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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7, 9-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tutinen et al. (hereinafter Tutinen)(US 2023/0070545 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Tutinen teaches a method performed by a terminal for a wireless communication system, the method comprising: identifying whether a random access type is switched from a 2-step random access to a 4- step random access(P[0064], 2-step RA procedure switch to 4-step RA);
in case that the random access type is switched from the 2-step random access to the 4- step random access, identifying whether a random access preambles group was selected during a 2-step random access procedure(P[0064], group of preambles that is configured; select preambles from group of preambles; group of preambles for a 2-step RA type may be Random access preambles group A);
in case that the random access preambles group was not selected during the 2-step random access procedure, selecting a random access preambles group for a 4-step random access procedure based on physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource configuration for the 2- step random access procedure and configuration for random access preambles group associated with the PUSCH resource configuration(P[0064], 2-step procedure is not successfully completed; switch to 4-step; RA preambles group A or RA preambles group B for a 4-step RA; P[0063], PUSCH);
in case that the random access preambles group was selected during the 2-step random access procedure, selecting a random access preambles group for the 4-step random access procedure the same as selected for the 2-step random access procedure(P[0048], groups of preambles for the 2-step RA and the same selecting selection method as used in the 4-step RA); and
performing a random access preamble transmission for the 4-step random access procedure based on the selected random access preambles group(P[0046], perform a RA procedure; select a preamble for transmission; in the 4-step RA).
Regarding claim 3, Tutinen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein, in case that the PUSCH resource configuration for the 2-step random access procedure corresponds to a random access preambles group B, the random access preambles group B is selected for the random access preambles group for the 4-step random access procedure(P[0046], 4-step RA procedure; select between random access preambles group A and group B based on condition based on the size of service data; P[0064], the first group of preambles with the matched TB size may be either Random Access Preambles group A or Random Access Preambles group B for a 2-step RA type and the group of preambles that is corresponding with the first group of preambles for a 2-step RA type may be either Random Access Preambles group A or Random Access Preambles group B for a 4-step RA, respectively).
Regarding claim 4, Tutinen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein, in case that the PUSCH resource configuration for the 2-step random access procedure corresponds to a random access preambles group A, the random access preambles group A is selected for the random access preambles group for the 4-step random access procedure(P[0046], 4-step RA procedure; select between random access preambles group A and group B based on condition based on the size of service data; P[0064], the first group of preambles with the matched TB size may be either Random Access Preambles group A or Random Access Preambles group B for a 2-step RA type and the group of preambles that is corresponding with the first group of preambles for a 2-step RA type may be either Random Access Preambles group A or Random Access Preambles group B for a 4-step RA, respectively).
Regarding claim 5, Tutinen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the random access type is switched from the 2-step random access to the 4-step random access based on an expiration of a random access response window for the 2-step random access procedure(Table 3; Response window size expires; 2-step RA; 4-step RA).
Claims 7, 9-11 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 1, 2--5 respectively.
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(s) 5-6 and 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (hereinafter Lin)(US 2022/0225433 A1) in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)(US 2020/0146069).
Regarding claim 6, Lin teaches all the particulars of the claim except the method, wherein the random access type is switched from the 2-step random access to the 4-step random access based on an expiration of a contention resolution timer for the 2-step random access procedure. However, Chen teaches in an analogous art wherein the random access type is switched from the 2-step random access to the 4-step random access based on an expiration of a contention resolution timer for the 2-step random access procedure (P[0053], contention resolution timer expires). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method wherein the random access type is switched from the 2-step random access to the 4-step random access based on an expiration of a contention resolution timer for the 2-step random access procedure in order to have improved efficiency.
Claims 12 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 5-6 respectively.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 MUTHUSWAMY GANAPATHY MANOHARAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5515. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30am-3:00pm.
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, Alison T Slater can be reached at 571-270-0375. 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.
/MUTHUSWAMY G MANOHARAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Prosecution Insights