Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/371,385

SYNCHRONIZATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND TERMINAL DEVICE, AND NETWORK DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 21, 2023
Examiner
CASTANEYRA, RICARDO H
Art Unit
2473
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Guangdong OPPO Mobile Telecommunications Corp., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
74%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 9m
To Grant
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 74% — above average
74%
Career Allow Rate
305 granted / 415 resolved
+15.5% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+24.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
444
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.8%
-36.2% vs TC avg
§103
57.6%
+17.6% vs TC avg
§102
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
§112
11.1%
-28.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 415 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . This office action is a response to an application filed on 09/21/2023 in which claims 1-30 are pending. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 09/21/2023, 07/23/2024 and 08/15/2025 have been considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 8, 18 and 29 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. 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. Claims 1-4, 7, 9-14, 17, 19-24, 26-27 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hong (US 2022/0007455). As to claim 1, Hong teaches a synchronization method (Hong, Fig. 6, [0082], a random access procedure. [0084], during the random access procedure the UE receives a random access response with TAC information for synchronization), comprising: determining, by a terminal device, a first time interval (Hong, [0285], the UE may add the corresponding offset information to the random access timer value or use the offset information as the random access timer value. The random access timer value includes the ra-ResponseWindow), wherein the first time interval is configured to be used by the terminal device to acquire synchronization information (Hong, [0273], [0277], during the ra-ResponseWindow, the UE monitors for a random access response. [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for synchronization); and acquiring, by the terminal device, the synchronization information based on the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0277], the UE receives the random access response during the ra-ResponseWindow. See also Fig. 13, [0145]), the synchronization information being used to transmit a first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for synchronization. [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 2, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information comprises at least one of: uplink timing synchronization (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for uplink synchronization), uplink frequency offset synchronization (Hong, [0084], [0284]-[0285], offset information is indicated for the ra-ResponseWindow. [0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is used to receive the random access response for uplink synchronization), downlink timing synchronization, or downlink frequency offset synchronization. As to claim 3, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information is acquired based on first information (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the TAC information included in the random access response), and the first information comprises at least one of: timing information (Hong, [0084], the random access response includes resource and time alignment command information), timing change information (Hong, [0084], the random access response included timing alignment information to adjust uplink synchronization), frequency offset information, frequency offset change information, location information, or ephemeris information. As to claim 4, Hong teaches wherein the first physical channel or signal comprises an uplink physical channel (Hong, [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response. [0044], uplink transmissions are performed via PUSCH and PUCCH) or an uplink reference signal, and the synchronization information is used to send the first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 7, Hong teaches wherein the acquiring, by the terminal device, the synchronization information based on the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0277], the UE receives the random access response during the ra-ResponseWindow. See also Fig. 13, [0145]) comprises: acquiring, by the terminal device, the synchronization information based on a second time domain resource in the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots) and a communication circuit of the terminal device (Hong, Fig. 18, [0360], the UE 1800 to receive the signals described), wherein the second time domain resource is at least part of time domain resources in the first time interval (Hong, [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots). As to claim 9, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information comprises a Timing Advance (TA) value corresponding to uplink timing synchronization of the terminal device (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for uplink synchronization), and the terminal device performs TA adjustment based on the first time interval and the TA value (Hong, [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 10, Hong teaches wherein a length of the first time interval satisfies at least one of: the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a timing offset length corresponding to the TA value, the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a timing offset length corresponding to a maximum of the TA value, or the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a length corresponding to a round trip time between the terminal device and a network device (Hong, [0283], a new parameter for long round trip delay (RTD). [0284]-[0285], the length of the ra-Responsewindow is calculated as the ra-ResponseWindow plus the NTN RTD offset or just as the NTN RTD offset. In both cases, the ra-ResponseWindow is greater than or equal than NTN RTD offset). As to claim 11, Hong teaches a terminal device (Hong, Fig. 6, Fig. 18, [0349], a UE), comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to (Hong, Fig. 6, Fig. 18, [0350], [0374], the UE includes a controller that executes software in a memory to perform the functions of the UE): determine a first time interval (Hong, [0285], the UE may add the corresponding offset information to the random access timer value or use the offset information as the random access timer value. The random access timer value includes the ra-ResponseWindow), wherein the first time interval is configured to be used by the terminal device to acquire synchronization information (Hong, [0273], [0277], during the ra-ResponseWindow, the UE monitors for a random access response. [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for synchronization); and acquire the synchronization information based on the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0277], the UE receives the random access response during the ra-ResponseWindow. See also Fig. 13, [0145]), the synchronization information being used to transmit a first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for synchronization. [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 12, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information comprises at least one of: uplink timing synchronization (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for uplink synchronization), uplink frequency offset synchronization (Hong, [0084], [0284]-[0285], offset information is indicated for the ra-ResponseWindow. [0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is used to receive the random access response for uplink synchronization), downlink timing synchronization, or downlink frequency offset synchronization. As to claim 13, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information is acquired based on first information (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the TAC information included in the random access response), and the first information comprises at least one of: timing information (Hong, [0084], the random access response includes resource and time alignment command information), timing change information (Hong, [0084], the random access response included timing alignment information to adjust uplink synchronization), frequency offset information, frequency offset change information, location information, or ephemeris information. As to claim 14, Hong teaches wherein the first physical channel or signal comprises an uplink physical channel (Hong, [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response. [0044], uplink transmissions are performed via PUSCH and PUCCH) or an uplink reference signal, and the synchronization information is used to send the first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 17, Hong teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: acquire the synchronization information based on a second time domain resource in the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots) and a communication circuit of the terminal device (Hong, Fig. 18, [0360], the UE 1800 to receive the signals described), wherein the second time domain resource is at least part of time domain resources in the first time interval (Hong, [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots). As to claim 19, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information comprises a Timing Advance (TA) value corresponding to uplink timing synchronization of the terminal device (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for uplink synchronization), and the terminal device performs TA adjustment based on the first time interval and the TA value (Hong, [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 20, Hong teaches wherein a length of the first time interval satisfies at least one of: the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a timing offset length corresponding to the TA value, the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a timing offset length corresponding to a maximum of the TA value, or the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a length corresponding to a round trip time between the terminal device and a network device (Hong, [0283], a new parameter for long round trip delay (RTD). [0284]-[0285], the length of the ra-Responsewindow is calculated as the ra-ResponseWindow plus the NTN RTD offset or just as the NTN RTD offset. In both cases, the ra-ResponseWindow is greater than or equal than NTN RTD offset). As to claim 21, Hong teaches a network device (Hong, Fig. 19, [0361]-[0362], a network node/base station), comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to (Hong, Fig. 19, [0362], [0374], the base station includes a controller that executes software in a memory to perform the functions of the network node): send configuration information of a first time interval to a terminal device (Hong, [0209], [0284]-[0285], the offset information is indicated by a signal from the base station to the UE. The offset information is used to calculate the ra-ResponseWindow), wherein the first time interval is configured to be used by the terminal device to acquire synchronization information (Hong, [0273], [0277], during the ra-ResponseWindow, the UE monitors for a random access response. [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for synchronization), and the synchronization information is configured to be used by the terminal device to transmit a first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for synchronization. [0085], the UE performs scheduled transmissions by applying the TAC in the random access response). As to claim 22, Hong teaches wherein the configuration information of the first time interval (Hong, [0209], [0284], the offset information of the ra-ResponseWindow) comprises at least one of: a length of the first time interval (Hong, [0284]-[0285], the length of the ra-Responsewindow is calculated as the ra-ResponseWindow plus the NTN RTD offset or just as the NTN RTD offset), a start position of the first time interval (Hong, [0154], [0303], the response timer is started based on the offset information received), or an end position of the first time interval (Hong, [0284]-[0285], the length of the ra-Responsewindow is calculated as the ra-ResponseWindow plus the NTN RTD offset or just as the NTN RTD offset. The length indicates when the ra-ResponseWindow ends). As to claim 23, Hong teaches wherein the configuration information of the first time interval comprises at least one of a first offset value (Hong, [0209], [0284]-[0285], the offset information is indicated by a signal from the base station to the UE. The offset information is used to calculate the ra-ResponseWindow) or a second offset value, wherein the first offset value is used to determine a distance between a start position of the first time interval and the first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0085], [0285]-[0286], the offset information (NTN RTD offset) is used to determine the length of the ra-ResponseWindow. The length of the ra-ResponseWindow is between the start of the ra-ResponseWindow and the scheduled transmission by the UE), and the second offset value is used to determine a distance between an end position of the first time interval and the first physical channel or signal. As to claim 24, Hong teaches wherein the first time interval is before the first physical channel or signal in time domain (Hong, Fig. 6, [0085], [0284]-[0285], the ra-ResponseWindow (window to receive the RAR) occurs before the UE applies the TAC for the scheduled transmissions (i.e. message 3)), and the first offset value is used to determine a distance between the start position of the first time interval and a start position of the first physical channel or signal (Hong, [0209], [0284]-[0285], the offset information is indicated by a signal from the base station to the UE. The offset information is used to calculate the ra-ResponseWindow. The ra-ResponseWindow has a length between the start of the ra-ResponseWindow and the start of the scheduled transmission by the UE), or the first time interval is after the first physical channel or signal in the time domain, and the first offset value is used to determine a distance between an end position of the first physical channel or signal and the start position of the first time interval. As to claim 26, Hong teaches wherein the first time interval has a first association relationship with the first physical channel or signal (Hong, Fig. 6, [0085], [0284]-[0285], the ra-ResponseWindow (window to receive the RAR) occurs before the UE applies the TAC for the scheduled transmissions (i.e. message 3)). As to claim 27, Hong teaches wherein the first time interval has a second association relationship with second information, and the second information comprises at least one of: a satellite scenario (Hong, [0285], the ra-ResponseWindow (window to receive the RAR) includes the NTN RTD offset. [0004], Non-terrestrial network uses satellites), a terminal device capability (Hong, [0285], the ra-ResponseWindow (window to receive the RAR) includes the NTN RTD offset when the UE is capable of the non-terrestrial network communication), or a coverage enhancement level. As to claim 30, Hong teaches wherein the synchronization information comprises a Timing Advance (TA) value corresponding to uplink timing synchronization of the terminal device (Hong, [0084], the random access response (RAR) includes TAC information for uplink synchronization), and a length of the first time interval satisfies at least one of: the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a timing offset length corresponding to the TA value, the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a timing offset length corresponding to a maximum of the TA value, or the length of the first time interval being greater than or equal to a length corresponding to a round trip time between the terminal device and the network device (Hong, [0283], a new parameter for long round trip delay (RTD). [0284]-[0285], the length of the ra-Responsewindow is calculated as the ra-ResponseWindow plus the NTN RTD offset or just as the NTN RTD offset. In both cases, the ra-ResponseWindow is greater than or equal than NTN RTD offset). 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. Claims 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US 2022/0007455) in view of Kim et al. (US 2022/0007319), hereinafter “Kim”. Hong teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Hong does not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 5, wherein the first physical channel or signal comprises a downlink physical channel or a downlink reference signal, and the synchronization information is used to receive the first physical channel or signal. As to claim 5, Kim teaches wherein the first physical channel or signal comprises a downlink physical channel or a downlink reference signal (Kim, Fig. 11, [0127], the child node receives a first DL signal transmitted by the parent node. [0059], the DL signal and transmission is performed via PDCCH, PDSCH ), and the synchronization information is used to receive the first physical channel or signal (Kim, Fig. 11, [0127], the information about the TA value is used by the child node to receive the first DL signal). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hong to have the features, as taught by Kim in order to efficiently determine a downlink transmission timing by a node in a next-generation communication system (Kim, [0010]). Hong teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Hong does not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 15, wherein the first physical channel or signal comprises a downlink physical channel or a downlink reference signal, and the synchronization information is used to receive the first physical channel or signal. As to claim 15, Kim teaches wherein the first physical channel or signal comprises a downlink physical channel or a downlink reference signal (Kim, Fig. 11, [0127], the child node receives a first DL signal transmitted by the parent node. [0059], the DL signal and transmission is performed via PDCCH, PDSCH ), and the synchronization information is used to receive the first physical channel or signal (Kim, Fig. 11, [0127], the information about the TA value is used by the child node to receive the first DL signal). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hong to have the features, as taught by Kim in order to efficiently determine a downlink transmission timing by a node in a next-generation communication system (Kim, [0010]). Claims 6, 16 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US 2022/0007455) in view of Gulati et al. (US 2020/0053683), hereinafter “Gulati”. As to claim 6, Hong teaches wherein acquiring, by the terminal device, the synchronization information based on the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0277], the UE receives the random access response during the ra-ResponseWindow. See also Fig. 13, [0145]) comprises: acquiring, by the terminal device, the synchronization information based on a first time domain resource in the first time interval (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots), wherein the first time domain resource is at least part of time domain resources in the first time interval (Hong, [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots). Hong teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Hong further discloses in [0360] and Fig. 18 a receiver 1830 in the UE 1800 to receive the signals described. Hong does not explicitly teach the following underlined features: regarding claim 6, acquiring the synchronization information based on a positioning circuit of the terminal device. However, Gulati teaches acquiring the synchronization information based on a positioning circuit of the terminal device (Gulati, Fig. 2, [0029], the UE includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver to obtain position, navigation and timing. [0039], the UE rely on GNSS for continued timing and frequency synchronization information). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hong to have the features, as taught by Gulati in order to provide synchronization to UEs that have lost communication with a eNB as a synchronization source (Gulati, [0006]). As to claim 16, Hong teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: acquire the synchronization information based on a first time domain resource in the first time interval and a positioning circuit of the terminal device (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots), wherein the first time domain resource is at least part of time domain resources in the first time interval (Hong, [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots). Hong teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Hong further discloses in [0360] and Fig. 18 a receiver 1830 in the UE 1800 to receive the signals described. Hong does not explicitly teach the following underlined features: regarding claim 16, acquire the synchronization information based on a positioning circuit of the terminal device. However, Gulati teaches acquire the synchronization information based on a positioning circuit of the terminal device (Gulati, Fig. 2, [0029], the UE includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver to obtain position, navigation and timing. [0039], the UE rely on GNSS for continued timing and frequency synchronization information). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hong to have the features, as taught by Gulati in order to provide synchronization to UEs that have lost communication with a eNB as a synchronization source (Gulati, [0006]). As to claim 28, Hong teaches wherein a first time domain resource in the first time interval is configured to be used by a circuit of the terminal device to acquire the synchronization information (Hong, Fig. 6, [0084], the UE receives the random access response with TAC information for synchronization. [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots. [0360], Fig. 18, a receiver 1830 in the UE 1800 to receive the signals described), wherein the first time domain resource is at least part of time domain resources in the first time interval (Hong, [0273], [0276]-[0277], the ra-ResponseWindow is a window in the time domain to monitor for the random access response. The ra-ResponseWindow has occasions and expires. This indicates that the ra-ResponseWindow includes time resources to receive the random access response. [0286], the ra-ResponseWindow is configured with slots). Hong teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Hong further discloses in [0360] and Fig. 18 a receiver 1830 in the UE 1800 to receive the signals described. Hong does not explicitly teach the following underlined features: regarding claim 28, a positioning circuit. However, Gulati teaches a positioning circuit (Gulati, Fig. 2, [0029], the UE includes a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver to obtain position, navigation and timing. [0039], the UE rely on GNSS for continued timing and frequency synchronization information). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hong to have the features, as taught by Gulati in order to provide synchronization to UEs that have lost communication with a eNB as a synchronization source (Gulati, [0006]). Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hong (US 2022/0007455) in view of Cao et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11,641,633), hereinafter “Cao”. As to claim 25, Hong teaches wherein the first time interval is before the first physical channel or signal in time domain (Hong, Fig. 6, [0085], [0284]-[0285], the ra-ResponseWindow (window to receive the RAR) occurs before the UE applies the TAC for the scheduled transmissions (i.e. message 3)). Hong teaches the claimed limitations as stated above. Hong does not explicitly teach the following features: regarding claim 25, the second offset value is used to determine a distance between the end position of the first time interval and a start position of the first physical channel or signal, or the first time interval is after the first physical channel or signal in the time domain, and the second offset value is used to determine a distance between an end position of the first physical channel or signal and the end position of the first time interval. However, Cao teaches the second offset value is used to determine a distance between the end position of the first time interval and a start position of the first physical channel or signal (Cao, col 11 ln 32-37, Fig. 3, the determined relative timing offset is used to advance or delay the transmission of the data unit 304 by a distance from the defined time period after then end of the synchronization data unit 302 and the transmission of the data unit 304), or the first time interval is after the first physical channel or signal in the time domain, and the second offset value is used to determine a distance between an end position of the first physical channel or signal and the end position of the first time interval. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hong to have the features, as taught by Cao in order to synchronize transmissions increase throughput and transmit power gain (Cao, col 3 ln 16-42). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Sakhnini et al. U.S. Patent No. 11,540,324 – Variable random access channel contention resolution window in a non-terrestrial network. Lei et al. US Patent Application no. 2022/0377801 – Systems and methods for latency reduction for 2-step random access channel (RACH) hybrid automatic repeat requests (HARQ). Soulie et al. US Patent Application no. 2003/0058834 – Method for synchronization terrestrial nodes equipped with GNSS receivers and belonging to a terrestrial network. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICARDO H CASTANEYRA whose telephone number is (571)272-2486. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am - 5:30pm. 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, Kwang bin Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. 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. /RICARDO H CASTANEYRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 21, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
74%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+24.1%)
2y 9m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 415 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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