DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1-2, 12, 14, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kordyback et al. (WO 2021/219223 A1)(“Kordyback”).
As per claim 1, Kordyback teaches a terminal device (i.e., UE, see Fig. 11, ref. 11), comprising:
one or more transceivers Id.; and
one or more processors coupled to the one or more transceivers Id., wherein the one or more transceivers are configured with the one or more processors to cause the terminal device to:
receive, from a network device (i.e., a source node, see for example, Fig. 11, ref. 12), a resource configuration for a contention-free random access (CFRA) (see pp. 4, line 30-pp. 5, line 6, also see pp. 5, line 7-19, “…the source node [network device] may configure and/or send to the UE a CFRA preamble to beam Z1 [in the target (i.e., future serving) cell B]”), wherein the resource configuration indicates a plurality of CFRA resources (i.e., “plurality of different contention-free random access preambles”, see pp. 4, line 30-pp. 5, line 6) each associated with a respective synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block (SSB) index or channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) index (see pp. 4, lines 7-14, “…at least one index of a synchronization signal block associated with the target node … and/or at least one index of a channel state information reference signal”), and the plurality of CFRA resources are applicable for timing advance (TA) acquiring in a target network device (i.e., target node/cell B, see for example, Fig. 11, ref. 13, also see pp. 28, lines 16-18, where the preambles are for acquiring a corresponding RACH response from a target node, where impliedly the RACH response comprises TA information in order to synchronize timing between the UE and target node/cell B); and
transmit, to the target network device, one or more CFRA physical random access channels (PRACHs) based on the resource configuration (i.e., “the UE 11 may send PRACH preamble e12 to the target node 13”, see pp. 28, lines 16-18).
As per claim 2, Kordyback further teaches wherein the plurality of CFRA resources are valid before one of: reception of a cell switch command (i.e., prior to a handover command, see Fig. 11, ref. e9 and pp. 28, lines 3-11, and/or see pp. 2, lines 25-28, “…waits until at least one execution condition is fulfilled, prior to executing the handover”).
Claim 12 is rejected under the same rationale as claim 1 since they recite substantially identical subject matter. Any differences between the claims do not result in patentably distinct claims and all of the limitations are taught by the above cited art.
As per claim 14, Kordyback further teaches wherein the plurality of CFRA resources include a first CFRA resource for a transmission of a CFRA PRACH and one or more additional CFRA resources (i.e., “plurality of different contention-free random access preambles”, see pp. 4, line 30-pp. 5, line 6).
As per claim 16, Kordyback further teaches wherein the network device is further caused to: transmit, to the terminal device, a PDCCH or a physical downlink shared channel with a quasi co-location assumption associated with as an SSB index or a CSI-RS index associated with a CFRA resource of the plurality of CFRA resources (see for example, pp. 4, line 30 – pp. 5, line 6 , and pp. 11, lines 10-14, “wherein the source beam information [associated with at least one of the CFRA preambles, and transmitted to / used by the user equipment] may comprise an index of last SSB and/or CSI-RS that is quasi co-located (QCL) with demodulation reference signals, DMRS, of a Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH, and/or a Physical Downlink Shared Channel, PDSCH”).
Claims 17-18 are rejected under the same rationale as claims 1-2 since they recite substantially identical subject matter. Any differences between the claims do not result in patentably distinct claims and all of the limitations are taught by the above cited art.
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 of this title, 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 3, 5-9, 15 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kordyback, in view of YOU et al. (US 2019/0356376)(“YOU”).
As per claim 3, Kordyback does not expressly teach wherein the terminal device is further caused to: start the first timer based on a transmission of a CFRA PRACH or reception of the plurality of CRFA resources.
Nevertheless, in the same art of beam management/maintenance, YOU teaches the use of a timer associated with a CFRA PRACH resources that is started when configuration information for the CFRA PRACH is received or transmitted (see ¶0070).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention, to similarly associate the PRACH resources with a timer as taught by YOU. The obvious motivation for doing so would have been to reserve CFRA PRACH resources for a period of time and/or ensure unused preambles/resources are released for reuse by other connecting UEs.
As per claim 5, Kordyback further teaches wherein the first CFRA resource is for a transmission of a current CFRA PRACH (i.e., using a first/current CFRA PRACH to receive a RACH response from the target node 13, see pp. 28, lines 16-18).
However, Kordyback, does not expressly teach, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:
perform, based on determining that a first quality of an SSB index or a CSI-RS index associated with a first CFRA resource of the plurality of CFRA resources is lower than a first predetermined value, a selection of a second CFRA resource for a transmission of a second CFRA PRACH from the plurality of CFRA resources.
Nevertheless, in the same art of as noted above, YOU teaches, performing, based on determining that a first quality of an SSB index or a CSI-RS index associated with a first CFRA resource of the plurality of CFRA resources is lower than a first predetermined value (see ¶0038, i.e., quality of none of the serving beams meets a condition, read as a first predetermined value), a selection of a second CFRA resource, from a plurality of retained CFRA resources, for a transmission of a second CFRA PRACH (i.e., performing a beam recovery request using the retained first resource/CFRA resources, e.g., preamble 1, 2, or 3, see abstract, ¶0045, and ¶0066, i.e., “After the random access succeeds, the preamble 1, the preamble 2, and the preamble 3 are not discarded. In other words, sequences indicated by the pre amble 1, the preamble 2, and the preamble 3 continue to be retained for the terminal for use.” Also see ¶0006, “when a beam failure occurs later, the terminal can continue to perform beam failure recovery using the indicated first resource [e.g., preamble 1, 2, or 3], with no need to be notified by dedicated signaling, for example, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message. Therefore, a beam failure recovery latency and signaling overheads can be reduced”).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Kordyback with the teachings of YOU to retain the plurality of target node CFRA preambles/resources in Kordyback (see Kordyback pp. 4, line 30-pp. 5, line 6) for selecting a second CFRA PRACH, from the plurality of CFRA resources, in response to a beam failure recovery request. The obvious motivation for doing so would have been to reduce beam failure recovery latency and signaling overheads with the target node/network device in Kordyback (see YOU, abstract)
As per claim 6, Kordyback further teaches wherein the plurality of CFRA resources include the first CFRA resource for a transmission of a CFRA PRACH and one or more additional CFRA resources (see pp. 4, line 30-pp. 5, line 6, i.e., “plurality, of different contention-free random access (CFRA) preambles…”).
As per claim 7, Kordyback does not expressly teach, however, in the same art as noted above, YOU further teaches wherein the terminal device is further caused to:
transmit an indication of a failure in beam maintenance to the network device (i.e., “beam failure recovery request”) based on determining that the SSB indices or CSI-RS indices associated with the one or more additional CFRA resources have qualities lower than the first predetermined value or lower than the first quality (see ¶0038).
The same motivation for combining Kordyback and YOU in claim 5 applies equally well to claim 7.
As per claim 8, Kordyback does not expressly teach, however, in the same art as noted above, YOU further teaches wherein an SSB index or a CSI-RS index associated with the second CFRA resource has better quality than the first quality, or a quality above a second predetermined value (see ¶0038, “To be specific, the terminal re-determines, from candidate beams (or referred to as candidate SSBs or candidate CSI RSs), a beam (or referred to as an SSB or a CSI-RS) whose quality meets the condition…”).
The same motivation for combining Kordyback and YOU in claim 5 applies equally well to claim 8.
As per claim 9, Kordyback does not expressly teach, however, in the same art as noted above, YOU further teaches wherein the terminal device is further caused to:
measure qualities of the SSB indices or CSI-RS indices associated with the plurality of CFRA resources, wherein the selection of the second CFRA resource is based on the measuring see ¶0038, “To be specific, the terminal re-determines, from candidate beams (or referred to as candidate SSBs or candidate CSI RSs), a beam (or referred to as an SSB or a CSI-RS) whose quality meets the condition…”, which implies measuring qualities of candidate beams from the SSB/CSI-RS indices [each beam associated with a CFRA resource, i.e., first preamble, second preamble, etc., see ¶0050], in order to determine a beam that meets the quality condition).
The same motivation for combining Kordyback and YOU in claim 5 applies equally well to claim 9.
Claims 15 and 19-20 are rejected under the same rationale as claims 5-9 since they recite substantially identical subject matter. Any differences between the claims do not result in patentably distinct claims and all of the limitations are taught by the above cited art.
Claims 4 and 13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kordyback, in view of Li et al. (US 11,778,659)(“Li”).
As per claims 4 and 13, Kordyback further teaches wherein the resource configuration is received in an …order triggering a CFRA process (see for example, pp. 18, lines 15-21, “source node may configure and/or send to the UE a CFRA preamble … triggering a new CHO Request”, read as a CFRA process)
However, Kordyback does not expressly teach the resource configuration is received in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH).
Nevertheless using PDCCH to send/receive control messages, indicating configuration information, such as preambles, to use for a random access procedure was well known in the art, prior to the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention (see for example, Li, col. 2, lines 44-53).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use PDCCH/DCI for sending configuration information regarding the different CFRA resources/preambles in Kordyback. The obvious motivation for doing so would have been to conform the signaling of the CFRA preambles in Kordyback to 3GPP standards channels (e.g., PDCCH) for receiving configuration/control information.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kordyback, and YOU, in further view of Chen (US 2020/0236713)(“Chen”).
As per claim 10, Kordyback in view of YOU does not expressly teach, wherein the terminal device is further caused to:
monitor, with an SSB index or a CSI-RS index associated with the second CFRA resource, a PDCCH or a physical downlink shared channel, PDSCH, from a target cell after a predefined time period following the transmission of the second CRFA PRACH.
Nevertheless, in the same art of random access processes, specifically with regard to beam selection, Chen teaches selecting a second preamble/CFRA PRACH for connecting to a next beam of a base station following expiration of a predefined time period (i.e., preset RAR time window, see abstract).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, prior to the earliest effective filing date of the claimed invention, to similar incorporate the teachings of the RAR time window within the random access processes taught by Kordyback and YOU for selecting, following expiration of a RAR time window, a next beam of the target node to connect to. The obvious motivation for doing so would have been to reduce waiting time for deciding when to reconnect with another beam (i.e., SSB/CSI-RS index associated with a third CFRA).
As per claim 11, Kordyback in view of YOU does not expressly teach however in the same art as noted above Chen further teaches:
start a second timer upon the transmission of the second CFRA PRACH, wherein the second timer is used for timing the predefined time period (i.e., preset RAR time window, see abstract).
The same motivation for combining Kordyback and YOU with the teachings of Chen in claim 10 applies equally well to claim 11.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure (see PTO 892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Brendan Higa whose telephone number is (571)272-5823. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/BRENDAN Y HIGA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2441