regarding claim 5, Agiwal discloses a communication method for a terminal device, the communication method comprising: (See Agiwal fig. 2; UE (e.g. terminal))
transmitting a Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) of a first subcarrier spacing; and (See Agiwal fig. 2; UE transmits MsgA of 2step RA based upon a RACH config for MsgA with an SCS (e.g. a first subcarrier spacing); fig. 17, para. 47; terminal with a transceiver that transmits (transmission circuitry) and receives (reception circuitry); para. 108; SCS for PRACH is signaled in RACH config)
receiving a Downlink Control Information (DCI) format using a Random Access-Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) in response to the PRACH transmission, wherein: (See Agiwal fig. 2; part 240, 245; downlink assignment received on PDCCH (e.g. control information in the downlink (DCI) using computed MsgB RNTI (e.g. RA-RNTI); para. 84 RA-RNTI; MsgB is in response to MsgA)
the RA-RNTI is calculated at least-based, at least, on a predetermined second subcarrier spacing and an index of a first Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex (OFDM) symbol of the PRACH, and
the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH is based on the first subcarrier
spacing. (See Agiwal para. 77, 81; s_id is the index of the first OFDM symbol of the PRACH occasion where the UE has transmitted Msg1 (MsgA) (e.g. with the first SCS identified in RACH Config); fig. 2; part 235; RA-RNTI is calculated based upon the subcarrier spacing of PRACH>120 (e.g. a second subcarrier spacing))
Agiwal does not explicitly disclose wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI. However, Aiba does disclose wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI. (See Aiba para. 203) Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the apparatus of Agiwal to include the teaching of wherein the DCI has a CRC scrambled with an RA-RNTI of Aiba with the motivation being for UE-Specific Targeting and further for efficient blind decoding and further for early detection and faster connection establishment reducing delays and further for security/identification (CRC scrambling with RA-RNTI ensures that only the intended UE can correctly validate the message, preventing other UEs from acting on it).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN J CLAWSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7498. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:00 pm est.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy D Vu can be reached at (571) 272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Stephen J Clawson/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461