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 .
The office action is non-final due to a new ground of rejection in response to Applicant’s arguments filed on 4/8/2026.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 4/8/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments on pages 8-11 with respect to claims 1 and 18-20 have been considered but are moot upon a further consideration and a new ground of rejection made under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fakoorian (US PGPub 2026/0164463).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fakoorian (US PGPub 2026/0164463).
Regarding claims 1 and 18-20, Fakoorian teaches a method performed by a wireless device (Fakoorian, see abstract, Systems, methods, and apparatus for a UE to demand message 3 (Msg3) repetition during a contention-based random access (CBRA) procedure are disclosed), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station, a system information block 1 (SIB1), wherein the SIB1 comprises one or more first threshold values (Fakoorian, see paragraphs 0024 and 0035, the RAN 104 (and, more particularly, the base station 106 and/or other base stations of the RAN 104) may transmit (e.g., broadcast) information that is usable by any number of UEs to perform a random access procedure. The information may include … system information. The additional RSRP threshold is referred to as rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL); and
performing a first type random access or a second type random access based on a first threshold value of the one or more first threshold values (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0036, the UE may select a SUL carrier for performing a CBRA procedure when T<T2. Otherwise, the UE may select a NUL carrier for performing a CBRA procedure when T>T2),
wherein in the first type random access: a first transmission of a Msg3 is performed based on a random access response (RAR); and one or more retransmissions of the Msg3 follow based on the RAR (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0048, the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a third RSRP threshold (T3). In these embodiments, the third RSRP threshold may assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition on a NUL carrier),
wherein in the second type random access: a first transmission of the Msg3 is performed based on the RAR; and retransmission of the Msg3 based on the RAR does not follow (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0049, the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a third RSRP threshold (T3). In these embodiments, the third RSRP threshold may assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition … on a SUL carrier),
wherein transmission power of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) for the Msg3 is determined based on a power offset (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles)),
wherein the power offset is an offset between the Msg3 transmission and a preamble transmission (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, msg3-DeltaPreamble is the power offset),
wherein the power offset is determined based on a power offset parameter of a first container in case that: the first type random access is performed; and
the power offset parameter of the first container is present in the first container (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles). Otherwise, if the UE determines (at 610) that the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.N1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 612) a RACH preamble from a first subset of RACH preambles within the first group of RACH preambles, which RACH preambles are associated with a demand for Msg3 repetition), and
wherein the power offset is determined based on a power offset parameter of a second container in case that: the second type random access is performed; and the power offset parameter of the second container is present in the second container (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles). Otherwise, if the UE determines (at 610) that the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.N1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 614) a RACH preamble from a second subset of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group A RACH preambles) within the first group of RACH preambles, which RACH preambles are not associated with a demand for Msg3 repetition).
Regarding claim 2, Fakoorian teaches wherein:
the first container comprises one or more parameters for the first type random access (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles)); and
the second container comprises one or more parameters for the second type random access (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, if the UE determines (at 610) that the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.N1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 614) a RACH preamble from a second subset of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group A RACH preambles) within the first group of RACH preambles).
Regarding claim 3, Fakoorian teaches wherein the first container and the second container are included in the SIB1 (Fakoorian, see paragraphs 0024 and 0035, the RAN 104 (and, more particularly, the base station 106 and/or other base stations of the RAN 104) may transmit (e.g., broadcast) information that is usable by any number of UEs to perform a random access procedure. The information may include … system information. The additional RSRP threshold is referred to as rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL).
Regarding claim 4, Fakoorian teaches wherein the power offset is determined based on the power offset parameter of the second container in case that:
the first type random access is performed; and
the power offset parameter of the first container is absent in the first container (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles). Otherwise, if the UE determines (at 610) that the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.N1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 612) a RACH preamble from a first subset of RACH preambles within the first group of RACH preambles, which RACH preambles are associated with a demand for Msg3 repetition).
Regarding claim 5, Fakoorian teaches wherein the power offset is determined based on a specific predefined value in case that:
the first type random access is performed;
the power offset parameter of the first container is absent in the first container (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles). Otherwise, if the UE determines (at 610) that the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.N1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 612) a RACH preamble from a first subset of RACH preambles within the first group of RACH preambles, which RACH preambles are associated with a demand for Msg3 repetition); and
the power offset parameter of the second container is absent in the second container (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0056, If the UE then determines (at 606) that the Msg3 size is greater than ra-Msg3sizeGroupA and the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.L1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 608) a RACH preamble from the second group of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group B RACH preambles). Otherwise, if the UE determines (at 610) that the downlink pathloss is less than PCMAX-T.sub.N1-msg3-DeltaPreamble-messagePowerOffsetGroupB, the UE may select (at 614) a RACH preamble from a second subset of RACH preambles (e.g., the Group A RACH preambles) within the first group of RACH preambles, which RACH preambles are not associated with a demand for Msg3 repetition).
Regarding claim 6, Fakoorian teaches wherein the first type random access is performed in case that a reference signal received power (RSRP) of a synchronization signal block (SSB) is less than the first threshold value (Fakoorian, see paragraphs 0024 and 0035, the RAN 104 (and, more particularly, the base station 106 and/or other base stations of the RAN 104) may transmit (e.g., broadcast) information that is usable by any number of UEs to perform a random access procedure. The information may include … system information. The additional RSRP threshold is referred to as rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL).
Regarding claim 7, Fakoorian teaches wherein the second type random access is performed in case that a reference signal received power (RSRP) of a synchronization signal block (SSB) is greater than or equal to the first threshold value (Fakoorian, see paragraphs 0024 and 0035, the RAN 104 (and, more particularly, the base station 106 and/or other base stations of the RAN 104) may transmit (e.g., broadcast) information that is usable by any number of UEs to perform a random access procedure. The information may include … system information. The additional RSRP threshold is referred to as rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL).
Regarding claim 8, Fakoorian teaches wherein a preamble is transmitted in a physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion that is determined based on a PRACH configuration index of the first container in case that the first type random access is performed (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0033, the UE may select a PRACH resource (e.g., a RACH preamble and RO) associated with the selected SSB, and continue performing a CBRA procedure).
Regarding claim 9, Fakoorian teaches wherein a preamble is transmitted in a physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion that is determined based on a PRACH configuration index of the second container in case that the second type random access is performed (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0033, the UE may select a PRACH resource (e.g., a RACH preamble and RO) associated with the selected SSB, and continue performing a CBRA procedure).
Regarding claim 10, Fakoorian teaches wherein a preamble is transmitted with transmission power determined based on a target power level parameter of the first container in case that the first type random access is performed (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0055, the method 500 may further include receiving, from the RAN (e.g., from a base station), a first value (T.sub.L1) of a target power for receiving the RACH preamble at the RAN (e.g., preambleReceivedTargetPower); and the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a second value (T.sub.N1) of a target power for receiving the RACH preamble at the RAN. In practice, T.sub.N1<T.sub.L1).
Regarding claim 11, Fakoorian teaches wherein a preamble is transmitted with transmission power determined based on a target power level parameter of the second container in case that the second type random access is performed (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0055, the method 500 may further include receiving, from the RAN (e.g., from a base station), a first value (T.sub.L1) of a target power for receiving the RACH preamble at the RAN (e.g., preambleReceivedTargetPower); and the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a second value (T.sub.N1) of a target power for receiving the RACH preamble at the RAN. In practice, T.sub.N1<T.sub.L1).
Regarding claim 12, Fakoorian teaches wherein the RAR is received based on a parameter indicating a length of a time interval of the first container in case that the first type random access is performed (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0055, the method 500 may further include receiving, from the RAN (e.g., from a base station), a first value (T.sub.L1) of a target power for receiving the RACH preamble at the RAN (e.g., preambleReceivedTargetPower); and the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a second value (T.sub.N1) of a target power for receiving the RACH preamble at the RAN. In practice, T.sub.N1<T.sub.L1).
Regarding claim 13, Fakoorian teaches wherein a number of the retransmission of the Msg3 is determined based on a specific field of an uplink grant in a specific RAR (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0048, the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a third RSRP threshold (T3). In these embodiments, the third RSRP threshold may assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition on a NUL carrier).
Regarding claim 14, Fakoorian teaches wherein:
the specific field comprises an integer; and
the integer is associated with a repetition number out of n repetition numbers (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0048, the value targeted to assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition (received at 502) may include a third RSRP threshold (T3). In these embodiments, the third RSRP threshold may assist the UE in determining whether to demand Msg3 repetition on a NUL carrier).
Regarding claim 15, Fakoorian teaches wherein an association between integers and the n repetition numbers is provided in the SIB1 (Fakoorian, see paragraphs 0024 and 0035, the RAN 104 (and, more particularly, the base station 106 and/or other base stations of the RAN 104) may transmit (e.g., broadcast) information that is usable by any number of UEs to perform a random access procedure. The information may include … system information. The additional RSRP threshold is referred to as rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL).
Regarding claim 16, Fakoorian teaches wherein the specific RAR comprises a random access preamble identifier corresponding to a transmitted preamble (Fakoorian, see paragraphs 0024 and 0035, the RAN 104 (and, more particularly, the base station 106 and/or other base stations of the RAN 104) may transmit (e.g., broadcast) information that is usable by any number of UEs to perform a random access procedure. The information may include … system information. The additional RSRP threshold is referred to as rsrp-ThresholdSSB-SUL).
Regarding claim 17, Fakoorian teaches wherein:
the first threshold value is determined based on a parameter for a normal uplink in case that random access is to be performed in the normal uplink (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0036, the UE may select a SUL carrier for performing a CBRA procedure when T<T2. Otherwise, the UE may select a NUL carrier for performing a CBRA procedure when T>T2); and
the first threshold value is determined based on a parameter for a supplementary uplink in case that random access is to be performed in the supplementary uplink (Fakoorian, see paragraph 0036, the UE may select a SUL carrier for performing a CBRA procedure when T<T2. Otherwise, the UE may select a NUL carrier for performing a CBRA procedure when T>T2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHONG G KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-0619. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri @ 9am - 5pm.
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/CHONG G KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2443
/NICHOLAS R TAYLOR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2443
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