DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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 § 103
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-3, 7, 12-13, 15-17, 21, 26-27, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kung et al (US 20220046510, hereinafter referred to as Kung) in view of Cui et al (US 20240179758, hereinafter referred to as Cui) and further in view of Jeon (US 20220132596, hereinafter referred to as Jeon).
Re claim 1, Kung teaches an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (UE, Fig. 3, Fig. 6-8), comprising:
(i) one or more memories (310, Fig. 3) storing processor-executable code (312, Fig. 3) (Par 0040); and
(ii) one or more processors (308, Fig. 3) coupled with the one or more memories (310, Fig. 3) (Par 0040), at least one processor of the one or more processors configured to cause the UE to:
(iii) receive, from a network node via a source cell (source cell 606, Fig. 6), a medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) triggering a handover from the source cell to a target cell (second information (Par 0369, Par 0376, Par 0430, Fig. 10)/MAC CE initiating L1/L2 mobility procedure from a source cell 606 to a target cell 604, step 616, Fig. 6, Par 0435) in an activated cell set configured for Layer 1/Layer 2 (L1/L2) mobility (first information (Par 0369, Par 0395-0398, Par 0422, Par 0500-0501, Fig. 10)/RRC message containing cell configuration, step 608, Fig. 6, Par 0435);
(iv) receive, from the network node (network node/base station associated with the source and target cell, Par 0029, Par 0502-0503, Par 0622), information (second information/MAC CE initiating L1/L2 mobility procedure from a source cell 606 to a target cell 604, step 616, Fig. 6, Par 0435) dynamically indicating a set of physical random access channel (PRACH) parameters for the target cell (second information/MAC CE contains parameters for dedicated/contention free (CFRA) random access procedure, Par 0436 (dedicated RACH configuration), Par 0386-0392, Par 0405-0406, Par 0414, Par 0432, Par 0435) in accordance with the MAC-CE triggering the handover to the target cell (second information /MAC CE initiating L1/L2 mobility procedure from a source cell 606 to a target cell 604, Par 0432, Par 0435, Par 0500-0501, Fig. 6, Fig. 10); and
(v) transmit, to the network node (network node/base station associated with the source and target cell, Par 0029, Par 0502-0503, Par 0622) via the target cell (604, Fig. 6/second cell, Fig. 10-11) a PRACH preamble to initiate an aperiodic contention-free random access (CFRA) procedure (transmitting preamble to perform a contention free random access procedure with the target cell, step 618, Fig. 6, Par 0377, Par 0405-0408, Par 0414-0415, Par 0435) associated with the handover to the target cell (handover to the target cell 604, step 618-620, Fig. 6, Par 0435),
(vi) the PRACH transmitted in a random access channel (RACH) occasion (transmitting the preamble using a PRACH occasion, CFRA-CSIRS-Resource field descriptions, ra-OcassionList, Pg. 14, RA occasions, CFRA field descriptions, Pg. 14, RA occasions, CFRA two step field descriptions, Pg. 15, Par 0364, Par 0405-0408), in a PRACH slot (RA occasions are associated with a PRACH slot, CFRA-CSIRS-Resource field descriptions, ra-OcassionList, Pg. 14 –" Each RACH occasion is sequentially numbered, first, in increasing order of frequency resource indexes for frequency multiplexed PRACH occasions; second, in increasing order of time resource indexes for time multiplexed PRACH occasions within a PRACH slot and Third, in increasing order of indexes for PRACH slots”) based on the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters for the target cell (second information/MAC CE contains parameters for dedicated/contention free (CFRA) random access procedure, Par 0436 (dedicated RACH configuration), Par 0386-0392, Par 0405-0406, Par 0414, Par 0432, Par 0435 ---Kung does not explicitly disclose transmitting the PRACH preamble in a PRACH occasion/slot associated with a slot offset indication).
Kung discloses to determine a RACH occasion based on the reference signal information (ssb-perRACH-Occasion, number of SSBs per RACH occasion, CFRA field descriptions, Pg. 14, CFRA two step field descriptions, Pg. 15, Par 0092-0093, Par 0364, Par 0405, Par 0141). However, Kung does not disclose to (vii) transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication included in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters for the target cell.
Re component (vii), Cui teaches to transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication (determining a random access occasion (RO) to transmit CFRA preamble by applying a timing offset) (Fig. 1, Par 0020-0023, Par 0029-0033, Par 0088-0090, Par 0113).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication, as taught by Cui for the purpose of defining a timing source to provide consistency and reproducibility in the manner in which the location of a random access occasion (RO) is measured, as taught by Cui (Par 0018-0019).
The combination of Kung and Cui teaches to transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication. However, the of Kung and Cui does not disclose to include the slot offset indication in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters.
Jeon teaches to include a slot offset indication in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters (slot offset (Par 0275) included in a MAC CE triggering an RA procedure) (Par 0271-0276).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to include the slot offset indication in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters, as taught by Jeon for the purpose of providing a manner to select an RA type to improve a spectral efficiency of the radio resource, as taught by Jeon (Par 0250).
Claim 29 recites a method performing the functions recited in claim 1 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1.
Re claims 2, 16, Kung teaches that the information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell is included in the MAC-CE triggering the handover from the source cell to the target cell (second information/MAC CE contains parameters for dedicated/contention free (CFRA) random access procedure, Par 0436 (dedicated RACH configuration), Par 0386-0392, Par 0405-0406, Par 0414, Par 0432, Par 0435).
Re claims 3, 17, Kung teaches that the information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell includes a RACH occasion index associated with the RACH occasion (PRACH occasion) and a preamble index associated with the PRACH preamble (preamble index) (Par 0436 (dedicated RACH configuration), Par 0386-0392, Par 0405-0406, Par 0414, Par 0432, Par 0435).
Re claims 7, 21, Kung does not explicitly disclose to receive, from the network node via the source cell, a radio resource control (RRC) configuration that indicates a periodicity for the multiple PRACH opportunities and a number of PRACH opportunities.
Jeon teaches to receive from the network node via the source cell, a radio resource control (RRC) configuration that indicates a periodicity for the multiple PRACH opportunities and a number of PRACH opportunities (available RACH occasions, periodicity of the RACH occasions) (Par 0271-0279).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to receive from the network node via the source cell, a radio resource control (RRC) configuration that indicates a periodicity for the multiple PRACH opportunities and a number of PRACH opportunities, as taught by Jeon for the purpose of providing a manner to select an RA type to improve a spectral efficiency of the radio resource, as taught by Jeon (Par 0250).
Re claims 12, 26, Kung teaches to receive, from the network node via the source cell prior to the MAC-CE triggering the handover to the target cell, a radio resource control (RRC) configuration that indicates a set of PRACH parameters for the target cell, the PRACH preamble transmitted according to the set of PRACH parameters indicated in the RRC configuration (first information/RRC message includes PRACH parameters) (Fig. 6, Par 0369, Par 0386, Par 0395-0398, Par 0403-0407, Par 0422, Par 0435, Par 0500-0501).
Re claims 13, 27, Kung teaches that he information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell includes a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state associated with the target cell (Par 0446-0447, Par 0467-0468, Par 0472-0473, Par 0495-0496).
Re claim 15, Kung teaches an apparatus (network node/base station associated with the source and target cell, Par 0029, Par 0502-0503, Par 0622, Fig. 3, Fig. 11) for wireless communication at a network node, comprising:
(i) one or more memories (310, Fig. 3) storing processor-executable code (312, Fig. 3) (Par 0040); and
(ii) one or more processors (308, Fig. 3) coupled with the one or more memories (310, Fig. 3, Par 0040), at least one processor of the one or more processors configured to cause the network node to:
(iii) transmit, to a user equipment (UE) via a source cell (source cell 606, Fig. 6), a medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) triggering a handover from the source cell to a target cell (second information (Par 0369, Par 0376, Par 0430, Fig. 10)/MAC CE initiating L1/L2 mobility procedure from a source cell 606 to a target cell 604, step 616, Fig. 6, Par 0435) in an activated cell set configured for Layer 1/Layer 2 (L1/L2) mobility (first information (Par 0369, Par 0395-0398, Par 0422, Par 0500-0501, Fig. 10)/RRC message containing cell configuration, step 608, Fig. 6, Par 0435, Fig. 11, Par 0502);
(iv) transmit, to the UE, information (second information/MAC CE initiating L1/L2 mobility procedure from a source cell 606 to a target cell 604, step 616, Fig. 6, Par 0435) dynamically indicating a set of physical random access channel (PRACH) parameters for the target cell (second information/MAC CE contains parameters for dedicated/contention free (CFRA) random access procedure, Par 0436 (dedicated RACH configuration), Par 0386-0392, Par 0405-0406, Par 0414, Par 0432, Par 0435) in accordance with the MAC-CE triggering the handover to the target cell (second information /MAC CE initiating L1/L2 mobility procedure from a source cell 606 to a target cell 604, Par 0432, Par 0435, Par 0500-0501, Fig. 6, Fig. 10); and
(v) receive, from the UE via the target cell (604, Fig. 6/second cell, Fig. 10-11) a PRACH preamble to initiate an aperiodic contention-free random access (CFRA) procedure (transmitting preamble to perform a contention free random access procedure with the target cell, step 618, Fig. 6, Par 0377, Par 0405-0408, Par 0414-0415, Par 0435) associated with the handover to the target cell (handover to the target cell 604, step 618-620, Fig. 6, Par 0435),
(vi) the PRACH transmitted in a random access channel (RACH) occasion (transmitting the preamble using a PRACH occasion, CFRA-CSIRS-Resource field descriptions, ra-OcassionList, Pg. 14, RA occasions, CFRA field descriptions, Pg. 14, RA occasions, CFRA two step field descriptions, Pg. 15, Par 0364, Par 0405-0408), in a PRACH slot (RA occasions are associated with a PRACH slot, CFRA-CSIRS-Resource field descriptions, ra-OcassionList, Pg. 14 –" Each RACH occasion is sequentially numbered, first, in increasing order of frequency resource indexes for frequency multiplexed PRACH occasions; second, in increasing order of time resource indexes for time multiplexed PRACH occasions within a PRACH slot and Third, in increasing order of indexes for PRACH slots”) associated with a slot offset indication included in based on the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters for the target cell (second information/MAC CE contains parameters for dedicated/contention free (CFRA) random access procedure, Par 0436 (dedicated RACH configuration), Par 0386-0392, Par 0405-0406, Par 0414, Par 0432, Par 0435 ---Kung does not explicitly disclose transmitting the PRACH preamble in a PRACH occasion/slot associated with a slot offset indication).
Kung discloses to determine a RACH occasion based on the reference signal information (ssb-perRACH-Occasion, number of SSBs per RACH occasion, CFRA field descriptions, Pg. 14, CFRA two step field descriptions, Pg. 15, Par 0092-0093, Par 0364, Par 0405, Par 0141). However, Kung does not disclose to (vii) transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication included in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters for the target cell.
Re component (vii), Cui teaches to transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication (determining a random access occasion (RO) to transmit CFRA preamble by applying a timing offset) (Fig. 1, Par 0020-0023, Par 0029-0033, Par 0088-0090, Par 0113).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication, as taught by Cui for the purpose of defining a timing source to provide consistency and reproducibility in the manner in which the location of a random access occasion (RO) is measured, as taught by Cui (Par 0018-0019).
The combination of Kung and Cui teaches to transmit the PRACH in a random access channel (RACH) occasion in a PRACH slot associated with a slot offset indication. However, the of Kung and Cui does not disclose to include the slot offset indication in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters.
Jeon teaches to include a slot offset indication in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters (slot offset (Par 0275) included in a MAC CE triggering an RA procedure) (Par 0271-0276).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to include the slot offset indication in the dynamically indicated set of PRACH parameters, as taught by Jeon for the purpose of providing a manner to select an RA type to improve a spectral efficiency of the radio resource, as taught by Jeon (Par 0250).
Claim 30 recites a method performing the functions recited in claim 15 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 15.
4. Claims 5-6 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kung, Cui, and Jeon as applied to claim 2 above and further in view of Agiwal et al (US 20190037605, hereinafter referred to as Agiwal).
Re claims 5, 19, Kung does not explicitly disclose that responsive to a determination that a random access response (RAR) was not received from the target cell during an RAR window, retransmit, to the network node via the target cell, the PRACH preamble to initiate the aperiodic CFRA procedure in the target cell in a RACH occasion in a subsequent PRACH slot responsive to the MAC-CE configuring multiple PRACH opportunities.
Agiwal teaches that responsive to a determination that a random access response (RAR) was not received from the target cell during an RAR window (RAR not successfully received), retransmit, to the network node via the target cell, the PRACH preamble to initiate the aperiodic CFRA procedure in the target cell in a RACH occasion in a subsequent PRACH slot responsive to the MAC-CE configuring multiple PRACH opportunities (retransmitting PRACH preamble in a subsequent slot) (Fig. 11-12, Fig. 16, Fig. 25, Fig. 27, Par 0200-0205, Par 0209-0213, Par 0396-0397, Par 0404-0405).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step that responsive to a determination that a random access response (RAR) was not received from the target cell during an RAR window, retransmit, to the network node via the target cell, the PRACH preamble to initiate the aperiodic CFRA procedure in the target cell in a RACH occasion in a subsequent PRACH slot responsive to the MAC-CE configuring multiple PRACH opportunities, as taught by Agiwal for the purpose of efficiently selecting PRACH preamble and PRACH resources/occasions during the random access procedure, as taught by Agiwal (Par 0002, Par 0024, Par 0026).
Re claims 6, 20, Kung does not explicitly disclose that the RAR window has a short duration responsive to the MAC-CE configuring multiple PRACH opportunities.
Agiwal teaches that the RAR window has a short duration responsive to the MAC-CE configuring multiple PRACH opportunities (Short RAR window, Fig. 25, Fig. 30) (Par 0396-0401, Par 0405-0411).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step that the RAR window has a short duration responsive to the MAC-CE configuring multiple PRACH opportunities, as taught by Agiwal for the purpose of efficiently selecting PRACH preamble and PRACH resources/occasions during the random access procedure, as taught by Agiwal (Par 0002, Par 0024, Par 0026).
5. Claims 8, 10-11, 22, 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kung, Cui, and Jeon as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Deng et al (US 20160119831, hereinafter referred to as Deng).
Re claims 8, 22, Deng does not explicitly disclose to receive from the network node via the target cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order that includes a trigger for initiating the aperiodic CFRA procedure in the target cell, the information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell included in the PDCCH order.
Deng teaches to receive from the network node via the target cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order that includes a trigger for initiating the aperiodic CFRA procedure in the target cell (receiving DCI from the target cell to initiate RA procedure), the information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell included in the PDCCH order (DCI includes dedicated random access preamble) (Fig. 2, Par 0075, Par 0099-0100).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to receive from the network node via the target cell, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order that includes a trigger for initiating the aperiodic CFRA procedure in the target cell, the information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell included in the PDCCH order, as taught by Deng for the purpose of providing a mobility procedure to a user equipment to reduce latency and improve resource utilization, as taught by Deng (Par 0005-0006).
Re claims 10, 24, Kung does not explicitly disclose that the slot offset indication is defined relative to a slot in which the PDCCH order is received.
Cui teaches that the slot offset indication is defined relative to a slot in which the PDCCH order is received (timing offset is determined after receiving the PDCCH order indicating the SSB) (Fig. 1, Par 0021-0023, Par 0029-0033, Par 0069-0070, Par 0088, Par 0113).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step that the slot offset indication is defined relative to a slot in which the PDCCH order is received, as taught by Cui for the purpose of defining a timing source to provide consistency and reproducibility in the manner in which the location of a random access occasion (RO) is measured, as taught by Cui (Par 0018-0019).
Re claims 11, 25, Kung teaches that the information dynamically indicating the set of PRACH parameters for the target cell includes a RACH occasion index associated with the RACH occasion and a preamble index associated with the PRACH preamble (DCI includes preamble index, RACH occasions) (Par 0078, Par 0357-0365, Par 0405-0406, Par 0425).
6. Claims 14 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kung, Cui, and Jeon as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Lei et al (US 20210195653 A1, hereinafter referred to as Lei).
Re claims 14, 28, Kung does not explicitly disclose to transmit, to the network node, UE capability information that indicates a minimum value for the slot offset indication.
Lei teaches to transmit, to the network node, UE capability information that indicates a minimum value for the slot offset indication (reduced capability information for timeline relaxation) (Fig. 13-14, Fig. 17, Par 0104-0105, Par 0116-0119, Par 0125, Par 0136).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Kung by including the step to transmit, to the network node, UE capability information that indicates a minimum value for the slot offset indication, as taught by Lei for the purpose of providing “random access response (RAR) enhancement capabilities for user equipments (UEs) with reduced capabilities”, as taught by Lei (Par 0002).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9, 18, and 23 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARUN UR R CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3895. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B Yao can be reached at 5712723182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARUN CHOWDHURY/Examiner, Art Unit 2473