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 application has been examined.
In preliminary amendments claims 1-35 had been cancelled. Claims 36-55 were added and remain pending.
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.
Claim(s) 36-37, 41-43, 47-49, and 52-53 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0345541; hereinafter Li, with effective filing date of 12/31/2020).
Regarding claim 36 Li discloses a method for wireless communication, performed by a base station, and comprising:
configuring a physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion corresponding to a user equipment (UE) by configuring one or more parameters (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, for example; wherein a UE is configured (by a base station) with PRACH occasions ROs and parameters for RNTI calculations); and
determining a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) based on the PRACH occasion in which a random access preamble is transmitted (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, 0103, 0105, 0117, 0132, among others; wherein an RNTI is calculated based on ROs);
wherein the determining the RNTI based on the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted comprises:
determining a parameter t_id corresponding to the PRACH occasion with a PRACH subcarrier spacing (SCS) comprising 480 kHz or 960 kHz according to a slot index of a reference slot with a specific SCS being 120 kHz in a system frame, and determining the RNTI based on the parameter t_id (paragraphs 0088-0090, 0115-0116; PRACH subcarrier spacing is 480 kHz, and an SCS of a reference slot is 120 kHz, the RA-RNTI may be calculated).
Regarding claim 37 Li discloses the method according to claim 36, wherein: the RNTI comprises at least one of the following: a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI) corresponding to a 4-step random access (RA) process, or a msg-B radio network temporary identifier (MSGB-RNTI) corresponding to a 2-step RA process (paragraph 0248; RA-RNTI processing in the foregoing four-step (4-step) RACH, but also to message B (MSGB)-RNTI processing in the two-step (2-step) RACH).
Regarding claim 41 Li discloses the method according to claim 36, wherein: a specific time duration corresponding to the PRACH occasion comprises a duration of a single slot for a SCS being 120 kHz (paragraphs 0088-0090, 0115-0116; PRACH subcarrier spacing is 480 kHz, and an SCS of a reference slot is 120 kHz).
Regarding claim 42 Li discloses a method for wireless communication, performed by a user equipment (UE), and comprising:
receiving one or more parameters from a base station for a physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion in which a random access preamble is transmitted (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, for example; wherein a UE is configured (by a base station) with PRACH occasions ROs and parameters for RNTI calculations); and
determining a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) based on the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, 0103, 0105, 0117, 0132, among others; wherein an RNTI is calculated based on ROs);
wherein determining the RNTI based on the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted comprises:
determining a parameter t_id corresponding to the PRACH occasion with a PRACH subcarrier spacing (SCS) comprising 480 kHz or 960 kHz according to a slot index of a reference slot with a specific SCS being 120 kHz in a system frame, and determining a RNTI based on the parameter t_id (paragraphs 0088-0090, 0115-0116; PRACH subcarrier spacing is 480 kHz, and an SCS of a reference slot is 120 kHz, the RA-RNTI may be calculated).
Regarding claim 43 Li discloses the method according to claim 42, wherein: the RNTI comprises at least one of the following: a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI) corresponding to a 4-step random access (RA) process, or a msg-B radio network temporary identifier (MSGB-RNTI) corresponding to a 2-step RA process (paragraph 0248; RA-RNTI processing in the foregoing four-step (4-step) RACH, but also to message B (MSGB)-RNTI processing in the two-step (2-step) RACH).
Regarding claim 47 Li discloses the method according to claim 42, wherein: a specific time duration corresponding to the PRACH occasion comprises a duration of a single slot for a SCS being 120 kHz (paragraphs 0088-0090, 0115-0116; PRACH subcarrier spacing is 480 kHz, and an SCS of a reference slot is 120 kHz, the RA-RNTI may be calculated).
Regarding claim 48 Li discloses an apparatus comprising:
a memory storing instructions (memory 902); and
a processor in communication with the memory (processor 901), wherein, when the processor executes the instructions, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to perform:
configuring a physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion corresponding to a user equipment (UE) by configuring one or more parameters (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, for example; wherein a UE is configured (by a base station) with PRACH occasions ROs and parameters for RNTI calculations); and
determining a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) based on the PRACH occasion in which a random access preamble is transmitted (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, 0103, 0105, 0117, 0132, among others; wherein an RNTI is calculated based on ROs);
wherein the determining the RNTI based on the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted comprises:
determining a parameter t_id corresponding to the PRACH occasion with a PRACH subcarrier spacing (SCS) comprising 480 kHz or 960 kHz according to a slot index of a reference slot with a specific SCS being 120 kHz in a system frame, and determining the RNTI based on the parameter t_id (paragraphs 0088-0090, 0115-0116; PRACH subcarrier spacing is 480 kHz, and an SCS of a reference slot is 120 kHz, the RA-RNTI may be calculated).
Regarding claim 49 Li discloses the apparatus according to claim 48, wherein: the RNTI comprises at least one of the following: a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI) corresponding to a 4-step random access (RA) process, or a msg-B radio network temporary identifier (MSGB-RNTI) corresponding to a 2-step RA process (paragraph 0248; RA-RNTI processing in the foregoing four-step (4-step) RACH, but also to message B (MSGB)-RNTI processing in the two-step (2-step) RACH).
Regarding claim 52 Li discloses an apparatus comprising:
a memory storing instructions (memory 902); and
a processor in communication with the memory (processor 901), wherein, when the processor executes the instructions, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving one or more parameters from a base station for a physical random access channel (PRACH) occasion in which a random access preamble is transmitted (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, for example; wherein a UE is configured (by a base station) with PRACH occasions ROs and parameters for RNTI calculations); and
determining a radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) based on the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted (paragraphs 0066-0073, 0078-0086, 0103, 0105, 0117, 0132, among others; wherein an RNTI is calculated based on ROs);
wherein determining the RNTI based on the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted comprises:
determining a parameter t_id corresponding to the PRACH occasion with a PRACH subcarrier spacing (SCS) comprising 480 kHz or 960 kHz according to a slot index of a reference slot with a specific SCS being 120 kHz in a system frame, and determining a RNTI based on the parameter t_id (paragraphs 0088-0090, 0115-0116; PRACH subcarrier spacing is 480 kHz, and an SCS of a reference slot is 120 kHz, the RA-RNTI may be calculated).
Regarding claim 53 Li discloses the apparatus according to claim 52, wherein: the RNTI comprises at least one of the following: a random access RNTI (RA-RNTI) corresponding to a 4-step random access (RA) process, or a msg-B radio network temporary identifier (MSGB-RNTI) corresponding to a 2-step RA process (paragraph 0248; RA-RNTI processing in the foregoing four-step (4-step) RACH, but also to message B (MSGB)-RNTI processing in the two-step (2-step) RACH).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 38-40, 44-46, 50-51, and 54-55 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lin et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0172289; hereinafter Lin, with effective filing date of 04/01/2021).
Regarding claim 38 Li discloses the method according to claim 36. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the one or more parameters comprising an index corresponding to the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted or at least one least significant bit (LSB) of a system frame number (SFN) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 39 Li discloses the method according to claim 38. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the at least one LSB of the SFN is signaled by a downlink control information (DCI) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 40 Li discloses the method according to claim 38. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: in response to a RA window being larger than 10 milliseconds, the at least one LSB of the SFN comprises two bits; or in response to the RA window being smaller than or equal to 10 milliseconds, the at least one LSB of the SFN comprises zero bit (paragraphs 0238-0242; RA duration is 10ms, LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 44 Li discloses the method according to claim 42. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the one or more parameters comprising an index corresponding to the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted or at least one least significant bit (LSB) of a system frame number (SFN) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 45 Li discloses the method according to claim 44. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the at least one LSB of the SFN is signaled by a downlink control information (DCI) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 46 Li discloses the method according to claim 44. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: in response to a RA window being larger than 10 milliseconds, the at least one LSB of the SFN comprises two bits; or in response to the RA window being smaller than or equal to 10 milliseconds, the at least one LSB of the SFN comprises zero bit (paragraphs 0238-0242; RA duration is 10ms, LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 50 Li discloses the apparatus according to claim 48. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the one or more parameters comprising an index corresponding to the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted or at least one least significant bit (LSB) of a system frame number (SFN) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 51 Li discloses the apparatus according to claim 50. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the at least one LSB of the SFN is signaled by a downlink control information (DCI) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 54 Li discloses the apparatus according to claim 52. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the one or more parameters comprising an index corresponding to the PRACH occasion in which the random access preamble is transmitted or at least one least significant bit (LSB) of a system frame number (SFN) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 55 Li discloses the apparatus according to claim 54. Li does not explicitly disclose but Lin, in the same field of endeavor related to RNTI calculation, discloses wherein: the at least one LSB of the SFN is signaled by a downlink control information (DCI) (paragraph 0238; UE detects a DCI scrambled by the corresponding RA-RNTI and LSBs of a SFN field in the DCI format are the same as corresponding LSBs of the SFN where the terminal device 1 transmitted the PRACH, and the terminal device 1 receives a transport block in a corresponding PDSCH within the window, the terminal device 1 may pass the transport block to higher layers. The higher layers may parse the transport block for a random access preamble identity (RAPID) associated with the PRACH transmission. In a case that the higher layers identify the RAPID in RAR message(s) of the transport block, the higher layers may indicate an uplink grant to the physical layer. The terminal device 1 may consider (assume, determine) that the RAR or the RAR message(s) or the PDSCH or the transport block or the RA-RNTI is valid). Therefore, 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 teachings of Li with the teachings of Lin, in order to improve efficiency (Lin: paragraph 0004).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US PGPUB 2023/0421338 to Li et al. – that discloses determining, by a terminal, a random access occasion (RO) time domain position group; and selecting a first RO from the RO time domain position group and calculating a random access radio network temporary identifier (RA-RNTI) of the first RO. The RO time domain position group includes at least one of the following: a transmittable frame number group and a first slot number group, or a second slot number group.
US PGPUB 2022/0279596 to Agiwal et al. – which discloses method and an apparatus for selecting random access group and identifying radio network temporary identifier (RNTI) for random access procedure in next generation wireless communication system.
Conclusion
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/Aixa Guadalupe-Cruz/
Examiner
Art Unit 2466
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
Prosecution Insights