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 .
Responsive to amendments filed on 12/31/2025.
Claims 1-9 remain pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/31/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., limited parameters being parameters that can’t be modified or overwritten) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). More specifically, during examination claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification without bringing elements of the specification into the claims. The claims as they stand require (in claim 1, for example) receiving a downlink signal and transmitting an uplink signal, these signals having some parameters being “limited”, in a RACH procedure. Without any further explanation or clarification, in the claims, as to what constitutes a “limited” parameter, and how that connects to flexible or fixed regions, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term includes the known definition of the word which comprises limited meaning fixed or defined or specific. In light of this, the teachings of the cited reference to Wang, which recites resources that have specific attributes defined for only uplink, only downlink, or flexible resources. Amongst these defined attributes, specific RACH resources for downlink and uplink transmissions are configured. Flexibility is also disclosed in the reference, with regards to the flexible slots/symbols that are defined in the resources, but specific slots/symbols can only be defined as uplink or downlink. Even further, even if the teachings of the reference make mention of the possibility of overwriting, which can be possible in flexible slots/symbols, note that nothing in the claim language necessitates the “limited” parameters to be strictly incapable of being overwritten. Thus, claims are believed to be met by the prior art and if some of the specifics being argued are of such relevance, then they should be included in the claim language.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0080811; hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claim 1 Wang discloses a terminal (figs. 7-8) comprising:
a receiving section (receiving unit 71) that receives a downlink signal with at least a part of parameters of the downlink signal being limited, in an initial access procedure (paragraphs 0075-0078; wherein a UE receives configuration information from a network node, with specific SSB, PDCCH, and RACH configuration parameters; herein it is understood that the word “limited” means specific as indicated in the specification as filed); and
a control section (processor 82) that controls transmission of an uplink signal with at least a part of parameters of the uplink signal being limited, in the initial access procedure (paragraph 0125; signal transmission is performed according to the determined uplink/downlink attribute of each time-frequency resource).
Regarding claim 2 Wang discloses the terminal according to claim 1, wherein the downlink signal includes a synchronization signal block (SSB) (paragraphs 0075-0076, 0097-0099, 0182-0183; SS/PBCH), and at least one of a transmission periodicity of the SSB, a synchronization raster of the SSB, a configuration of the SSB, and physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) configuration information in a master information block of the SSB is limited (paragraphs 0062, 0064, 0076, 0087, 0097; period for each uplink/downlink slot, PDCCH configuration).
Regarding claim 3 Wang discloses the terminal according to claim 1, wherein the downlink signal includes a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and a parameter related to at least one of a frequency resource and a time resource for the PDSCH is limited (paragraphs 0130, 0132, 0143; PDSCH resource location according to the uplink/downlink information).
Regarding claim 4 Wang discloses the terminal according to claim1, wherein the uplink signal includes a random access channel (RACH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (paragraphs 0075, 0129-0133, 0143-0147; RACH/PRACH and PUSCH), and a parameter related to at least one of a frequency resource and a time resource, for the RACH or the PUSCH, is limited (paragraphs 0075, 0129-0133, 0143-0147; resource location for the RACH/PRACH and PUSCH signals according to uplink/downlink information).
Regarding claim 5 Wang discloses a radio communication method for a terminal (fig. 1), the radio communication method comprising:
receiving a downlink signal with at least a part of parameters of the downlink signal being limited, in an initial access procedure (paragraphs 0075-0078; wherein a UE receives configuration information from a network node, with specific SSB, PDCCH, and RACH configuration parameters; herein it is understood that the word “limited” means specific as indicated in the specification as filed); and
controlling transmission of an uplink signal with at least a part of parameters of the uplink signal being limited, in the initial access procedure (paragraph 0125; signal transmission is performed according to the determined uplink/downlink attribute of each time-frequency resource).
Regarding claim 6 Wang discloses a base station comprising:
a transmitting section that transmits a downlink signal with at least a part of parameters of the downlink signal being limited, in an initial access procedure (paragraphs 0075-0078; wherein a UE receives configuration information from a network node, with specific SSB, PDCCH, and RACH configuration parameters; herein it is understood that the word “limited” means specific as indicated in the specification as filed); and
a control section that controls reception of an uplink signal with at least a part of parameters of the uplink signal being limited, in the initial access procedure (paragraph 0125; signal transmission is performed according to the determined uplink/downlink attribute of each time-frequency resource).
Regarding claim 7 Wang discloses the terminal according to claim 2, wherein the downlink signal includes a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH), and a parameter related to at least one of a frequency resource and a time resource for the PDSCH is limited (paragraphs 0130, 0132, 0143; PDSCH resource location according to the uplink/downlink information).
Regarding claim 8 Wang discloses the terminal according to claim 2, wherein the uplink signal includes a random access channel (RACH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (paragraphs 0075, 0129-0133, 0143-0147; RACH/PRACH and PUSCH), and a parameter related to at least one of a frequency resource and a time resource, for the RACH or the PUSCH, is limited (paragraphs 0075, 0129-0133, 0143-0147; resource location for the RACH/PRACH and PUSCH signals according to uplink/downlink information).
Regarding claim 9 Wang discloses the terminal according to claim 3, wherein the uplink signal includes a random access channel (RACH) or a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (paragraphs 0075, 0129-0133, 0143-0147; RACH/PRACH and PUSCH), and a parameter related to at least one of a frequency resource and a time resource, for the RACH or the PUSCH, is limited (paragraphs 0075, 0129-0133, 0143-0147; resource location for the RACH/PRACH and PUSCH signals according to uplink/downlink information).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Application Publication 2024/0008014 to Li et al. – that discloses a communication apparatus detects a first common signal, determines a first control resource based on first indication information, and receives first DCI on the first control resource, where the first common signal belongs to a first set, the first set includes at least two common signals whose frequency positions are different, the first common signal carries the first indication information, and the first DCI is used to schedule a system message. In an FDM transmission scenario for a plurality of common signals using the foregoing method, common signals in different frequency domain positions may indicate that respective corresponding indication information is flexibly associated with control resources, for example, control resources in a same position or in different positions, so that the control resources can be easily and flexibly indicated.
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 Aixa A Guadalupe-Cruz whose telephone number is (571)270-7523. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 6AM - 4:00PM.
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, Faruk Hamza can be reached at 571-272-7969. 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.
/Aixa Guadalupe-Cruz/
Examiner
Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights